In the Bible the Gospel of John says that every one needs to believe in Jesus to go to Heaven and there is no other way. For us Catholics the norm is believing in Jesus in the Catholic Church.
Jesus says:
11] Amen, amen I say to thee, that we speak what we know, and we testify what we have seen, and you receive not our testimony. [12] If I have spoken to you earthly things, and you believe not; how will you believe, if I shall speak to you heavenly things? [13] And no man hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended from heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven. [14] And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of man be lifted up: [15] That whosoever believeth in him, may not perish; but may have life everlasting.John 3:11-15 Douy Rheims Bible
Jesus tells us in John 3:5 that all need the baptism of water for salvation. In Mark 16:16 he tells us that God the Father has chosen His Son as the only way of salvation.Those who do not believe in Jesus within the Catholic community; the Catholic Church,will be condemned.Jesus says those who deny Him he will deny before the Father in Heaven.(Matt.10:37)
So membership in the Catholic Church with faith and baptism is necessary for all.It is necessary to avoid the fires of Hell, according to the Bible.1
[16] For God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him, may not perish, but may have life everlasting. [17] For God sent not his Son into the world, to judge the world, but that the world may be saved by him.[18] He that believeth in him is not judged. But he that doth not believe, is already judged: because he believeth not in the name of the only begotten Son of God. [19]And this is the judgment: because the light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than the light: for their works were evil. [20] For every one that doth evil hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, that his works may not be reproved.John 3:16-20
So when we meet non Catholics we know that they are Hell-bound.Since they will die without the ordinary means of salvation,which is faith and baptism.2
[26] For as the Father hath life in himself, so he hath given the Son also to have life in himself: [27] And he hath given him power to do judgment, because he is the Son of man. [28] Wonder not at this; for the hour cometh, wherein all that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God. [29] And they that have done good things, shall come forth unto the resurrection of life; but they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment. [30] I cannot of myself do any thing. As I hear, so I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not my own will, but the will of him that sent me.John 5:26-30
There are no known exceptions to the ordinary means of salvation. The baptism of desire(BOD), baptism of blood(BOB) and invincible ignorance(I.I) are not practical exceptions to the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus(EENS).They are not practical exceptions to the ordinary means of salvation.We cannot meet or see any one saved outside the Church.God made it this way.3
We cannot know of any one who will be saved who does not believe in Jesus and we know the ordinary means of salvation for Catholics is faith in Jesus in the Catholic Church.
So it is necessary that everyone become Catholic to avoid Hell. Jesus founded only one Church, the Catholic Church.
The Bible is Catholic. The Catholic Church chose the inspired manuscripts which form the Bible. The liturgy of Christians comes from the Catholic Church at the time of King Constantine the Great.The Holy Trinity is a dogma of a Catholic Church Council. 4
[56] For my flesh is meat indeed: and my blood is drink indeed. [57] He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, abideth in me, and I in him. [58] As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father; so he that eateth me, the same also shall live by me.[59] This is the bread that came down from heaven. Not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead. He that eateth this bread, shall live for ever. [60] These things he said, teaching in the synagogue, in Capharnaum.John 6:56-60The Eucharist at Mass is necessarty for salvation. All need the Saraments of the Catholic Church to avoid Hell.
And he said to them: You are from beneath, I am from above. You are of this world, I am not of this world.[24] Therefore I said to you, that you shall die in your sins. For if you believe not that I am he, you shall die in your sin. [25] They said therefore to him: Who art thou? Jesus said to them: The beginning, who also speak unto you.John 8:23.25
The Catholic Church is the continuation of the Jewish religion.Catholics are the new people of God,the Chosen People ( Nostra Aetate 4, Vatican Council II). They have the Sacrifice in the Mass, they have the Messiah promised by the Jewish prophets. They have the Ark of the Covenant in the Eucharist placed in a tabernacle. They have the Sacred Scriptures which include the Old Testament and the Jewish Pentateuch.They have an eternal covenant made with the Death and Resurrection of Jesus. It was a fulfillment of the old covenants Yahweh made with the Jews. Catholics have the temple, the church, where the one and only Sacrifice of Jesus is re-enacted in an un-bloody way, at Holy Mass.
In Heaven there are only Catholics.They are there with Catholic Faith and the baptism of water(AG 7).
Jesus died for all. Salvation is open to all in potential but to receive this salvation all need to be members of the Catholic Church ( Dominus Iesus n.20,Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Notification, Dupuis, 2002).
The Catholic Church is the Ark of Noah that saves in the flood (Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) 845).God wants all people to be united in the Catholic Church(CCC 845).
We cannot separate Jesus from the Church(Dominus Iesus).The Church is the Mystical Body of Jesus the Bible tells us.
We cannot have a kerygma without the necessity of membership in the Catholic Church.In Evangelii Gaudium (Joy of the Gospel) Pope Francis presented the kerygma without the necessity of membership in the Catholic Church. This was a rupture with Catholic Tradition.
Jesus died and is risen to save all from Hell. Those who believe in Him and live his teachings in the Catholic Church, will be saved from the fires of Hell.Outside the Catholic Church there is no salvation.Three Church Councils in Catholic history called it extra ecclesiam nulla salus.It is also the message in Ad Gentes 7, Vatican Council II which calls us to proclaim it to the peoples.It says all need faith and baptism for salvation and not just those who know about Jesus and the Church.
Jesus in the Catholic Church is the narrow gate (Matt.7:13),the pearl of great price (Matt.13:45-46), the man who found a treasure in the field and sold all to have it (Matt:13:44-46). 5
[31] Then Jesus said to those Jews, who believed him: If you continue in my word, you shall be my disciples indeed. [32] And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. [33] They answered him: We are the seed of Abraham, and we have never been slaves to any man: how sayest thou: you shall be free? [34] Jesus answered them: Amen, amen I say unto you: that whosoever committeth sin, is the servant of sin. [35] Now the servant abideth not in the house for ever; but the son abideth for ever.
The Good News is that all who believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Second Person of the Trinity, the Promised Messiah who will come again, will have eternal life in Heaven. They must believe that Jesus Died and is Risen and with his Sacrifice took He away our sins. They must live the traditional teachings of the Catholic Church on faith and morals.The Catholic Church has a perennial Magisterium inspired by the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.(Heb.13:8) 6
[42] Jesus therefore said to them: If God were your Father, you would indeed love me. For from God I proceeded, and came; for I came not of myself, but he sent me: [43] Why do you not know my speech? Because you cannot hear my word. [44] You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and he stood not in the truth; because truth is not in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof. [45] But if I say the truth, you believe me not.John 8: 42-45
"Saul, Saul why do you persecute me", Jesus said identifying Himself with the Church(Acts.9:4).So we cannot have faith in Christ ( Christology) without membership in the Catholic Church( ecclesiocentric ecclesiology).
[7] Jesus therefore said to them again: Amen, amen I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. [8] All others, as many as have come, are thieves and robbers: and the sheep heard them not. [9] I am the door. By me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved: and he shall go in, and go out, and shall find pastures. [10] The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I am come that they may have life, and may have it more abundantly. John 10: 7-10
[16] And other sheep I have, that are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd.John 10:16
There could be people in other religions who are to be saved and they would be known only to Jesus.We cannot know of any one in another religion who will be saved without following Jesus in the Catholic Church.
[6] Jesus saith to him: I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me-John 14:6
So every one needs to believe in Jesus in the only Church he founded.God has chosen to restrict salvation to only membership the Catholic Church, just as he has chosen only women to have babies, water to fall downwards and men to marry only women.
The dogma outside the Church there is no salvation ( extra ecclesiam nulla salus )reflects the supernatural truth as God sees it.This is taught by the Holy Spirit through the Catholic Church.
[6] If any one abide not in me, he shall be cast forth as a branch, and shall wither, and they shall gather him up, and cast him into the fire, and he burneth. John 15:6
Non Christians do not abide in Jesus.They are outside the Church and are on the way to Hell.They are not baptised with water(John 3:5) and neither do they have Catholic faith. They will be condemned at the time of death according to the Bible.Non Catholic Christians who believe in Jesus and then die suddenly can be saved and it would be known only to God.As St. Paul told the Phillipian jailer (Acts 16.25:40)that all he had to do was to believe in Jesus and he would be saved. This is true. However the jailer and his household would have to be later baptised with water. They would then be taught the Faith which they would have to live. That faith which they would be taught for salvation, is the Catholic Faith.
So in general every one needs to be Catholic for salvation. If someone who is not Catholic is saved at the last moment before death, if someone who is not Catholic repents and is saved or receives the baptism of water in another Christian community and is saved or is in invincible ignorance and God sends a preacher to him and he is saved this would only be known to God.They are not exceptions to the general norm which is Catholic faith with the baptism of water in the Catholic Church.- Lionel Andrades
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DECEMBER 17, 2018
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