Hi to all my Forum Friends,
In the discussion "WhyBCatholic?" begun by VP, Renecillo has asked a very important question, "Why don't all of you answer a simple question: Are (Roman) Catholic people saved?"
Ren, a person's salvation does not depend upon which church one attends. The only way that a person is saved -- is to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ; to have Jesus Christ in our heart.
How does one achieve this? We are told in Ephesians 2:8-9, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast."
So, based upon that Scripture passage, we know that a person is saved, by the GRACE of God, through FAITH in Jesus Christ. And, we know that it is not something we can gain by working for it, for it is a FREE GIFT of, or from, God. It is NOT the results of ANY works we might do.
However, once we are saved -- a person's relationship with Jesus Christ should lead him/her to be doing good works in the name of Jesus Christ. Do you see? The "works" follow the salvation.
James 2:14 asks the question, "What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?" The answer: YES! We have confirmation of that in Ephesians 2:8-9. And, James continues, in James 2:17-18, [i]"Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, 'You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.'"
And, 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 concludes with, "If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire."
So, salvation leads to works. Works do not lead to salvation.
Jesus told us, in John 3:3, 5, that "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. . . . Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."
What does this mean -- to be born again of the "water" and the "Spirit"?
In Jesus' conversation with the woman of Samaria, in John 4:14, we read, "But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life."
This tells me that the "water" is the Living Word of God -- for when the woman of Samaria is thinking of material water from the ground -- Jesus is speaking of spiritual water from God, i.e., the Word of God.
So, Ren, everyone who, by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ, believes and receives His "free gift" of eternal life -- in other words, who is born again of the water and the Spirit -- is saved. It is not the church; but this saving relationship with Jesus Christ which saves a person.
On the other hand, when a person is saved, now has a relationship with Jesus Christ, is indwelled and sealed with the Holy Spirit -- the result of that salvation should lead him/her to desire to do good things in the name of Jesus Christ.
Finally, Ren, to go back to your initial question, "Are (Roman) Catholic people saved?"
The answer is, "Yes, some are" -- just as some Baptist are saved, some Methodist are saved, some Episcopalians are saved; some in all Christian churches are saved -- and others, in all the churches, only wear the Christian hat for their own personal reasons.
Assuming a person is attending a church which teaches the Essential Christian Beliefs; there is a good chance this person is saved. But, until we each personally make an individual choice to turn from following the world and turn to following only Jesus Christ, i.e., becomes a Christ Follower -- we are not saved. We each MUST choose to follow Jesus Christ or to deny Him. It is personal choice which neither the church, nor anyone else, can make for us.
Ren, I pray that I have answered your question sufficiently. And, I pray that it will help more of our Religion Forum Friends understand what it means when we say that we have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ -- and not a religion.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
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