This appears to be quite fundamentalist to me. The Roman Catholics at least according this article think they have the only way to salvation and it better be through their Church.
But what do I know only enough that it is not for me.
What Do You Think?
Perhaps the most critical question you could ever ask and answer is, "What must I do to be saved?" Your eternal destiny depends upon the answer. Before considering the information on this page, why not cast a vote for your answer to this question?
The Ultimate Question
Every person who believes there is a God is faced with one inescapable, ultimate question: "What must I do to be saved?!" All other questions pale to insignificance in light of this one. If you have not yet considered it, one day you will! But by then it may be too late for the answer to do you any good.
Do you really know what you must do to be saved, to have assurance of a place in Heaven? Well, my friend, Rome has answers (plural intended) for you. The cults have answers too. You can also find some answers in Buddhism, Hinduism and other religions. Finally, God Himself has an answer too!
Since this is The Roman Catholic Observer, I shall discount, out-of-hand, all available answers except the ones from Rome and the one from God. You see, these two answers to the ultimate question are very, very different. In fact, they are so different, so contradictory, they are mutually exclusive. That is, if one is right, the other must be wrong. Question: What does God ask you to do to be saved (i.e., go to Heaven)?
Your Answer?
Your eternal salvation is the most important issue of your life! Please take the time to write down your answers to this question before you read God's answer and Rome's answers. Yes, answers! God has one answer; Rome has a basketful!
Read God's Answer!
Read Rome's Answers!
Another Question for you: If you find that God's answer and Rome's answers contradict each other, who's answer will you believe?------------> I would believe God's answer! I would believe Rome's answer!
Rome's Answers to Salvation
Rome has her answers to this question. Unfortunately most Roman Catholics really don't know for sure what Rome's answers are. Most have a vague idea of a place called 'Purgatory.' They wander through life with an unfounded belief that, if their 'good works' outweigh their 'sins' then they get a ticket to heaven. Others believe that just being a Roman Catholic is all that is required to get to Heaven. Well, not directly to Heaven, but by way of an untold period of time in unmentionable pain and suffering in Purgatory. Its not a pretty picture of salvation. Not at all. Are Roman Catholics well drilled in the various methods by which they can be saved? They used to be - before Vatican II and the Novus Ordo changes, but no longer. One of the saddest laments of a priest friend (Novus Ordo type) is that Catholics no longer know their own faith! Does this describe you?
Is it really important, my Roman Catholic reader, that you have a clear knowledge of what you must do to be saved - to go to Heaven? Let's see what one of the greatest popes of all time, Pope Saint Pius X, had to say about it:
"We declare that a great number of those who are condemned to eternal punishment suffer that everlasting calamity because of ignorance of those mysteries of faith which must be known and believed in order to be numbered among the elect." [Papal Encyclical Acerbo Nimis, Pope Saint Pius X, April 15, 1905, Paragraph 2.]
Here is your infallible proof that you must know the requirements for salvation as given by the Roman Catholic Church - or you will end up in Hell no matter how well you obey church rules. Some will tell you that all you need do is to "be in a state of grace" when you die; but they can't seem to tell you how to do that, or what is required per Pope Saint Pius X's infallible declaration.
Want to try your hand? Before reading further, why not use the following checklist? Check off either "yes" or "no" for the requirements for a Roman Catholic to be saved. Then compare your results with the text that follows. Must you, as a Catholic, do or believe the following in order to go to Heaven? Yes No
1 Confess your sins to a Roman Catholic priest?
2 "Receive" all appropriate Roman Catholic sacraments?
3 Believe that Grace comes only via Rome's sacraments, and only through Mary?
4 Buy or earn as many indulgences as possible so as to avoid Purgatory?
5 Believe that Grace can only be distributed to you by Mary?
6 Attend the Roman Catholic Mass on all Sundays and holy days?
7 Obey all of Rome's rules (i.e., precepts of the Church)?
8 Be a member of the Roman Catholic Church?
9 Submit yourself to Pope John Paul II?
Alright! Now that you have recorded what you think you must do or believe to be saved, let's examine the requirements as set forth by the Roman Catholic Church. Rome offers nine (9) ways to be saved, and you are required to know, believe or do all of them. Here's the list:
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For a graphic portrayal of these methods for salvation, click here. Just click the BACK button to return to this page.
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The Confessional
Roman Catholics, afraid of Purgatory, often go out of their way to earn or buy their salvation. The Roman Catholic Church supplies many opportunities to satisfy this fear. First comes the confessional, where you can confess your sins to a priest and get forgiven. After recounting your sins to the priest, he says the magical words, 'Ego te absolve....' (English: 'I forgive you...'). Are you forgiven? No, not really. The priest uses a favorite Roman Catholic rabbit hole called 'mental reservation,' in which he deliberately does not say the full, official Roman Catholic doctrine of forgiveness. Were he to say the whole truth, as offered by Rome, he would say, "I forgive you, sort of. You won't have to suffer punishment for your sins here in this world, in this body. But you will burn in Purgatory until you have personally 'expiated,' or paid the price for yourself."
Of course the Catholic person already knows this, so he/she just plays the game, and seldom, if ever, questions the inconsistency. QUESTION: Why confess sins to a mere man when, by Rome's own definition, you always leave the confessional un-forgiven? Your Answer?
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The Sacraments
Rome's second offering in the area of salvation lies it its sacramental system. While the Bible defines two sacraments (baptism and communion), Rome adds another five - penance (i.e., the confessional as above), confirmation, marriage, holy orders, and extreme unction. None of these extra sacraments have any Biblical support.
According to Rome, "A sacrament is a sensible sign, instituted by Jesus Christ, which confers the grace it signifies."(1)
Instituted by Christ?
One requirement for a Roman Catholic sacrament is that it be 'instituted by Jesus Christ.' While it is clear from the Bible that Baptism and Communion are sacraments to be performed, there is no similar evidence that Jesus officially formulated the practices of the other five Roman Catholic sacraments. In fact, there is no Biblical record that He even knew about them!
Confirmation Nowhere do we see Jesus conducting a ritual in which people knelt, kissed his ring (we don't even know if he wore a ring!), and ceremoniously gave the Holy Spirit to them. But there is a lot of evidence that God gives the Holy Spirit to all who sincerely ask for it.
Mariage Nowhere do we see Jesus officiating at a marriage to 'sanctify it.' Yes, he did attend a marriage feast at Cana. But the only two things we see him doing there is a.)rebuking his mother because she asked him to run-out a miracle, and b.)doing the miracle anyhow, by turning water into wine. There is no record that Jesus performed the ceremony, asked them to state their vows, or even offered a papal blessing.
Holy Orders There is no record that Jesus ever conducted an ordination ceremony to turn ordinary men into priests. But there is information that says Jesus abolished the priesthood once and for all!
Extreme Unction There is no evidence that Jesus ever anointed a sick person to 'prepare them for death.' But there is a lot of evidence that he attended the sick and healed them.
Penance Finally, there is no record that Jesus ever told anyone to go and do penances, or good works, to obtain salvation. But there is plenty of evidence that He told people to repent of their sins. If you compare Catholic theology with Biblical truth, you will quickly see that Rome has arbitrarily substituted the term "penance" (good works) for the term "repentance." (Change your mind and heart).
QUESTION: How can Rome claim that Jesus instituted its seven sacraments when the Biblical evidence so clearly proves otherwise? Your Answer?
Sacraments Necessary for Salvation?
The Roman Catholic Church says that, "According to the way God has willed that we be saved, the sacraments are necessary for salvation."(2)
QUESTION: Does the Bible say that seven sacraments are necessary for salvation?
ANSWER: No, it does not. In fact, the Bible does not say that even one is necessary! QUESTION: How can Rome say that "According to the way God has willed that we be saved, the sacraments are necessary for salvation." when there is not a shred of evidence that it is God's will? Your Answer?
Who Can Administer Sacraments?
Rome says that "The minister of a sacrament is the one who has the power to administer it [when] he dispenses it by right of his office. The minister of a sacrament must have the intention of doing what the Church wants."(3) Further, the Church says that "Faith and the state of grace are not required to confer the sacraments validly because the sacraments communicate grace in virtue of the rite itself."(4)
Of course, 'the one who has the power to administer it (the sacraments), refers to the priests and their superiors (who, after all, is installed in an 'office' of the church to do such things?). QUESTION: What happens if the priest or bishop who is 'administering' a sacrament does not "have the intention of doing what the church wants.?!" Your Answer?
Since humans are humans, it is reasonable to believe that there are cases in which the priest or bishop has no such intention, and is merely performing a required ritual. Thus, there are many people who think they have, for example, been married by the priest, who, in very fact, according to Rome's own definitions, are not validly married! If not validly married, they are therefore living in sin - mortal sin at that! According to Rome's theology, those Catholic people will go straight to hell! The logic is inescapable! QUESTION: Can a Protestant Administer Catholic Sacraments? Your Answer?
Rome's Answer According to Rome's own definitions (see above), the answer has to be 'Yes!' How can this be? Well, according to Rome, no Protestant can possibly be of the Roman Catholic Faith, nor can they be in a 'state of grace' because they are not Roman Catholic. But because "the sacraments communicate grace in virtue of the rite itself," it is irrelevant who performs the rite. According to Rome, all that is required for a valid sacrament, is that the ceremony, or the rite, be performed, word-for-word. Intentions are not important, faith is not important, one's spiritual condition is not important. Rome says so! So it is that a Protestant, a Hindu, a Buddhist, a Morman, a whatever, can, for example, turn you into a Roman Catholic. Imagine that. If any of you surfers can find a way out of this embarrassing quandary, go to my Message Board and have at it!
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Obedience to Rome's Rules is Essential to Salvation
If you don't believe this, ask any Catholic what will happen to them if they deliberately miss mass on a Sunday or 'holy day of obligation.' Ask them what will happen to them if they challenge the Pope's authority, or if they deliberately eat meat during times it is forbidden, or if they refuse to fast the required length of time before taking communion. Ask any Catholic where they will end up if they practice birth control, or get divorced and remarried! These and a host of other 'no-no's' automatically consign you to a place in Hell according to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. In brief, the Roman Catholic person has a lengthy checklist of church rules to obey-or else! QUESTION: Does the Bible condemn to hell anyone who fails to attend church, go to the sacrament of penance (sic., confession), eat Jesus in the Eucharist, or who eats meat on Fridays, uses birth control or gets divorced and remarried? Your Answer?
No. In fact, there are Scriptures that directly contradict Rome's position here. When it comes to divorce and remarriage, the Bible does speak of it, but in far less stringent terms than does Rome. In fact, the Bible actually allows for divorce under certain conditions (Matthew 5:31-32; 19:9; 1 Cor 7:10-15). Finally, unlike Rome, the Bible does NOT view divorce and remarriage as an unforgivable sin. See Divorce for more information. Also, surf over to Annie for a heart-rending story of one woman's experience with this subject.
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Grace: the Means of Salvation
According to Rome, grace, which is the Biblical means of salvation, can only be obtained, or conferred upon the individual by means of Rome's sacramental system. Sorry, but God seems to have delegated this responsibility to the Popes and their subordinates, and is therefore no longer in the grace business. If you expect to get grace directly from God, you are out of luck. You are also under one or more of Rome's curses:
If anyone saith that the grace of God through Jesus Christ is given only for this, that man may be able more easily to live justly and to merit eternal life let him be anathema (cursed)! [CANNON II](5)
"If anyone saith that by faith alone the impious is justified; in such wise as to mean that nothing else is required to cooperate in order to the obtaining the grace of justification.... let him be anathema (cursed)! [CANNON IX](6)
"If anyone saith that, after the grace of justification has been received, to every penitent sinner the guilt is remitted, and the debt of eternal punishment is blotted out in such wise that there remains not any debt of temporal punishment to be discharged either in this world, or in the next in Purgatory let him be anathema (cursed)! [CANNON XXX](7)
QUESTION: Can you see that Rome condemns to hell anyone who trusts directly in the mercy and grace of God? Yes
No
QUESTION: Can you see how Rome substitutes her man-made sacramental system of salvation for the simple promise of salvation given by God? Yes No
Now compare these declarations of Rome with the attendant curses, with the following from the Word of God:
"Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2: 6-9)
QUESTION: Can you see how Rome directly contradicts the Word of God? Yes
No
QUESTION: Who will you believe - God or Rome? God Rome
Cannon number XXX is especially interesting in its mention of Purgatory, a concept both foreign and unknown to the Bible or any of its writers. QUESTION: Don't you find it amazing that Rome has obtained an exclusive franchise on grace something obtainable from God and from God alone? How did she do that? Yes No
QUESTION: Don't you find it interesting that Rome has attached a price tag, in terms of either the performance of certain rituals and good works (often both), and even money (e.g., for mass cards) to that which the God of the Bible gives for free? Yes No
QUESTION: Is Rome's understanding of grace the same as the Bible's understanding? Yes No
Is Rome's understanding of grace the same as the Bible's understanding? Definitely not! The Protestant's understanding of grace is exactly the same as the Bible's understanding. Rome's understanding, as indicated above, is the most convoluted, nearly incomprehensible concept imaginable. The Bible shows grace to be a free gift of God; Rome sells grace for a price, and uses her concept of it to keep her people in fearful bondage to herself.
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Indulgences: Pay Now, be Saved Later
Rome includes in her assortment of salvation tickets her doctrine of indulgences. According to Rome, "An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints."(8)
Hold it! What's this? We need to burn in Purgatory, despite the priest's claim to have power to forgive our sins, but there's a way to buy yourself out of it? Yes indeed, folks! Step right up and get your indulgences here! Small money, small indulgences; big money, big indulgences. Rome calls them 'partial' and 'plenary' indulgences.
Yes folks, as we saw above, according to Rome, God has gone out of the grace and salvation business, leaving it all to Rome. And for a price, you can get what you need. Catholics would be smart to purchase, or work for a half-dozen or so plenary indulgences to keep on hand in case they get hit by a bus on the way to confession. Oh, sorry about that. . . sometimes I can't help it. Even if they get to confession they are going to need this insurance policy. For the right price, you can buy a 'mass card' with a plenary indulgence attached. Catholics generally buy them to use at wakes and funerals, and on the death anniversary of loved ones.
It once puzzled me why we had to keep on buying the mass cards and paying to have masses said for deceased loved ones until a priest informed me that, no, he could NOT assure me that my aunt Bessie was now out of Purgatory (she died thirty-seven years ago), so the safe bet was to keep buying. It is no longer a puzzle. The priest does not have to account for the money he gets for saying masses. It all goes into his own pocket. So why on earth should he comfort me? Why on earth should he advise me that one, single, plenary indulgence was sufficient to spring any soul from Purgatory? Why spoil such a money-maker?
QUESTION: Does the subject of indulgences appear in the Bible?
ANSWER: No. Period.
QUESTION: Did Jesus, his Apostles, or disciples sell indulgences, or offer them in exchange for designated good works?
ANSWER: You have to be kidding! Show me just one incontrovertible proof and dinner is on me. QUESTION: Can you see that the entire concept of indulgences is a man-made thing, without a shred of Biblical Support? Yes No
QUESTION: If you still believe in indulgences, can you give just one example where Jesus, His Apostles, or His Disciples, either sold or offered indulgences in exchange for good works, to get people out of Purgatory? Yes
Give Example
No
QUESTION: Can you see that the concept of indulgences is really only a money-making scheme that preys on the gullible and fearful? Yes No
QUESTION: Now that you know the truth about indulgences, what shall you do about it? Your answer?
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Mary is Essential to Salvation
A Roman Catholic Apologist
I can't let this opportunity pass without telling you what is now being said by leading Roman Catholic apologists such as Karl Keating. You really have to read this to believe the direction in which Rome seems to be heading. Here it is:
"Mary is the Mediatrix of all graces because of her intercession for us in heaven. What this means is that no grace accrues to us without her intercession.... through God's will, grace is not conferred on anyone without Mary's cooperation."(9)
Mr. Keating is speaking of a matter of Roman Catholic doctrine. Can we trust what he says? Consider that his book (see endnote 9) carries the imprimatur and Ninil Obstat - marks that it has been officially approved by Rome as being free of doctrinal error. So the answer is "Yes-you can trust that Keating speaks for Rome, at least on doctrinal matters-which this matter surely is."
St. Alphonsus Liguori
Now let us examine the declarations of one of Rome's greatest theologians, St. Alphonsus Liguori. The following citations are from The Glories of Mary, by St. Alphonsus Liguori, Copyright 1990 by the Society of St. Paul -ISBN 0-8189-0561-1.
"Listen," Exclaims St. Bonaventure, "listen, all you who desire the kingdom of God: honor the Blessed Virgin Mary and you will find life and eternal salvation."[Page 21]
". . . The designs by which He is able to dispense His mercy more abundantly to us, for desiring to redeem the whole human race. He has placed the whole price of redemption in the hands of Mary, that she may dispense it at will." [Page 37]
"O my sovereign Lady, you are alone . . . the hope of my salvation." [Page 37]
". . . as Mary cooperated in the salvation of mankind with so much love, and at the same time gave such glory to God, so all men through her intercession are to obtain their salvation." [Page 60-61]
Rome acknowledges that it is by grace that we are saved. She then assigns herself as the sole dispenser of that grace via her sacramental system. Rome has now gone a step further from the Gospel truth by declaring that no one can receive God's grace without the intervention of Mary! Thus, Rome is saying, quite clearly, "There is no salvation outside of Mary!" While this is current Roman Catholic doctrine, it has yet to reach the stage of being a dogma. But stay tuned, friends. There is a growing ground swell in the Roman Catholic Church to do exactly that! I would not be surprised if this additional perversion of the Gospel becomes the next "Ex-Cathedra" declaration from Rome.
Really! Think of the implications! Since only Roman Catholics worship Mary, and since the Roman Catholic Church insists that it is the only true church, outside of which there is no salvation, I'm afraid we poor Protestants are in big trouble. Since we don't accept the authority of Rome, and we don't pray to or worship dead people, Rome has placed a curse on all of us destined us all to hell. Evidently God is staying out of the fray. According to the doctrines of Rome, God is no longer in the business of grace, salvation, sanctification, forgiveness or redemption. According to Rome, Jesus now takes second place to his mother.
QUESTION: Has God stopped being God?
ANSWER: Somehow I doubt it! What do you think?
QUESTION: Does the Bible tell us to turn to Mary for grace or salvation?
ANSWER: No, it does not. But it does tell us to turn only to Jesus Christ. Many times over.
QUESTION: Is there any record of Jesus, the Apostles or disciples turning to Mary for salvation?
ANSWER: No. Not a single word of it.
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The Mass Is Essential to Salvation>>>>>
This goes on and on.
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