I posted one of my stories on Facebook about how we should tell people about JESUS, and I was harshly attacked by a lady who took offence that I said, “he said he attended a Church that sounded Catholic, so his religious box is checked.” She said I was ignorant and cruel for saying Catholics aren’t saved. Trying to clear things up, I said I was sorry if she was offended, but I neither intended nor said that. I said there are unsaved people in all religions.
She continued her attack and my daughter, who saw her comments, intervened, and told the lady she completely missed the point of the post, and she (my daughter) knows the writer (me) isn’t cruel and ignorant (thanks). That must have had some effect on the lady, but she still wanted to press her point and asked me “Do you believe Catholics are saved?” She wanted to argue, and I didn’t, so I deleted all the comments, not wanting to distract from the original post.
The question remains, “Are Catholics saved?” So, we don’t have to go down the list of all religions, let’s change the question to, “Who is saved?” First, let’s be clear about one point. When you die and come before the judgment seat, I will not be the one you have to answer to. I won’t be telling you to “enter in” or “depart from me” (Mat 25:34 and 46) and I certainly won’t have you cast into the flames. That means I don’t have the authority to judge your salvation. I do have the responsibility to warn you of the coming judgment and share the Good News that you can be saved.
So, what is the point of this story, if you don’t have the authority to judge whether people are lost or saved? I personally know the One who has the authority to judge, and He shared His plan of salvation with me. I believed in my heart and confessed with my mouth, and I became part of His family. Now I want to share the Good News with you that JESUS saves, heals and delivers! I want to share the plan of salvation, so you can know that you are saved! I want to share the love I received from GOD who “so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16 KJV).
You still haven’t said who is saved! JESUS said, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3 KJV). JESUS has the authority and will be the Judge, and He says those who are born again will see the kingdom of GOD. But he didn’t name a religion? That’s right! So how are we born again? Paul said, “if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away” (2 Cor 5:17 KJV). He explained salvation like this, “if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).
GOD didn’t limit the offer to a religion but said “whosoever believeth.” JESUS said you must be “born again” (saved) to see the kingdom of GOD and He is the one who died to pay for your sin. I have it on the greatest authority that people who confess with their mouth and believe in their heart in the Lord Jesus are saved. You are included in that offer!
Wayne Lance (2021) – That’s Good News to Share!