Judging non-Catholics

OSV.com ^ | 08-17-16 | Msgr. Charles Pope

[Salvation]

Judging non-Catholics Seeing into the hearts of those outside the Church, the Lord will judge them by their knowledge, deeds

Msgr. Charles Pope Catholic, August 28, 2016

8/17/2016

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?

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.

[Resettozero]

Thanks.

Now, on to the next battle...with CIVILITY!

R2z

[daniel1212]

Lists??? As Ko-Ko sang in the Mikado, you have a little list but it never will be missed. Suggest you go far, far away and stay there w/your little list that never will be noticed. The Church of Rome is a 2000 year old other worldly institution that will endure till the last days w/o any need of a list. Stay paranoid.

Logically, the appeal to antiquity as a proof of authenticity would also apply to more ancient faiths, while in Fact the church of Rome is manifestly not a 2,000 year other-worldly institution, while recourse to ad hominem is another example of avoiding debate on the very thing you state, and actually interacting with the argument. In short, you simply (still) do not have one.

If you want to present the pope as the solution to divisions, then it seems you you need to either affirm unquestioning assent to any and all papal teaching, including that of councils under him, and its basis, or deal with the issue of different levels of teaching and their respective types of assent, and the problems of interpreting what ones fall under, and of the meaning of these, as well as issues in which the magisterium has not "officially" spoken on. It is those who most strongly hold to (or profess to) the authority of papal teaching that exist in schism, or sects, and reprove those who support modern popes. Cultic Catholics or cafeteria ones, though actually the term can apply to both.

And then you must deal with your manner of Roman submission and its basis, whatever that may be, and that of Scripture. Your simplistic proposal ignores reality.

And if you want to assert that the Church of Rome is a 2000 year old other worldly institution then you need to deal with the manifest absence of it and contrary aspects. That is how it works in a forum of some depth.

[Resettozero]

Have only read through point #6 but stopped to advertise that this is one fine site for reference and study:

The Roman Deformation of the New Testament church and Historical Context of the Reformation

6. There were no manifest apostolic successors after Judas (though James was martyred: Acts 12:1,2), which (for Judas) was in order to maintain the foundational number of apostles (cf. Rv. 21:14) and which was by the non-political Scriptural means of casting lots. (cf. Prov. 16:33) Furthermore, Rome's so-called apostolic successors fail of the qualifications and credentials of manifest Biblical apostles. (Acts 1:21,22; 1Cor. 9:1; Gal. 1:11,12; 2Cor. 6:4-10; 12:12)

[Resettozero]

I am just not into cults. I was involved in one till I was 21.

Had I been born into an RC family, I would still be a member and probably posting agin ya on FR.

It seems the most-perfect religion man has fabricated. As an RC, I would often enough have had a sensation that my spiritual vacuum was being filled (Holy Eucharist/mass) -- the one place of me that only The Lord God can truly fill -- without having to study to show myself a workman approved and learning how to rightly divide that Written Word which God has indeed said and expects me to obey.

And I could always have purchased or have someone else buy me out of Catholic trouble and, thus, could DO SOMETHING to pull myself out of a pit, even after I had permanently stopped breathing.

It really is a neat religion for willful men such as I likely would have remained, had I been born into a devout Roman Catholic family. God knew you were stronger than I, Mark17.

[Mark17]

It really is a neat religion for willful men such as I likely would have remained, had I been born into a devout Roman Catholic family. God knew you were stronger than I, Mark17.

I had to ping more ex Catholics like myself. I don't think I ever looked at it quite like that, as being strong. Since grade school, I had this inner frustration, that I couldn't quite put my finger on. Inside, I knew I couldn't earn salvation, so I gave up. Eat drink br be merry.
Then, I ran into people who had the fruit of the spirit, something I NEVER saw in the RCC. They had something I wanted to experience, plus, the most important thing. They KNEW they were going to Heaven. I didn't, and I wanted to. The rest is history. Now, I am happy to commit the sin of presumption, and enjoy assurance of salvation. 😊😇

[daniel1212]

Glory to God for what is good, though that sentence should actually say "Never manifestly saw apostolic successors being voted for after Matthias was chosen for Judas (even though James was martyred: Acts 12:1,2), which was in order to maintain the foundational number of apostles (cf. Rv. 21:14) and which was by the non-political Scriptural means of casting lots. (cf. Prov. 16:33)" Therefore I edited it.

[daniel1212]

Beautifully said. Sadly, the Catholic-trained mind will be incapable of discerning the blasphemy of the catholiciism eucharist, as evidenced on these threads by Catholic priests and apologist for that religion, which is ‘another gospel’ accursed by Paul openly in Galatians.

For one, teaching that Jn. 6:53 means one must receive the Cath eucharist in order to obtain spiritual life certainly is.

[daniel1212]

pkan plan -- a mistype The k is right next to the l key. (My secret code.)

Oh. I should have looked, as I do the same too often, but i usually see the autocorrect marker.

[imardmd1]

. . . but i usually see the autocorrect marker.

Well, Dan, it's me that does the mistyping, and me that should have given what I wrote more minute attention--at least to the red underscore(s)--and not let these little irritating, distacting errors through.

I will take it on myself to try harder. I get impatient with the narrowness of the text-entry window, and fail to make allowances. But there is really no excuse being slipshod in composing a comment.

So, thanks for your gentle hint to make better use of what the site's process does provide for correcting them.

(And forgive the misuse of the predicate pronoun as being the nominative.)

[Resettozero]

(And forgive the misuse of the predicate pronoun as being the nominative.)

This is to notify you, imardmd1, that you are hereby ex-communicated from Mrs. Ferguson's eighth-grade English class. Go sit in the hall.

[imardmd1]

I hate sitting in the hall!

[Mark17]

I hate sitting in the hall!

I did that a time or two myself, mostly because I showed resistance to Catholic indoctrination. I am kind of glad that I did. 🙈🙊🙉

[imardmd1]

Well, it is better than having to do 155 pushups while saying the Rosary, as your penance.

[Mark17]

Well, it is better than having to do 155 pushups while saying the Rosary, as your penance.

Yes, 155 push-ups would be a little high for me.
I think the most penance I ever got, was 20 our fathers. I thought that was a little steep, but I was just telling the priest all my mortal sins. I think I committed 10 mortal sins every hour. I figured, that among Catholics, there are those who committed lots of mortal sins, and those who lied about it.
The priest told me not to die with all those mortal sins on my soul. Little did know, EVERY sin is a mortal sin, and has ETERNAL implications. I don't know why some people have such a difficult time understanding that simple concept.

[imardmd1]

Yes, 155 push-ups would be a little high for me.

Then you never had to go through Hell Week at a tough college fraternity. A couple of years after it, I did NCO School with West Point Cadets as Tactical Officers chewing you out, standing on my head.

Here's the scenario at Hell Week:

Pledge Candidate doing pushups, while singing: "The Saltine Warrior is a bold bad man, and his weapon is a pigskin ball . . ."

Brother, counting: "One thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three . . ."

You see?

The priest told me not to die with all those mortal sins on my soul. Little did know, EVERY sin is a mortal sin, and has ETERNAL implications.

Piece of cake. Earn your way to Heaven under the RCC? Whipped cream with cinnamon all the way . . .

True, right?

[Mark17]

I did NCO School with West Point Cadets as Tactical Officers chewing you out, standing on my head.

I was a civilized man. I was USAF. When I went to the NCO Academy, we played volleyball. 😀

Piece of cake. Earn your way to Heaven under the RCC? Whipped cream with cinnamon all the way . . .

It seems I learned early, that I couldn't work my way to Heaven. Many seemed to be self satisfied, that somehow, it would work out for their souls. I was NEVER like that, so I kind of got away from that works based religion, especially after I was told not to read the Bible for myself. I went and read it anyway. See how rebellious I was? 😀

[Resettozero]

I realize neither of you are Southerners, but perhaps you might be interested in reading Pat Conroy's final book, A Lowcountry Heart, available October 25th.

Final words and heartfelt remembrances from bestselling author Pat Conroy take center stage in this winning nonfiction collection, supplemented by touching pieces from Conroy’s many friends.

This new volume of Pat Conroy’s nonfiction brings together some of the most charming interviews, magazine articles, speeches, and letters from his long literary career, many of them addressed directly to his readers with his habitual greeting, “Hey, out there.” Ranging across diverse subjects, such as favorite recent reads, the challenge of staying motivated to exercise, and processing the loss of dear friends, Conroy’s eminently memorable pieces offer a unique window into the life of a true titan of Southern writing.

With a beautiful introduction from his widow, novelist Cassandra King, A Lowcountry Heart also honors Conroy’s legacy and the innumerable lives he touched. Finally, the collection turns to remembrances of “The Great Conroy,” as he is lovingly titled by friends, and concludes with a eulogy. The inarguable power of Conroy’s work resonates throughout A Lowcountry Heart, and his influence promises to endure.

This moving tribute is sure to be a cherished keepsake for any true Conroy fan and remain a lasting monument to one of the best-loved masters of contemporary American letters.

But this is probably the wrong forum for this...IDK.

[Resettozero]

Ah, I’ve got validation for this being on this thread:

Conroy’s mother raised him as a Catholic and Conroy’s military dad...well, books could be written about Pat Conroy’s father.

[Elsie]

We’ll hit 1,000 today...