The first is to obey your conscience. (I'll dig up the scriptures later if anyone wants them. I believe this is in Romans) Of course the moment you violate your conscience you are doomed to hell. There is no way to atone for a broken conscience.
The second way is to follow the LAW completely. (Genesis through Deuteronomy) Of course the Hebrews found this impossible even in a simpler time with far greater influence by the religious leaders. Here breaking the law can be atoned for by sacrifice but the slightest, un-atoned infraction sends you to hell
The third way (and only one that really works) is through faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and His atoning sacrifice. Here sin is already atoned for.
Notice that the concept of 'church' never enters into salvation as defined by the bible. Salvation is between you and God. While the bible does command us to fellowship with other believers this fellowship is NOT required to be saved.
There is no salvation in the Catholic Church. There is no salvation in the Baptist Church. There is no salvation in any church. THERE IS ONLY SALVATION IN THE SHED BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST!
God Save America (Please)
Acts 4:10-12 (NIV), "then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is '"the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone."' Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (KJV)
This is the doctrine of my faith - it is arrogant to think otherwise.
I liked your article, and generally I agree with it.
However, by printing that article there is a danger that the readers will get the wrong understanding. They will take it to far. They may conclude that the Church basically says that ALL who follow their conscious are saved, they dont really need to follow the Church or anything. This is obviously wrong. Given todays grave misunderstandings on what it means to say "follow your conscious" you can pretty much gurantee there will be more confusion than enlightenment on this issue.
Also, although one theoretically can be saved by not being a full fledged member of the Catholic Church, this doesnt in anyway say they will be saved. The Church offers soo many graces(through sacraments) and forms the conscious so well that one may say that one is very unlikely to be saved outside the Church. THe risks are too great. Even Augustine believed in the "Massa Damnata" which basically means the great majority of people will be damned.
Another problem with publishing this paper, is it fails to notice that following your concscious would lead you to joining the Catholic Church. Hence anybody who doesnt act upon the intuition to investigate the Church, or does not join when they may feel it is true, is directly violating their conscious. So they would not be saved.
In conclusion, the "salvation outside the Church" doctrine is very complicated and not as simple as this article portrays. GIven our culture we are in, and our current presuppositions, publishing that article would lead people to more misunderstandings of Catholic theology than understandings.
"the truth"...there is false truth--generic truth---and top shelf TRUTH---
give me a fresh bottle---throw out the cap and pour me a double!
It is through the acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. Period.
The New Testament couldn't be clearer on this.
Then there's the issue of apostolic succession. Is true apostolic succession determined by the lineage of ceremonial ordinations, or is it determined by the lineage of pure doctrine?
Preferably one would have both, but, I would have to argue that a doctrinal lineage is more important than a ceremonial lineage. Jesus' words "for whoever is not against us is for us...Mark 9:40" argue in favor of a doctrinal lineage.
No, God has had the same plan of salvation all along, ever since Adam and Eve and their fall into sin. St. Paul writes that Abraham believed in the promised Messiah, "and his faith was credited to him as righteousness." In this sense, Abraham was a Christian because he looked forward to the day Christ would come.