Sunday, December 27, 2015

NO SALVATION OUTSIDE THE CHURCH?

When discussing salvation, the Catholic

Church sometimes uses the term “extra
ecclesiam nulla salus.” This is a Latin
phrase meaning “outside the Church
there is no salvation.” In Scripture, the
word “church” means “called out ones,”
and it refers to believers / saints (Acts
2:47), i.e., all those who are
saved, throughout the world (Ephesians
5:23; Colossians 1:17-18), and
sometimes it refers to the local
assembly of believers (1 Corinthians
1:2; Galatians 1:2; Revelation
chapters 1 and 2).

If the biblical definition of “the church”

is what is meant in this Latin slogan,
then it is somewhat redundant. It is like
saying that there are no Christians
outside Christianity. But that is self-
evident. But what does the Catholic
Church mean by “the Church” in this
context? Are they referring to all true
believers, no matter what denomination
or group you belong to? No, when they
say “the Church” here, they mean only
the Catholic Church, the organization /
institution headed by the Vatican in
Rome, the supposed “One True
Church.” They are claiming that no one
outside the Catholic Church can be
saved. If there is any doubt about this
definition, here are just a few official
Catholic sources to prove the point:

 In the Lateran Council (A.D. 1215),

Pope Innocent III wrote about the
Catholic Church: “One indeed is the
universal Church of the
faithful,outside which no one at all
is saved…” (Emphasis added)
 On November 18, 1302, Pope
Boniface VIII wrote in a papal
encyclical / bull called “Unam
Sanctam”: “Furthermore, we
declare, we proclaim, we define that
it is absolutely necessary for
salvation that every human creature
be subject to the Roman Pontiff [the
pope].” (Emphasis added)

 In 1441, at the Council of Florence,

Pope Eugene IV, in the papal
bull,“Cantate Domino,” wrote: “It
[the Catholic Church] firmly
believes, professes, and proclaims
that those not living within the
Catholic Church, not only pagans,
but also Jews and heretics and
schismatics cannot become
participants in eternal life, but will
depart ‘into everlasting fire which
was prepared for the devil and his
 angels’ (Matt. 25:41), unless before
the end of life the same have been
added to the flock… ”

 The Catechism of the Catholic

Church, teaches the same concept,
but in a softer, less abrasive, more
ecumenical language, “reformulated
positively.” CCC #846, quoting the
dogmatic constitution Lumen
Gentium (LG 14), says: “Basing itself
on Scripture and Tradition, the
Council [Vatican II] teaches that the
Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is
necessary for salvation…” (Emphasis
added)

In the past, the Catholic Church has

hurled many anathemas (declarations of
condemnation) toward Protestants and
other non-Catholics. But it seems that
today it is not as blunt as it used to be,
but is more concerned now about using
ecumenical, “separated brethren”
language that is not as
offensive. However, the point
remains. They are clearly telling us that
one needs to be a member of the
Catholic Church to make it into
Heaven. They’re not saying
that allCatholics are saved, but that
only faithful Catholics are.

However, in all fairness, the Catholic

Church does also teach that a non-
Catholiccan still possibly be saved, if he
is “invincibly ignorant” about the
Church, “through no fault of his own”
(CCC #847). We can agree with the
concept that a person who has never
heard of Jesus Christ (and perhaps never
will) can still be saved if he reaches out
for God (Acts 17:26-27; Romans 1:18-
20). But these people are the
exceptions to the rule. We don’t have a
problem with these exceptions. But we
do have a problem with the Catholic
Church claiming that the norm is that no
one is saved apart from the Catholic
Church. That’s an extraordinary claim,
and as we’ve said many times before,
extraordinary claimsrequire
extraordinary proof. But biblical proof
of this teaching is not to be found.

Catholicism’s concept of “extra

ecclesiam nulla salus” exists because of
their belief that they are the “One True
Church,” as mentioned earlier. And why
do they say this? Mainly because they
believe:

 The Catholic Church has all the right

sacraments.

 The Catholic Church has “Sacred

Tradition.”
  The Catholic Church has a leader in
the pope who unifies its people,
backed by apostolic succession.

 The Catholic Church has the “four

marks of the true church,” and
therefore, the fullness of the truth.

But we would respond in this way:

1) Concerning the sacraments, it is

(supposedly) through these that one can
obtain and maintain eternal life,
especially baptism, the Eucharist, and
confession to a priest. For the Catholic,
the sacraments are inseparably tied into
salvation (CCC #1129). But there are
some major problems with this system
of salvation by works. See here:
http://answeringcatholicclaims.blogspot
.com/2011/01/sacraments-gods-grace-
for-sale.html

2) Concerning “Sacred Tradition,” not

only does this teaching have some
special problems, it has an identity
crisis, as well. See here:

http://answeringcatholicclaims.blogspot
.com/2010/05/what-about-
tradition.html

3) Concerning the concept of a pope,

there is nothing in Scripture that
teaches there is such a person or such a
position in the church. Furthermore,
the Catholic Church’s concept of
“apostolic succession” is not scriptural
either, and it is morally and historically
unsustainable. See here:
http://answeringcatholicclaims.blogspot
.com/2009/12/apostolic-
succession.html
http://answeringcatholicclaims.blogspot
.com/2014/05/does-catholic-church-
have-four-marks-of_25.html

4) Concerning the “four marks of the

true church,” the Catholic Church
cannot claim either the fullness of the
truth, nor can it claim all four
marks. Actually, they cannot even
claim one of the marks in the way they
define them. See here for a four-part
series of articles addressing this topic:

http://answeringcatholicclaims.blogspot
.com/2014/02/there-aremany-
important-choices-that-we.html

http://answeringcatholicclaims.blogspot
.com/2014/03/does-catholic-church-
have-four-marks-of_28.html
http://answeringcatholicclaims.blogspot
.com/2014/04/does-catholic-church-
have-four-marks-of.html

http://answeringcatholicclaims.blogspot
.com/2014/05/does-catholic-church-
have-four-marks-of_25.html

In conclusion, this idea that there is no

salvation outside the Catholic Church is
a trap; it is just as much a trap as Eve’s
temptation in the Garden of Eden
(Genesis 3:1-6). The temptations may
not be the same, but the end result
is: spiritual death (Genesis 2:16-17).

When a person joins the Catholic

Church, he is hoping to obtain eternal
life, but if he is faithful to the Church’s
teachings, he will only have a system
which attempts to gain salvation
through faith plus works - a network of
bondage that enslaves its members from
cradle to grave. It is a method in which
there is no power to save. It is precisely
the type of system that the Apostle Paul
warned us about in Galatians 1:8-9,
one which condemns the individual
because it attempts to add our pitiful,
imperfect works to the perfect,
complete, and absolutely sufficient
work that Jesus did on the cross
(Romans 5:9; Hebrews 9:11-14; 10:16-
20).

The bottom line is that “No Salvation

outside the Catholic Church” is an
arrogant and unscriptural concept that
has burdened and entangled millions of
souls. So, dear friend, what will you
do? Will you give in to the many
unproven claims of the Catholic
Church… or will you submit to the
simple gospel of Jesus Christ, which is
the power of God unto
salvation (Romans 1:16)?
Posted by Russell at 11:54 AM 10 comments: Links to this post
Labels: "no salvation outside the Catholic Church", “extra ecclesiam nulla salus”, 4 marks, Apostolic Succession, definition
of the church, invincibly ignorant, Sacraments, Sacred Tradition, trap