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slewi
Guest
I’m curious. If a non-catholic were to come up to you, and ask you the question “How is one saved?” how would you answer?
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Kevin42
Guest
Do the will of Jesus the Christ, and imitate Him in everything that you do.
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LilyM
Guest
I’d say a good first step is to believe in Jesus Christ as saviour, repent of your sins and be baptised, as we’re told by the Bible.
Then that of course salvation is not a one-time event, rather a process - one has to keep working at it on a daily basis like you work at a marriage or a career
One has to keep growing in grace as Christ himself did, and keep following the commands he gave us.
The best, most concretely helpful, and surest way, model and plan of doing this is the one the Catholic Church offers through its sacraments and teachings. Learn them, follow them, and pray for grace to understand them while doing so.
Then that of course salvation is not a one-time event, rather a process - one has to keep working at it on a daily basis like you work at a marriage or a career
One has to keep growing in grace as Christ himself did, and keep following the commands he gave us.The best, most concretely helpful, and surest way, model and plan of doing this is the one the Catholic Church offers through its sacraments and teachings. Learn them, follow them, and pray for grace to understand them while doing so.
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Genesis315
Guest
If it were an unbaptized person, I would tell them about putting their faith in Jesus for salvation and being Baptized and to come into full Communion with His Church.
If it were a baptized Christian, I would encourage them to embrace the fullness of God’s revelation and will for them and invite them to come be Confirmed into full Communion with His Church
If it were a baptized Christian, I would encourage them to embrace the fullness of God’s revelation and will for them and invite them to come be Confirmed into full Communion with His Church
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Jez4
Guest
lol. The bible is pretty clear about this isn’t it?
whoever believes in him shall not perish? - John 3:16
We become like the pharises with a false gospel when we say that there are certain requirements of the law that we must fulfill.
again in Romans. “whoever confesses with his lips and believes in his heart”.
See salvation isn’t about earning your way into heaven. No-one can do that. Salvation is about claiming the provission that Jesus made for sin on the cross. When someone puts their faith (trust) in Jesus like that deeds will follow without prompting.
Thus i would pray with them that Jesus may come into their hearts, strip them of their sin, and start a new life in their heart.
whoever believes in him shall not perish? - John 3:16
We become like the pharises with a false gospel when we say that there are certain requirements of the law that we must fulfill.
again in Romans. “whoever confesses with his lips and believes in his heart”.
See salvation isn’t about earning your way into heaven. No-one can do that. Salvation is about claiming the provission that Jesus made for sin on the cross. When someone puts their faith (trust) in Jesus like that deeds will follow without prompting.
Thus i would pray with them that Jesus may come into their hearts, strip them of their sin, and start a new life in their heart.
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JOE_OBERR
Guest
I would respond: "What do you mean by ‘saved’?
We do this in every other endeavor, define the terms first, so why not do it here also?
Joe
- Saved from the fires of hell? If so, where does the bible
say that? Please, book, chapter & verse. - Saved from my sins? If so, what specifically does that
mean? - Does it mean I’m going to heaven? If so, again, please,
name the book, chapter & verse of the bible for
support. - Does it mean I’m saved from spiritual death?
- Or anything else?"
We do this in every other endeavor, define the terms first, so why not do it here also?
Joe
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AussieCatholic
Guest
I would say that one simply has to live by ones own conscious, in adherence with ones inner moral code. Then after talking to them about the true church for a while I would inform them that after now hearing the truth they are bound to live by the commands of The RCC.
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thistle
Guest
The Bible is very clear that simply believing in Jesus is not enough.
catholic.com/library/Assurance_of_Salvation.asp
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Boxerdog
Guest
Through Gods Grace alone.
How is that obtained, I would cite James.
How is that obtained, I would cite James.
" Faith with out works is DEAD".
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Fidelis
Guest
I would tell them I am saved by the grace of God and by faith in my Savior, Jesus Christ. And by faith I mean, not just intellectual assent, but faith working through love, as it says in Galations 5:6. That means Jesus is my Lord, who will hold me accountable for what I do, and fail to do.
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VociMike
Guest
And then the non-Christian will ask “What does it mean to believe in him? What does, say, 50 years of believing in Christ look like?”
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Philthy
Guest
If one is truly objective it becomes obvious that many conditions are set forth including, belief, doing the will of God, obeying Christ’s commands, being born of water and Spirit, eating the body and blood of Christ, etc.
whoever believes in him shall not perish? - John 3:16
Depends on your translation - the NAB says “may not perish”
And either way you take it you must still struggle to reconcile what the definition of “believe” is. Afterall, we know that “demons believe” yet are not counted among the saved…
This came out of left field - who is saying that there are requirements “of the law” that we must keep? Do you mean the commandments or something else?
I am afraid your first contradiction has appeared: We started with “who ever believes” is saved, and now you have added “believes in his heart” which isnt much of a stretch, but to add AND confesses with his lips" (cf Rom 10:9-10) is, in fact, “adding” to John 3:16 - is it not? Unless, of course, “believing” has more to it than simple intellectual assent and requires active participation in the “belief”. Note also, that just a few verses after “believing and confessing” comes Rom 10:13 “whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved”
It starts to get a little confusing - especially when you start adding in “unless one is born of water and the holy spirit” and “unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood” to the “believing” part of the equation. Where do they fit into your definition of “believing”?
We all agree!
I’ve never seen such terminology in sacred Scripture. Do you mean like this?
Eternal Father, I offer you the body and blood, soul and divinity of your dearly beloved Son our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for my sins and those of the whole world.
We all agree. So when one sees those deeds in their life they will know that their faith(trust) is actually in Jesus, whereas the absence of those deeds will reveal that their trust is not actually in Jesus. That’s the rub my friend. A tree is known by its fruit (what it produces), not by its flower (what it says).
In this life we encounter moral choices and struggle with our sinful nature. We must constantly turn to Jesus for the grace to walk in the good deeds that He has prepared in advance (Eph 2:10) and rely on the promise that no trial is beyond our abilities, because God will provide us the grace to persevere (cf 1Cor 10:13).
Thus i would pray with them that Jesus may come into their hearts, strip them of their sin, and start a new life in their heart.
Nothin’ wrong with that…for starters.
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VociMike
Guest
I’ve decided I’m going to call this Taxicab Christianity. You get in the taxi, tell the driver (Christ) “I trust you. Take me home.” and then you just sit back, listening to music, looking at the scenery, reading a magazine, until you finally arrive in heaven.
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Verita
Guest
That’s a great analogy.
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TOP
Guest
You know you can be saved by faith and still have to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. Tim
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Pug
Guest
Did they give any other verbal clues?
We are saved through Christ, that is how we are saved. God set it up that way. From my point of view, those who were far off (I’m not Jewish) have been brought near (the people in darkness have seen a great light). Peace has been made between God and man through Christ. If needed, I’d explain how this happened through the incarnation and crucifixion and resurrection.
If they really meant, what are they themselves supposed to do now, now that they know about Christ, well, that is a different answer.
We are saved through Christ, that is how we are saved. God set it up that way. From my point of view, those who were far off (I’m not Jewish) have been brought near (the people in darkness have seen a great light). Peace has been made between God and man through Christ. If needed, I’d explain how this happened through the incarnation and crucifixion and resurrection.
If they really meant, what are they themselves supposed to do now, now that they know about Christ, well, that is a different answer.
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JOE_OBERR
Guest
I’ve noticed that no one has defined what to be “saved” means.
Joe
Joe
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JOE_OBERR
Guest
To say we believe in Jesus means we must believe everything he said. We can’t pick & choose.
So in Mt 16:15-16 he tells the apostles to go out & preach the gospel to the whole creation and that he who believes and is baptized will be saved & he who does not will be condemned.
So Jesus says we have to believe this gospel as preached by the apostles if we want to be saved. Question: what book of the bible claims to be a summary of this gospel? Answer: there is none.
So how do you know what the true gospel is unless you know what the apostles preached & taught? And if you don’t know this gospel as preached by the apostles how can one be saved?
Joe
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mrs_abbott
Guest
It doesn’t matter who would ask me but I would say that one is saved through faith and leading a good life, keeping Christ as the center of all things!!!
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itsjustdave1988
Guest
By the grace of God. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe (Gk apisteo) will be condemned. (Mk 16:16).
To believe in the NT Greek sense (Gk *pisteuo, *peitho), is to “commit, intrust, trust, obey.” The opposite (Gk apisteo, apeitheo), in the NT Greek sense, is to “disbelieve, disobey.”
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