Catholic Beliefs  vs. the Beliefs of God
 

Salvation Through the Church

 
RCC Catechism Says... 

Salvation Through the Church 

Roman Catholicism teaches that salvation is 
available only through the Catholic church: 

 
The Second Vatican Council's Decree on 
Ecumenism  explains: `For it is through Christ's 
Catholic Church  alone, which is the universal help toward salvation, that  the fullness of the means of salvation can be obtained. 
Verification: Pg. 215, #816 

Here, the official source of Catholic doctrine boldly declares that salvation cannot be obtained except through the Roman Catholic church. You may be thinking, The Catholic church doesn't believe that anymore! But the Catechism's position is unmistakable:

 
...all salvation comes from Christ the Head through
the Church which is hisBody: Basing itself on 
Scripture and Tradition, the Council teachesthat 
the  Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary 
for  salvation:... Hence they could not be saved 
who,  knowing that the Catholic Churchwas founded 
as  necessary by God through Christ, would refuse 
either to enter it or to remain in it.
Verification: Pg. 224, #846 

If that isn't clear enough, here it is again: 

 
It is in the Church that `the fulness of the means of salvation' has been deposited. It is in her that `by the grace of God we acquire holiness. 
Verification: Pg 218, #824 

In her subsists the fulness of Christ's body united with its head; this impliesthat she receives from 
him the fulness of the means of salvation... 
Verification: Pg. 220, #830
 

The Bible Says...

Salvation Through Jesus Alone

When checking God's Word on this subject,
two critical facts leap out: 

1. The Bible never remotely indicates that one 
must go through a church to obtain salvation. 

2. Literally hundreds of Scriptures proclaim 
that salvation is a free gift from God, readily 
available to anyone, but only through Jesus 
Christ: 
 
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of 
God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our 
Lord.  Romans 6:23 
No other name (or group) can offer salvation,
except Jesus: 
 
Neither is there salvation in any other (except 
Jesus): for there is none other name under heaven 
given among men, whereby we must be saved.
 Acts 4:10, 12
When Jesus died on the cross, He paid the full 
and complete price for the sins of all mankind 
and made it possible for anyone to come directly
to Him for salvation. Jesus Himself announced that: 
 
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting 
life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not 
see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him
. John 3:36
Jesus also preached: 
 
He that heareth my word, and believeth on 
him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and 
shall not come into condemnation; but is 
passed from death unto life. John 5:24
Again and again, Jesus proclaimed this 
blessed truth: 
 
He that believeth on me hath everlastinglife.
John 6:47
(Also read John 6:40, John 3:16, John 3:18, 
John 3:36, John 1:12.) 

In John 20:31, we discover why the gospels 
were written: 
 
But these are written, that ye might believe 
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believingye might have life through his name.
John 20:31
Never does Jesus require the use of a church to 
provide salvation. This free gift is available to 
anyone who will believe in Him: 
 
To him (Jesus) give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him 
shall receive remission of sins. Acts 10:43
According to the Bible, redemption is in Christ, 
not in a church: 
 
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Romans 3:24
Christ alone can offer the gift of eternal life because 
He willingly shed His blood for us: 
 
In whom we have redemption through his blood, 
the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of 
his grace; Ephesians 1:7
Again, the only requirement for salvation is faith in 
Jesus Christ: 
 
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one
that believeth... Romans 1:16
Many Scriptures repeat this theme: 
 
For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to 
obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
1 Thessalonians 5:9
While Jesus was hanging on the cross, He 
showed that salvation is  through Him, not through a church. The thief who was on the cross  next to Him cried out: 
 
...Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. Luke 23:42
When that dying sinner uttered those words of faith, Jesus responded by saying: 
 
To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. 
Luke 23:43
A church doesn't save...  but Jesus does: 
 
For God sent not his Son into the world to 
condemn the world; but that the world through 
him might be saved. John 3:17

Much more then, being now justified by his blood,
we shall be saved from wrath through him.
Romans 5:9
If salvation was only available through the Catholic church, would God have intentionally misled us in His Word, knowing that our eternal destinies were 
at stake? 

Would Peter have openly stated the following words
in the Holy Scriptures? 
 
But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved... Acts 15:11
Conclusion

God's Word declares that salvation is obtained 
through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ, 
while the Catechism maintains that salvation is 
only available through the Catholic church. 

You must now decide who you will believe
the traditions of men, or the Word of God? You 
can't say both because each insists that the other is wrong: 
 
... God sent his only begotten Son into the 
world, that we might live through him.
1 John 4:9
Remember, someday you will stand before God 
and explain to Him why you made the decision 
you did. Are you willing to risk rejecting the Word 
of God to follow the traditions of men? 
 
For laying aside the commandment of God, ye 
hold the tradition of men... Mark 7:8

 

 

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