Fullness of Salvation Only Through the Catholic Church
"Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it"(Catechism, 846).
It is revealing that Salvation would be denied to those who knowingly refuse to enter or remain in the Catholic Church, i.e., the Protestants, for Salvation comes in the Person and Name of Jesus Christ alone, and not from the Catholic Church-- or any other human organization. "Neither is there Salvation in any other: for there is none other Name [of Jesus] under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Whenever any man reveals to us our necessity to attach ourselves to any human organization to receive Salvation-- BEWARE!
"Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter" (Isaiah 56:11). True, these are strong words; but, how strong can words be to represent those who hinder their people from entering the Kingdom of God? "Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered" (Luke 11:52). Hence, Rome's claim that "they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, refuse either to enter it or to remain in it" (Catechism, 846) is a blasphemous lie. "And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the Truth, that they might be saved" (2Thessalonians 2:10).
You may ask, "Who then can be saved?" (Luke 18:26). I would answer, "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" (Revelation 22:17). The LORD Jesus Christ said, "With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26). Possibly, four of the most famous expressions of the Gospel are:
• (1) "Repent ye, and believe the Gospel" (Mark 1:15),
• (2) "Ye must be born again" (John 3:7),
• (3) "For God so loved the world, that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have Everlasting Life" (John 3:16), and
• (4) "30 Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the LORD Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house" (Acts 16:30-31). The Apostle Paul was inspired of the Spirit of God to record what many have later called "The Romans Road of Salvation"-- because it references to the New Testament Book of Romans.
• First, sinful man is not righteous. "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one" (Romans 3:10).
• Second, you have sinned. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
• Third, Christ died for sinners, not for the righteous-- what Love! "But God commendeth His Love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
• Fourth, your sin earns and deserves eternal death, but Jesus Christ offers the gift of Himself as a Substitute to take your well-deserved punishment. "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our LORD" (Romans 6:23).
• Fifth, match your mouth and life to your faith and confidence that Jesus Christ has done all things necessary for your Eternal Salvation. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the LORD Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved" (Romans 10:9).
• Finally, abide in the certainty that your calling upon the Name of the LORD has given you Salvation. "For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the LORD shall be saved" (Romans 10:13). [Note: the assurance of your Salvation is granted only if you walk in obedience. "3 And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His Commandments. 4 He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His Commandments, is a liar, and the Truth is not in him" (1John 2:3-4).]
Charles G. Finney, a well known American evangelist of the 1800's, said that "willingness to obey Christ is to be a Christian". In other words, "If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land" (Isaiah 1:19), for "Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power" (Psalm 110:3). Whatever thing you withhold from the LORD , you must give up-- or perish. "21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven: and come and follow Me. 22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions" (Matthew 19:21-22).
And, lest any imagine that Salvation lies simply in the human will-- perish the thought! Salvation is the "gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8). God sovereignly bestows "repentance to the acknowledging of the Truth" (2Timothy 2:25). It is the mercy of God that He has not judged us already, for "it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God"(Hebrews 10:31). Even while it is still today, "Harden not your hearts" (3:8). We neither understand nor value God Our Saviour (1Timothy 1:1) enough. "And without controversy great is the Mystery Of Godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory" (3:16). Hasten, for "we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ" (Romans 14:10). And, "as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27).