Who Is Saved?
Who Is Saved?
by Friar Jim Van Vurst, O.F.M.
Last month, I considered our Catholic theology of salvation and what it means: We have been saved (through Jesus’ redemptive death); we are being saved (through our journey living the gospel life as Jesus commanded us); and we will be saved (at the moment at death when we see God face to face).
But that still leaves an important question you may have heard more than a few times: “Well, just who is saved?” Only Catholics or Baptists? Only Christians? What about Muslims, Hindus and others? Does that mean anyone who is not baptized is not saved? The distinctions—and exclusions—go on and on. Some draw the conclusion that hell will be packed with the condemned while heaven will hold just a scattered few who were in the right church or said the right words. In fact, it is unfortunate when you hear a person say, “only a few are saved, and I’m one of them!”
What does the Catholic Church teach?
We’ve all heard the statement “no one can be saved outside the Catholic Church.” Well, you have to understand that in a very important way. If someone knew and understood that the Catholic Church was indeed established by Jesus and that it was the one true Church and, in spite of that knowledge, still rejected the grace to be baptized and to enter the Church, that person is rejecting Jesus’ command and grace (Catechism of the Catholic Church , #846). Remember, it is the person who is rejecting Jesus, not Jesus rejecting that person. Jesus died for that person too.
But the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) hastens to say that “[t]his affirmation is not aimed at those who through no fault of their own do not know Christ or his Church.” It says that those "who do not know but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart and moved by grace try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience—those too may achieve eternal salvation” (CCC, #847). That statement draws a much bigger circle of those saved than some people think there should be. Thank God it is his judgment, not ours
This statement is very broad for two important reasons: 1) God wants everyone saved (Jn 3:17). 2) Jesus died for every person without exception. He died for sinners (1 Tim 2:4 ). So no person—and not even the Church on earth—can begin to separate those saved from those not saved without placing restrictions on God’s universal will for the salvation of all his children. That is why God alone is the judge as to eternal salvation. That is why the Church will canonize saints but will never declare any specific person to be in hell. Many people can make a list of individuals they think should be eternally damned, but no person on earth can make that judgment. We just don’t know. Only God knows.
It is important to realize that the Church is the Body of Christ and that body and all who seek God, even without the advantage of knowing the true Church, are related to that body in a special way. God does not demand the impossible. People can only do what they are able to in the circumstances of their lives. As important and wonderful as it is to be graced with faith in the Church established by Jesus, human circumstances often simply make this impossible for every living human. We must admit that most of us are Catholic because we were blessed with parents who passed to us their faith from the time we were infants.
Is salvation open to all?
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that the Jewish people are held in special regard by God and that their call to salvation is irrevocable (#840). Further, we read, “The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator in the first place, amongst whom the Muslims [because] together with us they adore the merciful God, mankind’s judge on the last day” (#841).
With non-Christian religions, "His providence, evident goodness, and saving design extend to all against the day when the elect are gathered into the holy city” (#842). And finally we read that the Catholic Church "recognizes in other religions that search, among the shadows and images for the God who is unknown...thus the Church considers all goodness and truth found in these religions as a preparation for the gospel given by him who enlightens all men that they may at length have life” (#843).
Why is the Catholic Church important?
Now having said all this, these words are meant in any way to lessen the importance of the Catholic Church. It is the one, holy and apostolic Church Jesus founded with Peter as the chief shepherd (Mt 16). Other churches have some of these qualities and therefore have a positive relationship to the Church Jesus founded. However, It is this Church alone which has nearly 2000 years of history and tradition.
The Catholic Church currently has 1.2 billion members, and more than 150,000 adults in the U.S. alone were welcomed into the Church on Easter Vigil Night. The Catholic Church has missionaries in every part of the world. (It always has and always will.) Our Catholic faith and our Church given to us by Jesus has done so much for us that we should thank him by all that we say and do. But we, graced with faith, must never forget that all people are children of God, for whom Jesus died. All can be saved by Jesus, even those who did know know him.
posted by Kevin @ 7:03 PM
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