[mdmathis6]

I don't think Chewbacca was Catholic baiting...it would be a question asked of a methodist or Episopalian convert. The Biblical pattern was that people confessed Christ first and asked forgiveness...then they were Baptized. Some people really believe that the act of Baptism is the saving of a soul. It is the confession of Christ as Saviour that ultimately saves you.

The believing thief on the cross was not Baptized...he was saved by his faith...by his request that Christ remember him when Christ should "come into his kingdom". Christ replied that"he would be with him in Paradise"! There were no last rites performed on this thief...his body was probably tossed into the Valley of Kidron(a big garbage and dead body dump back then). But he was saved!

Don't be so sensitive...Chewbacca wasn't saying that there are no saved Catholics!

[Thorondir]

Your way of thinking did not arise until nearly fifteen hundred years AFTER Christ. Think about that.

And baiting was EXACTLY what he was doing.

[haole]

paul writes that Baptism is the Circumcision of Christ, something his audience completely understood- Jewish babies were circumcised into their faith on the 8th day after their birth.

Please tell me when Abraham was justified?

When the friends of the paralytic lowered him into Peter's house throught the roof, did Jesus say the paralytic was "cured" ( that his sins ere forgiven ) becuase of his faith? No, it was because of the faith of those who brought him. Did Jesus cure the young girl of her illness becasue fo her faith, no, it was becasue of the faith of her father. Similarly the Centurion, and many others. when Philip came across the Eunuch-the Eunuch was reading scripture just as you guys do, but was not able to understand it ( " ), until Philip helped him, kind of like the Church's Magesterium does. Then what? Philip Baptized him.

[klute]

The believing thief on the cross was not Baptized...he was saved by his faith...by his request that Christ remember him when Christ should "come into his kingdom".

This is exactly the point that I make whenever some hateful individual wants to make hay over theological points like the eternal virginity of Mary, speaking in tongues, or interpretations of minor aspects of the Bible. The one person named in scriptures as being in Heaven was oblivious to all of that. He just had faith. And that was good enough.

[graycamel]

You're the only one who is right on this entire threads. Must be all Catholics here, hypersensitive ones at that.

[Aquinasfan]

Some people really believe that the act of Baptism is the saving of a soul.

The baptism of infants perfectly conforms to the gratuitousness of sanctifying grace. Once past the age of reason, which the Church regards as at around the age of seven, the assent of faith is required of those requesting Church membership.

When scripture speaks of households being baptized (Acts 16:15), Tradition tells us that these baptisms included those under the age of reason.