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some people refuse to get it



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How to Go to Heaven
CatholicAnswers ^ | May 12, 2015 | Jimmy Akin

Posted on 07/21/2015 4:48:44 PM PDT by Salvation

How to Go to Heaven

May 12, 2015 |

Sometimes people make it sound like the Catholic understanding of how to get to heaven is really complex.

It’s not.

While you can go into any of Christ’s teachings in a lot of very rich detail, he made sure that this one can be understood even by a child.

I can summarize it in two sentences.

The two sentences are these: To come to God and be saved, you need to repent, have faith, and be baptized. If you commit mortal sin, you need to repent, have faith, and go to confession.

That’s it. That’s all there is to it. And we can show each of these things from the Bible.

The need to repent is shown by the fact that, right at the beginning of his ministry, Jesus began preaching the gospel, saying “repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:14-15).

The need for faith is shown when the author of the letter to the Hebrews writes that “Without faith it is impossible to please him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Heb. 11:6).

And the need for baptism is shown when St. Peter flatly tells us: “Baptism now saves you” (1 Peter 3:21).

So that’s what you need to do if you want to come to God and be saved: Repent, have faith, and be baptized.

If you do these things, you’ll be in a state of grace, and as long as you remain in a state of grace, you’ll go to heaven.

But we still have free will, and we can still turn our backs on God and fall from grace, to use St. Paul’s phrase (Galatians 5:4).

St. Paul is very clear about the possibility of us committing mortal sin. He tells us: “Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

To turn away from God and commit mortal sin is the opposite of repenting. So when we fall into mortal sin, we need to turn back to God—to repent again.

We also need to have faith.

And then we need to go to confession. This is something Jesus indicated just after he rose from the dead. He came to his disciples, breathed on them, and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (John 20:22-23)

So Jesus empowered his ministers to forgive or retain sins. In order for a priest to know whether he is to forgive or retain a sin, he needs to know about the sin and whether we have repented of it. That means we need to go and tell him these things, and so we have the sacrament of confession.

So that’s what you need to do. To come to God and be saved, you need to repent, have faith, and be baptized. If you commit mortal sin, you need to repent, have faith, and go to confession.

It’s all thoroughly biblical.



TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; History; Theology
KEYWORDS: catholic; heaven
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To: Mom MD
This may give you understanding of Catholic belief of confession

http://scripturecatholic.com/confession.html#confession-I

21 posted on 07/21/2015 5:32:18 PM PDT by johngrace ( I am a 1 John 4! Christian- declared at every Sunday Mass , Divine Mercy and Rosary prayers!)
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To: Salvation

The article specifically says these are Christ’s teachings? Please, very simple question. (don’t you just wish politicians would give simple answers to simple questions? ...so don’t be a politician. Back up your post)

Where does Jesus teach anything about mortal sin as opposed to other sin? You posted it, not me. Please back it up or don’t post it in the first place (or at least that would be my take on anything I posted from the Bible. I’d be ready to give the exact verse from where it came. Can you do that?)


22 posted on 07/21/2015 5:32:37 PM PDT by bramps (Wake me up when we find a candidate to take on the scourge that is Islam.)
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To: johngrace

http://scripturecatholic.com/confession.html#confession-I


23 posted on 07/21/2015 5:32:54 PM PDT by johngrace ( I am a 1 John 4! Christian- declared at every Sunday Mass , Divine Mercy and Rosary prayers!)
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To: ADSUM

The article said Jesus taught it! Where?


24 posted on 07/21/2015 5:33:32 PM PDT by bramps (Wake me up when we find a candidate to take on the scourge that is Islam.)
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To: bramps

http://scripturecatholic.com/confession.html#confession-I


25 posted on 07/21/2015 5:34:04 PM PDT by johngrace ( I am a 1 John 4! Christian- declared at every Sunday Mass , Divine Mercy and Rosary prayers!)
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To: johngrace

Please, just the specific biblical verse that mentions mortal sin. Thanks.


26 posted on 07/21/2015 5:35:30 PM PDT by bramps (Wake me up when we find a candidate to take on the scourge that is Islam.)
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To: johngrace

I understand quite well the catholic belief of confession it is not biblical and erroneous I do think PUBLIC confession together in a group of believers is beneficial and do it every Sunday in services

Confessing in private to a man and having that person pronounce judgement and penance is not biblical, can be very harmful and most definitely not necessary for salvation. It Is a system that easily lends itself to abuse. And I don’t care how many Hail Marys you say the only way to have sin forgiven is to confess directly to Christ and accept His grace No amount of earthly imposed rules will suffice


27 posted on 07/21/2015 5:38:52 PM PDT by Mom MD
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To: Salvation

...”Sometimes people make it sound like the Catholic understanding of how to get to heaven is really complex”....

As opposed to what other way?????


28 posted on 07/21/2015 5:39:15 PM PDT by caww
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To: Mom MD

Did you look at johngrace’s link?

It has so much biblical information in it. Please do.


29 posted on 07/21/2015 5:40:23 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: bramps

What the Apostles and their successors taught came from Jesus.

Jesus taught by example, preaching and instructing the Apostles.


30 posted on 07/21/2015 5:40:37 PM PDT by ADSUM
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To: bramps

in His Sermon on the Mount, he condemns as sinful many acts which were judged honest and righteous by the doctors and teachers of the Old Law. He denounces in a special manner hypocrisy and scandal, infidelity and the sin against the Holy Ghost. In particular he teaches that sins come from the heart (Matt., xv, 19-20).


31 posted on 07/21/2015 5:41:49 PM PDT by ADSUM
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To: bramps

And then we need to go to confession. This is something Jesus indicated just after he rose from the dead. He came to his disciples, breathed on them, and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (John 20:22-23


32 posted on 07/21/2015 5:43:32 PM PDT by ADSUM
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To: bramps

Mortal sin

http://www.catholic.com/tracts/mortal-sin


33 posted on 07/21/2015 5:43:58 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: ADSUM

When Jesus spoke to Nicodemus He referred to being born of the water from the womb. Baptism before He sacrificed Himself on the cross was the outward sign of true repentence. Water baptism is not required to have God put His Holy Spirit Life in a person who is repentant and faithing in Jesus to Save them.


34 posted on 07/21/2015 5:44:23 PM PDT by MHGinTN (Is it really all relative, Mister Einstein?)
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To: Salvation

Thank you for your concern I believe it is genuine However I have been studying for over 50 years I know what I believe and why and I am quite familiar with the RC beliefs you may confess as you see fit, but I do not need to confess to a RC priest to be saved


35 posted on 07/21/2015 5:45:09 PM PDT by Mom MD
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To: bramps
This here explains the Catholic view.

http://cathapol.blogspot.com/2011/05/mortal-sin-venial-sin-and-scripture.html

36 posted on 07/21/2015 5:46:25 PM PDT by johngrace ( I am a 1 John 4! Christian- declared at every Sunday Mass , Divine Mercy and Rosary prayers!)
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To: ADSUM

Indeed the Master taught that the heart issues are most important. He was a teacher of the Torah. A Rabbi. A Rebbe. He taught and expected all of his students to keep the entire Torah as He did. It was the mark of his movement that they fully walked and talked Torah in Love. Yeshua’s call to repentance was twofold: “Return to Torah and Renew your First Love as in the days of your youth.”


37 posted on 07/21/2015 5:46:26 PM PDT by Torahman (Remember the Maccabees!)
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To: Salvation
Directions to heaven?

Turn right, go straight.

"Ceterum censeo 0bama esse delendam."

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)

LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

38 posted on 07/21/2015 5:46:44 PM PDT by LonePalm (Commander and Chef)
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To: bramps

http://cathapol.blogspot.com/2011/05/mortal-sin-venial-sin-and-scripture.html


39 posted on 07/21/2015 5:47:17 PM PDT by johngrace ( I am a 1 John 4! Christian- declared at every Sunday Mass , Divine Mercy and Rosary prayers!)
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To: caww
Romans 10:9 (NIV)

9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

40 posted on 07/21/2015 5:47:51 PM PDT by jimmyray
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