There is no salvation outside of faith in Christ. You can be a member of a church but not be a follower of Christ.
If one does follow Christ one is a member of His ekklesia....not the Roman Catholic church....just the church of believers. That is what the church is.
And we have generally accepted the validity of heretics' Baptism, as long as there is proper form.
That's a pretty big change on the part of Roman Catholics considering non-Roman Catholics disagree with much of Roman Catholicism.
Not sure how you can say non-Roman Catholics are members of Roman Catholicism when we reject Roman Catholic beliefs.
I believe we come to Christ through faith alone. Roman Catholicism, at the Council of Trent, damned anyone for believing that.
I believe in Scripture alone. Roman Catholicism has also damned anyone for believing that.
I believe you cannot lose your salvation based on the promises of Christ. Roman Catholicism has damned that as well.
I do not believe Mary was sinless. Roman Catholicism has damned that as well.
I do not recognize the authority of the pope as claimed by Roman Catholicism.
I do not recognize the Mass as understood by Roman Catholicism.
I do not believe baptism is what saves you as does Roman Catholicism.
In light of all that, how do say a non-Roman Catholic can be a part of the RCC??
You and I were both members of a false religion at one time. Thank God, the truth of the REAL gospel was able to penetrate my super thick skull. 😄 I was NEVER self satisfied with it. I NEVER thought I could EVER make it to Heaven. Turns out I was right. I couldn’t, so I was open to the truth. 👍
We disagree on much, that's true, but this is not a change. There was a controversy already in the 200s between St. Cyprian and Pope Stephen about whether heretics' Baptism was valid....and Stephen's position in favor of heretics' Baptism won out.
Baptism is not just a symbol but leaves an indelible mark on the soul. It effects what it signifies. It removes original sin and opens the gates of heaven.
If you were baptized as a child (say in a Methodist church), that had a real and permanent effect. If you had died the next day you would go straight to heaven.
That may sound like it contradicts "no salvation outside the Church" but it really doesn't. You were within the Catholic Church, just invisibly.
Now adulthood is where it starts getting complicated. Adults can commit all kinds of personal sins that will exclude them from heaven...Paul lists a few in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. If any Christian adult--Catholic or Protestant--dies with these sins unrepented of, he will be damned.