9/17/2007
How Is A Catholic Saved?
Repentance and baptism (Acts 2:38 & 22:16 and John 3:1-21) and then following Christ, (John 14:15, Matthew 10:38, 16:24, & 25:31-46, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23 and Revelation 3:5) which is a lifelong journey and not the oversimplified "plan of salvation" as presented by some non-Catholic communities.
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5 comments:
Steve, there's a great priest you should listen to named Fr. Mike Schmitz. He has a podcast (UMD Catholic Newman Center) and a number of talks available through Lighthouse Catholic Media. His talk on Baptism answers this question in depth.
To summarize it, God has bound Himself to the Sacraments, but He is not bound BY the Sacraments. With this understanding, the Church teaches it is possible for a person who does not receive water baptism to be saved. The conditions which the Church recognizes are Baptism by Blood (martyrdom) and Baptism of Desire, which says a person who did not understand the importance of baptism or who was in the process of obtaining water baptism (RCIA catechumens for example) may still be saved by the Grace of God.
However, the Church is clear that while these cases are possible because of the infinite love God has for His chosen people, we only KNOW this grace is available through water baptism.
As "Catholics" do you believe God, the Lord Jesus Christ, will be absolutely "fair" in His judgment of mankind? What if Christ judges that you are disobedient in disregarding His Word in favor of following priest and pope? Will He find you in "invincible ignorance" and excuse you, or condemn you because His Word is now before you?
That is the question you should be asking IMO.
Gerald,
You'd have to shoe me exactly where the Catholic Church is "disobedient in disregarding His Word in favor of following priest and pope?" It appears you are grossly ignorant of authentic Catholic beliefs. I notice that you completely fail to address the clear scriptures that I cites above...yet you seem to be someone who feels that the Bible is authoritative and I have shown you from scripture what the Catholic Church teaches about salvation. I have never in my life encountered either a priest of a Pope who has taught anything else. So then where do you get your information on Catholicism? And how is your interpretation (or your pastors or whoever...) more correct and authoritative than that of the Catholic Church which has been preaching and teaching the same Gospel for 2,000 years.
Have a look at my other article; http://blackieschurchmilitant-apocalypsis.blogspot.com/2007/12/who-really-preaches-different-gospel.html
When the catholic church sets the pope up as Christ here on earth (vicar), when Peter is the foundation instead of Christ, when you can purchase your salvation through indulgences, when all grace comes from Mary, when you're cleansed from sin through purgatory, not Christ's redeeming blood, when you have to go through man for confession instead of the true mediator which is Christ, when the church traditions of men trumps holy scripture. These are just some of the reasons I could not stay in the catholic church any longer. May God open your eyes, ears, and heart to His enduring word for this is what truly saves. James 1:21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and every expression of evil, and humbly receive the word planted in you, which can save your souls. 22 Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves.…
Deb Polaski
Ms. Polaski,
Clearly you did not do your own homework and read my post above nor the clear scriptures that I cited, For someone who appears to be a "Bible only Christian" I find that both sad and ironic though unsurprising, since I have encountered many people like you who spout nonsense such as you have offered. If as you suggest , you were once a Catholic then you were (as I was at one time while amidst both Southern Baptists and Assembly of God congregations.) I suggest you take the time to carefully study the verses and passages in this post and perhaps this one http://blackieschurchmilitant-apocalypsis.blogspot.com/2011/04/refuting-anti-catholic-tract-rome-vs.html to see exactly how you have been deceived.
Furthermore, I would point out that your scripture citation is ripped out of context and misapplied to me since you do not know me nor the way I live out my faith. So you make a judgment based upon ignorance and prejudice. This is also another hallmark of an ignorant "ex-Catholic" who has been deceived away from their faith by anti-Catholics who prey upon such ignorant Catholics all the time. I know, I spent about 35 years among them before the Holy Spirit showed me the truth. You can find my testimony here on my blog at this link (http://blackieschurchmilitant-apocalypsis.blogspot.com/2007/07/my-testimony.html) though I doubt you will have the courage of your convictions to bother to check the facts, even as you clearly did not when you let those people thumping their Bibles proselytize you away from Catholicism to begin with. I know because it happened to me too.
Pax tecum,
Blackie
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