Salvation: What is necessary to go to heaven?

[boastinjesus]

I’m trying to get my answers from Catholics themselves, so forgive me if I make mistakes or phrase this awkwardly:

How is a person saved? Protestants would just say repent and believe in Jesus as God, Lord, Savior. Do I have to confess to a priest to be saved? Do I have to do the 7 sacraments? Are Protestants who pray to Jesus and repent going to heaven?

 

[YoungTradCath]

I’m trying to get my answers from Catholics themselves, so forgive me if I make mistakes or phrase this awkwardly:

How is a person saved? Protestants would just say repent and believe in Jesus as God, Lord, Savior. Do I have to confess to a priest to be saved? Do I have to do the 7 sacraments? Are Protestants who pray to Jesus and repent going to heaven?

Step 1: Get baptized.

Step 2: Die in a state of grace. Step 2 alternate: Go into a state of mortal sin by committing a mortal sin.

Step 3 (if one takes Step 2 alternate): Go confess all your mortal sins to a priest to get into a state of grace once more.

Step 4 (if one takes Step 2 alternate): Die in a state of grace.

So basically, get baptized, then die in a state of grace (state free from mortal sin). That’s what Catholics ultimately believe gets you to heaven. However, this doesn’t mean you’ll go right there. You could very well confess, die right after, and spend quite a long time in purgatory. Time in purgatory can be removed by receiving graces attached to doing indulgences, but that’s a whole different ballgame than confession.

About the Protestants… Well, Catholics view Protestants as intrinsically seriously flawed in their theology, and even if that was corrected, it still wouldn’t matter, because the authority issue of not submitting to the Pope is still in the way.

You can’t just “do” the seven sacraments, and certainly not all of them. In fact, you can only “hold” or be “affected” by six of them at once usually. IE, you can’t be under Holy Orders and have the sacrament of Matrimony at the same time. There are many instances in which priests can be married, but you’ll find that at least in the United States, in which Latin Rite Catholicism reigns supreme as far as numbers go, 99% or more of priests are not. So no, just by receiving sacraments does not get you into heaven.

As far as if Protestants go to heaven. Well, maybe. The Catholic Church holds that Protestant baptisms are valid, that is, they are the same as Catholic baptisms and do the same things as long as a Trinitarian formula (“I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”) is used. So theoretically, if a Protestant was baptized correctly, then got shot in the head and died a half a second later, he would go to heaven, because Catholics view baptism as the “entrance” sacrament to the Church, ergo, to heaven. However, if a Protestant is baptized and falls into a state of mortal sin after the baptism, which is very easy in our world today, especially since many “small” sins are considered mortal sins, then he would, according to Catholic teaching, go to hell. The thing is, even though Protestant baptisms are fully valid, no Protestant “minister,” “reverend,” “priest,” etc., can hear confessions. So if a Protestant falls in to a state of mortal sin, there’s no way that he can “get out,” because the only way out is through confession, and no Protestant clergyman can hear confessions, and Catholic priests cannot hear confessions and grant absolution to Protestants. The only other way to have mortal sins forgiven is to be in a state of what is called “perfect contrition.” But, part of being in a state of perfect contrition is, arguably, hard, even for a Catholic. To be in a state of perfect contrition, one must have as a desire to go to confession, but be impeded from going for whatever reason. So, theoretically, for a Protestant to be in a state of perfect contrition, he would have to have as a desire to: 1. become Catholic and 2. go to confession. The first would be required because the second cannot be so without the first. Then, if that condition was satisfied, the Protestant would, theoretically, be in a state of perfect contrition, and if he died in that state, he could get to heaven. Perfect contrition is as close to just “repenting and being forgiven” as Catholics get. Disclaimer: I don’t even know if Protestants can be in a state of perfect contrition. Someone correct me if I’m wrong.

What you should keep in mind is, it’s very hard, according to Catholic teaching, for Protestants to get to heaven. It CAN happen, theoretically. And it may have before, and it may in the future. But, it’s infinitely harder than if you’re Catholic. Again, this is according to Catholic teaching.

Catholic teaching holds that you can’t just “accept Jesus as [my] personal Lord and Savior and get ‘saved’.” It takes more than that. It takes an actual baptism, with water, with the right words, and subsequent sin-free death.

Whew.

I hope I’ve been helpful. It’s so hard to explain Catholic stuff. I tried to be as all-encompassing as possible.

 

[BertBlyleven]

A person is saved by dying and being permitted to enter heaven (or purgatory) by God the Father and Jesus Christ. The Church has never proclaimed an absolute method of getting to this point, especially one in less than ten words. The Church has always taught salvation is very difficult and few are actually saved. It takes a life of acceptance of and cooperation with the Holy Trinity and the Grace of God to save a soul. We are never saved while on this earth.

You mention the Sacraments. The Church says they are necessary. You must be Baptized, and you must be Confirmed/Chrismated if are able to do so (per Summa Theologica). You do not need to confess to a priest to be saved, unless you have committed a mortal sin or haven’t confessed in one year; this essentially means unless you are Baptized on your deathbed, you do not need to confess to be saved. You do not have to receive all seven sacraments to be saved; in fact, as Roman Catholics only permanent (married) deacons can receive all seven. God is not bound to the Sacraments, we are as human beings though. The Sacraments are gifts, graces freely given from God, even to the point of forgiveness (confession) God’s flesh (Eucharist). God can save people outside the Sacraments, but if we deny the Sacraments what (who) are we really denying? The answer to that is God. This certainly does not help our salvation.

Are Protestants going to heaven? I do hope so. It is not my place to say. Being outside Christ’s Church is never a good thing. The Church has traditionally said ,“no.” In recent years this has changed, somewhat.

The Catholic Church has never taught you are saved by good works alone, nor by faith alone in the Lutheran sense. It takes a life of prayer, penance, obedience, virtue, death to self, and of course accepting the Kingdom of God like a child. To be able to do any of this is only by the Grace of God. The saints have always said that an interior (prayer) life is the surest way to salvation.

I hope this helps by the way! Feel free to post more questions on this forum, we’re always happy to help and answer…and of course pray.

 

[lisahiku]

About the Protestants… Well, Catholics view Protestants as intrinsically seriously flawed in their theology, and even if that was corrected, it still wouldn’t matter, because the authority issue of not submitting to the Pope is still in the way.

As far as if Protestants go to heaven. Well, maybe. The Catholic Church holds that Protestant baptisms are valid, that is, they are the same as Catholic baptisms and do the same things as long as a Trinitarian formula (“I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”) is used. So theoretically, if a Protestant was baptized correctly, then got shot in the head and died a half a second later, he would go to heaven, because Catholics view baptism as the “entrance” sacrament to the Church, ergo, to heaven. However, if a Protestant is baptized and falls into a state of mortal sin after the baptism, which is very easy in our world today, especially since many “small” sins are considered mortal sins, then he would, according to Catholic teaching, go to hell. The thing is, even though Protestant baptisms are fully valid, no Protestant “minister,” “reverend,” “priest,” etc., can hear confessions. So if a Protestant falls in to a state of mortal sin, there’s no way that he can “get out,” because the only way out is through confession, and no Protestant clergyman can hear confessions, and Catholic priests cannot hear confessions and grant absolution to Protestants. The only other way to have mortal sins forgiven is to be in a state of what is called “perfect contrition.” But, part of being in a state of perfect contrition is, arguably, hard, even for a Catholic. To be in a state of perfect contrition, one must have as a desire to go to confession, but be impeded from going for whatever reason. So, theoretically, for a Protestant to be in a state of perfect contrition, he would have to have as a desire to: 1. become Catholic and 2. go to confession. The first would be required because the second cannot be so without the first. Then, if that condition was satisfied, the Protestant would, theoretically, be in a state of perfect contrition, and if he died in that state, he could get to heaven. Perfect contrition is as close to just “repenting and being forgiven” as Catholics get. Disclaimer: I don’t even know if Protestants can be in a state of perfect contrition. Someone correct me if I’m wrong.

What you should keep in mind is, it’s very hard, according to Catholic teaching, for Protestants to get to heaven. It CAN happen, theoretically. And it may have before, and it may in the future. But, it’s infinitely harder than if you’re Catholic. Again, this is according to Catholic teaching.

Catholic teaching holds that you can’t just “accept Jesus as [my] personal Lord and Savior and get ‘saved’.” It takes more than that. It takes an actual baptism, with water, with the right words, and subsequent sin-free death.

Whew.

I hope I’ve been helpful. It’s so hard to explain Catholic stuff. I tried to be as all-encompassing as possible.

I found your post EXTREMELY offensive to our protestant brothers and sisters!
Maybe you have never heard that the church approves mixed faith marriages?
Also, did you know that a protestant may receive CATHOLIC communion in some cases, as long as they profess a belief and get permission?

The teaching of the church is that while our Protestant brothers/sisters are separated from us in our beliefs, they are children of God also and they will inherit his kingdom too, through ways known to God alone.

I think it would be best for future postings that you remember some of us are married to protestants or are children of Protestants.

 

[kmuestwin]

I’m trying to get my answers from Catholics themselves, so forgive me if I make mistakes or phrase this awkwardly:

How is a person saved? Protestants would just say repent and believe in Jesus as God, Lord, Savior. Do I have to confess to a priest to be saved? Do I have to do the 7 sacraments? Are Protestants who pray to Jesus and repent going to heaven?

I think in any situation to say, “Protestants say…” is really a mistake. It would be better to say, “Some protestants say…” because there are many different protestant view points.

eg. A baptist and a methodist would have a different opinion on the significance of a baptism.

Sorry to get off topic.

How is a person saved?

A person is saved when he or she dies in a state of grace and being sent to either heaven or purgatory by the power of God.

Do I have to confess to a priest to be saved?

No. The sacrament of Reconciliation removes sin that we commit after baptism. If you were to be baptized and commit no sin and then die, you would go straight to heaven. Also, if you are able to obtain perfect Contrition for your sins then God could forgive you and spare you from the fires of hell but why chance it when he gave his Church a more concrete way in the form of Confession.

Do I have to do the 7 sacraments to be saved?

No. Most Catholics only receive 6 of the 7.

1 Baptism
2 Reconciliation
3 Holy Communion
4 Confirmation
5 Marriage
6 Holy Orders
7 Anointing of the Sick

That’s because in the Latin rite, marriage and holy orders are mutually exclusive

The 7 Sacraments are the ways to physically experience Jesus. You need baptism but all of the other sacraments only strengthen the Holy Spirit within us.

Are Protestants who pray to Jesus and repent going to heaven?

I hope so.

The Catholic Church has defined rules and truths. This makes it hard for some people because they see the rules as difficult to follow or arbitrary. If you follow the teachings faithfully, you will make it.

Sola Scriptura protestants have no definite rules. You could sit 20 different protestant pastors down and ask them to define what their church believes and you would get 20 different answers. It might seem easier because if you decide you don’t like one’s rules you can hop over to the next one and see what that’s like but they have no definite TRUTH. Their path is wider and easier to walk on but the road to heaven is straight and narrow.

 

[DAAVEED1590]

I found your post EXTREMELY offensive to our protestant brothers and sisters!
Maybe you have never heard that the church approves mixed faith marriages?
Also, did you know that a protestant may receive CATHOLIC communion in some cases, as long as they profess a belief and get permission?

The teaching of the church is that while our Protestant brothers/sisters are separated from us in our beliefs, they are children of God also and they will inherit his kingdom too, through ways known to God alone.

I think it would be best for future postings that you remember some of us are married to protestants or are children of Protestants.

Dear lisahiku,

Cordial greetings!

Please refrain from insulting YoungTradCatholic, as his answer was both true and very informative. It is very hard for a protestant to achive salvation simply because thy embrase false teachings and hold them as truth, and are seperated from the only Ark of Salvation, the Body of Christ. They are our esrtanged cousins, if anything (WITH REGARD TO FAITH ONLY), not our brothers and sisters in faith, as we have the truth, and putting them on the same level as us in that regard would be equating them to having the truth also, which is false, because they don’t. Also, Protestants can only recive Catholic Communion in EXTREME circumstances, which are very hard to meet, if not impossible to meet, in any normal situation. And the Church certanly does not approve of interfaith mairrage at all. In fact, a dispensation is required for one and it is strongly discouraged. Another falsehood, While Protestansts are children of God, if they remain Protestant they can not (or at least it is very hard for them to) achieve salvation because the sacraments and the graces vital and neccesacary for salvation are cut off from them because they are not a part of the Body of Christ.

God Bless and Ave Maria!

 

[NewsTheMan]

Being outside Christ’s Church is never a good thing. The Church has traditionally said ,“no.” In recent years this has changed, somewhat.

You probably didn’t mean it, but this is somewhat misleading. Outside the Church there is no salvation. Full stop. The Church has always, will always and still says that this is truth. Being outside the Catholic Church is not the way to salvation. However, what has ‘changed’ [and nothing has changed, that would make ours a false Church, it has merely developed] is the interpretation of this - from a physical to a more spiritual interpretation. Someone outside the physical bounds of the Church may be saved if in a spiritual sense he is in fact inside the Church. It’s a lot more complicated than that, but I hope it’s clear enough.

To the OP:

We are limited to the sacraments that Jesus Christ has given us, but God is not bound by the sacraments. Who are we to say no to what Christ established and gave us? If he told me to stand on one leg and hop around for a year as a means to salvation, I would do it. God can save who He likes, but I wouldn’t take the risk. The Church has the fullness of truth, and I wouldn’t want to be standing in front of God as a wretched sinner trying to explain to Him why I rejected His graces in the sacraments.

 

[NewsTheMan]

thy embrase false teachings and hold them as truth, and are seperated from the only Ark of Salvation, the Body of Christ.
putting them on the same level as us in that regard would be equating them to having the sametruth also

All true (and I added a bold underlined caveat), but you trip up here slightly…

which is false, because they don’t

They certainly do have truth. Some truth. For the most part, depending on which denomination, 60-95% of their beliefs mirror ours. Of course, since they all came from the Catholic Church in one way or another.

Of course, this is no excuse nor is it something to celebrate. The truth they do have is often surrounded and overpowered by false teaching. But they do have some truth,

 

[Jim_Dandy]

(A) Maybe you have never heard that the church approves mixed faith marriages?

(B) Also, did you know that a protestant may receive CATHOLIC communion in some cases, as long as they profess a belief and get permission?

(C) The teaching of the church is that while our Protestant brothers/sisters are separated from us in our beliefs, they are children of God also and they will inherit his kingdom too, through ways known to God alone.

The capital letters refer to your post above (I added A,B,C).

(A) It’s too strong to say that the Church approves mixed-faith marriages. She permits them with reluctance.

QUOTE:
(B) Canon 844 (c.671 in the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches)

1. Catholic ministers may licitly administer the sacraments to Catholic members of the Christian faithful only and, likewise, the latter may licitly receive the sacraments only from Catholic ministers with due regard for parts 2, 3, and 4 of this canon, and can. 861, part 2.
2. Whenever necessity requires or genuine spiritual advantage suggests, and provided that the danger of error or indifferentism is avoided, it is lawful for the faithful for whom it is physically or morally impossible to approach a Catholic minister, to receive the sacraments of penance, Eucharist, and anointing of the sick from non-Catholic ministers in whose churches these sacraments are valid.
3. Catholic ministers may licitly administer the sacraments of penance, Eucharist and anointing of the sick to members of the oriental churches which do not have full communion with the Catholic Church, if they ask on their own for the sacraments and are properly disposed. This holds also for members of other churches, which in the judgment of the Apostolic See are in the same condition as the oriental churches as far as these sacraments are concerned.
4. If the danger of death is present or other grave necessity, in the judgment of the diocesan bishop or the conference of bishops, Catholic ministers may licitly administer these sacraments to other Christians who do not have full communion with the Catholic Church, who cannot approach a minister of their own community and on their own ask for it, provided they manifest Catholic faith in these sacraments and are properly disposed.
5. For the cases in parts 2, 3, and 4, neither the diocesan bishop nor the conference of bishops is to enact general norms except after consultation with at least the local competent authority of the interested non- Catholic Church or community.
   END QUOTE

See especially paragraph 4. Danger of death or “other grave necessity” is required and permission of the bishop or the conference of bishops.

(C) Catechism of the Catholic Church 847 - “Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the doctates of their conscience, those too MAY achieve eternal life”

 

[ATeutonicKnight]

A person is saved by dying and being permitted to enter heaven (or purgatory) by God the Father and Jesus Christ. The Church has never proclaimed an absolute method of getting to this point, especially one in less than ten words. The Church has always taught salvation is very difficult and few are actually saved.

This is highly misleading. The Church and the Bible have never said that very few are saved. This almost comes off as a Jehovah’s Witness/Mormonistic (I can’t remember which one believes it) view. The way you explain this it sounds as if there’s absolutely no hope at all. Praying everyday, believing in the Church, receiving the sacraments, and being an overall good person is the best way to get into Heaven. This is not that complicated, nor is it hard. The reason most won’t enter is because they choose to live a life of sin instead of denying themselves and taking up their crosses. This does not mean those who do have a very slim chance like you’re trying to say. Father Benedict Groeschel’s book on Hell, Purgatory, Heaven, and death is a very good book and it really inspires you. It helps you to be comfortable with death, and it shows you that it’s really not hard to get into Heaven.

To quote Mother Angelica: “I believe that when we are in Heaven, we will look at our lives and realize just how easy it was to be a Saint.” Your comment was extremely disheartening for me when I read it. I’m glad I’ve read the books that I have to be able to realize you are wrong on many accounts, otherwise I would’ve completely given up and decided to lead a life of sin.

 

[NewsTheMan]

Snip

It’s not either/or - it’s both/and. So in some sense, you are both correct. This is the paradoxical nature of the faith, and of Jesus own words. Remember Jesus’ parables? Eye of the needle/narrow path? It is difficult to be saved in that sense, and in that sense it seems few are saved [caveat at bottom]. We are also told to take up our cross, which is difficult and full of suffering. Remember what Jesus said - be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect. They were stunned and said - well, then who can be saved (because it is impossible to be perfect!). Jesus answer - impossible on your own, but through God all things are possible. In this sense, we can see how it is also easy to be saved and to be a saint. So in a paradoxical way it is both easy and hard to be saved. Easy because we are given all the graces necessary by God and He will carry us when we fall. Hard because we have to overcome our own nature, and we have to suffer, since the servant is not above the master.

Now to the caveat. Jesus clearly indicates that few people take the narrow path and that too many people take the easy route to Hell. However, the Church has never said anything about this dogmatically. There are two ways to take this. One would be to take Christ’s words as saying that even if only one person is in Hell this is too many. Another would be to take them to mean that many people - the overwhelming majority - do in fact go to Hell. We then also have personal revelations like Fatima where Our Lady shows many souls dropping into Hell like snowflakes. Though of course, we are not required to believe such revelations but personally I do.

Overall, it is worthless to speculate. Focus on your own salvation.

 

[Jim_Dandy]

I cut and pasted this from the WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED thread.

Accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior," or “Ask Jesus into your heart” isn’t the biblical answer.

It’s important to be saved from hell, damnation, and the stain of original sin, but what are we saved for? We are saved for union with Christ. Our salvation began when we were born again through baptism and God’s own Divine Life was restored in our souls, making us like Adam and Eve were in the Garden before the Original (first) Sin. As we go through life, we are united with Christ through the Sacraments he left as gifts for us, especially through Penance (forgiveness of our sins committed since Baptism) and the Eucharist (partaking of God’s own Life, His own Divine Nature, 2 Peter 1:4) – until that day when we are truly united with Him in heaven.

Scripture teaches that one’s final salvation depends on the state of the soul at death. As Jesus himself tells us, “He who endures to the end will be saved” (Matt. 24:13; cf. 25:31–46). One who dies in the state of friendship with God (the state of grace) will go to heaven. The one who dies in a state of rebellion against God (the state of mortal sin) will go to hell. (For the teaching on venial (non-deadly) and mortal (deadly) sins, see 1 John 5:16-17)

What I must do to be saved:

*I must be baptized with water and the Spirit. Mark 16:16, John 3:3-5, Titus 3:5, I Peter 3:20-21. (Exceptions: [1] If I desire Baptism but die before I can be baptized with water and the Spirit, God accepts my desire to be baptized, and [2] If I am killed (martyred) because of my faith, but I have not had the opportunity to be baptized, God accepts my death as my baptism, called the Baptism of Blood).

• I must do the will of God the Father. Matthew 7:21
• I must keep the Commandments of God. Matthew 5:19-20, Matthew 7:21, Matthew 19:17, 1 Timothy 6:14, and others.
• I must accept the Cross (suffering). Matthew 10:38, Matthew 16:24-25, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23, Luke 14:27. Phil 1:29, and others.
• I must be a member of God’s true church. Acts 2:46-47.
• I must confess my sins. James 5:16, I John 1:9, John 20:19-23
• I must heed the words of St. Peter, the first Pope. Acts 11:13-14, Acts 15:7.
• I must eat the flesh and drink the blood of Jesus Christ. John 6:51-58, I Corinthians 10:16-17, 11:23-30.
• I must do unto others as I would have them do unto me and love my neighbor as myself. I must feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, visit the sick and those in prison or give other aid to those in need. Luke 10:33 ff, Mt 25:31-46. “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are very pleasing to God” Hebrews 13:16. Good works don’t save us, but we will be judged by them.

*I must strive to be holy. “Strive for peace with everyone and for that holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14

*I must endure (persevere) to the end. Matthew 10:22, Matthew 24:13, Mark 13:13.

And … ? What else must I do?

 

[E_Thrower_II]

I’m trying to get my answers from Catholics themselves, so forgive me if I make mistakes or phrase this awkwardly:

How is a person saved? Protestants would just say repent and believe in Jesus as God, Lord, Savior. Do I have to confess to a priest to be saved? Do I have to do the 7 sacraments? Are Protestants who pray to Jesus and repent going to heaven?

The only requirement is belief. The only people who can believe are those who God has given faith. The only people who know whether or not they are true/sincere in their belief are those individuals and God himself.

Eph 1:3-5 & 2:8-9
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast

Jn 6:44 & 14:6
44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

… there is nothing you can do to be apart of God’s family anymore than there was anything you could have done to become your parents child. There is nothing you can do to lose your home in Heaven just as there is nothing you can do to change the fact that you are your mother and father’s child. However, if you want to feel the joys and receive the blessings that God has in store for you as His child, obedience is required. No different than growing up in your parents house. Do well you’ll be rewarded. Do wrong you’ll be punished but you are still your father’s child.

God bless.

 

[Jim_Dandy]

. The Church and the Bible have never said that very few are saved.

Perhaps the person to whom you wrote this was thinking of Matthew 7:13-14 RSV:

Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow, and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

Any thoughts about this?

 

[NewsTheMan]

Snip

Sorry, but the OP asked for a Catholic perspective. Please don’t hijack this thread and try turn it into a faith vs works thread. It’s common courtesy to respect the OP’s wishes and the section of the forum in which it is posted.

Thank you

 

[E_Thrower_II]

Sorry, but the OP asked for a Catholic perspective. Please don’t hijack this thread and try turn it into a faith vs works thread. It’s common courtesy to respect the OP’s wishes and the section of the forum in which it is posted.

Thank you

Point taken.

 

[Jim_Dandy]

The only requirement is belief.

Have you read Matthew 25:31-46? The Last Judgment. Nary a word about belief.

Do you know that the New Testament consists of 27 of the Catholic Church’s own writings? :yup:

 

[Jim_Roberts]

I’m trying to get my answers from Catholics themselves, so forgive me if I make mistakes or phrase this awkwardly:

How is a person saved? Protestants would just say repent and believe in Jesus as God, Lord, Savior. Do I have to confess to a priest to be saved? Do I have to do the 7 sacraments? Are Protestants who pray to Jesus and repent going to heaven?

---

We have our outline on how to be saved, it is the Ten Commandments. Follow these Commandments and you will be saved.

JESUS I TRUST I YOU

jt

 

[BertBlyleven]

This is highly misleading. The Church and the Bible have never said that very few are saved. The way you explain this it sounds as if there’s absolutely no hope at all.

Praying everyday, believing in the Church, receiving the sacraments, and being an overall good person is the best way to get into Heaven.

Father Benedict Groeschel’s book on Hell, Purgatory, Heaven, and death is a very good book and it really inspires you. It helps you to be comfortable with death, and it shows you that it’s really not hard to get into Heaven.

To quote Mother Angelica: “I believe that when we are in Heaven, we will look at our lives and realize just how easy it was to be a Saint.”

Your comment was extremely disheartening for me when I read it. I’m glad I’ve read the books that I have to be able to realize you are wrong on many accounts, otherwise I would’ve completely given up and decided to lead a life of sin.

Several Church Doctors that have said few are saved. I’m sure many more held to this. Sure, they aren’t the Magesterium (some were part of it), but they highly esteemed saints. Are their views less important than Fr. Groeschel’s? Or Mother Angelica’s? I’m not trying to be self righteous here, but THIS is the truth. Read St. John Chrysostom, St. Basil the Great, St. Ephram, St. Augustine. None have ever said the path to heaven is easy and widespread; they have all said it is hard and few obtain it. Even our Lord himself said the way is narrow and few find it.

And you say you’d lead a life of sin because of what I just said? I’ll will pray for you good sir. I know you didn’t mean this comment. The methods of getting to heaven are very easy, you just listed them off. Actually doing them whilst uniting yourself to Christ and God and perfecting yourself at all times according only to the will of God, is very difficult.

EDIT: I don’t advocate everything Michael Voris has to say, but this is a fairly good video…food for thought. youtube.com/watch?v=GCf8C1Xcpds

Remember, we can NEVER view salvation is light of others. We can only account for ourselves.

 

[Aginghippy]

This is an interesting thread!
The thief on the cross was saved by acknowleding Jesus as Lord- so essentially, that’s how you’re saved. I know, I know, he was a special case- but aren’t we all?
In the end, we aren’t saved by ourselves- we are saved by the life, atonement, death and resurrection of our Divine Saviour Jesus Christ. Of course, how we live will tell whether or not we really believe in Him.
There’s a huge diversity of teaching within the Catholic Church on how hard it is to be saved- so pick your Saint and take your chances. I have been told (by a priest who should know) that Sr. Faustina, of the Divine Mercy visions, came right up to the edge of heresy on how easy it is to be saved. Pope John Paul II loved her- that’s good enough for me.
I DO believe that the fullest expression of the Christian faith is to be found only within the Holy Catholic Church- but to say that only Catholics are saved? C’mon.