Expert: Charlie B - 3/10/2009

Question
You state in a pretty upfront way that you believe the Church of Rome is Christ's One Church established by Him for the salvation of the world. Does this mean you believe Protestant denominations and the different parts of the Orthodox Church are not a part of Christ's Universal Church? If that is the case and they are not part of Christ's body, of which Christ is the head, can a person share in Christ's promise of salvation apart from this?

If you happen to answer to the effect that a person can have their sins forgiven by Jesus even if they are not a part of the Church of Rome...what's the point of stating that they are excluded from Christ's One Church? If they are not a part of Christ's Body, the Church, of which Christ is the head, where else could you be as a born again, saved, and being sanctified Christian? A fake church? No church at all?

Also, what about non-Papists who happen to be missionaries telling unreached people how to be saved, giving them Bibles, and (gasp) telling them to read them? When people receive the Gospel in this way, does their salvation somehow "not count" because it wasn't delivered by a member of Christ's One Church for the salvation of the world? Do such people have to wait until a Catholic priest shows up and deliver the proper sacraments before having confidence that their salvation is sure? What if these kinds of people never get baptized the Catholic way, take Communion the Catholic way, confess to a Catholic priest, get their Extreme Unction the Catholic way, etc.? Imagine a person in, oh, let's say Guinea- named Ibrahim- who hears the gospel, believes in Jesus like it says in John 3, repents, is baptized in a manner that is understood to be symbolic of Jesus' death, receives communion Zwingli style, and never meets a Catholic priest to do any of the other stuff- but, incidentally, gives up Islam to the dismay of his parents, siblings, and friends. Can such a person enter heaven and live with Christ eternally, or is more required of them in order to obtain eternal life? My friend Ibrahim is no longer with us, so do you think he is in the presence of God or not?

Just so there's no confusion, I know that he is. And one day I'll join him, even though I haven't ever met a priest either. I'm just curious about what's going on in your noggin.

Answer
Mike,
Thanks for your questions.  You seem to be attempting to some degree to come to grips in understanding the Catholic Church (2,000 years old), and reconciling with your Protestant beliefs (400 years old).

My first observation is that the tone of your posting seems....how should I say?  antagonist, a bit combative (feeling a need to defend something by attacking) and a bit facetious (yes, 'gasp' Catholic read Bibles, too). :-) Just be aware, the evil one loves the fact that you have these doubts, lack of understanding and aversion to anything Catholic.

Let's look at Scripture and I challenge you look at these verses:
SCRIPTURE ALONE ?
Jn 21:25 ... not everything is
in the Bible.
2 Tim 2:2; 1 Cor 11:2 ... St.
Paul speaks of oral tradition.
Acts 2:42 ...early Christians
followed apostolic tradition.
2 Jn 1:12 ...more oral tradition.
2 Pet 1:20-21 ... against personal
interpretation.
Heb 5:12 ... guidance needed
to interpret scriptures.

FAITH ALONE ?
Jas 2:14-17, 24 ... what good
is faith without works?
Heb 10:26 ... must avoid sin.
Jas 5:20 ... "earning" forgiveness.
Lk 6:46; Mt 7:21; Mt 19:16-
21; Jn 5:29 ... must do will of
God.
Phil 2:12; 2 Cor 5:10; Rom
2:6-10; Mt 25:32-46; Gal 6:6-
10; Rev 20:12 ... works have
merit.
1 Jn 2:3-4; 1 Jn 3:24; 1 Jn 5:3
... keep commandments.

JUSTIFICATION
Gal 5:6 ... Faith requires
works.
1 Cor 13:2 ... Faith without
love is nothing.
Jn 14:21 ... You must keep
God’s commandments.
Mt 19:6 ... If you want to
enter eternal life, keep the
commandments.
Jas 2:24-26 ... Faith without
works is dead.
1 Cor 9:24-27… Must continue
in faith and works until the end.
Eph 2:8-10… Grace is required.

As a former Protestant, it may help you that I came to understand that man -- not God -- divided the protestant churches into literally thousands of denominations.  To your question, God doesn't exclude, but man does quite well.

APOSTOLIC
SUCCESSION
Eph 2:20; Acts 1:2, Jn 6:70;
Mt 16:18; Mt 10:1-5; Rev.
21:14...the Church is built
on the foundation of the
apostles which Christ chose.

I cannot answer your questions about what and how God will judge those not Catholic.  However, I can answer some of your questions regarding salvation and Confession, Reconciliation:

SALVATION ONCE
AND FOR ALL?
1 Cor 9:27 ... after preaching
... I myself disqualified.
1 Cor 10:12 ... thinks that he
stands ... lest he fall.
Phil 2:12 ... work out salvation
with fear and trembling.
Heb 4:1 ... fear of failing to
reach salvation.
1 Jn 5:16,17 ... some sins are
mortal, some are not.

CONFESSION
Jn 20:22-23 “... if you forgive
sins of any, they are forgiven."
Mt 18:18 ... whatever you
bind on earth is bound in
heaven.
2 Cor 5:18 ... ministry of reconciliation.
Jas 5:14-16 ... forgiveness of
sins, anointing of the sick,
confession.

As a bonus for asking your question, here's some scripture around purgatory:
Rev. 21:27 ...nothing unclean
shall enter Heaven.
2 Sam 12:13-14 ...David,
though forgiven, still punished
for his sins.
2 Macc 12:44-46 ...atoned for
the dead to free them from
their sins.
1 Pt 3:19 ...in which he went
and preached to the spirits
in prison...

If I throw a rock through your window, you can forgive the transgression but you will ask me to pay for the window that I broke, yes?  Alas, it is the same in God's realm.
God bless,
Charlie

PS -- let me ask you a question:  where you stand on abortion?  Embryo stem-cell research?  Let's look at where we have common beliefs, values and Truth. For in reality, in my opinion, Protestants and Catholics believe 96% of the same truths.  Why focus on the small % that we don't have in common?... unless God is somehow calling you to become Catholic?  Just know the 4% difference is GOLDEN, meaningful and the keys to growth in faith and love of Christ and his Church.