...if he believes that you have to be part of the Catholic church in order to be saved...and that all other Christian churches are "defective".
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070710/ap_on_re_eu/pope_other_christians
Not to bring judgment on him, because God alone knows his soul, but one must wonder about people that add unscriptural requirements to obtain salvation, and claim that theirs is the one and only true church of God. When I read in the Old Testament, I see that Abraham was justified by faith, not faith + recognizing the Pope + being a devout Catholic + keeping the sacraments.
You will most likely never hear a Protestant claiming that their church is the only way to God. In fact, they believe that church will not save you and that the church in itself *is* the believers and it is also for the believers to come together and encourage one another in the faith.
2007-07-10
04:30:15
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19 answers
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asked by
Anonymous
in
Society & Culture
➔ Religion & Spirituality
This is in addition to my comment to Best Answer: All people that are saved by the blood of Jesus Christ are part of the body of Christ whether they are of one denomination or another. We need to get over our little groups and stop claiming one church is better than another as long as the Gospel is being preached and the Lord is being served. Who can judge this? Catholics and others will find out that God will not judge a person based upon their church membership and observance of rituals, but upon their faith and service to Him.
2007-07-13
07:05:48 ·
update #1
Yes, I think the Pope is a born again Christian. He might not call himself born again Christian, but you have to be if you are truly born of God, born of His Spirit, cleansed by His blood. I believe this because I prayed to God about this.
But the Catholic Church believes in the keys of Peter too much & that only they hold these keys. The Pope is just wrong about this judgment that other Church denominations aren't part of the Church. What does the Pope think about Revelation, to the 7 Churches of Asia? Seven being the number of completion. Gods complete Church.
When a person is baptized into the Body of Christ, that is people in every Church who is founded on Jesus Christ the Lord, the Son of the Living God, the Rock foundation. Confession of faith & believeing in heart is what saves you.
We are justified by faith. But faith without works is dead. So we are saved by confessing Jesus Christ Lord (act of faith/work) & believeing in ones heart that Jesus raised from the dead.
The Catholic Church has apocryphal books in their Catholic Cannon & other doctrines & that messes them up into legalism too much. We aren't saved by doing this & that. We are saved by Grace & not of works lest anyone boast.
The salvation/eternal life is an event that happens when one is born again. Once born of His Spirit, you can't be an unchild of God. God won't abort you because you didn't do this or that or did this or that. But working out our salvation daily is a process of abiding in Christ & His Word, and trusting & obeying. We work out our salvation of our soul decisions daily. We make the soul decision to die to the flesh (not yelling & cussing, etc.) & choose to follow after the fruits of the Holy Spirit; faith, hope, love, joy, peace, patience, honesty, truth, etc. What ever we build on the Foundation of Repentance, whether perishable works or everlasting works will be tested & tried. And what is left is everlasting rewards. But if everything gets fried, person still goes to heaven because person is a child of God.
2007-07-10 04:45:33
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answer #1
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answered by t_a_m_i_l 6
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All the pope is doing is reasserting what Catholics and the Catholic Church has always believed; this isn't new. Besides, although you claim Protestants don't do the exact same thing with the exclusivity card, they do; look at the way you've worded your post. They believe that only the way THEY practice Christianity is correct, and any other method is incorrect. In essence, no different than what the pope is saying, just with a different set of rules being asserted as being the only "correct" way. If you're deadset on defining salvation only by the way you believe it to be correct, naturally you're going to also be asserting that your faith is the only true path. Nothing new here.
2007-07-10 11:34:56
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answer #2
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answered by ಠ__ಠ 7
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Here is the full text of the new document that states nothing new: http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20070629_responsa-quaestiones_en.html
Most Christian denominations believe that each of them is the fullest version of the Church of Christ.
While the Catholic Church also believes that she is "the highest exemplar" of the mystery that is the Church of Christ, she does not claim that non-Catholic Churches are not truly Christian. The Catholic Church teaches:
Furthermore, many elements of sanctification and of truth are found outside the visible confines of the Catholic Church: the written Word of God; the life of grace; faith, hope, and charity, with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as visible elements.
Christ's Spirit uses these Churches and ecclesial communities as means of salvation, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church.
All these blessings come from Christ and lead to him.
With love in Christ.
2007-07-11 01:00:55
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answer #3
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answered by imacatholic2 7
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Even under the fundamentalist Christian qualifications for salvation, I think he'd qualify since devout Catholics believe wholeheartedly that Jesus is their Lord and Savior. That said, only God knows for sure - so I won't venture to guess.
2007-07-10 11:36:48
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answer #4
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answered by Eileen 3
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No, the Pope is not saved. He is still alive, and no person living in the flesh is already "saved". This dangerous notion is a manmade tradition that no-one ever heard of before the Protestant Rebellion a few hundred years ago. The Bible tells us that "he who endures to the end, he SHALL be saved". The Pope is certainly on the road to salvation, as are many other Christian persons, Catholic and otherwise. But none of them are saved yet - and Satan is doing his best to make sure they don't persevere to the end and receive salvation.
2007-07-10 11:46:15
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answer #5
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answered by PaulCyp 7
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I agree. I have a problem with any church that says faith in Christ PLUS witnessing or speaking in tongues or confessing sins to a priest or worshipping on Saturdays or worshipping Mary, etc... will get you to Heaven. It diminishes the death of Christ on the cross. But, I believe THIS Pope is saved.
2007-07-10 11:37:30
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answer #6
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answered by ? 4
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The Catholic Church is there for salvation, and The Holy Father has a duty to strengthen its foundation. He is afterall one of the most orthodox Popes we have ever had, and he was precisely chosen for that reason. The Church must be strong, because people will not seek salvation in a weak faith.
2007-07-10 11:37:06
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answer #7
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answered by Anonymous
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I honestly dont know.
Although so far as I see it, with the lastest statement made,the Pope is no better than those Westboro Baptist folks that preach everyone in the word is Homosexual but them.
I cant believe the idiots trying to run the show in the Christian faith and making everyone else to appear "under them" and worthless.
Christ came not to preach condemnation, but new life and freedom. Where is that in today's world?
2007-07-10 11:34:11
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answer #8
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answered by *Daisy* 2
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Good news everyone!
I just finished a DNA test of the Pope and I found his biological father:
http://www.blueharvest.net/images/closeups/emperor.jpg
2007-07-10 11:36:41
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answer #9
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answered by Professor Farnsworth 6
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Salvation (from the Latin "salus", or "health) is not an "event" - it is a "process". I don't think the Bishop of Rome himself would use the term, "saved" in the past-tense.
"Work out your salvation with fear and trembling" St. Paul.
2007-07-10 11:34:09
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answer #10
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answered by Anonymous
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