Are Catholics Saved?

[Cary.Melvin]

I keep seeing discusions on the Protestant Boards about salvation.

I asked a question on the necessity of baptism for salvation and I got responses from people saying that they were saved before they were baptised.

What exactly do they mean by saved? Do they think they are going to heaven?

I have faith in Jesus, but I have no idea if I'm saved or if I going to heaven or not. I see it as a work in progress, but some protestants tell me that salvation is not something you can work toward.

So are you saved? Am I saved?

God Bless

 

[Filia Mariae]

When a Protestant asks, "Are you saved?" the Catholic should reply: "As the Bible says, I am already saved (Rom. 8:24, Eph. 2:5–8), but I’m also being saved (1 Cor. 1:8, 2 Cor. 2:15, Phil. 2:12), and I have the hope that I will be saved (Rom. 5:9–10, 1 Cor. 3:12–15). Like the apostle Paul I am working out my salvation in fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12), with hopeful confidence in the promises of Christ (Rom. 5:2, 2 Tim. 2:11–13)."

For a more complete discussion see:

http://www.catholic.com/library/Assurance_of_Salvation.asp

 

[Reader Nilus]

Salvation is a process, we are saved by the Life, Crucifixion, and Resurrection of Our Lord, we are being saved now; as we commune of the Most Precious Body and Blood of Our Lord, pray, fast and repent, and will be saved in the final sense when Our Lord comes with Power and Great Glory.
Jeff the Finn

 

[Benedicta00]

The confusion is that Catholics see justification and salvation as separate things. Baptism justifies us but it is not a guarantee of salvation because our wills are free to choose to reject saving grace unto death and our wills are free to choose to reject the free gift for a life of mortal sin.

 

[Cary.Melvin]

The confusion is that Catholics see justification and salvation as separate things. Baptism justifies us but it is not a guarantee of salvation because our wills are free to choose to reject saving grace unto death and our wills are free to choose to reject the free gift for a life of mortal sin.

How does a Catholic define "Justification"? What does that mean?

 

[Filia Mariae]

For a more complete discussion see:

http://www.catholic.com/library/Assurance_of_Salvation.asp

Geocajun would prefer this be in my original post so I am copying and pasting it.

 

[Jessica & David]

When a Protestant asks, "Are you saved?" the Catholic should reply: "As the Bible says, I am already saved (Rom. 8:24, Eph. 2:5–8), but I’m also being saved (1 Cor. 1:8, 2 Cor. 2:15, Phil. 2:12), and I have the hope that I will be saved (Rom. 5:9–10, 1 Cor. 3:12–15). Like the apostle Paul I am working out my salvation in fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12), with hopeful confidence in the promises of Christ (Rom. 5:2, 2 Tim. 2:11–13)."

I love that!!

 

[KennySe]

Cary,
The Peace of Christ be with you.

We do as Jesus commands: to love the Lord God; and to love one another.

We accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour; that he is the High Priest and the Victim that reconciles us to the Father. We are baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Through anointing we receive the Holy Spirit and are called sons of the Most High.

And we are to be as little children, His children.
Does a child know all things? No. Does a child understand all that his parents know? No.
A child knows that his parents love him/her and that the child loves his/her parents.
Do you love the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit?

****

Know this. There are those who delight in making a Christian question his faith. There are those who delight in dividing Christians from one another.

****

http://ic.net/~erasmus/ERASMUS7.HTM


http://matt1618.freeyellow.com/salvation.html

 

[Swoosh]

When a Protestant asks, "Are you saved?" the Catholic should reply: "As the Bible says, I am already saved (Rom. 8:24, Eph. 2:5–8), but I’m also being saved (1 Cor. 1:8, 2 Cor. 2:15, Phil. 2:12), and I have the hope that I will be saved (Rom. 5:9–10, 1 Cor. 3:12–15). Like the apostle Paul I am working out my salvation in fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12), with hopeful confidence in the promises of Christ (Rom. 5:2, 2 Tim. 2:11–13)."

Im seriously considering printing this out, putting it into my wallet, and plan to take it out whenever someone asks me of my salvation. That is, if no one here has claims to the words... I dont want to rip anyone off.

Great quote, no matter was the first to say it!

God bless,
Swoosh

 

[Axion]

The protestant concept of "being saved" is a confusing one.

According to many Evangelical Protestants, people "get saved" in a once-only event when they "accept Jesus" and put their faith in Him for salvation. This usually happens at an evangelistic meeting of some sort.

You are then "saved" in that you are (definately?) going to heaven when you die. What you actually do in your life - your works - supposedly have no influence on this. This new doctrine has been developed since the protestant reformation 500 years ago.

This has one big problem:

If you are "saved" from a certain date, what happens if you fall into sin after that date, or do none of the good deeds Jesus asked for, or if you turn away from Christ after that date?

Do you become unsaved?
Most Protestants would say Yes.

But if you can become "unsaved", once you have been "saved". Then no-one can really say for certain that they are "saved", and certain to go to heaven. So the concept of being "saved" loses meaning.

This has led to big divisions among Protestants.

Some believe in "Eternal Security", which states that whatever you do, however evil, you will still go to heaven, once "saved".

Other protestants condemn this doctrine, and say that this is a deception. Of course you cannot sin and abandon Christ and still be welcomed to heaven!

In response the Eternal Security believers and Calvinists say that those "saved" people who later fall into sin, were never really saved at all. They were deluded into feeling saved, but weren't actually saved.

However this again leads to the idea of being "saved" losing its meaning. Since you can never know if you were "truly" saved at that bible rally, or were just deluded into feeling you were!

Catholics on the other hand, follow the Apostolic teaching that Accepting Jesus is the beginning not the end of our journey with God. We are justified through baptism, but we can, by our actions (or failure to act) remove ourselves from the Kingdom of God.

 

[Bayhawks83]

many protestants dont believe in once saved, always saved, methodists and lutherans dont.

 

[Spotty]

Axion,


Bingo.

 

[Bayhawks83]

catholics and protestants are very similiar, protestants believe your justified by faith, catholics by baptism.

 

[Axion]

Axion,
Bingo.

Ah. Catholic fundraising....

 

[Jessica & David]

Its really interesting to see other Christians point of views on this..

We go to a Christian bible study group and we are the only Catholics there..

They believe that when you are saved you are freed from your old self and going to heaven no matter what, and when you sin its not your new saved self sinning.. its the old self before you were saved sinning...

Are you confused.. because I am.. if any one has heard of this, and can explain it to me that would be great.. I never understood it.

Peace be with you all

Dave

 

[Axion]

They believe that when you are saved you are freed from your old self and going to heaven no matter what, and when you sin its not your new saved self sinning.. its the old self before you were saved sinning...

This is a new one. I'd not heard that before. You have two selves???

 

[Swoosh]

If I'm not mistaken (which I have been known to be ), I think that that is a common Baptist belief?

 

[Bayhawks83]

Its really interesting to see other Christians point of views on this..

We go to a Christian bible study group and we are the only Catholics there..

They believe that when you are saved you are freed from your old self and going to heaven no matter what, and when you sin its not your new saved self sinning.. its the old self before you were saved sinning...

Are you confused.. because I am.. if any one has heard of this, and can explain it to me that would be great.. I never understood it.

Peace be with you all

Dave

i dont understand this either, the main differnce between protestant and catholic is what i stated above, maybe you should go to a methodist church if you dont agree with the baptist.

 

[BAChristian]

Its really interesting to see other Christians point of views on this..

We go to a Christian bible study group and we are the only Catholics there..

They believe that when you are saved you are freed from your old self and going to heaven no matter what, and when you sin its not your new saved self sinning.. its the old self before you were saved sinning...

Are you confused.. because I am.. if any one has heard of this, and can explain it to me that would be great.. I never understood it.

Peace be with you all

Dave

Yeah see, that's just it.

It's amazing to me to hear people try to justify OSAS. They counter their claims by saying, "Well wait, you Catholics say yourself that you sin every day, so isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?"

What they won't admit to, in person, nor on these forums, is that the belief that once you're saved, always saved is nothing more than a good excuse for them to do whatever they want, and they don't have to necessarily do anything, nor try to get closer and closer to God. They're saved, and life is good. If they continue to sin, and they don't need to strive not to, then, well, that's just our imperfections coming out -- God knows our hearts.

However, the anti-OSAS crew knows that this battle is a continous battle against Satan. We must continously work on not sinning. And through God's grace, he will work with us on those things that are the major issues in our life.

Maybe it's cursing, or vulgarity, or whatever -- the Lord will work with you in your life and make you stronger. As you grow stronger in God, you sin less.

I can tell you right now that as I do the little things, like penance, and Hail Mary's, and holding that door open for a person who has their hands full of coffee at Peets, or wherever, that these are the things that have made me a stronger Christian. I'm drawing closer to God as I try to think that maybe I shouldn't cut that person off in front of me (patience) or maybe I should allow that person who do wants to cut me off, have my space anyway (graciousness)...

If I don't do those things, am I sinning? I think that if we KNOW to do good and we don't, then it's a direct disobedience towards God, which is a sin.

When we continously strive to get closer to Him, by identifying our faults, then we are making active strides in NOT sinning, and thus, we become closer to Him, we lead more peaceful lives, and Christ looks favorably upon us.

OSAS, on the other hand, breeds laziness. You don't need to strive to not sin, because, well, it's just too hard...and besides, I'm assured my salvation -- it's like welfare abusers. Why work when the government is sending you the chedda?

The reason why people will debate you until the cows come home is because they know in their hearts that the anti-OSAS crew is right. They are feeling convicted, and they don't like to hear that.

OSAS gives you this false hope and assurance that all is good and you're going to heaven.

The Bible says that we can't serve two masters.

Sorry for getting on a tangent...

 

[Dominus Fidelis]

When a Protestant asks, "Are you saved?" the Catholic should reply: "As the Bible says, I am already saved (Rom. 8:24, Eph. 2:5–8), but I’m also being saved (1 Cor. 1:8, 2 Cor. 2:15, Phil. 2:12), and I have the hope that I will be saved (Rom. 5:9–10, 1 Cor. 3:12–15). Like the apostle Paul I am working out my salvation in fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12), with hopeful confidence in the promises of Christ (Rom. 5:2, 2 Tim. 2:11–13)."

You rock my world sister.