My efforts were in vain as I tried to explain that the development of Church dogma has led to the conclusion that the Church extends not only to her avowed baptized membership, but also to all men of good will who earnestly seek after the truth.
Your Protestant friend is correct in understanding the Dogma to mean that only those in the bosom of the Church can be saved. There is no salvation outside of the Catholic Church, as we all know.
Further, men of good-will will never be adverse to the Gospel. Such are the first to hear it and believe it. You would seem to confuse reasonable or civil people with those who objectively can be said to be of good will, which is rather something more than being civil or reasonable; strictly speaking it is very rare. This is easily demonstrated by the fact that reasonableness and civility is something we are all taught and made to practice. It does not come naturally to most, if any; intervention by authority (parents, society or the state) is often its cause, and where this is wanting we notice it immediately in its consequences.
Now our Catholic teaching lends us the suggestion that most men (and especially the unbaptized) are, in some way, under the sway, power, suggestion or influence of Satan and therefore are liable to believe his lies. Now lies vitiate good-will, and by believing them and propogating them we do Satan a real service. In the older Rites, catechumens underwent
numerous minor exorcisms before being baptized.
Now anything that serves as an obstacle to the Faith is contrary to God, as it is God’s holy Will that men repent of their sins and come to salvation. As we can clearly see, there is much in this world that is actively trying to block or obstruct men from coming to the font of salvation that is the Catholic Church. This world is filled with distractions, amusements and temptations that corrupt our souls. These things are like poison that obstruct grace, because grace builds on nature. Now if our nature is corrupted, perverted or polluted, then where shall grace build? Where or in what can it be infused? If our heart’s desire is set on worldy dainties, entertainments, etc., then how can we be said to be seeking God or the truth? If one is content in these things even to such an extent as they prefer these things to all others, then how can we say that person is of God? Are they not of this world? Such are in need of our prayers.
Anyone who earnestly seeks after the Truth will find Him. “
Seek and you shall find; knock and the door shall be opened” etc. But this requires an active commitment on the part of the person, to such an extent that they will humbly receive and accept the Truth. A general observation would be that most men seem to simply give-up on this, even though it its urged and written in their very hearts, though indeed things happen in our lives that prompt us out of our lethargy or complacency or acedia, and this is certainly a kindness on the part of God. But depending on our will, we will either receive correction (or direction) or become worse, e.g. become bitter and angry with God. The proud are liable to take offense (if life or success turns for the worse, for example) but the humble will turn to God for help in times of trial and calamity. They will see their works as vanity for the usual reasons, such as the old proverb says, “You can’t take it with you.” My virtue, my honour, my kindesses, etc., while all well and good, do not purchase me a leave from death; and if they are done not for Christ’s sake, then they are not even good works or Charity, since I would be doing them for my own sake, and have already received its reward.
Beware of anyone, therefore, who thinks that being nice or kind or honourable will merit us salvation. Far better is it, I think, to recognize that we are all sinners in need of God’s mercy and grace; otherwise, we seem to have a salvation by works mentality that thinks man can somehow redeem himself. Now if that were so, then what need was there for Christ to come? For what purpose was His Passion?
Further, all human beings have a positive duty to worship the True God and give Him thanks, as He is ultimately the source and cause of all the good we might have or possess, including virtue. True enough, those who are legitimately virtuous are far more likely to be baptized, but they still need baptism and they still need grace. Without grace no one can have true Faith, Hope or Charity. Now if God has been so kind to a man that he can be legitimately virtuous, then such a man has all the more cause and reason to honour the Triune God and worship Him in spirit and in truth.
If I might add something here, in my experience, I frequently find that it is not the apparently good or virtuous who are most likely to be receptive to the Faith, but usually the tired, disillusioned, disgruntled, etc. Those who are used to being blamed or told that they are insufficient or faulty or
what have you. The coldness and cruelty they have suffered in life, at least has some good here, in that many people half-believe it, such that they do not hold themselves in overly high-esteem or make an idol of themselves. Neither do they usually hold the world in inordinately high esteem. Nor do they think too highly of men in general, knowing as they do the cruelty, coldness and mercilessness that man is quite capable of. In comparison, their faults are usually trivial. Manners and habits are much easier to correct than say pride or greed.
Finally, let me summarize by saying that the hindrance to salvation is not and never the Church or Her Teaching or Dogma- far from it! But it is always sin that obstructs. It is sin that is the obstacle to salvation and it is sin that has to be removed:
Be penitent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.
Nothing has changed there is no salvation outside of the CC or as I said Jesus Christ.
