Pope Says That Non-Christians Can Be Saved!
Faith in Christ is NOT Necessary to Salvation!
Code: ZE05113005
Date: 2005-11-30
Nonbelievers Too Can Be Saved, Says Pope
Refers to St. Augustine's Commentary on Psalm 136(137)
VATICAN CITY, NOV. 30, 2005 (Zenit.org).— Whoever seeks peace and the good of the community with a pure conscience, and keeps alive the desire for the transcendent, will be saved even if he lacks biblical faith, says Benedict XVI.
The Pope made this affirmation today at the general audience, commenting on a meditation written by St. Augustine (354-430).See:
Pope Benedict XVI's general audience, Nov. 30 2005.
1260 "Since Christ died for all, and since all men are in fact called to one and the same destiny, which is divine, we must hold that the Holy Spirit offers to all the possibility of being made partakers, in a way known to God, of the Paschal mystery."62 Every man who is ignorant of the Gospel of Christ and of his Church, but seeks the truth and does the will of God in accordance with his understanding of it, can be saved. It may be supposed that such persons would have desired Baptism explicitly if they had known its necessity.
Source:
5. All the just of the earth, including those who do not know
Christ and his Church, who, under the influence of grace, seek God with a
sincere heart (cf.
Lumen gentium, n. 16), are thus called to build the kingdom of God by
working with the Lord, who is its first and decisive builder. Therefore, we
must entrust ourselves to his hands, to his Word, to his guidance, like
inexperienced children who find security only in the Father: "Whoever does
not accept the kingdom of God like a child", Jesus said, "shall not enter it"
(Lk 18: 17).Text of the Wednesday Audience message JOHN
PAUL II, GENERAL AUDIENCE, Wednesday 6
December 2000.
With the Apostle Peter, we confess that "there is salvation in no one else" (Acts 4: 12). The Declaration Dominus Iesus, following the lead of the Second Vatican Council, shows us that this confession does not deny salvation to non-Christians, but points to its ultimate source in Christ, in whom man and God are united. God gives light to all in a way which is accomodated to their spiritual and material situation, granting them salvific grace in ways known to himself (Dominus Iesus, VI, nn. 20-21). The Document clarifies essential Christian elements, which do not hinder dialogue but show its bases, because a dialogue without foundations would be destined to degenerate into empty wordiness.
Source:
POPE'S WORDS BEFORE THE "ANGELUS", VATICAN CITY,
OCT. 1, 2000
3. The Holy Spirit is not only present in other religions through authentic expressions of prayer. “The Spirit’s presence and activity”, as I wrote in the Encyclical Letter Redemptoris missio, “affect not only individuals but also society and history, peoples, cultures and religions” (n. 28).
Normally, “it will be in the sincere practice of what is good in their own religious traditions and by following the dictates of their own conscience that the members of other religions respond positively to God’s invitation and receive salvation in Jesus Christ, even while they do not recognize or acknowledge him as their Saviour (cf. Ad gentes, nn. 3, 9, 11)” (Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue — Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples,
Source:
Pope John Paul II, General Audience, Wednesday 9 September 1998
16. ... Those also can attain to salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience.(19*) Nor does Divine Providence deny the helps necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God and with His grace strive to live a good life.
(19*) Cfr. Epist. S.S.C.S. Officii ad Archiep. Boston.: Denz. 3869-72.
Source:
Lumen Gentium, (DOGMATIC CONSTITUTION ON THE CHURCH), Pope Paul VI,
November 21, 1964, section 16.
Cardinal Arinze says it is possible to get to heaven without accepting Jesus.
| During a group discussion of religious leaders from around the world, held at the Thanksgiving World Assembly in Dallas, Texas, in March of 1999, Cardinal Francis Arinze, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, is quoted as follows: |
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Cardinal Francis Arinze |
"(A document from the Second Vatican Council) says that God's grant of salvation includes not only Christians, but Jews, Muslims, Hindus and people of good will. That is, a person can be saved, can attain salvation, but on condition that the person is open to God's action. ..." ...
Robert Ashley, news director at Dallas radio station KHVN-AM, asked Cardinal Arinze: "So you can still get to heaven without accepting Jesus?"
Cardinal Arinze answered: "Expressly, yes (he laughs with the audience)."
Source:
This is a very interesting situation, where the Vatican is proclaiming itself to be the one true church of Christ, and that all non-Roman Catholic denominations "suffer from defects" and "are not Churches in the proper sense", and other religions "are in a gravely deficient situation", while at the same time they are denying that faith in Jesus Christ is necessary to salvation, that non-Christians can be saved. Truly Amazing!
John 3:16 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 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.John 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
Jesus Himself says in the Bible says that non-Christians cannot be
saved, but the Pope says they can be saved.
Who shall we believe? Jesus or the Pope?
1 John 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
1 John 2:23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
Denying that faith in Jesus Christ in necessary to salvation, is denying Christ Himself. The Bible flatly calls this Antichrist.
Vatican Again
Declares Non-Christian Jews Saved!
Faith in Jesus is NOT Necessary!
"The universality of Christ's redemption for Jews and gentiles is so fundamental throughout the entire New Testament ... that it cannot be ignored or passed over in silence," "This does not mean that Jews in order to be saved have to become Christians; if they follow their own conscience and believe in God's promises as they understand them in their religious tradition, they are in line with God's plan, which for us comes to historical completion in Jesus Christ," ― Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Vatican's Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews, Nov. 6th 2002.
Source:
Evangelization and the Jewish People
... Thus, while the Catholic Church regards the saving act of Christ as central to the process of human salvation for all, it also acknowledges that Jews already dwell in a saving covenant with God. The Catholic Church must always evangelize and will always witness to its faith in the presence of God's kingdom in Jesus Christ to Jews and to all other people. In so doing, the Catholic Church respects fully the principles of religious freedom and freedom of conscience, so that sincere individual converts from any tradition or people, including the Jewish people, will be welcomed and accepted.
However, it now recognizes that Jews are also called by God to prepare the world for God's kingdom. Their witness to the kingdom, which did not originate with the Church's experience of Christ crucified and raised, must not be curtailed by seeking the conversion of the Jewish people to Christianity. ...Source:
179. Would a good and practicing Jew go to heaven, despite his not being baptized a Christian?
Yes, provided through no fault of his own he did not at any time advert to the truth of Christianity, and to the necessity of actual baptism; and provided he sincerely believed Judaism to be still the true religion, and died truly repentant of all serious violations of conscience during life.
Source: Radio Replies, third volume, by Fathers Rumble and Carty, Radio Replies Press, St. Paul 1, Minn., U.S.A., copyright 1942, page 43.
If non-Christian Jews are indeed saved, despite their rejection of Jesus Christ as the Messiah, then why were the 12 Apostles initially commanded by Jesus to take the Gospel only to the Jews, who are described as lost sheep? (This changed after the stoning of Stephen by the Sanhedrin, when the Apostles were directed by God to also take the Gospel to the Gentiles.)
Mat 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
Mat 10:6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Mat 15:24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Acts 4:10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
Acts 4:11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
According to the Bible, even the Jews need to hear and accept the Gospel message of Jesus Christ to be saved, despite Antichrist Catholic pronouncements to the contrary.
Note these historic and dogmatic statements from the Roman Catholic Church regarding Jews:
The most Holy Roman Church firmly believes, professes and preaches that none of those existing outside the Catholic Church, not only pagans, but also Jews and heretics and schismatics, can have a share in life eternal; but that they will go into the eternal fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels, unless before death they are joined with Her; and that so important is the unity of this ecclesiastical body that only those remaining within this unity can profit by the sacraments of the Church unto salvation, and they alone can receive an eternal recompense for their fasts, their almsgivings, their other works of Christian piety and the duties of a Christian soldier. No one, let his almsgiving be as great as it may, no one, even if he pour out his blood for the Name of Christ, can be saved, unless he remain within the bosom and the unity of the Catholic Church.
Source: Papal Bull
Who is alienated & utterly separated from the Church of Christ?
The Jews, and all Infidels, and they that by Apostasy forsake their faith. And heretics which although they be christened, yet obstinately defend error against the Catholic faith. Moreover Schismatics, which separate themselves from peace and Catholic unity: also they that be lawfully excommunicated. All these manner of people are excluded from the Communion of Saints, the participation of Sacraments, & sufferages of the Church: which be clean void of a spiritual life, & are in bondage of the devil.
Source:
Q. Why may not a well-meaning person be saved in any religion?
A. Because there is but one Lord, one faith, one baptism, Ephes. iv. 5, and without (that one) faith, it is impossible to please God. Heb. xi. 6.
Q. What other reason have you for it?
A. Because, as in a natural body, that part which has not a due connection to the heart or root, presently dies for want of continuity; so in the church (the mystical body of Christ) that man who has not a due subordination and connection to the head and common councils thereof, (that is, the Pope and general councils from whence under Christ we have our spiritual life and motion, as we are Christians,) must needs be dead, nor indeed can he be accounted a member of that mystical body.
Q. Who, I beseech you, are those who are not to be accounted members of the Church?
A. All such as are not in the unity of the church, by a most firm belief of her doctrine, and due obedience to her pastors; as Jews, Turks, Heretics, &c.Source:
Here is what the Roman Catholic Church used to teach regarding non-Catholics. The following statements were condemned as error:
III. INDIFFERENTISM, LATITUDINARIANISM
15. Every man is free to embrace and profess that religion which, guided by the light of reason, he shall consider true. -- Allocution "Maxima quidem," June 9, 1862; Damnatio "Multiplices inter," June 10, 1851.
16. Man may, in the observance of any religion whatever, find the way of eternal salvation, and arrive at eternal salvation. -- Encyclical "Qui pluribus," Nov. 9, 1846.
17. Good hope at least is to be entertained of the eternal salvation of all those who are not at all in the true Church of Christ. -- Encyclical "Quanto conficiamur," Aug. 10, 1863, etc.
18. Protestantism is nothing more than another form of the same true Christian religion, in which form it is given to please God equally as in the Catholic Church. -- Encyclical "Noscitis," Dec. 8, 1849.
Source:
And we are to believe that the infallible teachings of the Church of Rome never change? Note this from the Catholic Douay-Rheims Bible:
Galatians 2:7 But contrariwise, when they had seen that to me [Paul] was committed the gospel of the uncircumcision, as to Peter was that of the circumcision.
Galatians 2:8 (For he who wrought in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, wrought in me [Paul] also among the Gentiles.)
Here we see from the epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Galatians that Peter's commission was to preach to the Jews (the circumcision) while Paul's commission was to the Gentiles (the uncircumcision). But today, the Pope, the Vatican and other Catholics are teaching that the Jews need not become Christians in order to be saved. They are, in fact, repudiating the commission of Peter to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Jews as completely unnecessary! This teaching could be correctly described as being antichrist.
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