Salvation in Catholicism

[ambc]

I'm a Protestant Christian who has been a life-long member of the United Methodist Church, so I'm not too familiar with all the tenets and teachings of Catholicism. I've heard that Catholics believe you must earn salvation through works. What exactly are these works or deeds that a Catholic must do to gain entrance in to heaven, according to their belief? Also, the Bible says this is Romans 10:9: "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is savior,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." The scripture here says that faith is the ticket into heaven, so how do Catholics interpret this verse when their church teaches salvation needs to be earned?

[Michael37]

37 minutes ago, ambc said:

I'm a Protestant Christian who has been a life-long member of the United Methodist Church, so I'm not too familiar with all the tenets and teachings of Catholicism. I've heard that Catholics believe you must earn salvation through works. What exactly are these works or deeds that a Catholic must do to gain entrance in to heaven, according to their belief? Also, the Bible says this is Romans 10:9: "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is savior,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." The scripture here says that faith is the ticket into heaven, so how do Catholics interpret this verse when their church teaches salvation needs to be earned?

Hi ambc, First and foremost comes infant christening into the Roman Catholic Church, (I refuse to call it baptism). According to them, unless someone commits a mortal sin as contrasted with a venial sin, they are assured of salvation if they get sprinkled by a Catholic priest in a liturgical ceremony. For a quick summary see the link:

Some Errors Of Roman Catholicism

Edited July 16, 2018 by Michael37
construct

[Billiards Ball]

Unfortunately, part of the answer lies in official and unofficial Roman teaching meant to draw people toward sacraments/behaviors/deeds/works/trying their best/religion/supporting Rome and away from thoughtful, careful and INDEPENDENT Bible study.

The Reformation's impetus--read the Word, don't just let Rome tell you what the Word says, thinks or teaches--is still needed.

[Larry 2]

On 7/15/2018 at 6:03 PM, ambc said:

I've heard that Catholics believe you must earn salvation through works.

You haven't heard the half of it.

Outside the Church, no salvation.

1.           The axiom is a revealed truth which must be believed by Catholics: but it must be understood in the sense in which the Church understands it, not according to the personal interpretation of any individual.

2.           The axiom means that Christ commands all men to be baptized into the Catholic Church and to remain therein, united to the pope, who is the Vicar of Christ on earth. Hence anyone knowing of this strict command of Christ and refusing to obey it cannot be saved.

3.           All men are not only commanded to join the Church, but Christ also has made the Catholic Church the means by which they are to enter into heaven.

The above axiom is transcribed from my Catholic Dictionary by The Catholic Press in 1958

This doctrine has been changed so as to be better understood. I reckon that when I was in the Catholic Church, I didn’t understand what remaining united to the Pope meant.     

[Willa]

They also expect that people take part in the rest of the sacraments such as confirmation, marriage, the Eucharist (Lord's Supper), last rites, and they are required to come to mass a certain number of times per year and take part in confession of sins. There are many good beliefs in the church, like the Trinity, heaven and hell, but they add so much that it gets lost.   Yes they believe in salvation by faith and in works as evidence of their faith,  but they also believe that we need to be aided by the prayers of the dead saints and especially Mary, whom they call a co redemptrous; they must pray frequently to Mary asking for her to pray for us now and in the hour of our death.  The also frequently say the Lord's prayer.  They don't seem to recommend spontaneous prayer as we are prone to talk to God.  They emphasize preprinted prayers.  If these are really prayed it might be OK, but often they and the mass are simply repeated.  They add suffering in purgatory to pay for our sins after we die, so Christ's death is insufficient.  They kneel and pray before statues of Mary and the canonized saints.  The pope is  considered, with his counsel, to be the the voice of God here on hearth.  So  they pay more attention to what they say and to their traditions and word of mouth tales than they do the Bible and base their doctrine and teachings on them.  Then they twist the words of the Bible to justify their beliefs.   They revere their popes and cardinals, and kiss their rings giving homage to them.  Recently someone claimed that Catholics who leave the church are doomed to hell based on Hebrews 6:1-5...That kind of threat is one of the trademarks of a cult.

Ron Rhodes, The Challenge of the Cults and New Religions: The Essential Guide to Their History, Their Doctrine, and Our Response (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001), 31–34:

SOCIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CULTS

I noted previously that even though cults should be defined from a theological point of view, we can nevertheless gain valuable insights into certain aspects of the cultic mentality from sociology. . . .

[1] Authoritarian Leadership

Authoritarianism involves the acceptance of an authority figure who exercises excessive control on cult members. As prophet or founder, this leader’s word is considered ultimate and final. . . .

Often this authoritarianism involves legalistic submission to the rules and regulations of the group as established by the cult leader (or, as in the case of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, submission to the Watchtower Society). Cult members are fully expected to submit, even if they do not agree with the requirements. Unquestioning obedience is compulsory.

[2] Exclusivism

Cults often believe that they alone have the truth. The cult views itself as the single means of salvation on earth; to leave the group is to endanger one’s soul. . . .

[3] Isolationism

The more extreme cults sometimes create fortified boundaries, often precipitating tragic endings (we have already mentioned the tragedies in Waco and Jonestown). Some cults require members to renounce and break off associations with parents and siblings. . . .

[4] Opposition to Independent Thinking

Some cultic groups discourage members from thinking independently. The “thinking,” as it were, has already been done for them by the cult leadership; the proper response is merely to submit. . . .[this applies to independent interpretations of the Bible where the church has spoken to interpret it.]

[5] Fear of Being “Disfellowshiped”

It is not uncommon in cults that people are urged to remain faithful to avoid being “disfellowshiped,” or disbarred, from the group. Again, the Jehovah’s Witnesses are a prime example, for a person can be disfellowshiped merely for questioning a Watchtower doctrine. . . .[This is especially true of remarriage outside of the church after divorce.]

[6] Threats of Satanic Attack

Finally, some cults use fear and intimidation to keep members in line. Members may be told that something awful will happen to them should they choose to leave the group. Others may be told that Satan will attack them and may even kill them, for they will have committed the unpardonable sin. Such fear tactics are designed to induce submission. Even when people do muster enough courage to leave the group, they may endure psychological consequences and emotional baggage for years to come.

Sadly, some Christian groups share these characteristics to some degree.

 

[Billiards Ball]

And . . . I don't share in such depth of assaults with individual Catholics. Let God judge the whole institution (Revelation!) and tell individuals:

Are you saved by what Christ did on the cross or by your efforts?

Then help them sort it out.

[Buckle]

The real core issue with the Catholic church is that they do not believe in the finished work of Christ. When Jesus died on the cross he stated "It is finished." That all the judgment for all sin had been poured out to completion, having completed this work Jesus "gave up His spirit." We cannot complete that which is already finished. This means works, confession or anything else they have instituted flies in the face of what the Bible itself teaches. This is a sad reality that I hope one day will be remedied so that those blinded by this might see the light of truth and surrender their salvation to the only one who can save.

[Willa]

One minute the doctrine claims that there is no salvation outside of the church and that those who leave it are dammed, and now this pope tells us that anyone can be saved by good works, irregardless of their religion or lack thereof.  Could it be explained by there being different orders within the Catholic Church such as Dominican, Franciscan, Trappist, Benedictine,  Jesuits, and the last pope seems to believe in Liberation Theology which they once condemned..  There seems to be differences in theology among them.  (And they are quick to condemn the differences among Protestants.)

But I agree that only God knows whether individual Catholics are saved, and it is possible that some do know the truth.  

 

[Blood Bought 1953]

 

Some individuals who are Catholics become saved despite the teachings of their church.I don’t know how.

[Billiards Ball]

10 hours ago, Blood Bought 1953 said:

 

Some individuals who are Catholics become saved despite the teachings of their church.I don’t know how.

By "hearing the Word mixed with faith". However, their chance for real growth is slim.