“OUTSIDE THE CATHOLIC CHURCH THERE IS NO SALVATION?”
What do we mean about this? Do we mean that only Catholics will be saved? The answer is No. But what do we mean about this?
Many of our brothers and sisters are confused particularly those non-Catholics concerning the stand of the Catholic Church. The Church teaching about those outside the Catholic Church that there is no salvation means that those people who INTENTIONALLY abandon the Mother Church cannot be saved.
Like, for example, a person who already knew and was convinced that the Catholic Church is really the true and the only Church founded by the Lord Jesus Christ which he gave an authority to bind and unbind but he/she chose to join or to stay with other sects which are not truly founded by Jesus Christ, then that is a mortal sin and no one can enter heaven if you are not in Grace.
St. Paul said, “For concerning those who were enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, and when fell away, it is impossible to renew them again. (Hebrews.6:4-6).
However, for those outside of the Catholic Church by their mistakes and ignorance of the truth but they did not mean it example those who were born of the sect which is not founded by Jesus Christ but they convinced on it that their church is true, their conscience of righteousness by God’s mercy they can still be save.
These people also deserve of Jesus’ prayer on the cross, saying, “Father forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing.”(Luke 23:34).
Pope Pius IX says, “We know that those people due to the unintentional mistakes didn’t know to our Holy doctrine and belief but they still have practicing the natural law, the law which God have marked on their hearts and have obedience of their conscience to live life in righteousness, and with the Divine light of His grace, those people by the great mercy of God will also be saved.
God can only determine what is in the man’s heart, He doesn’t cast the soul into the hell except for those people who are willingly and intentionally break the law by their conscience. (Encyclical to Italian Bishop)
Jesus says in His Church, “Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you, rejects me; and he who rejects me, rejects the one sent me. (Luke 10:16)
Can a man be saved if he denies God?
Well, God said that his Church is the pillar and foundation of TRUTH (1 Tim.3:15). And by His Church, we will have the fullness of Truth. Therefore, our souls might be in danger if we reject that truth. St. Paul says, ” And with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost because they didn’t receive the love of truth, that they might be saved.” (2 Thes.2:10)
