question

[Tsaxgurl317]

Hey,
I've been confused about this issue for a while and really hope yall can try and clear it up for me. Are Catholics saved? Are they a seperate religon or just like a different denomination within Christianity? I would really appriciate anything you have to say.

 

[Hoonbaba]

Hi Tsaxgurl317,

I'll try to answer that.  Catholics are Christians Protestants are Christians

Does that help? =)

-Jason

 

[VOW]

To Tsaxgurl:

Yes, Catholics are Christians. According to Catholic history, the Catholic Church began with Peter, when Jesus changed his name from Simon, and said, "Upon this rock I will build My Church." The name Peter means "Rock." And we believe that Peter was the first Pope. There is an unbroken line of succession from Peter all the way to our present day Pope, John Paul II.

Catholics have a different concept of salvation than non-Catholics. Most Protestants believe that being "saved" is a single event: you pray to God and ask Jesus to be your savior, and then you are "saved." To Catholics, salvation is a lifelong process. It begins with Baptism, and we start out on a walk through life to Eternity, with Jesus next to us. The Catholic Church is guided by the Holy Spirit, and we trust the Church to help us in our walk with Jesus.


Peace be with you,
~VOW

 

[Wolseley]

Yes, Catholics are saved.

The Catholic Church is the original Christian Church; it is not a denomination. The Orthodox Churches split off from the Catholic Church in the 11th century, and the various Protestant churches in the 16th century. There are a few tiny groups which split off from the Catholic Church during the Middle Ages, but their numbers are infinitesimal and their doctrines decidedly odd.

 

[Hoonbaba]

By the way, Catholics believe Jesus died, rose again 3 days later.  They believe in the trinity, the virgin birth of Christ.  They also believe that Jesus was the atoning sacrifice for the remission of sins.  However, they believe that Christians must remain in Christ (John 15:1-4).  Some protestants assume that if you believe in Jesus, then you have 100% guarantee of going to heaven, regardless of any horrible things you may do.

Catholics on the other hand beleive that Christians not only profess faith in God, but they must continually love the lord and love one's neighbor (Matt 22:37,39)

God bless!

-Jason

P.S.  Catholics put the bible together

 

[Hoonbaba]

Originally posted by VOW
To Tsaxgurl:

Catholics have a different concept of salvation than non-Catholics. Most Protestants believe that being "saved" is a single event: you pray to God and ask Jesus to be your savior, and then you are "saved." To Catholics, salvation is a lifelong process. It begins with Baptism, and we start out on a walk through life to Eternity, with Jesus next to us. The Catholic Church is guided by the Holy Spirit, and we trust the Church to help us in our walk with Jesus.


Peace be with you,
~VOW

Tsaxgurl, here's the scriptural references to salvation as a lifelong process:

Believers are saved (Eph 2:8)

Believers are being saved (1 Cor 1:18)

Believers will be saved (Mark 13:13)

God bless!

-Jason

 

[Tsaxgurl317]

thanks yall that helped a bunch

 

[sklippstein]

Catholics were the original Christians

 

[Reformationist]

Originally posted by sklippstein
Catholics were the original Christians

sklipp (and others), I'm NOT trying to argue.  I just wanted to ask, if your statement is true, what about the Jews that were believers before the followers of Christ were called Christians?  Like the Apostles for instance.  As far as I understand, they were Jews that believed that Christ was the Savior.  Do you believe that when they acknowledged Christ as their Savior they became Catholics?  Again, I'm not trying to argue.  I'm just confused by this.

Thanks,

God bless

 

[Wolseley]

In the beginning, there was one Christian Church. It became known as "Catholic" some time later, but it was still the only Christian Church until the 11th century.

The names are unimportant; the believers were variously called Nazarenes, Christians, Catholics---but belief in Christ was the important part.

Jews who became believers in Christ were Christians of Jewish descent.
Gentiles who became believers in Christ were Christians of various descent.

"In Christ there is no Jew or Greek, but all are one."

 

[swalker]

In response to your quote,"Catholics were the original Christians,"

Protestants were Roman Catholic until the Roman Catholics decided (by virtue of the Magisterium) to change their doctrine in ways that the Protestant factions within the Church could not accept.

Doctrines such as Indulgences, Mary as Mediatrix and advocate, the Praying of the Rosary, and the Doctrine of Pergatory WERE NOT PART OF THE EARLY ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. These doctrines were added by various Popes and councils over the history of the Roman Catholic Church, and with the institution of the Doctrine of Papal infallibility (also NOT part of the beginnings of the Church) cannot be changed (because to do so would admit that Papal doctrine is not infallible).

Therefore, Protestants were part of the early Life of the Roman Catholic Church until their conciences could not accept the gradual additions made to the Church through the Magisterium.

In fact, the Anglican communion, though NOT in communion with the Roman Catholic Church, still recites the Nicene Creed in the Eucharist, each member proclaiming that, "I believe in one holy catholic Church." Anglicans use the word catholic to mean "universal," as in "the one body of Christ," even though Roman Catholics proclaim that THEY are the ones who are Catholic, note the capital "C".

Roman Catholics seem to be in a corner, because the Bible says that no one is sinless but Jesus Christ himself. The Roman Catholics say that the Pope's doctrines are "infallible," i.e. always right, i.e., perfect and divinely inspired. Roman Catholics also call the Pope "Holy Father." The Bible says that no one should be called Father except our Father in Heaven. I am beginning to see a problem here. Roman Catholics call their Pope "Vicar of Christ." The meaning of the word Vicar is "substitute", or "replacement." Therefore, Roman Catholics call the Pope, "Substitute of Christ on earth," or "Replacement of Christ on earth." The Bible says that ," Thou shalt have no other gods before me." The Bible also says," There is only one savior, Jesus Christ our Lord." Therefore, no human can replace Him! Roman Catholic doctrine differs from the truth of the Bible, as you have just read. This is the problem that caused so many denominations to splinter off from the Roman Catholic Church. Each denomination has the mission to express faith in Jesus Christ our Lord, and to obtain forgiveness for our sins and to amend our lives so that we may be conformed to the likeness of Christ, and to have hope in the world to come through the hope of the ressurection of Christ, although each denomination certainly has different ways of going about trying to accomplish this goal!

I hope this clears things up for you.

Jesus is Lord!

 

[seebs]

Not to be picky, but what you're saying certainly contradicts much of my Protestant upbringing, and much of my (admittedly vague) knowledge of history.

I have seen lots of things claiming that the Church of Rome is *NOT* the entirety of the "catholic" (universal) church, but rather, that that term refers to the entire Body of Christ. Given that I've seen these things mostly cited by Catholics, I am forced to conclude that they are not, in fact, claiming to be the only "catholic" church. The distinction with the capital letters is a typical problem in English, and not their fault.