Are Roman Catholics Saved?

[Alain Valdivia]

According to many fundamentalists and Reformed Churches, Roman Catholic who adhere to the teachings of the Church, namely that of the Council of Trent are unconverted and are damned by God. To the Protestants, are Catholics truly brothers and sisters in your view or are they unsaved? And what’s the reason why?

 

[charsan]

According to many fundamentalists and Reformed Churches, Roman Catholic who adhere to the teachings of the Church, namely that of the Council of Trent are unconverted and are damned by God. To the Protestants, are Catholics truly brothers and sisters in your view or are they unsaved? And what’s the reason why?

Catholics are most definitely Christians, I wonder about many evangelicals/fundamentalist though

 

[Alain Valdivia]

Catholics are most definitely Christians, I wonder about many evangelicals/fundamentalist though

Would you say that the Episcopal Church as a whole considers the Roman Catholics to be saved? Why do they think this?

 

[PloverWing]

Yes, of course Catholics are my brothers and sisters in Christ. There would be no Protestants if Catholics had not brought the Christian faith to Europe.

 

[PloverWing]

Would you say that the Episcopal Church as a whole considers the Roman Catholics to be saved? Why do they think this?

Why would we not think Catholics are saved? You look to Christ for salvation, you are baptized in the Triune name, and you have a theological tradition that goes back centuries -- a theological tradition that we largely share with you. We disagree about, what, 5% or 10% of our theology? We agree about the great majority of our beliefs, especially the core elements of the Christian faith.

 

[nonaeroterraqueous]

Protestants, are Catholics truly brothers and sisters in your view or are they unsaved?

In this forum we are only permitted to espouse the view that Catholics are saved.

 

[HTacianas]

According to many fundamentalists and Reformed Churches, Roman Catholic who adhere to the teachings of the Church, namely that of the Council of Trent are unconverted and are damned by God. To the Protestants, are Catholics truly brothers and sisters in your view or are they unsaved? And what’s the reason why?

I don't know if the answer that some might give is allowed under the forum rules.

But as a non-catholic, non-protestant I think they are.

 

[JCFantasy23]

Yes, I think they are. I don't agree with everything in Roman Catholicism, but as long as they have faith in God it's not much different than the different broken branches of protestants (and others) who say the same.

 

[Alain Valdivia]

Why would we not think Catholics are saved? You look to Christ for salvation, you are baptized in the Triune name, and you have a theological tradition that goes back centuries -- a theological tradition that we largely share with you. We disagree about, what, 5% or 10% of our theology? We agree about the great majority of our beliefs, especially the core elements of the Christian faith.

Yes, but most Protestants consider Catholics to be enemy of the Gospel and thus are condemned.

 

[charsan]

Would you say that the Episcopal Church as a whole considers the Roman Catholics to be saved? Why do they think this?

I do not know since I am not Episcopalian, I would hazard a guess that they think the same as most Protestants that some are saved and some aren't.

 

[St_Worm2]

According to many fundamentalists and Reformed Churches, Roman Catholic who adhere to the teachings of the Church, namely that of the Council of Trent are unconverted and are damned by God. To the Protestants, are Catholics truly brothers and sisters in your view or are they unsaved? And what’s the reason why?

Hello Alain Valdivia, I believe that many who refer to themselves as Presbyterian, Baptist, Lutheran, Anglican, Methodist, Orthodox or Catholic, etc. are truly saved, and I believe that there are many who refer to themselves as Presbyterian, Baptist, Lutheran, Anglican, Methodist, Orthodox or Catholic, etc. who are not (even though they claim and may believe that they are) .. cf Matthew 7:22-23.

It is extremely important for Christians to be part of a local body of believers/go to church, but going to Catholic or Protestant churches, even regularly, doesn't make us Christians anymore than going to McDonald's regularly makes us a hamburger.

As the Lord Jesus told us, you must be born again, as well come to saving faith in Christ to be a true Christian (sadly, I believe there are far more who are CINO than true believers).

--David

Matthew 13
24 Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.
25 But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away.
26 But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also.
27 The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’
28 And he said to them, ‘An enemy has done this!’ The slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’
29 But he said, ‘No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them.
30 ‘Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.”

36 Then He left the crowds and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.”
37 And He said, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man,
38 and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one;
39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels.
40 So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age.
41 The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness,
42 and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
43 Then THE RIGHTEOUS WILL SHINE FORTH AS THE SUN in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
.​

 

[Jonaitis]

According to many fundamentalists and Reformed Churches, Roman Catholic who adhere to the teachings of the Church, namely that of the Council of Trent are unconverted and are damned by God. To the Protestants, are Catholics truly brothers and sisters in your view or are they unsaved? And what’s the reason why?

I won't speak for any other group, but within the Reformed camp, we do not believe that most Roman Catholics are saved, because of what they believe (including the Council of Trent). However, we won't deny that there may be some regenerate among them who haven't yet understood the doctrines of their own church entirely, but still identify with the church, but have a "Protestant/Evangelical" view and faith regarding salvation.

In our confessions, we deny the Roman Catholic Church and see the Pope as an/the antichrist.

Short answer: they are apostates in our eyes, synagogues of Satan.

 

[Alain Valdivia]

I won't speak for any other group, but within the Reformed camp, we do not believe that most Roman Catholics are saved, because of what they believe (including the Council of Trent). However, we won't deny that there may be some regenerate among them who haven't yet understood the doctrines of their own church entirely, but still identify with the church, but have a "Protestant/Evangelical" view and faith regarding salvation.

In our confessions, we deny the Roman Catholic Church and see the Pope as an/the antichrist.

They are apostates in our eyes.

As a Roman Catholic myself who holds to the doctrines of Trent, would you consider me saved if I told you that my hope of salvation is not found in anything in me, whether by grace or not, but my hope is only in Christ alone. That my foundation and trust and confidence is in the mercy of Christ and in the grace of God. Would you consider that person saved especially when they would say with St. Ambrose these words:
“Let no man arrogate anything to himself. Let no man glory in his own merits or good deeds. Let no man boast of his power. Let us all hope to find mercy by our Lord Jesus, for we shall all stand before his judgment seat. Of him I will beg pardon. Of him I will desire indulgence. What other hope is there for sinners?”

 

[renniks]

Some surely are, but it seems like they would have to be saved in spite of some of the churches doctrines.
Of course, I'm sure a lot of Protestants aren't truly saved either. There's people who believe falsehoods in all kinds of churches.

 

[Charlie24]

Yes, but most Protestants consider Catholics to be enemy of the Gospel and thus are condemned.

I admit that I have been hard on the Catholics over the years.

But I do believe many of them are saved.

Not saying we Baptists don't have our fair share of problems.

 

[Jonaitis]

As a Roman Catholic myself who holds to the doctrines of Trent, would you consider me saved if I told you that my hope of salvation is not found in anything in me, whether by grace or not, but my hope is only in Christ alone. That my foundation and trust and confidence is in the mercy of Christ and in the grace of God. Would you consider that person saved especially when they would say with St. Ambrose these words:
“Let no man arrogate anything to himself. Let no man glory in his own merits or good deeds. Let no man boast of his power. Let us all hope to find mercy by our Lord Jesus, for we shall all stand before his judgment seat. Of him I will beg pardon. Of him I will desire indulgence. What other hope is there for sinners?”

But then, how do you understand God's grace? The concept of infused righteousness is seen as an act of divine grace, but still implies man's own participation in his salvation. This is one issue we have. Does Christ impute and credit his righteousness to our account before almighty God? Or do we grow into a state of righteousness to God through practical means, such as the sacraments of the church?

 

[Alain Valdivia]

But then, how do you understand God's grace? The concept of infused righteousness is seen as an act of divine grace, but still implies man's own participation in his salvation. This is one issue we have. Does Christ impute and credit his righteousness to our account before almighty God? Or do we grow into a state of righteousness to God through practical means, such as the sacraments of the church?

That’s the major difference. For Reformed Protestants, the righteousness that God saves us with is forensic and imputed to us, while in the Catholic Church that righteousness is infused and by the grace of God it is increased more. But that still doesn’t mean that we trust in ourselves or hope to be saved by our own works and efforts. I can’t speak for every Catholic, but for me, through my own act of the will I choose to place no hope in Saints, Mary or in anything else except Christ and His mercy. Would you consider me to be lost even then?

 

[Sketcher]

According to many fundamentalists and Reformed Churches, Roman Catholic who adhere to the teachings of the Church, namely that of the Council of Trent are unconverted and are damned by God. To the Protestants, are Catholics truly brothers and sisters in your view or are they unsaved? And what’s the reason why?

Depends on the Catholic. IRL, I have talked to baptized Catholics who didn't have much of an understanding of the Gospel at all. But there are other Catholics who do seem to understand it. I personally believe the lack of understanding of the Gospel among the Catholic laity to be disgraceful.

 

[Stabat Mater dolorosa]

Why dont we simply leave our salvation in the hands of God. Speculation of this kind only leads us dangerously close to judging people.

As a catholic myself i couldnt care less what reformed christians, or whatnot think about the state of my soul.
I answer to Christ alone, not protestants.

 

[Jonaitis]

That’s the major difference. For Reformed Protestants, the righteousness that God saves us with is forensic and imputed to us, while in the Catholic Church that righteousness is infused and by the grace of God it is increased more. But that still doesn’t mean that we trust in ourselves or hope to be saved by our own works and efforts. I can’t speak for every Catholic, but for me, through my own act of the will I choose to place no hope in Saints, Mary or in anything else except Christ and His mercy. Would you consider me to be lost even then?

I can't answer that, forum rules. I have already been warned enough. You are free to PM me.