Will I Go to Heaven If I Am Not Baptized in the Catholic Church? What About Babies Who Die Before Being Baptized?

 IS CATHOLIC BAPTISM NECESSARY FOR SALVATION??

The Catholic Blog - Helping people find answers to the most common questions about Catholicism with answers from the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Bible. (www.catholic.blog )

“Is Catholic baptism necessary for salvation?” - Important Passages of The Catechism of the Catholic Church to Consider:

• “Those who belong to Christ through faith and Baptism must confess their baptismal faith before men” (CCC 14)
• “All who have been justified by faith in Baptism are incorporated into Christ.” (CCC 818)
• “Baptism, the gate by which we enter into the Church.” (CCC 950)
• “Baptism is necessary for salvation for those who have not yet been reborn” (CCC 980)
• “communicating forgiveness of sins in Baptism” (CCC 981)
• “The grace of the Holy Spirit has the power to justify us, that is, to cleanse us from our sins and to communicate to us ‘ the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ’ and through Baptism” (CCC 1987)
• “Justification is conferred in Baptism, the sacrament of faith” (CCC 1992)
• “Baptism is the first and chief sacrament of forgiveness of sins because it unites us with Christ” (CCC 977)
• “The faithful are born anew by Baptism” (CCC 1212)
• “Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit” (CCC 1213)
• “Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God” (CCC 1213)
• “Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the word” (CCC 1213)
• “This sacrament is also called the ‘washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit’ for it signifies and actually brings about the birth of water and the Spirit without which no one ‘can enter the Kingdom of God’” (CCC 1215)
• “exorcisms are pronounced over the candidate” (CCC 1237)
• “the baptismal water is consecrated by a prayer” (CCC 1238)
• “Baptism…signifies and actually brings about death to sin and entry into the life of the Most Holy Trinity through configuration to the Paschal mystery of Christ” (CCC 1239)
• “Baptism is performed in the most expressive way by triple immersion in the baptismal water.  However from ancient times it has also been able to be conferred by pouring the water over the candidate’s head” (CCC 1239)
• “The newly baptized is now, in the only Son, a child of God, entitled to say the prayer of the children of God: ‘Our Father’” (CCC 1243)
• “Baptism is the source of that new life in Christ from which the entire Christian life springs forth” (CCC 1254)
• “The Lord himself affirms that Baptism is necessary for salvation” (CCC 1257)
• “Baptism is necessary for salvation for those whom the Gospel has been proclaimed and who had the possibility of asking for this sacrament” (CCC 1257)
• “God has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism, but he himself is not bound by his sacraments” (CCC 1257)
• “For catechumens who die before their Baptism, their explicit desire to receive it, together with repentance for their sins, and charity, assures them the salvation that they were not able to receive through the sacrament” (CCC 1259)
• “By baptism all sins are forgiven” (CCC 1263)
• “Justified by faith in Baptism” (CCC 1271)
• “Baptism seals the Christian with the indelible spiritual mark (character) of his belonging to Christ.” (CCC 1272)

ARE INFANTS SAVED BY BAPTISM?

• “Born with a fallen human nature and tainted by original sin, children have need of the new birth in Baptism to be freed from the power of darkness and brought into the realm of the freedom of the Children of God” (CCC 1250)
• “The Church and the parents would deny a child the priceless grace of becoming a child of God were they not to confer Baptism shortly after birth” (CCC 1250)
• “As regards children who have died with Baptism, the Church can only entrust them to the mercy of God, as she does in her funeral rites for them. …allow us to hope that there is a way of salvation for children who have died without Baptism” (CCC 1261)
• “with respect to children who have died without Baptism, the liturgy of the Church invites us to trust in God’s mercy and to pray for their salvation” (CCC 1283)

WHY IS EVERY CATHOLIC EXORCISED AT BAPTISM?

• “When the Church asks publicly and authoritatively in the name of Jesus Christ that a person or object be protected against the power of the Evil One and withdrawn from his dominion, it is called exorcism” (CCC 1673)
• “Jesus performed exorcisms and from him the Church has received the power and office of exorcizing.  In a simple form, exorcism is performed at the celebration of Baptism.” (CCC 1673)
• “The solemn exorcism, called a ‘major exorcism,’ can be performed only by a priest and with the permission of the bishop.  The priest must proceed with prudence, strictly observing the rules established by the Church.” (1673)
• “Exorcism is directed at the expulsion of demons or to the liberation from demonic possession through he spiritual authority which Jesus entrusted to his Church.” (1673)

“Is Catholic baptism necessary for salvation?” - Important Scriptures to Consider:

• Titus 3:5 “he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit” (ESV)
• John 3:5 “Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.’” (ESV)
• Ezekiel 36:25–27 “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. [26] And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. [27] And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.” (ESV)
• Romans 6:3–4 “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? [4] We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” (ESV)
• 1 John 2:29 “If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.” (ESV)
• 1 John 3:9 “No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.” (ESV)
• 1 John 4:7 “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.” (ESV)
• 1 John 5:1 "Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him." (ESV)
• 1 John 5:4 “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” (ESV)
• 1 Corinthians 1:14 "I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius”
• 1 Corinthians 1:17 “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.”
• 1 Corinthians 15:1–8 “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, [2] and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. [3] For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, [4] that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, [5] and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. [6] Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. [7] Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. [8] Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.” (ESV)
• 2 Samuel 12:21-23 "His servants asked him, "Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!" 22 He answered, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, 'Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.' 23 But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”
• Ecclesiastes 6:3-5 “I say that a stillborn child is better off than he." (ESV)
• Deuteronomy 1:39 “And as for your little ones, who you said would become a prey, and your children, who today have no knowledge of good or evil, they shall go in there. And to them I will give it, and they shall possess it.” (ESV)
• Titus 2:11–12 “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, [12] training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age” (ESV)
• Zechariah 3:2 “And the LORD said to Satan, “The LORD rebuke you, O Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?” (ESV)
• Jude 9–10 “But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.” [10] But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively.” (ESV)
• More scriptures on the death of babies and children: www.trustworthyword.com/what-does-the-bible-say-about-the-death-of-babies-children 
• More scriptures on baptism: www.trustworthyword.com/what-does-the-bible-say-about-baptism 
• An Ante-Nicene (early church fathers’) historical approaches to spiritual warfare and exorcism: www.trustworthyword.com/sw-church-history  (NOTE: very different from the much later (1614) Catholic Church’s Rituale Romanum approach to the demonic)

“Is Catholic baptism necessary for salvation?” - Important Questions to Consider:

• Why is Baptism such a big deal for Catholic doctrine?  What does it mean that Baptism isn’t completed without penance, catechism, and the Eucharist?  Is that seen in the Bible?
• Is the “born of water” a reference to baptism in John 3:5? Or a reference to Ezekiel 36:25-27?
• Do the passages in 1 John speak about being born again by baptism? Or through belief? Love? Personal and relational knowledge of God? Evidenced by a changed life? In faith?
• Does Romans 6:3–4 describe being baptized into a church?
• Why is the process of getting baptized &going through Catechism in the Catholic Church so lengthy compared to the instantaneous belief and baptisms seen in Acts 2:41, 8:36, 9:18, 16:33, 18:8, 19:5?
• Is the consecration (blessing) of baptismal water in the Bible?
• Where is triple immersion in the Bible? Where is pouring over/infusion in the Bible?
• Where does the Bible advocate for praying for someone’s salvation after they already died?
• If baptism is necessary for salvation, why would Paul say he was thankful that he only baptized two people at Corinth (1 Corinthians 1:14)?
• If baptism is necessary for salvation, why would Paul say “Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel” (1 Corinthians 1:17)?
• Why Paul outlines the gospel in 1 Cor 15:1-8 why does he not mention baptism?  What is his focus?
• What do these passages imply about the salvation of babies & children who die? 2 Samuel 12:21-23, Deuteronomy 1:39, Job 3:11-17, Ecclesiastes 6:3-5, & Jeremiah 19:4.
• Are baptismal exorcisms (casting out of Satan/demons) in the Bible?  Why is exorcism performed as part of every Catholic Baptism?
• When exorcisms happen in the Bible what rules exist?  Or is it a simple command in the authority and name of Jesus?
• Why does the Roman Catholic Church has such extensive rules and procedures for exorcism as encapsulated in Rituale Romanum?

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You can download the free eBook "A Biblical Study of The Catechism of the Catholic Church" at www.catholic.blog or purchase a Kindle, paperback, or hardback version at Amazon (www.amazon.com/gp/product/B098L1MRLK).6 Tough Passages on Baptism to Consider

The below passages are tough to understand and seem, on their own, to advocate for baptismal regeneration (that baptism saves).  If we look more closely at them individual, we can see them more clearly and how they can be reconciled with the many Scriptures that explain that salvation comes through faith alone as a free gift of God’s loving grace.

1) Does Acts 2:38 teach that baptism is necessary for salvation?

Acts 2:38, “And Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”

• Could the best translation for “for” in this context be either “because of” or “in regard to” and not “in order to get”?
• Another important note is how some of the verbs and pronouns are different: some are singular and some are plural.  Could this mean that “when you take into account the change in person and plurality, essentially what you have is ‘You (plural) repent for the forgiveness of your (plural) sins, and let each one (singular) of you be baptized (singular).’ Or, to put it in a more distinct way: ‘You all repent for the forgiveness of all of your sins, and let each one of you be baptized.’” (for more see: www.gotquestions.org/baptism-Acts-2-38.html )

2) Does Mark 16:16 teach that baptism is necessary for salvation?

Mark 16:16 “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”

• An important translation note: “There is some question as to whether these verses were originally part of the Gospel of Mark or whether they were added later by a scribe. As a result, it is best not to base a key doctrine on anything from Mark 16:9-20, such as snake handling, unless it is also supported by other passages of Scripture.”
• If this verse it to be included in Scripture, does it even describe the eternal status of those who “believe and have not been baptized”?  We cannot for certain the opposite is true.
• What is the evidence of condemnation in this verse?  Is it even connected to baptism? 
• Does the Bible ever say that if one is not baptized they are not saved?  What about the man on the cross next to Jesus who is never baptized, never goes to church, never takes Eucharist, and is never confirmed? 
• What is required for salvation? Belief.
• More at: www.gotquestions.org/baptism-Mark-16-16.html 

3) Does 1 Peter 3:21 teach that baptism is necessary for salvation?

1 Peter 3:21 “Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (ESV)

• When Peter connects baptism to salvation, what is the root cause of the salvation?  What does baptism represent?  What does an “appeal to God” mean?
• Why does the Peter refer to the mechanical act of baptism ("removal of dirt”)?  It he pointing out that it isn’t about the act itself, but about the inward appeal of belief and repentances?
• How did the waters of the flood “save” Noah and his family?  How are the ark and baptism connected here (1 Peter 3:20)?
• Was Noah saved by his wisdom, obedience, skill, and hard work to build the ark?  Or was he saved by his inwards trust and love of the Lord so that the God provided a rescue from the waters of judgment?  Who shut the door of the ark (Genesis 7:16)?
• Are we saved by our wisdom, obedience, and diligence to get baptized?  Or are we saved by our inward trust and love of the Lord in how He provided a rescue from the judgment of sin through His death and resurrection on the cross?
• See www.gotquestions.org/baptism-1Peter-3-21.html for more helpful thoughts.

4) Does John 3:5 teach that baptism is necessary for salvation?

John 3:5 “Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. (ESV)

• Why is the word “baptism” not explicitly used here but is used later in the chapter (John 3:22-30) at a different time and place?
• Why is water the symbol of cleansing throughout the Bible? (for examples see: Psalm 51:2,7; Ezekiel 36:25, John 13:10; 15:3; 1 Corinthians 6:11; Hebrews 10:22; Ephesians 5:26; Titus 3:5)
• How might this connect to the “living water” Jesus speaks to later in John? (John 4:10 & 7:37-39)
• How does this “water” cleanse us internally and eternally? (see Ezekiel 36:25-27 & Titus 3:5)
• Why is water used often to symbolize the Spirit’s work in us? (see Isaiah 44:3 & John 7:38-39)
• Was Nicodemus being rebuked for not understanding baptism or for not understanding these passages: Ezekiel 36:25-27 and Jeremiah 31:33.
• More insights here: www.gotquestions.org/baptism-John-3-5.html 

5) Does Acts 22:16 teach that baptism is necessary for salvation?

Acts 22:16 “And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’” (ESV)

• Did Paul believe before his baptism (Galatians 1:11-12)?  
• Did Paul receive the Holy Spirit before his baptism? (Acts 9:17-18)
• A helpful translation note: “The Greek aorist participle, epikalesamenos, translated "calling on His name" refers either to action that is simultaneous with or before that of the main verb, "be baptized." Here Paul’s calling on Christ’s name for salvation preceded his water baptism. The participle may be translated "having called on His name" which makes more sense, as it would clearly indicate the order of the events.”
• How does baptism externally portray the inward washing away of sin that happens at salvation? (1 Corinthians 6:11 and 1 Peter 3:21).
• When Paul shares his testimony of conversion with King Agrippa (Acts 26:12-18), why does He focus on meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus and not on his encounter with Ananias (Acts 9:10-17) and baptism?
• For further study, checkout: www.gotquestions.org/baptism-Acts-22-16.html 

6) Does Galatians 3:27 teach that baptism is necessary for salvation?

Galatians 3:27 "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (ESV)

• Why is Paul writing this letter to the Galatians according to Galatians 1:6-10?
• What does he mean that we are “not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Christ” (Galatians 2:16) and that “you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26)?
• Is this passage even talking about baptism into water?  Or is it talking about union with Christ through the baptism of the Holy Spirit at the point of faith?  What does Romans 8:9 say is the principal difference between believers and non-believers?
• How is Jesus the one “who baptizes with the Holy Spirit” (John 1:33-34)?
• What does it mean to be “sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:13-14)?
• More info on this passage here: www.gotquestions.org/baptism-Galatians-3-27.html 

The American Holocaust

As I write this I reflect on this past week’s celebrations of the National Day of Prayer as well as Mother’s Day.  On the National Day of Prayer our nation is called to seek our Creator with humble repentance, requests, and praise.  On Mother’s Day we thank God for the blessing of the biological, foster, adoptive, and spiritual mothers He has given us.  In 2022 these two days have fallen in midst of a week of news and debate about the potential Supreme Court overruling of the horrendous Roe vs. Wade 1973 judicial overreach that legalized the murder of babies in American wombs.

2 Chronicles 7:14 “if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (ESV)

Twenty years ago I toured Dachau, Germany (a Nazi concentration camp) and saw the process through which millions were killed and were incinerated.  I cannot unsee a Nazi concentration camp.

In recent years, I have seen videos of the process through which abortionists have killed tens of millions of babies within the womb.  I cannot unsee the photos of children’s crushed, cut, and suctioned bodies.  I grieve that their mothers and fathers allowed the bodies of their children to be broken, dismembered, and disposed of or incinerated as trash.

Holocaust (dictionary.com): “any mass slaughter or reckless destruction of life”

German history cannot ignore their past reality of the Jewish holocaust.  A mass slaughter of people deemed “life unworthy of life” (German: Lebensunwertes Leben) due to their ethnicity or different abilities. 17+ million souls murdered from 1933-1945.

Exodus 20:13 “You shall not murder.”

American history cannot ignore their past and present reality of the American holocaust.  A mass slaughter of babies has occurred in the name of “choice”, “convenience”, “women’s health”, “privacy”, and “rights” by giving parents the “right” to murder their own children, declaring their child to be “life unworthy of life.”  63+ million souls murdered from 1973 to 2022.

Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.”

To Those Who Continue to Support Abortion.  Stop, before it is too late.  God assures us of His just wrath against those who murder.  Hear and heed His loving warning.  Watch a video of an abortion.  See the photos of dismembered infants.  Study the science and Scripture of life - watch babies sucking their thumbs in the womb, hear the heartbeats of 6 week olds, and feel the physical response of in-utero children to their mother’s voice.

Isaiah 5:20 “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil”

To Those Who Regret Their Past Abortion or Election of Pro-Abortion/Choice Leaders.  Confess to God that you are sincerely sorry.  Repent and turn away from your sin against your Creator and His creation. Trust and believe in Jesus’ death and resurrection. Ask God for forgiveness. Enjoy Jesus’ love and peace forever.

1 John 1:9–10 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

To Those Who Pray and Vote for an End of Abortion in America and Beyond.  Don’t stop.  Speak the truth and love of Jesus.  Keep praying fervently. Vote for life. Pray for our national, state, and local leaders.  Support Clarity Solutions for Women and other pro-life causes in our region.  Open your heart and home to adoption for the hundreds of thousands of babies that will need families if abortion is made illegal in the majority of U.S. states.  Don’t grow weary in doing good.  May the Lord heal our land.

Proverbs 31:8 “Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute.”

More here: "What Does the Bible Say About Abortion?"

 

What about Catholic mass? Is it necessary for salvation? Does giving to church save you?

 

DOES SALVATION COME THROUGH CATHOLIC MASS?

DOES GIVING MONEY TO CHURCH SAVE US?

The Catholic Blog - Helping people find answers to the most common questions about Catholicism with answers from the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Bible. (www.catholic.blog )

“Does salvation come through Catholic Mass?” - Important Passages of The Catechism of the Catholic Church to Consider:

• “the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation” (CCC 846)
• “They could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse to enter it or to remain in it” (CCC 846)
• “The liturgical celebration involves signs and symbols relating to creation (candles, water, fire), human life (washing, anointing, breaking bread), and the history of salvation (the rites of Passover)…these cosmic elements, human rituals, and gestures of remembrance of God become bearers of the saving and sanctifying action of Christ” (CCC 1189)
• “the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass” (CCC 2180)
• “the faithful are bound to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation…those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin” (CCC 2181)
• “the Church grants us the mercy of God which prevails over all our sins and is especially at work in us in the sacrament of reconciliation” (CCC 2040)
• “The first precept ‘You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor’” (CCC 2042)
• “The second precept ‘You shall confess your sins at least once per year’ ensures preparation for the Eucharist by the reception of the sacrament of reconciliation, which continues Baptism’s work of conversion and forgiveness” (CCC 2042)
• “The third precept ‘You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season.’ guarantees as a minimum the  reception of the Lord’s Body and Blood in connection with the Paschal feasts, the origin and center of the Christian liturgy.” (CCC 2042)
• “The fourth precept ‘You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church’ ensures the times of ascesis and penance which prepares us for the liturgical feasts and helps us to acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart.” (CCC 2043)
• “The first precept ‘You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church’ means that the faithful are obliged to assist with the material needs of the Church, each according to his own ability.” (CCC 2043)
• Tobit 4:11 "For alms deliver from all sin, and from death, and will not suffer the soul to go into darkness."  
• Tobit 12:9 "For alms delivereth from death, and the same is that which purgeth away sins, and maketh to find mercy and life everlasting.”
• 2 Maccabees 12:43 "And making a gathering, he sent twelve thousand drachms of silver to Jerusalem for sacrifice to be offered for the sins of the dead, thinking well and religiously concerning the resurrection."

“Does salvation come through Catholic Mass?” - Important Scriptures to Consider:

• Romans 10:9–10 “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. [10] For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” (ESV)
• Ephesians 2:8–9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, [9] not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (ESV)
• Romans 10:17 "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." (ESV)
• 1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”
• Matthew 23:4 “They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.” (ESV)
• Luke 11:46 “And he said, “Woe to you lawyers also! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers” (ESV)
• Acts 15:28–29 “For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: [29] that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.” (ESV)
• 1 Timothy 4:1–4 “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, [2] through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, [3] who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. [4] For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving” (ESV)
• Philemon 8–9 “Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, [9] yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus” (ESV)
• 2 Cor 9:5 “So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you & arrange in advance for the gift you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction.” (ESV)
• 2 Corinthians 9:7 “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (ESV)

“Does salvation come through Catholic Mass?” - Important Questions to Consider:

• Is there a Bible verse that you can find that says the Church is “necessary for salvation” (CCC 846)?
• Why would the Catholic Church say that “they could not be saved” who “refuse to enter … or to remain in” the Catholic Church?  Do we lose our salvation because of not being a member of the Catholic Church?
• Why would the word “obligation” be used in so many ways with parts of the Mass?
• When is our “conversion” complete according to the Bible?  At what point are we totally saved and forgiven according to Romans 10:9-10?  Why would the Catholic Church add so many more requirements to salvation?  How is that different than Acts 10:42-44?
• What are the warnings of Matthew 23:4 and Luke 11:46? Why does Paul warn Timothy about those who require “abstinence from foods” and “forbid marriage”? Do these warnings apply to the Catholic Church?
• Why does Paul describe giving as something to do as a “willing gift” and “not under compulsion” (2 Corinthians 9:5-7?  How is this different than being “obliged” (CCC 2043) and that “alms deliver from all sin” (Tobit 4:11) and that “alms delivereth from death” (Tobit 12:9)?  Does this difference concern you? Why?
• What do you think of 2 Maccabees 12:43?

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