Q. We are often asked "Are you saved?"
Q. Being saved. Some people believe that once they accept Christ they are saved.
Salvation is not the same as baptism and confirmation. Baptism and confirmation will be discussed further in the chapter titled "SACRAMENTS." To properly answer questions concerning salvation, we must first define the terms. We Catholics and our separated brethren have different definitions for the words we commonly use.
Salvation. Catholics use this term to refer to the whole process, from its beginning in faith, through the whole Christian life of works in love on earth, to its completion in heaven. To our separated brethren this term means the initial step--climbing aboard the ark of salvation--not the entire journey to the final destination. As you can see, the Catholic has a much broader meaning for the term "salvation" or "saved" while our non-Catholic brethren have a much smaller view.
Faith. To the Catholic, this is one of the three theological virtues [faith, hope and charity (love)]; faith is intellectual belief. To our separated brethren it is accepting Jesus with your whole heart and soul. In this case it is the Catholic who has the much smaller view while our non-Catholic brethren use it in a much broader sense.
With these definitions in mind, if someone asks you "Have you been saved?" you can answer "Yes, by the grace of God." This will answer the question from the point of view of the non-Catholic who asked it. A more correct answer, from the Catholic perspective would be "I have been saved from the penalty of sin by Jesus' death and resurrection, I am being saved from the power of sin by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and I will one day be saved from the presence of sin when I go to be with the Lord."
Recommended reading:
Catechism of the Catholic Church, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1994, paragraphs 161, 169
Currie, David B., Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA, 1996, pages 109-141
Kreeft, Peter & Tacelli, Ronald K., Handbook of Christian Apologetics, InterVarsety Press, Downers Grove, IL 60515, 1994, pages 320-321
No "Assurance of Salvation", A Catholic Answers Tract, P.O. Box 17490, San Diego, CA 92177
Q. Are Catholics taught that they are the only ones to go to heaven?
No. The Catholic Church does teach that outside the Catholic Church there is no salvation, but one must look at what this really means. Paragraph 3 of the Second Vatican Council's Decree on Ecumenism (Unitatis Redintegratio, 21 November 1964) says that our separated brethren "who believe in the faith of Christ and have been properly baptized are put in some, though imperfect, communion with the Catholic Church." It also says that "all who have been justified by faith in baptism are incorporated into Christ, they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers by the children of the Catholic Church." Everyone is saved through the Catholic Church, either as faithful members of that Church, or as members of churches which contain some significant elements of truth and sanctification found in the Catholic Church, or as persons who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do His will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience. For this reason, a Bishop is responsible for every soul within his diocese, not just the Catholic ones.
Recommended reading:
Catechism of the Catholic Church, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1994, paragraphs 846-847
Drummey, James J., Catholic Replies, C. R. Publications, Norwood, MA 02062, 1995, pages 90-100
Q. Do Catholics believe you have to "work " your way into heaven? (James 2:24)
Q. Aren't we saved by faith alone?
One of the two basic tenets of the Protestant Reformation (Revolt) was sola fide (faith alone), the other being sola scriptura (only Scripture). Sola scriptura was addressed in the chapter titled "THE BIBLE."
What has been called "works righteousness" (earning a place in heaven) has been condemned as heresy by the Church. One cannot "work" their way into heaven, but neither is one saved by faith alone. One is saved by faith living in love. James 2:24 says:
- "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only" (KJV).
What this means is that, like Abram (Abraham), one must live out the faith they have in God. In Genesis 15:6 we are told that Abram
- "believed in the Lord; and he credited it to him for righteousness" (KJV),
but this is not when Abram's faith first manifests itself: Abram has been doing whatever God has asked of him since Genesis 12:1 (some 10 years earlier).
In Luke 8:16, Jesus tells us in a parable about faith:
- "No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light" (NIV).
Likewise, we are to live out our faith so that it shines forth and enables others to come to the light of truth. Also, in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) we are told of the fate of one who fails to put God's gifts to work; he is cast out. No one "earns" their way into heaven; to do so would be to put God under an obligation to bestow a gift that is His to give as He sees fit. But no one who consciously fails to put their faith to work will enter heaven either. The "works" which one does in living out their faith are works of love, not obligation. It says in Matthew 7:21-23 and Ephesians 2:10:
- "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father" (NIV)
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (KJV).
Recommended reading:
Hahn, Scott & Suprenant, Leon J. (Editors), Catholic for a Reason, Emmaus Road Press, 1998, pages 87-105
Q. Why is the Baptist belief that "Once saved, you're always saved" a heresy?
This belief isn't unique only to Baptists, many evangelicals and "nondenominational" groups also harbor this belief. The belief is not heretical, but it is mistaken and if taken to the extreme, could result in a sin against the Holy Spirit (see the chapter titled "SIN") as it takes God for granted. Referring back to the definitions in the first question in this chapter, the non-Catholic believes that they are saved when they climb aboard the ark of salvation. Unfortunately, people fall off boats all the time. Some climb back on, and others drown. Our secular world is full of temptations which can lure us off the boat and into the sea of sin. Since nothing impure can enter heaven (Revelation 21:27), those who have not fully repented of their sins and gained God's forgiveness will not be able to disembark when the ark reaches its final destination (even though they may have swum alongside the whole way). One never has absolute assurance of their salvation until they arrive at the pearly gates and hear the message "well-done good and faithful servant" instead of "Away from me you evildoer."
Recommended reading:
The Case of the Sinning Minister, A Catholic Answers Tract, P.O. Box 17490, San Diego, CA 92177
Q. Please explain justification.
Justification is the process by which a person is made righteous, holy and pure before God. This is accomplished by the grace of the Holy Spirit working within us; empowering us to recognize and repent for our sins and avoid sins in the future. The grace working within us causes an interior conversion to take place so that we no longer desire things which we now recognize as sinful. In the Catholic tradition, our justification comes about through our faith in Christ and in a life of good works which are a response to God's invitation to believe.
St. Paul condemns claims that salvation comes through the "works of the law" (Romans 3:20; Galatians 2:16; 3:10) but "works of the law" are different from the life of good works described above. Those who depended upon the "works of the law" were the Jews (like the pharisees for example) who depended upon performing all the rituals prescribed in the Book of the Law. Such rituals were circumcision, ritual washing, temple sacrifices, avoiding certain foods, etc. (they had enumerated 613 laws which, if observed perfectly, made the individual righteous). The life of good works which the Catholic Christian lives is the life one lives because of their love for God and their fellow man. It is the life through which their faith enables them to radiate their hope and love. God has given every person unique gifts and abilities; how we use these talents in our everyday lives are the good works upon which we will be judged (John 5:28-29).
Recommended reading:
Catechism of the Catholic Church, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1994, paragraphs 1987-1995
