Essays for Lent/Easter: Salvation Outside the Church?

StayCatholic.com ^ | 2001 | Sebastian R. Fama

[Salvation]

For Further Study

The Early Church Fathers on Salvation Outside the Church  (Free)
Books - Salvation Outside the Church by Fr. Peter Stravinskas

[Salvation]

Please read this CAREFULLY all the way through before making your comments.

[Salvation]

Catholic Ping — there is a lot to discuss here.

[PapaNew]

There’s only one requirement for salvation according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ: believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved (Acts 16:31).

[Salvation]

And the sins you might commit?

Sin separates you from Jesus Christ.

[BereanBrain]

Scripture: Holy Bible
Author: God
Book: Jonah
Chapter: 2
Verse: 9
“Salvation comes from the Lord”

[Salvation]

Essays for Lent/Easter: Salvation Outside the Church?
The Question of Universal Salvation: Will All Be Saved?
"There Can Be No Rupture in Salvation History" [Benedict XVI to Jewish Community in Germany]
The Catholic Teaching on Salvation by Faith Alone (Catholic / Orthodox Caucus)
Promising Salvation to Non-Catholics: A Sin against Charity
On Being Sober and Serious in Seeking Salvation
[CATHOLIC CAUCUS] Benedict XVI at Angelus: Mary's mission of salvation and intercession continues..
Finders Keepers? - The Evangelical notion that Christians can't lose their salvation is unbiblical.
Fresh Embrace of Everlasting Salvation [New Mass Translation Does Away With "Barbecue Talk"]

Marriage is instrument of salvation for society, declares Benedict XVI
Catholic and Protestant "Similarities" on Faith, Faith Alone, Salvation...
Radio Replies Second Volume - Salvation of the Soul
Catholic Biblical Apologetics: Salvation: A Biblical Portrait
Catholic Biblical Apologetics: Salvation: "Being Saved"
Catholic Biblical Apologetics: The Catholic Response to "Are You Saved?"
Catholic Biblical Apologetics: The Knowledge of Salvation
A note from Roy Schoeman... (author of 'Salvation is from the Jews')
Radio Replies First Volume - Grace and salvation
Radio Replies First Volume - "Outside the Church no salvation"

Salvation - Are You Saved?
No Salvation Outside the Church
Prayer the Great Means of Salvation: Ch.1: The Necessity of Prayer, Sect. 3 Invocation of the Saints
Prayer the Great Means of Salvation: Chapter 1: The Necessity of Prayer, Section 2
Prayer: The Great Means of Salvation and of Perfection Ch. 1: The Necessity of Prayer, Section 1
What does the Catholic Church mean by the phrase, "Outside the Church there is no salvation"
Christian, I Presume? (Salvation) [Ecumenical]
Rock Solid: The Salvation History of the Catholic Church [Ecumenical]
Who Can Be Saved?
Grace, Faith, and Works

Getting in Touch With Reality (good character and behavior as a ticket to Heaven)
My Personal Savior
The Early Church Fathers on Salvation Outside the Church [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
Extra ecclesiam - Outside the Church there is no salvation.M.a
Is Faith Necessary for Salvation? (Part 2)
Good Will Equals Salvation? (Did the pope say non christians could be saved - part 1)
The Experience of the Salvation of Christ Today
Nonbelievers Too Can Be Saved, Says Pope
Worthy Is the Lamb?
Limbo and the Hope of Salvation

[Salvation]

Yes, Salvation comes from God.

But did you read the article about the unknowing?

You know, so that puts you in a different place with the Lord.

[Salvation]

Essays for Lent/Easter: Salvation Outside the Church?
Essays for Lent/Easter: The Words of Consecration
Essays for Lent/Easter: Traditionalists [Catholic Caucus]
Essays for Lent/Easter: Women's Ordination
Essays for Lent/Easter: Abortion
Essays for Lent/Easter: Annulment

Essays for Lent/Easter: Divorce and Remarriage
Essays for Lent: Marriage
Essays for Lent: Natural Family Planning
Essays for Lent: Contraception
Essays for Lent: Abstinence
Essays for Lent: The Rapture
Essays for Lent: Call No Man Father
Essays for Lent: Scapulars Medals and Relics
Essays for Lent: Statues and Holy Pictures
Essays for Lent: The Rosary

Essays for Lent: The Assumption
Essays for Lent: The Immaculate Conception
Essays for Lent: Mary Ever-Virgin
Essays for Lent: Praying to Saints
Essays for Lent: Indulgences
Essays for Lent: Purgatory
Essays for Lent: Confession
Essays for Lent: The Eucharist
Essays for Lent: The Mass
Essays for Lent: Baptism

Essays for Lent: Justification
Essays for Lent: Tradition
Essays for Lent: Scripture Alone
Essays for Lent: The Canon of Scripture
Essays for Lent: Papal Infallibility
Essays for Lent: The Pope
Essays for Lent: The Church
Essays for Lent: The Bible
Essays for Lent: The Trinity
Essays for Lent: Creationism or Evolution?

[Colorado Cowgirl]

But if we walk in the light, as he also is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Douay-Rheims Bible

[Salvation]

Mt 7:21 - not everyone saying

“Lord, Lord” will inherit

[Salvation]

Heb 10:26-27 - if sin after receiving truth, judgment remains

[boatbums]

But if only the Catholic Church has the complete plan of salvation, how would it be possible for a non-Catholic to get to heaven? Vatican Council II addressed this point in its "Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium)," "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 dictates of their conscience – those too may achieve eternal salvation" (no. 16). In short, those who are truly unaware of what God requires of them are not held responsible; rather they are judged by what they did with the truth they had.

Ironically, many Bible Christians have their own version of "No Salvation outside the Church". They believe that unless a person accepts Christ as personal Lord and Savior he or she is headed for hell. No allowances are made for people who don't know any better. The Catholic Church rightly portrays God as both just and merciful – as opposed to legalistic.

I did read it all the way through. No matter how this is spun, the magesterium of the Roman Catholic Church HAS admitted error. Not only on this all important issue but in others as well. It was NOT merely a "misunderstanding" that caused people to insist that salvation can only come through membership in the Roman Catholic Church and obedience to her - it was held for centuries and so-called "heretics" were murdered by the condemnation that they led people away from the Catholic Church and had "stolen their souls".

Not only this, but the current explanation for the state of souls who "through no fault of their own" do not know about THE Church are given a pass by God if they were "good". How far from Scriptural truth can presumed knowledgeable theologians get??? Scripture clearly states that Jesus is THE way, THE truth and THE life and NO ONE comes to the Father but through Him. Now, are these experts in Christianity calling Jesus a liar? And how about the TRUTH that we are NOT saved by our righteousness but by the righteousness of Christ? Sure, babies, children unable to grasp the truth yet, the mentally disabled and others incapable of understanding the Gospel ARE covered by the grace of God and will not be sent to Hell - something BTW that the Catholic Church only recently recanted regarding the unborn aborted or babies who die before baptism. God is merciful, not willing that ANY should perish but that ALL should come to repentance. NO ONE is saved because they are "good" because there are NONE that are good - ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and the wages of sin is death, but the GIFT of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

No matter how it boils down, the Catholic Church is AGAIN trying to sell the idea that IT is the only way to salvation and/or that those who are good enough, try their "best", will be saved by God's grace. Sorry, there is way too much Scripture to counter that false doctrine. It starts with the truth that the "church" is the body of believers in Christ, ergo, all those who come to saving faith in Christ ARE part of the body, the church. It is not being baptized in it first and obedience to all its rules before that happens.

I'm not sure what authority this author has to be making such statements about the RCC, but he has shown himself wrong a number of times in this series you have been posting. Do you stand by what he claims as well? Or is this just one man's opinion and it can be pondered but not assumed to be factual?

[Idaho_Cowboy]

“He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” I John 5:12-13.

---

I found the article quite interesting, especially since I'm not a Catholic. Similar to the age of accountability for those who were allowed into the promise land.

[redgolum]

Congratulations, you just made a case for not baptizing till the death bed (which was very popular in the early Church).

Most Christians believe in no salvation outside the church. The issue is what does “Church” mean. The Catholic position has slid all over the place in the last few hundred years. In the past, the Eastern Orthodox were viewed as schismatics and outside the Church. As were all of what are popular called Protestant churches (though some of the Lutheran synods were in a odd state till after Trent, but that is another issue).

Now the old tradition did say that if you were born, say, a Russian Orthodox, you MIGHT be saved if you never committed a mortal sin IF you had no real knowledge of what the Catholic Church claimed. BUT that was viewed as a very slight chance. The current view is much looser than that.

We shall see how this doctrine changes. I suspect it will be cut down to a much more narrow thing as the old liberals die off.

[CynicalBear]

>> In short, those who are truly unaware of what God requires of them are not held responsible; rather they are judged by what they did with the truth they had.<<

So they really don’t need Jesus? Hmmmm

[Salvation]

Thanks for reading the entire article. I think the author is still addressing the traditionalists. See the last paragraph.

[EnglishCon]

John 14:2 springs to mind, as does Matthew 7:7. (Hey, I can use bible verses, just not very good at it!)

Our Lord is one of love and compassion. One who loves and trusts Him and walks in his path will not be denied, even if he knows not the Lord the way we of the Church know him.

I cannot know the mind of God. Heck, I cannot know the mind of the person right next to me. I expect a lot of confused and lost people on Judgement Day, who say “I went to church every Sunday!” yet who were not filled with His grace and light during the week.

As much as I love, respect and admire our Church, our Holy Fathers, the martyrs and the Blessed Vigin and our long history, this is one “heresy” I will not recant. I cannot. It is a question that was settled in my mind a long time ago after much prayer and contemplation.

[boatbums]

But if only the Catholic Church has the complete plan of salvation, how would it be possible for a non-Catholic to get to heaven? Vatican Council II addressed this point in its "Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium)," "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 dictates of their conscience – those too may achieve eternal salvation" (no. 16). In short, those who are truly unaware of what God requires of them are not held responsible; rather they are judged by what they did with the truth they had.

Ironically, many Bible Christians have their own version of "No Salvation outside the Church". They believe that unless a person accepts Christ as personal Lord and Savior he or she is headed for hell. No allowances are made for people who don't know any better. The Catholic Church rightly portrays God as both just and merciful – as opposed to legalistic.

I did read it all the way through. No matter how this is spun, the magesterium of the Roman Catholic Church HAS admitted error. Not only on this all important issue but in others as well. It was NOT merely a "misunderstanding" that caused people to insist that salvation can only come through membership in the Roman Catholic Church and obedience to her - it was held for centuries and so-called "heretics" were murdered by the condemnation that they led people away from the Catholic Church and had "stolen their souls".

Not only this, but the current explanation for the state of souls who "through no fault of their own" do not know about THE Church are given a pass by God if they were "good". How far from Scriptural truth can presumed knowledgeable theologians get??? Scripture clearly states that Jesus is THE way, THE truth and THE life and NO ONE comes to the Father but through Him. Now, are these experts in Christianity calling Jesus a liar? And how about the TRUTH that we are NOT saved by our righteousness but by the righteousness of Christ? Sure, babies, children unable to grasp the truth yet, the mentally disabled and others incapable of understanding the Gospel ARE covered by the grace of God and will not be sent to Hell - something BTW that the Catholic Church only recently recanted regarding the unborn aborted or babies who die before baptism. God is merciful, not willing that ANY should perish but that ALL should come to repentance. NO ONE is saved because they are "good" because there are NONE that are good - ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and the wages of sin is death, but the GIFT of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

No matter how it boils down, the Catholic Church is AGAIN trying to sell the idea that IT is the only way to salvation and/or that those who are good enough, try their "best", will be saved by God's grace. Sorry, there is way too much Scripture to counter that false doctrine. It starts with the truth that the "church" is the body of believers in Christ, ergo, all those who come to saving faith in Christ ARE part of the body, the church. It is not being baptized in it first and obedience to all its rules before that happens.

I'm not sure what authority this author has to be making such statements about the RCC, but he has shown himself wrong a number of times in this series you have been posting. Do you stand by what he claims as well? Or is this just one man's opinion and it can be pondered but not assumed to be factual?

[boatbums]

I apologize for the double post.