Salvation and Church

OSV.com ^ | 03-14-18 | Msgr. Charles Pope

[Salvation]

Salvation and Church The teaching of ‘no salvation outside the Church’ is important and one that must rightly be understood

Msgr. Charles Pope

3/14/2018

Question: I hear the Catholic Church teaches there is no salvation outside the Church. This would seem to condemn most to hell. Or am I missing something? — Name, location withheld

Answer: It is in fact a doctrine of the Church often repeated by the Fathers of the Church and taught formally. However, it must be understood properly.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church has this to say by way of explanation:

“‘Outside the Church there is no Salvation.’ ... Re-formulated positively, it means that all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body: Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Council teaches that the Church ... is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church. He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and Baptism, and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through Baptism as through a door. Hence, they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it. This affirmation is not aimed at those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ and his Church” (CCC, Nos. 846-847).

This much is sure: Whoever is in heaven was saved by Jesus Christ in and through his Body the Church. But, as we know, there are many barriers to people fully understanding that the Church is the sole and necessary means for salvation, and thus, simply being outside the Church usually does not alone bring condemnation.

God can and, it would seem, does draw others unto himself in ways not always known to us. All of this can console us and bring an understanding that the teaching “outside the Church there is no salvation” is not understood absolutely.

But this consolation must not be the source of letting our missionary zeal wane. While it is possible to be saved beyond the Church, sacraments and explicit faith in Christ, it is much more difficult. Consider the following teaching from the Second Vatican Council:

“Those also can attain to salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience. Nor does Divine Providence deny the helps necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God and with His grace strive to live a good life. ... But often men, deceived by the Evil One, have become vain in their reasonings and have exchanged the truth of God for a lie, serving the creature rather than the Creator (cf. Rom 1:21, 25). Or some there are who, living and dying in this world without God, are exposed to final despair. Wherefore to promote the glory of God and procure the salvation of all of these, and mindful of the command of the Lord, ‘Preach the Gospel to every creature’ (Mk 16:16), the Church fosters the missions with care and attention” (Lumen Gentium, No. 16).

And therefore, we see that people often are deceived or let themselves be deceived. So, the fact that people can be saved apart from the Church is not a blank check or presumption that they likely will be saved. It must always be our earnest work to evangelize, for many “prefer the darkness” (see Jn 3:19).

[aMorePerfectUnion]

So would you then agree that Catholics(by their stated doctrine) are Christians?

Don't confuse intellectual assent with saving faith.

Believers in Christ, known as Christians, have entrusted themselves to Him alone.

His complete sacrifice.

His grace for salvation.

They have admitted there is nothing they can do to earn salvation, nor qualify via works, nor the false sacramental system.

Intellectual assent to a creed does not save.

Christ saves.

Once you add anything to Christ, you are not entrusting yourself to Him, but relying on your own merit and efforts.

Those people go to hell.

Don't be that person.

[Mom MD]

I said Roman Catholics have some Christian doctrine they endorse. They also have many heretical bordering on apostate doctrine that separate them from the rest of Christianity. Don’t read more into what I said than is actually there

[MHGinTN]

Your little Catholic temper tsantrum when I didn't ping you, that's what.

BTW, your little deceit of not capitalizing 'catholic' in the fourth line from the last of the Creed but Capitalizing 'Catholic' when trying to deceive folks that they are the same is duly noted. When you practice to deceive it is clear what spirit is within you, whiner.

[infool7]

when I didn't ping you, that's what.

You made a conscious decision not to ping me? Hmmm following FR decorum is at your discretion, duly noted.

No deceit intended at all. That's how it was at the site I copied it from and it isn't capitalized when recited at Mass.

I might remind you that the Religion Moderator will pull posts for name calling. Since the post was pulled I can check now but was it one of your posts that was recently pulled for that or was it someone else's?

If the Religion Forum is too upsetting for you and you find that you cannot refrain from name calling you might want to stick to reading and posting on caucus threads where your less likely to be offended.

7

[infool7]

Oops
I can check now = I can’t check now

[evangmlw]

“No man comes to the Father except through me.”
~ Jesus Christ

“There is but one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.” ~ Apostle Paul

I’ll believe the word of God, which I know very well. I’ve also had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ for 52 years. What’s more, people were saved by faith even before the founding of the church. People are still saved by faith, “faith in Christ,” not faith in an organization.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

+1

[ealgeone]

You don’t even have the right 10 Commamdments. How bout posting the passage from Exodus?

[infool7]

If you think it can help us establish a baseline of common faith then by all means don't let me stop you from posting that yourself.

You and I left off at the beginning of the creed here:

Now how about the virgin birth of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus?

Do you believe Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary and became man?

We have made it as far as the Holy Trinity.

Shall we continue?

7

[ealgeone]

Question has already been answered. I'm not going point by point through this version of the Creed.

Christians and Roman Catholics disagree on how one comes to salvation and if one can keep their salvation.

Christians and Roman Catholics disagree on the "necessity" of Mary for salvation, answered prayers, etc.

Christians and Roman Catholics disagree on the forgiveness of sins.

So other than common names and books of the NT [which again Christians hold the NT to be all that is needed where Roman Catholics have added "Sacred Tradition"].

So no....I don't think the two have that much in common.

[infool7]

I am trying to find common ground instead of points on which we do not agree.

You can easily understand my faith by reading the Catechism which is a roadmap to understanding Catholic dogma and doctrine with extensively detailed references sourced directly to the Bible. Your belief system is haphazardly expressed here at FR and perhaps other places unknown to me.

My contention was that you define your beliefs entirely and exclusively by what differentiates them from the Catholic Church but we found some common ground. I think there could be much much more but you are going to have lead the way.

7

[MHGinTN]

I will call a liar a liar and if Jim wants to pull that it is his website. You are an insulting servant of deceit. Now, is that obscure enough for your widdle ego?

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“My contention was that you define your beliefs entirely and exclusively by what differentiates them from the Catholic Church

False.

This is a discussion about an article, written by a Roman, containing ideas not in Scripture.

Context.

[boatbums]

When an RC “apologist” tosses out the 30k or 40k or 50k denominations ploy to boost their argument, I know I can stop reading anything else they have to say because it will be a waste of time!

[ealgeone]

You can easily understand my faith by reading the Catechism which is a roadmap to understanding Catholic dogma and doctrine with extensively detailed references sourced directly to the Bible. Your belief system is haphazardly expressed here at FR and perhaps other places unknown to me.

The CCC, while it does in places reference the Bible, also references the ECFs.

Roman Catholicism is a lot of things....but easily understood? No. That is not one of them. There are multiple layers and caveats and writings that most Roman Catholics can't keep up with them as evidenced in these discussions.

My faith is fairly simple.

I believe Christ died on the cross for my sins and that by believing in Him my sins are forgiven.

There are no good deeds I can do to get to Heaven other than believe in Him.

He paid the price.

He was crucified.

It is He Who cleanses my sin.

I believe my salvation is secure based on His promises in the NT.

My goal is to share the Gospel with others to help them come to a saving faith in Christ.

My contention was that you define your beliefs entirely and exclusively by what differentiates them from the Catholic Church but we found some common ground. I think there could be much much more but you are going to have lead the way.

As I noted before, NT Christianity does not have much in common with Roman Catholicism as it has added so much to the NT which is often contradictory to the NT.

The Nicene Creed, and I presume you mean the later version, has some language which would have to be clarified.

Catholic does not mean Roman Catholic.

Apostolic does not mean apostolic succession.

Baptism for remission of sins does not mean baptism is what removes sin.

Other than that the Creed is a decent overview of Christianity.

[ealgeone]

I know....they've read this so many times they believe it....even though it has been debunked so many times.

To continue to appeal to that shows a limited intellectual understanding of the issue.

[infool7]

No ten commandments?

[boatbums]

Should I presume, then, that your argument is that unless a person agrees with the Nicene Creed, follows the Ten Commandments and obeys all the precepts of the (Roman) Catholic church, he cannot identify as a Christian nor have assurance of his salvation?

Tell me again how Catholicism teaches salvation by grace and not by works???

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Yes, the 30,000 is bogus.

It does allow minnows who “swim shallow waters” to self-identify and hide.

[infool7]

Not at all. I am simply looking for some common ground that we can all agree on. If we get up to the precepts were doing pretty good wouldn't you say?

I personally have never been taught that anyone is saved by works but you have to take my word for it and I have just been called a liar and "an insulting servant of deceit" so you'll have to take that with a grain of salt.