What does the Catholic church say you need to do to receive salvation?

Question

Does the Catholic church tell you to do anything to receive salvation?

kait, could you please say that in English? People who don't go to a Catholic church won't have any idea what that means. Please explain what sacrament means, etc.

Galatians 2:6
"God shows personal favoritism to no man"

Galatians 2
11 Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; 12 for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.

14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews? 15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law;

for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

17 “But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19 For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

Ephesians 2
1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— 12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Answer 1

The Roman Catholic Church teaches that salvation is by baptismal regeneration and is maintained through the Catholic sacraments unless a willful act of sin is committed that breaks the state of sanctifying grace.

“Sacraments are outward signs of inward grace, instituted by Christ for our sanctification” (taken from the Catholic Encyclopedia). The Roman Catholic Church teaches that while God gives grace to man without outward symbols (sacraments), He has also chosen to give grace to man through visible symbols. Because God has done this, man is foolish to not make use of this God-provided means of gaining sanctification.

In order to qualify as a sacrament, the Roman Catholic Church states that it must meet the following three criteria: a) the external, that is a sensibly perceptibly sign of sanctifying grace, b) the conferring of sanctifying grace, c) the institution by God or, more accurately, by the God-Man Jesus Christ. Thus, sacraments are not merely a symbol, but are believed to actually confer sanctifying grace upon the recipient. The Roman Catholic Church believes that all of their seven sacraments were instituted by Christ Himself.

Answer 2

Make no mistake, the Catholic Church is The Christian Church. The Holy Bible says not anything both approximately the opposite denominations in step with what you assert a great majority of all of the Christians could be "unsaved" But Catholics use the Church so to religion in God the Father on my own. And as Catholics, we consider that Jesus is Lord and Saviour of all of the World. Many Catholics additionally consider that It is viable for others to get salvation in God, no longer simply we.

Answer 3

At a minimum, the Catholic church teaches that one's soul must typically be in a state of grace to be reasonably assured of salvation, but that Jesus is the only judge of such things.

Once baptized, the best way to remain a friend of God is through a lifetime of full and active participation in all of the work, worship, sacraments, and devotions of the only church that Jesus ever founded, authorized, empowered, and eternally guaranteed, for the purpose of our salvation ... the Catholic church.

In the end, GRACE makes all the difference ... along with CHARITY ... both of which together, constitute the true IMAGE and LIKENESS of God.

One who appears before the judgment seat of Christ bearing his true image and likeness ... should have little or no reason to worry about salvation.

Answer 4

Former RC speaking

1) faith in Jesus (born of a virgin, son of God, died for our sins, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, only means of salvation are the essentials)

Faith is sufficient - for an 11th-hour convert. Assuming one's life continues after the initial conversion...

2) Obedience to the commands (doctrine, especially Canon Law) of the Roman Catholic Church (RCC)
3) Good works

These 3 things are required. Since becoming a fundamentalist, I have determined that all of these are quite unambiguously biblically based. #2 should read "obedient to the commands of Jesus", but the RCC believes that their doctrine *is* the doctrine of Jesus, so the difference is (mostly) insignificant.

Jim, http://www.life-after-harry-potter.com

Answer 5

Basically, one must follow an honest , sincere and informed conscience. You do not have to be a Catholic to be saved, but we believe you have your best chance to do so as one, but it considers itself the only one and true Church.
In case you did not get your answer about a sacrament. It is an outward and visible sign of a real spiritual reality. Example: Bread and wine (outward and visible sign) are the real Body and Blood of Christ (spiritual reality).

Answer 6

The easy answer:
+ Accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior
+ Be baptized and spiritually born again
+ Follow the teachings of Jesus Christ
+ Do not commit mortal sin

The complicated answer:

We are already saved:
+ “For in hope we were saved.” (Romans 8:24)
+ “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:5-8)

We are being saved:
+ “He will keep you firm to the end, irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus.” (1 Corinthians 1:8)
+ “For we are the aroma of Christ for God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.” (2 Corinthians 2:15)
+ “So then, my beloved, obedient as you have always been, not only when I am present but all the more now when I am absent, work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” (Philippians 2:12)

We have the hope that we will be saved:
+ “How much more then, since we are now justified by his lood, will we be saved through him from the wrath. Indeed, if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, once reconciled, will we be saved by his life.” (Romans 5:9-10)
+ “If anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, the work of each will come to light, for the Day will disclose it. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire (itself) will test the quality of each one's work. If the work stands that someone built upon the foundation, that person will receive a wage. But if someone's work is burned up, that one will suffer loss; the person will be saved, but only as through fire.” (1 Corinthians 3:12-15)

Like the Apostle Paul, we are working out our salvation in “fear and trembling,” (Philippians 2:12) and with hopeful confidence in the promises of Christ:
+ “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access (by faith) to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God.” (Romans 5:2)
+ “This saying is trustworthy: If we have died with him we shall also live with him; if we persevere we shall also reign with him. But if we deny him he will deny us. If we are unfaithful he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself. (2 Timothy 2:11–13)

With love in Christ.

Answer 7

As always when I'm a Catholic chooses to respond all the facts are covered. Nothing left to be said. Although I enjoyed Kait's answer.
There is one way and that's it, for all,

Answer 8

Man is called to holiness but is wounded by sin. Therefore, we all stand in need of salvation from God, which comes in Christ through the law that guides us and the grace that sustains us:

“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Phil 2:12-13)

According to Scripture the Law is a fatherly instruction by God which prescribes for man the ways that lead to the promised beatitude, and proscribes the ways of evil.

Christ is the end of the law (Rom 10:4); only he teaches and bestows the justice of God.

The natural law is a participation in God's wisdom and goodness by man formed in the image of his Creator. It expresses the dignity of the human person and forms the basis of his fundamental rights and duties.

The Old Law is the first stage of revealed law. Its moral prescriptions are summed up in the Ten Commandments.

The Law of Moses contains many truths naturally accessible to reason. God has revealed them because men did not read them in their hearts.

The Old Law is a preparation for the Gospel.

The New Law is the grace of the Holy Spirit received by faith in Christ, operating through charity. It finds expression above all in the Lord's Sermon on the Mount and uses the sacraments to communicate grace to us.

The Law of the Gospel fulfills and surpasses the Old Law and brings it to perfection.

The New Law is a law of love, a law of grace, a law of freedom.

The grace of the Holy Spirit confers upon us the righteousness of God. Uniting us by faith and Baptism to the Passion and Resurrection of Christ, the Spirit makes us sharers in his life.

Like conversion, justification has two aspects. Moved by grace, man turns toward God and away from sin, and so accepts forgiveness and righteousness from on high.

Justification includes the remission of sins, sanctification, and the renewal of the inner man.

Justification has been merited for us by the Passion of Christ. It is granted us through Baptism. It conforms us to the righteousness of God, who justifies us. It has for its goal the glory of God and of Christ, and the gift of eternal life. It is the most excellent work of God's mercy.

Grace is the help God gives us to respond to our vocation of becoming his adopted sons. It introduces us into the intimacy of the Trinitarian life.

Sanctifying grace is the gratuitous gift of his life that God makes to us; it is infused by the Holy Spirit into the soul to heal it of sin and to sanctify it.

"If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" (Mt 16:24).

Answer 9

I agree with Miss K. I'm curious to know how Catholics believe we get to heaven also.

I'll be back.

Answer 10

Good question...I've always been interested in their faith/beliefs as well. I'll have to check back to the responses!