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Roman Catholicism teaches that salvation is available only
through the Catholic church:
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“The Second Vatican Council's Decree on Ecumenism explains:
`For it is through Christ's Catholic Church alone, which is the
universal help toward salvation, that the fullness of the means
of salvation can be obtained.” Pg. 215, #816 |
Here, the official source of Catholic doctrine boldly declares
that salvation cannot be obtained except through the Roman Catholic
church. You may be thinking, “The Catholic church doesn't
believe that anymore!” But the Catechism's position is unmistakable:
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“...all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the
Church which is his Body: Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition,
the Council teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth,
is necessary for salvation: ... Hence they could not be saved
who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary
by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to
remain in it.” Pg. 224, #846 |
If that isn't clear enough, here it is again:
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“It is in the Church that `the fulness of the means of
salvation' has been deposited. It is in her that `by the grace
of God we acquire holiness.'” Pg 218, #824
“In her subsists the fulness of Christ's body united
with its head; this implies that she receives from him the fulness
of the means of salvation...” Pg. 220, #830 |
When checking God's Word on this subject, two critical facts
leap out:
1. The Bible never remotely indicates that one must go through
a church to obtain salvation.
2. Literally hundreds of Scriptures proclaim that salvation
is a free gift from God, readily available to anyone, but only
through Jesus Christ:
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“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal
life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Romans 6:23 |
No other name (or group) can offer salvation, except Jesus:
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“Neither is there salvation in any other
(except Jesus): for there is none other name under heaven given
among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:10, 12 |
When Jesus died on the cross, He paid the full and complete
price for the sins of all mankind and made it possible for anyone
to come directly to Him for salvation. Jesus Himself announced
that:
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“He that believeth on the Son
hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall
not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” John
3:36 |
Jesus also preached:
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“He that heareth my word, and believeth on him
that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall
not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
John 5:24 |
Again and again, Jesus proclaimed this blessed truth:
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“He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”
John 6:47 |
(Also read John 6:40, John 3:16, John 3:18, John 3:36, John
1:12.)
In John 20:31, we discover why the gospels were written:
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“But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus
is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing
ye might have life through his name.” John
20:31 |
Never does Jesus require the use of a church to provide salvation.
This free gift is available to anyone who will believe in Him:
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“To him (Jesus) give all the prophets witness, that through
his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive
remission of sins.” Acts 10:43 |
According to the Bible, redemption is in Christ, not in a
church:
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“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus:” Romans
3:24 |
Christ alone can offer the gift of eternal life because He
willingly shed His blood for us:
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“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness
of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” Ephesians
1:7 |
Again, the only requirement for salvation is faith in Jesus
Christ:
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“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is
the power of God unto salvation to every one that
believeth...” Romans 1:16 |
Many Scriptures repeat this theme:
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“For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation
by our Lord Jesus Christ,” 1 Thessalonians
5:9 |
While Jesus was hanging on the cross, He showed that salvation
is through Him, not through a church. The thief who was on the
cross next to Him cried out:
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“...Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.”
Luke 23:42 |
When that dying sinner uttered those words of faith, Jesus
responded by saying:
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“To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:43 |
A church doesn't save... Jesus does:
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“For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the
world; but that the world through him might
be saved.” John 3:17
“Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we
shall be saved from wrath through him.”
Romans 5:9 |
If salvation was only available through the Catholic church,
would God have intentionally misled us in His Word, knowing that
our eternal destinies were at stake?
Would Peter have openly stated the following words in the
Holy Scriptures?
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“But we believe that through the grace of the
Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved...” Acts
15:11 |
Conclusion
God's Word declares that salvation is obtained through faith
in the shed blood of Jesus Christ, while the Catechism maintains
that salvation is only available through the Catholic church.
You must now decide who you will believe—the traditions
of men, or the Word of God? You can't say “both” because
each insists that the other is wrong:
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“... God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that
we might live through him.” 1
John 4:9 |
Remember, someday you will stand before God and explain to
Him why you made the decision you did. Are you willing to risk
rejecting the Word of God to follow the traditions of men?
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“For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition
of men...” Mark 7:8 |
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