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Amazing, being associated with a Church...no matter how the RCC wishes to define same...is not what is important and it never has been what is important. Ask the criminal saved by the lord on the night of his crucification.

Rom 10:13 (KJV): For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Eph 1:6 (KJV): To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Eph 1:7 (KJV): In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

John 3:15 (KJV): That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

John 10:28-30 (KJV): And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.

Titus 3:7 (KJV): That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

1 John 5:11-13 (KJV): And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 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.

It seems to me when I am fortunate enough to meet my Lord Jesus, having accepted him as my Saviour, it is his mercy, love and forgiveness will be that which provides me his gift of eternal life. It is sad that man attempts to define what a church is, what group or church is deserving of same when it is not up to man to judge at all. It is amazing how man, in his arrogance, makes soemthing so simply asked of us such a complicated matter. Let the Church, groups of Christians if that better fits in the RCC definition teach us the word...Let Jesus, God do the judging.

Proof-texting is the practice of citing scripture out of context to appear to prove something. It is not actually very useful, since context matters; in fact, the Devil himself proof-texts to assert false doctrine, and is proven wrong by Jesus.

>> Rom 10:13 (KJV): For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. <<

Here, the word translated as “name” doesn’t mean what your out-of-context quote makes it appear to mean. The “name” of the Lord is intentionally unpronounceable (YHWH), so it can’t be “called out.” “Name” could be translated “rule.” What the scripture refers to is the rule or dominion of the lord. And that is found within the Catholic Church. Demons cry out to Jesus and to God, but Christians must appeal to the merciful rule of the Body of Christ.

>> John 10:28-30 (KJV): And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one. <<

And, yet, Judas becomes known as “the son of perdition.” Was he not one of the 12? Judas is lost because he does not partake in the body and blood of the Lord, which is the covenant.

>> John 3:15 (KJV): That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life <<

Jesus also says, “If you believe in me, than you will do the Father’s will.” And Jesus commands that we be one, that we submit ourselves to our bishop, and that Peter shepherd his flock.

>> Eph 1:6-7 (KJV): To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; <<

This is precisely Pope Benedict’s point: Protestant churches are defective because they deny the presence of Christ in his blood, and hold that the reception of such blood is not necessary for the forgiveness of sins.

>> 1 John 5:11-13 (KJV): And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 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. <<

And what is it that John writes so that we may have eternal life?

“Unless you eat of my [Jesus’] flesh, and drink of my
[Jesus’] blood, you shall not have life within you.” But Protestants deny the presence of Jesus’ flesh and blood.

“If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” But Protestants refuse fellowship within the Catholic Church, and reject the communion under the body and blood of Jesus.

“And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.” But Protestants reject his commandments to eat his body and drink his blood

“But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.” But Protestants lack apostolic annointing.