Could it be that some in the Roman Catholic Church have a confused view of salvation due to unbiblical doctrines taught in the Roman Catholic Church?
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1 Timothy 3:15 tells us that it is the Church, not the Bible, which gives us all the truth and provides the basis for determining truth or falsity (NONE OF THE CHURCH TEACHINGS ARE IN CONFLICT WITH THE HOLY SCRIPTURE.) Matthew 18:17-19 AGAIN tells us that the Church is the final authority. \n\nSt. Paul reminds us to live in accordance with all the teachings which have been given to us. We are not to be distracted by those who would try to limit the teachings if the Church. (2 Thess 2:15; 3:6)\n\nAre we saved by faith alone?\n\nThere is only one location in the entire Bible where the words "faith" and "alone" are used in the context of justification. "See how a person is justified by works and NOT by faith alone. And in the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by a different route? For just as a body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead" (Jas 2:24-26).\n\n"Do you want proof, you ignoramus, that faith without works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by the works." (Jas 2:20-22)\n\nHaving said that, it is important to understand how terms are used in this discussion. Catholics use the term "salvation" to the whole process from its beginning in faith, through the whole Christian life of the works of love on earth, to its completion in heaven. Most Protestants speak of salvation as the initial step; like getting into Noah's ark of salvation, not the whole journey. By "faith" Catholics mean only one of the three necessary 'theological virtues' (faith, hope and love), faith being intellectual belief. To most Protestants faith means accepting Christ with your whole heart and soul. Thus, Catholics use 'salvation' in a bigger sense and 'faith' in a smaller sense than our Protestant brethren. Catholics and Protestants, each using our own unique definitions, are really arguing the same side of the question.
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Catholics believe that the bible teaches truth about God but is not necessarily historically accurate.
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Personally speaking, and this by no means is canon Law or church law or any kind of teaching within the church, but personally speaking, I know many good people who have never stepped into a church, except for maybe a wedding or funeral and have died, and I have a hard time accepting that a God who I have been taught is all loving, all forgiving would simply toss someone aside simply for "not" beleiving in Him. Wat to many I meet, consider we are in Hell here on earth, and we are judged worthy by the way we deal with everything here. But simpy based on the teachings I know now...no...I think that those who are "basicly good", "basicly moral" are admitted to heaven.\n\nBishop David
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It is not so much misunderstanding as opposed to following the Bible.\n\n"Now for those who are not married and for the widows I say this: It is good for them to stay unmarried as I am.  But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry. It is better to marry than to burn with sexual desire."\n\nLet's face it, if you have to seek sex with boys, I think the priests cannot control themselves.
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The Catholic Church believes that those who die never hearing of Christ but have sought the truth and does the will of God as they understand it can be saved. This is called the Baptism of desire. \n\nWith love in Christ.
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I think people like to believe about other churches what fits in with their philosophy. To do otherwise is too challenging to their own lifestyle and world view. \n\nSo if their pastor tells them that the other church is a cult which believes in salvation by works, for example, they prefer to believe that, even when faced with evidence that the other church is a spirit-filled, loving and truly Christian restoration of Jesus Christ's church which believes in salvation by grace. \n\nBecause if they allowed themselves to investigate and discover the truth, they might find out that their pastor was wrong. Any then they would have to call him a liar and admit that their church is wrong, and that is just too terrible for them to contemplate.\n\nWhen I found out that my church (Evangelical and Anglican) had happily perpetuated lies about another, I was a little irritated but at the time I believed it was justified. I set about to find out the truth about that church, aiming to use that, instead of the lies, to put people off getting involved with the "cult". \n\nI fought against it for many years, but eventually I did indeed go against the wishes of my entire family and most of my friends and join the true chruch. And now it annoys me tremendously to hear those same lies perpetuated. But I know that the many people who do it probably think a) what they're saying is true and b) saying it is a necessary evil.\n\nSigh.
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Hmm, good question.\n\nI seem to recall a passage in the Bible about Jesus throwing moneychangers and salesmen out of the temple... apparently their presence in the house of God offended His son.\n\nThere does seem to be a conflict of interest present between the Catholic Church (RCC) and God's Word.  Then again, the RCC's leader, the pope, said that the Bible was something that the average person shouldn't worry too much about, and to just accept whatever the RCC said instead.  \n\nYeah.
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This is in the Catholic Religion??? I have NEVER heard of this one!\n\nWOW ya learn something new everyday!!!!\n\n\nCatholic baptism and salvation\nIn Catholic teaching, baptism plays an essential role in salvation. This teaching dates back to the teachings and practices of first century Christians, and the connection between salvation and baptism was not, on the whole, an item of major dispute until Martin Luther's teachings regarding grace. The Church teaches that "baptism is necessary for salvation" (Catechism, 1257) and entry into heaven; and therefore, a person who knowledgeably, willfully and unrepentedy rejects baptism has no hope of salvation. Three forms of baptism are acknowledged by the Church. Baptism by water refers to the traditional baptism where the individual is immersed or infused with water in the name of the Trinity.\n\nThe Church also recognizes two other forms of baptism: "baptism of blood" and "baptism of desire." Baptism of blood refers to unbaptized individuals who are martyred for the Faith, while baptism of desire refers to catechumens who die before they can be baptized. The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes these two forms:\n\nThe Church has always held the firm conviction that those who suffer death for the sake of the faith without having received Baptism are baptized by their death for and with Christ. This Baptism of blood, like the desire for Baptism, brings about the fruits of Baptism without being a sacrament. (1258)\n\nFor catechumens who die before their Baptism, their explicit desire to receive it, together with repentance for their sins, and charity, assures them the salvation that they were not able to receive through the sacrament. (1259)\n\nAs for unbaptized infants, the Church is unsure of their fate; "the Church can only entrust them to the mercy of God" (Catechism, 1261).
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To be considered a "Christian", there are certain fundamental beliefs to which we need to adhere.  Every Christian believes in the Blessed Trinity (One God in Three Divine Persons); that Jesus Christ is true God and true Man (that He is God in the flesh); and that salvation is obtained through the Mystery of Christ's Death on the Cross.  \n\nBut there are many other beliefs that are also very important to Christianity.  Not all of them are in the Bible explicitly.  Our Lord Jesus Christ did not found a book but a Church.  We, as Catholics, believe that the Catholic Church was the Church which He founded and to which He gave His very own authority (for example, the authority to forgive sins).  Such things, God alone can do, but if He wants to share His authority with the Church which He founded, then who are we to go against Him?  This is why Catholics love the Church and listen to the Church as if they were listening to Christ Himself.  He speaks through His Church.\n\nBut this is something that non-Catholics have a hard time understanding.  The best you can do, I think, is to show them that Jesus wanted to continue His Mission here on earth (the salvation of souls), and that that is why He founded His Church.  That is why we Catholics love the Church as we love Christ Himself.  \n\nI hope this helps, and may God bless you!
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Vatican II (Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, 1962-1965) broadened previous views of the Roman Catholic Church regarding salvation outside the church for non-Roman Catholic Christians as well as non-Christians.\n\nhttp://www.religioustolerance.org/rcc_salv.htm\n\nAlthough, within the past couple decades, somee Roman Catholic theolgians have redefined the language of Vatican II's "Lumen Gentium" (a document released in 1964 by the Council) in a more conservative light, some more liberal R.C. theologians still believe that this document states that salvation is not limited to Roman Catholics or even members of Christianity but to all humans of good will who seek the truth.... a big step for any religious body.
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What did the Vatican II really Say? \n\nPope Paul VI says a person cannot be saved who refuses to enter the Catholic church. \n\nShow me that in the Bible.  Show me one verse that says you have to enter or join a religious organization to be saved.\n\nCatholics teach that a person is saved through the Roman Catholic Church and its sacraments, especially through baptism; they do not believe that salvation can be obtained by grace through faith in Christ alone.\n\nPope Paul VI also said that a person could not be saved if he  or she refused to remain in the Catholic church.  \n\nAgain, show me that in the Bible?  There is no such teaching in God's Word.\n\nVatican II was admitted to have been a disaster of immense proportions, initiating a process of destruction of the Church.
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It would require some understanding as to the decision making process in the Catholic Church.  The Catholic Church is a highly varied body.  There is more internal variation inside the Catholic Church than there is across all of Protestantism.  All Protestant groups have an analog within the Church, the reverse is not true.\n\nFirst, the bible was canonized 350 years after the death of Jesus.  There wasn't a book someone could call the bible to cite as a reference.  They often did cite the scriptures, but they were not referring to the NT in the early Church.  They did also cite that which was handed on, traditio, from the apostles.  The bible is part of what was handed on, but not the whole of what was handed on.\n\nIn the early Church women were not ordained to the major orders, deacon, priest or bishop.  There were deaconesses, but their ordinations were different from the men.  Because early Christians did not do it, the Church cannot change it now.  When John Paul II was asked to rule on ordaining women, he ruled he could not change anything.  Popes and bishops may not make changes to beliefs, even if those beliefs no longer make sense.  Just because roles have changed does not change what was handed on.  Jesus was pretty radical, if he had wanted Mary Magdalene to be an Apostle, he could have made her one.  None of the Twelve, or the Seventy were women.  This may simply have been practical for some reason.  Nonetheless, what is is.\n\nUnlike Protestants who get to vote at conferences about what they believe, the rule in the Catholic Church is simple.  What did the early Christians believe and do?  That guides everything else.
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I know about them and even belive some of them to be the truth such as the Gospel of thomas and the infancies of thomas, and most christians do belive in the Apocryphal Gospels without knowing it. The assemblies of God preach the when jesus died he went to hell and "set the captives free" which is not anywhere in the cannon in fact this is found in the apocryphal books.Also part of the reason they weren't cannonized is because they weren't found until after the cannon was set, as for the Gospel of thomas it wasn't accepted because the catholics didn't want people to belive that they didn't need to go to church to be christian because the love of money is the roo of all evil. Oh and P.S. LOVE the quotation marks, I belive that most people who claim to be christian are a bunch of fakers if they weren't they wouldn't be on here harrassing people and deliberatly trying to hurt others.
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not all christians say that i think it is just Cathlics
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I was brought up Catholic from birth and was brainwashed into believing what I was taught as teachings from the Bible. I have always believed and honored my spirituality in God, but too many years of it was not based in His Word.  \n\nLuckily, I was led to the Bible & I have been trying to sort out the Truth from the lies. It's a hurtful issue that I am working hard to overcome and find acceptance with. I am very confused, and somewhat bitter as well, but, at the same time, am I VERY thankful for the wonderful people here who share their knowlegde with beginners like me and are helping me along.  That in itself defines truth Faith in God to me and the power of believing he always there for you if you seek him.   Thank You everyone.
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Catholics don't read the true bible either.\n\nIt was written by men, has been translated to English, and has had thousands of years to be editted.\n\nI don't *really* believe in the details of the Bible. It may be an excellent tool when read broadly, because you can understand the motives and meanings. What is wrong is getting caught up in single phrases, which tend to become overinflated.
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Immediately after its discussion of extra ecclesiam nulla salus (Latin, "Outside the Church, no salvation") and its affirmation that it is possible that those who do not become formal Catholics may be saved, the Catechism of the Catholic Church goes on to say:\n\n"Although in ways known to himself God can lead those who, through no fault of their own, are ignorant of the gospel, to that faith without which it is impossible to please him, the Church still has the obligation and also the sacred right to evangelize all men" CCC 848.\n\nThe Catholic Church has the fullness of Christian truth and that truth is meant to be shared with all. Look at it this way: Suppose you were feasting at a banquet and knew that your relatives were scrounging for crumbs under the table. Should you invite them to the feast, even though they might spurn your offer, or should you let them continue to scrounge, figuring that they'll scrape up enough off the floor to keep from starving? (Jas 2:15-17).\n\nSomething similar might be said of truth. You can have a seat at the table and eat your fill, or you can make do with what you can find on the floor dropped in the dirt and covered in bugs. Catholics have a seat at the table of truth and have the obligation to share that with those who do not yet have a seat alongside them. Non-Catholics do have some truth (like food), but it is not complete (like a banquet) and may be mixed with error (like the dirt and bugs).\n\nIn short, yes, you should defend Catholicism as the opportunity becomes available. But, more than that, you should do your best to make Catholicism "appetizing" to your relatives by being the best Christian God's grace enables you to be and by showing them not just the plausibility of Catholicism but also its beauty. And if, in the end, your relatives are sincerely unable in conscience to accept the truth of Catholicism, God will judge them on how well they lived according to the truth that they did have.