The Catholic Gospel?

  • Thread starter Thread starter timz
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
T

timz

Guest
Serious question:

Pretend you meet someone who has never heard of Jesus, you tell him the basic story and he believes. He asks what to do to go to heaven. You reply?

As an evangelical/fundamentalist/protestant (pick a label) I reply that he needs to accept Jesus as savior and believe in Him (and site any of many Romans passages).

As a Catholic you reply?
My understanding of RCC would be something like if you believe in Jesus, subscribe to the Catechism, participate in the sacraments, live a good life (works?), and if you get lucky enough to die in a state of grace (after confession?) you hope to go to heaven???

Thanks for any replies,
Tim
 
My answer would be Jesus Words in John 14:15
“If you love me, keep my commandments”
God will call us to account for our lives when the time comes.
He will ask us 1 question:

What did you do with the truth when it was handed to you?

How are you going to respond?
Sure, you can say a Protestant would boil it down to just faith and then that faith will produce good works.
And then you can suggest that Catholic thinks you gotta do all sorts of different things to get to Heaven.
Either way, these assumptions are slightly off the mark.
The correct answer would be: love
And true love seeks God, and to seek God is to seek His will. “IF YOU LOVE ME… Keep my commandments.”
A better way to put it, If you love me then listen to me.

Be what I’d outline it around; love. If we do not love, we’re nothing. (1Corinthians 13)
 
40.png
timz:
Serious question:

Pretend you meet someone who has never heard of Jesus, you tell him the basic story and he believes. He asks what to do to go to heaven. You reply?

As an evangelical/fundamentalist/protestant (pick a label) I reply that he needs to accept Jesus as savior and believe in Him (and site any of many Romans passages).

As a Catholic you reply?
My understanding of RCC would be something like if you believe in Jesus, subscribe to the Catechism, participate in the sacraments, live a good life (works?), and if you get lucky enough to die in a state of grace (after confession?) you hope to go to heaven???

Thanks for any replies,
Tim
Click to expand...
Lucky enough to die in a state of grace? give me a break. We have free will and we decide to be or not be in a state of Grace. I would say that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. To reveive the blessing of his death and resurrection one need to be baptized and become a child of God. If such a child of God loves and serves Christ, then he or she will enter into heaven. Of course all Catholicism falls under that.
I noticed that you said that a person must accept Jesus as saviour. What about accepting him as Lord?
 
Exactly, it is simple, pick up your cross and follow Christ Jesus!
 
Accepting and believing imply new activity on your part.
It means that everything in reality has changed forever.
Now, If I believe I Must pick up my cross - then I must.
If I believe I Must keep All that He commanded - then I must.
Unless you eat My Flesh you will have no life in you - and it is so.
Do this in memory of Me - then I do.
I will found My Church - and He has.
I give My Church My Authority, he who hears you hears Me - and I accept that.
Accepting and believing requires action on your part, it is never imposed or forced on you.
Salvation is offered freely to everyone - but to accept it one must move and go to it and accept it on His terms not ours.
 
40.png
timz:
Serious question:

Pretend you meet someone who has never heard of Jesus, you tell him the basic story and he believes. He asks what to do to go to heaven. You reply?

As an evangelical/fundamentalist/protestant (pick a label) I reply that he needs to accept Jesus as savior and believe in Him (and site any of many Romans passages).

As a Catholic you reply?
My understanding of RCC would be something like if you believe in Jesus, subscribe to the Catechism, participate in the sacraments, live a good life (works?), and if you get lucky enough to die in a state of grace (after confession?) you hope to go to heaven???

Thanks for any replies,
Tim
Click to expand...
Well, your understanding of Catholic teaching is, to say the least, faulty. 🙂 Please read the Catechism of the Catholic Church on the issues you cited here or go to the Catholic Answers Library here online to read their excellent articles.

As to what I would tell your hypothetical person, I would tell him to enter the RCIA program at his local Catholic parish in which he will learn what the Church teaches about salvation and other important things, such as living the life of Christ as a member of his Body, the Church.

You see, we don’t believe that people are automatically doomed merely because they have never heard the Gospel as you do, and quite erroneously I might add. As to any person who desires to be saved, we would tell him to be baptized and believe in the Gospel handed down by the Apostles, which was the teaching of both Jesus and Paul. This believing entails much more than mere mental assent. There is no mention anywhere in the NT about anyone having to have a “personal acceptance” or “personal knowledge” of Christ. Nowhere.
 
Maybe more of a back story:

My wife and I have been disliking Sola Scriptura recently (and not knowing what to make of John 6 within our theology) and this lead us to a discussion of RCC. She asked me about RCC salvation and we both realized we don’t understand your basic gospel message. That is why I posted the question I did.

Thanks,
Tim
 
40.png
timz:
Maybe more of a back story:

My wife and I have been disliking Sola Scriptura recently (and not knowing what to make of John 6 within our theology) and this lead us to a discussion of RCC. She asked me about RCC salvation and we both realized we don’t understand your basic gospel message. That is why I posted the question I did.

Thanks,
Tim
Click to expand...
Oh, I see. I think that maybe some of us were too quick on the draw and on the attack. Sorry about that my brother in Christ. Maybe we should just keep it at, “if you love me you will keep my commandments.” That includes all of Catholic Dogma. You see Christ’s commandments includes following all of the Church’s teachings because Christ told the first leaders of the Church, “Whatever you bind on earth is bound in heaven. What ever you loose on earth in loosed in heaven.” So salvation comes down to obedience to Christ. And it is the Church who teaches us what it means to be obedient to Christ by rightly interpreting the scirptures.
 
40.png
timz:
Maybe more of a back story:

My wife and I have been disliking Sola Scriptura recently (and not knowing what to make of John 6 within our theology) and this lead us to a discussion of RCC. She asked me about RCC salvation and we both realized we don’t understand your basic gospel message. That is why I posted the question I did.

Thanks,
Tim
Click to expand...
Good! 🙂 Determining to be fair-minded is the best way to approach Catholic teaching. 👍

We can assure you that what we believe is exactly what both Jesus and Paul taught. For, you see, the Bible is the Catholic Church’s book. The Church knows all that it contains and has the authority from Jesus himself to decide matters of faith and morals.

The Church existed for centuries before the canon of the NT was agreed upon from the existing writings that were being used in the liturgies (the services of the Church), which were their original purpose, not of searching for doctrine or dogmas.

The Bible is the witness of the Church, you see, not the other way around. The Church teaches, and has always taught, that the Bible is the inspired an inerrant word of God–that’s where that teaching came from, by the way, from the Catholic Church. 😉
 
Hello Timz,

I am a Catholic who used to go to a non-denominational church and my wife and I came back to the Catholic Church about a year ago.

One thing that stands out from your post to me is the perspective. I had a similar perspective presented to me from my friends at church that presented Catholics as sort of trying to earn their way into heaven.

In fact my brother in law called on Sunday and when we commented we were on our way to Church he said, “make sure you don’t lose your salvation”.
Since he was talking to my wife I didn’t talk to him about it, but it seems he believes Catholics do the stuff they do because they are scared of breaking rules instead of out of love of Jesus. I don’t blame him because that is the way Catholics are frequently caricatured and even some Catholics believe this even though it isn’t what we are supposed to believe.

Feel free to PM me and I will be happy to answer any questions.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

God Bless
Scylla
 
What seems to me a simple question is getting many varied and indirect answers. It is almost a subconscious reaction for me, how do I get saved?–believe in Jesus (and a bunch of other things then happen).

Mordocai:
My answer would be Jesus Words in John 14:15
“If you love me, keep my commandments”
Click to expand...
-So you would tell our hypothetical person to follow the rules to go to heaven?

LatinCat:
Lucky enough to die in a state of grace? give me a break. We have free will and we decide to be or not be in a state of Grace.
Click to expand...
Lucky certainly could be a poor choice of words. However, we all have a sinful nature and continue to sin despite our best efforts (even Paul does what he does not wish to do) and if you sin you believe you are in a “state of sin” untill you next confession and are put back in a “state of grace” ??? What happens if you get blasted by a car right after doing something stupid (sinful).

Della:
Well, your understanding of Catholic teaching is, to say the least, faulty
Click to expand...
Thats why I am here.
As to what I would tell your hypothetical person, I would tell him to enter the RCIA program at his local Catholic parish in which he will learn what the Church teaches about salvation and other important things, such as living the life of Christ as a member of his Body, the Church.
Click to expand...
It takes a class to know the gospel?
You see, we don’t believe that people are automatically doomed merely because they have never heard the Gospel as you do, and quite erroneously I might add
Click to expand...
Thats not a universal view amongst Evangelicals, though it would be my take from Scripture. Is your current RCC view the historic view or the new politically correct view?
As to any person who desires to be saved, we would tell him to be baptized and believe in the Gospel handed down by the Apostles, which was the teaching of both Jesus and Paul. This believing entails much more than mere mental assent
Click to expand...
Romans 10:

9That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

I don’t think any protestant believe it is “merely mental assent” that save the sinner, but rather a “saving faith”.

Thanks for all the replies,
Tim
 
40.png
timz:
Maybe more of a back story:

My wife and I have been disliking Sola Scriptura recently (and not knowing what to make of John 6 within our theology) and this lead us to a discussion of RCC. She asked me about RCC salvation and we both realized we don’t understand your basic gospel message. That is why I posted the question I did.

Thanks,
Tim
Click to expand...
👋

Maybe this will help. It shows how the Catholic Church presents the gospel of Christ every Mass.

How Do Catholics Hear the Gospel

Here is another tract written by a revert that he is sharing.

Church Militant

CM’s tract tries to explain some differences specifically to the evangelical crowd, (CM is a revert, spent about 35 years evanelical I believe.)

There is certainly more that we can share with a person. But in and of itself, the first step is to believe for anyone. The Catholic Church just doesn’t stop there, we go on to make sure people know that IF you believe, you will do certain things or you have a dead faith.

I hope this helps a little.

I know The Real Presence of Christ is what brought me back to the Catholic Church. And then I found how wonderfully scriptural the Catholic Church is, and fell in love not only Christ, but His Church.

Scripture Catholic is a good site to look at some scripture and explanations of Catholic teachings.

I am a born-again Catholic Christian who still loves to “find it in the Bible”. The Catholic Church is the most wonderfully Biblical church ever!
God Bless,
Maria
 
40.png
timz:
Maybe more of a back story:

My wife and I have been disliking Sola Scriptura recently (and not knowing what to make of John 6 within our theology) and this lead us to a discussion of RCC. She asked me about RCC salvation and we both realized we don’t understand your basic gospel message. That is why I posted the question I did.

Thanks,
Tim
Click to expand...
Tim,

I think you’re wrestling with the fact that we will be held accountable for what we know and how we respond to that knowledge. To whom much has been given, much will be expected.

But don’t worry about complexity. If you have a true friendship with God, and do not stand in the way of His graces, you will not have problems. If, for example, you come to see that Christ commanded us to eat his flesh and drink his blood via his great gift of the Eucharist, you would not refuse, simply because of your love for Him.

“You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

Be sure to check out the Library section on our beliefs on salvation:

catholic.com/library/salvation.asp

This introduction to the faith also has a good summary on salvation near the end:

catholic.com/library/Pillar.asp
 
Thanks fror all the replies. I am trying my best to keep up and respond. I am seriously seeking what your church teaches and usually find that I learn the most about other views when debating them (hence the choice of a forum to inquire).

Thanks,
Tim
 
40.png
timz:
Serious question:

Pretend you meet someone who has never heard of Jesus, you tell him the basic story and he believes. He asks what to do to go to heaven. You reply?

As an evangelical/fundamentalist/protestant (pick a label) I reply that he needs to accept Jesus as savior and believe in Him (and site any of many Romans passages).

As a Catholic you reply?
My understanding of RCC would be something like if you believe in Jesus, subscribe to the Catechism, participate in the sacraments, live a good life (works?), and if you get lucky enough to die in a state of grace (after confession?) you hope to go to heaven???

Thanks for any replies,
Tim
Click to expand...
No, your understanding is incorrect. We are saved by Gods free gift of Grace alone. If not for this gift of saving Grace, we could not even accept Jesus. Everything else flows from this. Of course of one chooses to reject Gods gift of salvation, then they are not forced to receive it.

You need to get your information about Catholics from Catholic sources. Even this is not the best place. The Ask an Apologist forum is the best place to get Authentic answers to your questions.

Your brother in Christ.
 
40.png
timz:
Thanks fror all the replies. I am trying my best to keep up and respond. I am seriously seeking what your church teaches and usually find that I learn the most about other views when debating them (hence the choice of a forum to inquire).

Thanks,
Tim
Click to expand...
As I mentioned in my previous post. If you want to find the Authentic teaching of the Church, this forum is not necessarily the best place for it. Go to the Ask and Apologist forum on this board to get Authentic and correct answers to your questions.

God Bless.
 
40.png
timz:
What seems to me a simple question is getting many varied and indirect answers. It is almost a subconscious reaction for me, how do I get saved?–believe in Jesus (and a bunch of other things then happen).

Mordocai:

-So you would tell our hypothetical person to follow the rules to go to heaven?

LatinCat:

Lucky certainly could be a poor choice of words. However, we all have a sinful nature and continue to sin despite our best efforts (even Paul does what he does not wish to do) and if you sin you believe you are in a “state of sin” untill you next confession and are put back in a “state of grace” ??? What happens if you get blasted by a car right after doing something stupid (sinful).

Della:

Thats why I am here.

It takes a class to know the gospel?

Thats not a universal view amongst Evangelicals, though it would be my take from Scripture. Is your current RCC view the historic view or the new politically correct view?

Romans 10:

9That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

I don’t think any protestant believe it is “merely mental assent” that save the sinner, but rather a “saving faith”.

Thanks for all the replies,
Tim
Click to expand...
James 2:24, “See how a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.”
 
Ignatius:
As I mentioned in my previous post. If you want to find the Authentic teaching of the Church, this forum is not necessarily the best place for it. Go to the Ask and Apologist forum on this board to get Authentic and correct answers to your questions.
Click to expand...
-I honestly do not understand why it is so difficult for the average Catholic to answer the most basic and important question of Christianity (how do I get to be with Jesus forever). It seems like it should be a quick short answer (maybe because of my background?). I think it would be difficult to find a fundamentalist who couldn’t explain Sola Fide. Is it just because the fundamentalist gospel is easier or more simple? Anyway, I will take you advise and repost this in another forum as well.

Thanks,
Tim
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top