Catholics & Salvation; And the answer is: Maybe.

A caller to our weekly radio program asked a question that has come up before: Are Roman Catholics saved? Let me respond to this as best I can. But I need to offer a qualifier because I think this is going to be somewhat dissatisfying for some because I am not going to say a simple "aye" or "nay." My answer is: It kind of depends. The reason I'm saying that is because of certain ambiguities.

My point is this, I think that in the area of the doctrine of salvation, Roman Catholic theology, as I understand it, is unbiblical because salvation depends on faith and works, not just faith alone. This was the specific problem Paul addressed in the book of Galatians and was the subject of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15: Is simple faith in Jesus adequate, or must gentile followers of Christ now keep the Law as a standard of acceptance before God?

I know not all Catholics would agree that this is a fair way of putting it, but I think that most Catholics would actually say the faith/works equation is accurate. Your faith and your works are what save you. I was raised Catholic and that’s what I was taught. (For my take on the biblical relationship between faith and works, see “Faith & Works: Paul vs. James.”)

Now, I need to add this too. Many Protestants feel the same way. Many Protestants are confused on this issue, so this is not a Catholic vs. Protestant concern so much. It's just that Catholicism across the board has more of an official position that amounts this, where Protestants have a more diversity of views, some that don't even seem to be consistent with Protestantism.

But the fact that one believes Jesus is the Messiah and that He is the savior, not our own efforts, is critical. If you reject this notion, like the Jews do, then as far as I can tell from the biblical revelation, there is no hope for you. That seems to be clear. But when somebody says they believe in Jesus and He is their Savior, but somehow works are mingled in with the picture, then I can't really say to you how much faith that person is putting in Jesus and how much faith that person is putting in their own efforts to satisfy God. If a person has all their faith in their own efforts, then they are going to be judged by their own efforts. It's as simple as that. If they have their faith in Jesus, they will be judged by the merits of Jesus. Anyone judged by their own merits is going to be found wanting. Anyone who is judged by the merits of Jesus is not going to be found wanting because Jesus is not wanting.

What if you are kind of a mixture? I think most Catholics are, frankly. Many Protestants are, as well.

I reflect often on a comment that was made by a friend of mine named Dennis. He was a Roman Catholic brother in Christ that I knew when I was a brand new Christian. He asked me this: "Greg, how much faith does it take to be saved?" I said, "A mustard seed." And he said, "There you go."

And so, it seems to me, there are many Christians—Protestant and Catholic—who believe in Jesus as their savior and have a mustard seed of faith, but are confused about the role of works. I think that Jesus is still Savior in those cases.

"If Christ has paid for a sin, how is that sin not forgiven?"

Oh, for crying out loud, (haven't heard that used since my mother gave up swearing), you need to forget the scriptures since they are only one of many sources of knowledge and let the Catholic Church define for you what you are missing. After all, from its standpoint, anyone who is earnestly seeking God will be saved. (Pope John Paul II said, Non-Christians can be saved, if they seek God with "a sincere heart." In that seeking they are "related" to Christ and to his body the Church (address to the CDF).

The Catholic Church teaches that there are two distinct dimensions of Jesus Christ’s redemption. Objective redemption: the redemption of the whole universe but the benefits of that redemption have to be applied unceasingly to Christ’s members throughout their lives. This is the ongoing process of subjective redemption. If the benefits of Christ’s subjective redemption are not applied to individuals, they have no share in his objective redemption.

Now here is where the Catholic Church gets its exclusive franchise on salvation: How does Jesus Christ work out this ongoing process of subjective redemption in individuals? Its answer: Why, through itself, the Catholic Church. Here’s why: Jesus Christ took on a human body, lived a natural life in that body, redeemed the world through that body and since his Ascension, He lives on earth in his supernatural body, the body of his members, the Catholic Church. Having used his physical body to redeem the world, Christ now uses the Catholic Church to dispense "the divine fruits of the Redemption" (Mystici Corporis 31).

The hierarchical structure of the Catholic Church and the Catholic Church “form one complex reality that comes together from a human and a divine element". The Catholic Church is "the fullness of him [Christ] who fills all in all" (Eph. 1:23). Now that Jesus has accomplished objective redemption, the "plan of mystery hidden for ages in God" is "that through the (Catholic) Church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places"

You need to understand that in Christ’s scheme of salvation, the Catholic Church is "the seed, sign, and instrument" of God’s kingdom. Vatican II designates the Catholic Church as the "universal sacrament of salvation":

"The Church is the sacrament of salvation for all humankind, and her activity is not limited only to those who accept her message" (RM 20).

"Christ won the Church for himself at the price of his own blood and made the Church his co-worker in the salvation of the world. . . . He carries out his mission through her" (RM 9).

John Paul stated, "The Lord Jesus . . . established his Church as a saving reality: as his body, through which he himself accomplishes salvation in history." He then quoted Vatican II’s teaching that the Catholic Church is necessary for salvation. The Catholic Church has made it clear that if a person rejects the Catholic Church with full knowledge and consent, he puts his soul in danger: They cannot be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or remain in it (LG 14).

Oh Dr. E., leave your bible and return to the "Valley of Ashes"; repent!

Are you saying you think Calvinists don't believe they must repent?

That's ludicrous.

All men are called to repent for all their sins. What is repentance? It is deep and despairing sorrow for our sins against the Triune God.

Do all men repent? No. Does God give all men the ability to repent and believe? No. As Christ tells us...

"Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father." -- John 6:65

Those whom God has drawn to Him will, by the supernatural rebirth of the Holy Spirit, see their sins for what they are -- transgressions against the God of all creation. He will feel remorse, guilt, sorrow and he will seek remedy for this pain from Christ alone who tells us He has forgiven every sin of those who believe in Him.

By God's will, we change from slaves to sins to slaves to righteousness. Our wills are conformed to His. And thus, we obey Him. We acknowlege our sins. We express regret and sorrow for them. We determine not to repeat them again.

And by the grace of God through the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, we sin less and less each day as our sanctification grows in our lives.

Repentance is not something the church can barter, withholding or bestowing according to own balance sheet. Repentance is given by God, as Peter said, and so it is another ability of the "new man" for which we thank God.

“Luke 9:5
And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off even the dust of your feet, for a testimony against them.”

This forum has become a blasphemous occasion of sin for myself and perhaps others. It is one thing to tell someone what we believe. It is another to keep telling them over and over as they continue to distort it. The perpetual hideousness of slander continues. Calling someone by a term of endearment is an affront similar to caning a person for their own good.

The disciples spoke the Word and they were violently abused. They followed the teaching of Christ and simply shook the dust off of their feet and went to the next place to spread the Good News. I have a love of the life in Christ over all other things. It makes sense to be filled with compassion and giving. If anyone does not want to receive that Word of the Lord there is a peaceful loving response and yet at the same time the effort is not wasted. The disciples do not stay and continue with a group that has rejected them. They do not disagree or argue. They continue on the journey and path that Jesus had taught them. They followed the instruction that Christ very specifically gave them when they were sent out to preach the Good Word. The message was if there was a rejection of this light and life the disciples were to shake the dust off their feet and move to the next place to share the Good News.

“I will shake the dust from my feet and go to preach the Word of God in another place
Acts 13:44-52 On the following sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and with violent abuse contradicted what Paul said. Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said,“It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first, but since you reject it and condemn yourselves as unworthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, I have made you a light to the Gentiles, that you may be an instrument of salvation to the ends of the earth.” The Gentiles were delighted when they heard this and glorified the word of the Lord. All who were destined for eternal life came to believe, and the word of the Lord continued to spread through the whole region. The Jews, however, incited the women of prominence who were worshipers and the leading men of the city, stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their territory. So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against themand went to Iconium. The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4 R. (3cd) All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.or:R. Alleluia.Sing to the LORD a new song,for he has done wondrous deeds;His right hand has won victory for him,his holy arm.R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.or:R. Alleluia.The LORD has made his salvation known:in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulnesstoward the house of Israel.R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.or:R. Alleluia.All the ends of the earth have seenthe salvation by our God.Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;break into song; sing praise.R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.or:R. Alleluia.

Reading II
1 Jn 3:1-2
Beloved:
See what love the Father has bestowed on us
that we may be called the children of God.
Yet so we are.
The reason the world does not know us
is that it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God’s children now;
what we shall be has not yet been revealed.
We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,
for we shall see him as he is.

Gospel Jn 14:7-14 Jesus said to his disciples: “If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said to Jesus, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a timeand you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me,or else, believe because of the works themselves. Amen, amen, I say to you,whoever believes in me will do the works that I do,and will do greater ones than these,because I am going to the Father. And whatever you ask in my name, I will do,so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.”

I’m shaking the dust from my feet.

I will not tolerate the abuse of Christ in the Eucharist, nor of the slander against the Sacraments and the Church itself.

I find the Pentacostal movement a Montanist heresy of enormous spiritual damage. Heresy is heresy and always will be whether it is in the 2nd Century or rearing its head again now. It is straight from deception.

I give Catholics on FR credit for continuing to battle against the lies and deliberate misinterpretation.

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