Sacred Scripture and Outside the Church There is NO Salvation

Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus: outside the Church, there is no salvation. This “hard saying” has been consistently taught as a dogma of the Faith from the very inception of the Church — affirmed by the Gospels and epistles, insisted on by the early Church Fathers, and later solemnly defined in holy councils and papal statements.

Naturally, it is the primary dogma being attacked today, because the modern Creed of the unwashed masses (and that includes liberal Protestants and Catholics) has only one article of faith: I believe in tolerance and respect for every religion.

In an age where truth is said to be relative, where “what’s right for you is right for you, what’s right for me is right for me,” and where intolerance is the only mortal sin, the dogma that says “Outside the Church there is no salvation” sticks out like a sore thumb.

“How intolerant! How exclusivist! You mean to tell me that you think your religion has a monopoly on truth? That only Catholics have it all right?”

“No one religion has a monopoly on truth — every religion has some truth, and every religion has some error. We’re only humans, after all, and it’s unrealistic to think that any one group could be entirely free from misconceptions about Who God is and what He expects of us.”

“In the end, God is not going to give us theological entrance exams before we can get into Heaven — we’ll be judged on how we treated the sick, the hungry, the poor, and not on how correct our theology was. It doesn’t matter what you believe, just how you act.”

Do those words sound at all familiar? They certainly sound familiar to me, because those are the very words that came out of my mouth on a fairly regular basis some five-or-so years ago. Those words summarize the overwhelmingly, universally accepted understanding of religion and faith — just do whatever makes you feel good, and don’t judge anyone else.

What saith the Scriptures? Are all religions equal? Does it really matter what you believe? Is there a dichotomy between the Christ you worship and the Church to which you belong? Some say that faith in Christ is all that matters, not what denomination you belong to — as though Christ is over here in this category, and the Church is over there in that category, as sort of an irrelevant aside.

As I have written in past articles, the Gospel is more than just “Christ on the Cross.” The Gospel is the restoration of the kingdom of David — which kingdom is the Catholic Church — and the Cross is the royal enthronement of Our King.

There is no need to restate all of the proofs that I have written about before — I will simply stipulate that the Church (and a proper understanding of the Church) is absolutely central to the Gospel.

What does Scripture teach us about the necessity of belonging to the Church, or about the dogma “outside the Church there is no salvation”?

We may begin with the passage from St. Matthew’s Gospel, which every Catholic should know by heart:

“And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matt. 16:18)

This is a singular point: there are two kingdoms, and only two. One is the kingdom of God (the Church) and the other is the kingdom of Satan. If you do not belong to one, you belong to the other, as Our Lord implied:

“He that is not with Me is against Me; and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth.” (Luke 11:23)

This verse puts the lie to the false sentiment that all denominations (Lutheran, Baptist, Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist, Episcopalian, Anglican, Congregational, Free Methodist, etc.) are equally doing the work of Christ and furthering the spread of the kingdom. If they are not part of the one Church that Christ founded (and He did say that He would build His “Church,” singular, not “churches”), then they scatter against Him and do not gather with Him.

This understanding is so critical, yet so misunderstood and ignored by so- called “bible Christians” (and many Catholics) in our day. From the very beginning, Christ founded only one Church, and entrusted to it, in the words of St. Paul:

The utter uniqueness of this Church should be beyond debate. We have thus far seen nothing but singularity: one Church, one faith, one baptism. There is no room here for multiple “churches” teaching multiple disparate doctrines.

So important is holding fast to this “one faith,” that Our Lord, St. Paul, and St. John all admonish us to steer clear of those who would tamper with the faith, and to consider them, not as Christian equals, but as pagans:

“And if he will not hear the church, let him be to thee as the heathen and publican.” (Matt. 18:17)

“A man that is a heretic, after the first and second admonition, avoid.” (Titus 3:10)

“If any man come to you and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into the house nor say to him: God speed you.” (2 John 10)

“But though we, or an Angel from Heaven, preach a gospel to you besides that which we have preached to you, let him be anathema.” (Gal. 1:8)

Is this exclusivist and intolerant? Absolutely — but why would you expect anything different? Is this not the very nature of God, and are not these sentiments — written by the Apostles — the very same as those of the God Who said:

“I the Lord, this is My name: I will not give My glory to another ...” (Is. 42:8)

From the absolute uniqueness and singularity of God, there springs forth an absolutely exclusive truth, revealed unto men by an absolutely unique and singular Divine Man, and entrusted exclusively to His singular and unique Church. Or, to trace it backwards, there is only one faith, found in one Church, with one baptism, entrusted to the Church by Her one Lord, the one and only-begotten Son of the One True God. To introduce diversity at any point in this catena is to destroy the whole.

And what of the “one baptism”? This, too, is a testament to the necessity of belonging to the one true Church. How are we incorporated into this Church?

It is through the sacrament of that “one baptism” that we are made members of the One Church. And of this baptism, it is said:

“Amen, amen, I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5)

To say that one must be baptized for salvation is to say that one must be inside the Church to be saved, for baptism is what incorporates us into the Church. If baptism is necessary for salvation, and the Church is necessary for baptism, then the Church is necessary for salvation, and being “outside the Church” is to endanger one’s eternal soul.

We need look no further than the prophecy of Daniel to find some identifying marks of this one Church:

“... the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth ... the God of Heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never by destroyed, and His kingdom shall not be delivered up to another people: and it shall break in pieces, and shall consume all these kingdoms: and itself shall stand for ever.” (Dan. 2:35, 44)

In these two verses, the prophet Daniel reveals to us all at once the visibility, universality, and immutability of the true Church. Visibility, because this kingdom fills “the whole earth” and is as “a great mountain” — who has ever heard of a mountain that was so great as to fill the entire earth and yet remain invisible? Universality, because this kingdom fills “the whole earth,” and conquers over “all these kingdoms” of the earth. Immutability, because this kingdom “shall stand forever.”

What more proof do we need that the Catholic Church is the one true Church of Christ? Has there ever been another Church that has filled the whole earth, that has been visible for all to see, that had its inception during the days of the Roman Empire (Daniel says this kingdom will be established “in the days of those kingdoms,” the last of which was the Roman Empire in the 1st Century), and that has remained upon the earth ever since that time?

Does anyone require still further proof that the Church which was founded in the Apostolic times was, in fact, the Catholic Church?

Then hear Pope St. Clement of Rome (d. A.D. 98/101) who says that in this Church the Apostles “knew, through our Lord Jesus Christ, that there would be strife on account of the office of the bishop,” and so they “appointed those [ministers] already mentioned, and afterwards gave instructions, that when these should fall asleep, other approved men should succeed them in their ministry.” (Letter to the Corinthians, XLIV)

Hear the account of the Martyrdom of St. Polycarp (d. A.D. 155), after which the Christians “took up his bones, as being more precious than the most exquisite jewels … and deposited them in a fitting place, whither, being gathered together … the Lord shall grant us to celebrate the anniversary of his martyrdom.” (The Martyrdom of St. Polycarp, XVIII)

Hear St. Ignatius of Antioch (d. A.D. 107), who calls the Holy Eucharist the “medicine of immortality, and the antidote which prevents us from dying, but a cleansing remedy driving away evil, [which causes] that we should live in God through Jesus Christ.” (Epistle to the Ephesians, XX)

Hear the same St. Ignatius tell us, “As therefore the Lord does nothing without the Father ... so do ye, neither presbyter, nor deacon, nor layman, do anything without the bishop,” and hear him exhort us, “Do ye all, as one man, run together into the temple of God, as unto one altar, to one Jesus Christ, the High Priest of the unbegotten God.” (Epistle to the Magnesians, VII)

Hear St. Justin Martyr explain the early rites of Baptism, in which sinners “are brought by us where there is water, and are regenerated in the same manner in which we were ourselves regenerated ... in order that we may not remain the children of necessity and of ignorance, but may become the children of choice and knowledge, and may obtain in the water the remission of sins formerly committed.” (First Apology, LXI)

Hear the same St. Justin Martyr (d. A.D. 130) explain the early Eucharistic Sacrifice, “of which no one is allowed to partake but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins.” He tells us that “not as common bread and common drink do we receive these, but ... we [have] been taught that the food which is blessed by the prayer of His word … is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh.” (First Apology, LXVI)

Hear St. Irenaeus of Lyons (d. A.D. 202), who says that heretics “object to tradition, saying that they themselves are wiser not merely than the presbyters, but even than the apostles, because they have discovered the unadulterated truth,” and that “these men do now consent neither to Scripture nor to tradition.” (Against Heresies, Book III, II, 2)

Finally, hear this same St. Irenaeus tell us that we may “put to confusion all those who ... assemble in unauthorized meetings, by indicating that tradition derived from the apostles, of the very great, the very ancient, and universally known Church founded and organized at Rome by the two most glorious apostles, Peter and Paul,” and that “it is a matter of necessity that every Church should agree with this Church, on account of its preeminent authority.” (Against Heresies, Book III, III, 2)

All of these writings date back as early as the late 1st Century, and none of them are dated later than the late 2nd Century. Who can observe these facts and deny that the Apostolic Church was anything but Catholic, both in belief and in practice? I submit to you that only the most bereft of good will and intellectual honesty can read these writings and still not conclude that the Holy Catholic Church is the one true Church.

This is the “faith once delivered to the saints” that St. Jude referred to, the detractors of which “have perished in the contradiction of Core.” (Jude 3, 11) You may remember that Core raised up a rebellion against God’s appointed vicar (Moses), reasoning that “all the multitude consisteth of holy ones, and the Lord is among them: Why lift you up yourselves above the people of the Lord?” (Num. 16:3) For this rebellion against the divinely constituted authority, the earth opened up and swallowed Core and his band, who all “went down alive into hell, the ground closing upon them.” (vs. 31-33)

Is there salvation outside the Church? Ask Core and his followers, or ask St. Jude, who compared the detractors of the Holy Faith to Core, and promised them a similar fate.

No, it is a dogma of the faith, well attested by Scripture, that there is only one Church, which is entered into by one baptism, and which professes only one faith. Those who reject this Church necessarily reject the “one faith,” and are declared by St. Paul to be “heretics” who are “anathema”.

Yes, it is an intolerant and exclusive position, but it is divinely revealed truth, which is ours to adhere to and not to alter. The Church is exclusive, and salvation is difficult to obtain, as Our Lord taught:

“And a certain man said to him: Lord, are they few that are saved? But He said to them: Strive to enter by the narrow gate: for many, I say to you, shall seek to enter and shall not be able.” (Luke 13:23-24)

We may conclude with the words of The Athanasian Creed written in the 4th Century, words that express the unchanging truth regarding the Catholic Church:

“Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic faith; Which faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly.”

"No salvation outside the Catholic Church" is a dogma of our Faith - not a Feeneyite invention.
Having said that, you're quite right to point out problems with some of the Feeneyite interpretations.
Here is an article which addresses this issue in greater depth: http://www.sspx.org/miscellaneous/fr_feeney_catholic_doctrine.htm
Please note that even protestant baptisms may be valid:
Already in the 3rd century, the Church defined that the fact that it is a heretic who administers the sacrament of baptism does not make it invalid (Denziger, 110). The baptisms of Protestants are consequently to be considered valid, unless a reasonable and prudent doubt occurs as to a defect of the required matter, form or intention (Cf. Roman Ritual, Titulus II, Caput 3, §11 & 12).

No tradition of any kind involved AT ALL.

LOL. Right. I'll take that as a "no, I can't defend my position logically." That's OK. There really is no way to do it.

No tradition at all. Very funny.

Have you been to China?

Have you talked to one individual, much less a group of new Chinese underground Christians?

NO TRADITIONS

AT ALL.

Very simple.

I'm sorry it's too much for you to wrap your understanding around.

Sounds like you have CPFRTS--Chronic Pharisaical Fossilized Roman Traditions Syndrome.

It tends to cloud the mind and prevent spontaneity and RELATIONSHIP directly with God Almighty and Jesus our Lord, much more so following Holy Spirit's moment by moment guidance

. . . OUTSIDE the tidy little [from God's perspective] Roman box.

I'm grieved that you really are having trouble wrapping your understanding around such a simple fact that

millions of Chinese underground Christians are growing marvelously close to God and bringing others into The Church Universal daily with many miracles confirming

WITHOUT A SINGLE TRADITION rearing it's head as authority or law--or as anything else--just not there.

Now, sadly, a year and a half from their new Christian beginnings, they'll have formed their own traditions or been burdened down with those from other 'generous pharisees.' But initially,

NO

TRADITIONS--AS IN NONE.

You are aware of the number in the middle between -1 and +1? A marvelous little number.

In this case, it quite accurately represents the number of traditions these precious Chinese saints are aware of or bother with:

0.00

Mind boggling for Romans, I know.

There, there now. The medicine cabinet is not far away.

Actually, no.

My start was not that rough. Heard the word.

Holy Spirit drew me to The Lord, The Father.

I responded in faith according to The Word.

Pretty simple, really. Majestic, wonderous, awesome etc. that God would reach down to man etc.

But simple in principle and in walking it out--initially--starting out.

Is Jame's 'religion'

REALLY

the kind of religion you see so spread abroad so widely, entrenched-ly, oppressively, rigidly, fossilized-ly

in the Roman AND protestant congregations????

What planet are you on?

I've found that kind of earnest, authentic, straightforward, simple, Biblical 'religion'

rather hard to find in any congregation--a bit like finding the one honest man.

RELATIONSHIP is

GOD'S FOCUS

NOT religion.

I think even The Scriptures are rather clear about that. Certainly many choose to ignore such verses in Scripture that make my point rather clearly. But they are there. Wise people heed them.

Have you talked to one individual, much less a group of new Chinese underground Christians?

NO TRADITIONS AT ALL.

Very simple.

Did their Bibles arrive by airdrop or what?

If you do not hold the Traditions of the Apostles, then you are not a Christian and should be avoided.

"And we charge you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother walking disorderly, and not according to the tradition which they have received of us." (2 Thes. iii.6)

No. I think you are confused.

I'm not confused about the phenomenon nor the term.

Nor am I confused about what Christ delights in.

The Sermon On The Mount is a good place to start

IF YOU are confused about such things.

No! I didn't say Christians were to go their walk alone. The Bible clearly says to avoid not assembling together.

BUT CHRIST WAS REPEATEDLY HOSTILE ABOUT RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS OF MEN.

Have you really read the NT? I'm shocked you'd have missed those verses.

They aren't that difficult to understand.

Actually, I'd go so far as to say that

the Roman traditions of men alone

and

the Protestant traditions of men alone

have done more to doom more people to hell than all the traditions of the pharisees of Jesus time--against which Christ railed so vehemently.

Are you happy about that? Are you smug and self-righteous about that?

I sure hope not!

Quix, you practice a religion of your own making: it is a man made thing. It is not based on Scripture but on your interpretation of Scripture. You interpretation of Scripture is flawed and therefore your ability to follow the teachings of Christ are flawed, and not just because we are all sinners but because the "map" you have created is defective. This is one of the reasons Christ left us with a visible Church: it serves to ensure that we know the TRUTH of Christ, not a Shadow of the truth borne out of individual interpretation. Why you or anyone who desires to serve Christ chooses to do so on their terms rather than His is beyond my comprehension.

Oh you post makes it painfully clear that you don't understand the concept of tradition vs Tradition. Go Here and Here for a better understanding of what Tradition is.

HOGWASH

Certainly my map is not flawLESS because I'm human.

But for all intents and purposes, you are as wrong as can be.

My walk with God is a precious, intimate, intense, VERY BIBLICAL thing.

And, mercifully, HE has finally placed me again in a good local congregation with a good Pastor.

In terms of tradition--

I don't have any evidence that

YOU

KNOW THE DIFFERENCE.

It SEEMS pretty clear which one most Romans are following. I don't have sufficient data about you, yet. But your words are worrisome. It appears that you are as addicted to deadly traditions of men, to RELIGION as much as any Roman or Protestant I've ever come across.

Sigh.

Did you even read the links?

Or did you just decide that your interpretation of what you haven't yet read is as valid as you interpretation of what you have read?

Either way I leave you with this.

May God bless and guide you, and all that seek Him, to the security of His Church.

“He that is not with Me is against Me; and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth.” (Luke 11:23)
Luke 9:49 And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.

50 And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.
Seems that what's important is being with Jesus, as opposed to being with the Catholic Church.

TAKING SCRIPTURE AT FACE VALUE

AND

SIMPLY DOING IT.

IS HARDLY practicing anything of my own making.

I realize God's simplicity sometimes escapes us in the complexities of reality and life.

But the basics are rather straightforward.

As CHRIST SAID:

LOVE GOD WHOLLY.
LOVE OTHERS AS YOURSELF.
DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU'D HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU.

Therein lies the whole law [and any worthy 'traditions']

Chinese have been finding this so by the millions.

Too bad so many Romans and Protestants of every stripe are still stuck in fossilized traditions of men to the grief to anger of The Father, The Son and The Spirit.

Part of even you

KNOWS

that

but refuses to admit it because you instinctively know God would then demand change on your part. And your security and comfort zones are all wrapped up in the your RELIGIOUS STATUS QUO.

There is only one Church founded, ONE, one faith, one baptism, one Shepherd. one flock. To deviate form this One True Church in favor on one of your own making is an act of disobedience that separates you from Him.

There is only one Church and it belongs to Christ. Everyone who is born of the Spirit belongs to His Church, some might even be Roman Catholics in it too.

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