Are Catholics Saved?
On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-five Thesis to the door of All Saints Church in Wittenberg, Saxony. This began the Protestant Reformation – a protest against the corruption of Roman Catholicism in order to reform the Church toward a more Biblical and Gospel centered foundation.
Still, today the doctrines of Roman Catholicism are far from sound.
Despite what a Catholic might tell you, the Church actually does exalt the Virgin Mary as an object of worship, and teaches that she brings us the gifts of eternal salvation as an intermediary between us and Christ.
“Having entered deeply into the history of salvation, Mary, in a way, unites in her person and re-echoes the most important doctrines of the faith: and when she is the subject of preaching and worship she prompts the faithful to come to her Son, to his sacrifice and to the love of the Father.” (Vatical Council II, Official Teachings of Roman Catholicism Vol. 1, pg 420 and 421)
“Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation…” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, par 969)
However, 1 Timothy 2:5 says there is one mediator between God and men and that is Christ only.
There is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man, Jesus Christ. (1 Timothy 2:5)
Nowhere in the Bible does it say anything about praying to Mary or any dead saint. (Praying the Rosary requires praying to Mary multiple times, and should not be practiced) In fact, Deuteronomy 18:11 says that communicating with the dead is detestable to the Lord.
Anyone who inquires of the dead is an abomination to the Lord (Deuteronomy 18:11-12)
The Bible says that it is by grace that you have been saved through faith – not of works (Ephesians 2:8-9). The Catholic Church, however, says that if a person claims that salvation is by grace through faith alone, they should be excommunicated.
“If anyone saith, that by faith alone the impious is justified; in such wise as to mean, that nothing else is required to cooperate in order to the obtaining the grace of Justification, and that it is not in any way necessary, that he be prepared and disposed by the movement of his own will; let him be anathema.” (Council of Trent, Canons on Justification, Canon 9)
Catholicism also teaches that a person can lose their salvation and must do Acts of Penance in order to get it back.
“Christ instituted the sacrament of Penance for all sinful members of his church: above all for those who, since Baptism, have fallen into grave sin, and have thus lost their baptismal grace and wounded ecclesial communion. It is to them that the sacrament of Penance offers a new possibility to convert and to recover the grace of justification.
The Fathers of the Church present this sacrament as the second plank of salvation after the shipwreck which is the loss of grace.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, par 1446)
But, Romans 4:5 says a person cannot be justified in such ways.
To the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness. (Romans 4:5)
The Catholic Church forbids their priests from marrying. But 1 Timothy 4:3 calls this the “teaching of demons”.
“Persons who are in holy orders invalidly attempt marriage.” (Code of Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church, Canon 1087)
Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons… who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. (1 Timothy 4:1,3)
It is possible for a person to be Catholic, and also a born again Christian. But, if they truly read the doctrines of the Catholic Church and compare them with the Bible, a maturing Christian should not remain Catholic.
…When we understand the text!
(This video is by WWUTT. Discovered by Christian Podcast Central and our community — copyright is owned by the publisher, not Christian Podcast Central.)