Posted on 08/20/2016 7:45:03 AM PDT by Salvation
Msgr. Charles Pope Catholic, August 28, 2016
Question: How will God judge non-Catholics at the time of their death? — William Bandle, Manchester, Missouri
Answer: Scripture says, “God does not see as a mortal ... The Lord looks into the heart” (1 Sam 16:7). Thus, God, who knows our hearts, will judge us based on what is there. Not all have had the same opportunity to come to know the Lord, his Church and the help of the sacraments. God is just; he knows this and will judge accordingly.
Jesus says, “That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations or act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating, shall be beaten only lightly” (Lk 12:47-48).
In terms of non-Catholics who lacked some knowledge or sacraments of the Church, God will look into their hearts and judge them based on what they reasonably could have known and their actions based on that.
Therefore, to say that God looks into the heart does not mean that he merely looks to a person’s feelings or disposition. Rather, as Scripture says, we will be judged by our deeds (see Rom 2:6-11). Did our actions correspond to what we knew was expected of us or not?
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Thus, the degree of a person’s knowledge of God’s will and his obedience to that knowledge in deeds will be key on the Day of Judgment. This does not mean all non-Catholics and other nonbelievers simply get a pass. Their ignorance of full Catholic teaching must be what is called “invincible ignorance,” meaning a lack of knowledge that they could not reasonably overcome. Thus, if one is lazy or makes excuses when seeking the truth, God will take it into account.
Since the Lord alone sees into our heart, he alone will be our just judge.
You seem to ignore this passage. Why?
I don't ignore it. I read it in context. There is no other sacrifice for sins than what Christ did on the cross is what the writer is talking about.
We come to Him in faith.
19Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. 26For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES. 28Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30For we know Him who said, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY.” And again, “THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE.” 31It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Hebrews 10:19-31
God is the judge and will determine if one has faith.
You will know when you die.
Thankfully we have the Word on this and not roman catholicism's doubt.
30Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name. John 20:30-31
(I'm always bemused that Protestants insist, on the one hand, that works have nothing to do with salvation, and on the other, seem to insist that one's salvation is dependent on one's theological understanding of the same. If that conscious theological understanding is not a "work," then what is?)
36“He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36 NASB
Most excellent citation! You see here a contrast between two groups of people: those who "believe in the Son" and those who "do not obey the Son". Notice that "belief" is contrasted with "disobedience," implying that those who "believe" authentically also "obey". (Notice that "faith alone," without the corresponding "obedience," doesn't seem to count for much.)
But this only describes two categories of people. It doesn't address the question of persons who don't know the Son (through no fault of their own) and so can't *consciously* believe in the Son, though their lives may be ordered in docility toward God such that they would be "obedient" to the Son if they understood the necessity for that, and actually are obedient to him to the extent that they understand that obedience.
Can such persons be saved? If God so wills, they can. If they are saved, they are saved through the merits of Christ, even though they may not have the grace of consciously understanding that.
Clearly talking about a Christian who was justified and has fallen from grace. That means it's possible; Scripture doesn't waste time on impossibilities.
Your argument is with God and his word.
The Glorified body JESUS now occupies, IN HEAVEN, does not use blood to distribute The LIFE of the glorified body. So your pagan Mass is a farce, pretending to feed sincere people the ‘blood and body and soul and divinity’ of JESUS. Thyis farce is perpetrated in order to empower the org know as The Catholic Church. The claimed power of the priest to bring Jesus down from HEAVEN to continue the cross sacrifice is a farce, and blasphemous.
I’m with you. I have prayed for the actual salvation of the person(s) who posts as Salvation many times. I have quoted many passages of Scriptures, suggested articles, sermons and videos to that person(s) many times that would explain the gospel and the biblical way of salvation. I have personally witnessed in private messages to Salvation and other Catholics. Some of them have thanked me and asked a number of questions, but the person(s) known as Salvation ignores those efforts.
If I didn’t have Roman Catholic relatives who are hopelessly lost, I might never have taken the time to understand the folly of the papal system. For much of my life I was taught they were simply “off” on some doctrines and had unbiblical practices we shouldn’t emulate, but since they believed many of the essentials, they were our Christian brothers. At the prompting of a former Roman Catholic priest I actually took the time to study what they teach and believe and was appalled to learn they lack the very gospel itself. In fact, they officially anathematized the gospel of grace at Trent and that remains her position to this day.
As Dr. James White has said many times, as long as Galatians is in the Bible, we cannot see the Catholic gospel as the one and only saving Gospel. The Judaizers added one little thing—circumcision—to the way of salvation and it was enough for Paul to pronounce anathema on them. Grace plus any law-keeping for salvation makes grace of no effect and is denounced in the strongest way possible in the New Testament. To add one tiny thing to the work that Christ did for salvation is to negate God’s grace. We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, not by returning to the Law. “I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing” (Galatians 2:21). The Roman mixture of grace and necessary sacraments (baptism, confession, etc) for salvation is utterly damning. Performance of rituals for salvation always leads to perdition.
I won’t pretend all Catholics are lost, but those who are saved have not been saved according to the Roman religion’s way of salvation. Those saved Catholics have been saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus, and not of works, lest they should boast. I pray there are many whose hearts are far better than their heads or understanding of Bible doctrine—and that goes for non-Catholics as well.
If I didn’t care about Catholic souls I wouldn’t bother commenting. I don’t want to make people angry or be divisive. I won’t participate in endless back and forth debates, but I can’t always scroll on by and ignore the very real elephant in the room. We need more men in this country who will sound the alarm and address the dangers of Rome with boldness and clarity.
If I were a person trusting the Catholic church I wouldn’t feel safe putting my head on my pillow another night without first crying out to the Lord. I would beg Him to not let me be fooled, to please show me the truth and the real way of eternal life. I am a God-fearing man and I do not want to be among those religious people Jesus described in Matthew 7 who have believed themselves right with God but will one day hear “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
I would hope so.
Do you have any examples of non neighborly love towards non Catholics?
I would also hope that Catholics present the Truth of Jesus informatively although that may be contrary to the beliefs of non Catholics.
I consider this a forum to present our Catholics beliefs truthfully to everyone with the intention of helping all attain salvation with God.
Sometimes, the Truth is blunt and there is evidence of bluntness in the Truth in the words of Jesus.
I am sure that we could be more effective in our presentation, but I do not see any bad intent.
Sometimes i do not see an intelligent discussion of issues or difference, just a response based on personal opinion or feelings.
Selah ... here is wisdom.
And the worshiped city of Rome is not beautiful, is filthy and abhorrent, and attracts non-Catholic Christians only to throw three coins in the fountain and go back home to tell how much idolatry is present there, how man’s work alone is glorified, and how disappointing a seven-hill city Rome is. It’s no Jerusalem; no city of peace.
Big tall wall built around the Vatican so that’s harder to know. I hear they’re awfully rich there, those that hold power over the souls of men.
You are very kind to yourself.
Ephesians 1:13-14 tells us the believer is sealed by the Holy Spirit. The Word never tells us we are unsealed.
Perhaps you should read Romans 1. None are without excuse.
Care to show us where the promises of the rosary are in the Word? Where does it addresses the scapular to avoid the hell fire?
Thankfully we have the promise of Christ to keep us.
Well, if you are hoping your works are going to help or somehow contribute , you’re going to be in for a big surprise.
God owes no man for any work performed and relying on works puts man in the position of holding GOD accountable because it’s saying *God, look what I did. Now you owe me.*
Maybe it can trace itself back through claimed unbroken succession to Peter, but that doesn’t mean those claims are true. It just means that someone managed to *find* an alleged unbroken line and voila`, succession.
Not good enough proof.
...if one is lazy or makes excuses when seeking the truth....
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One area I am trying to work on all of the time.
Thanks for the flag, FRiend.
No. It's faith in Jesus. PERIOD.
NOT faith in Jesus and fill in the blank.
Jesus work on the cross was enough and needs to supplementing.
? There's not a single place in Scripture where faith in th4e Catholic church, or participation in the Catholic church is ever made a requirement for salvation.
Only the Catholic church claims that. Conveniently.
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