Catholicism

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Jan 14, 2017
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#1
Is it necessary for you to be Catholic to go to heaven? Like to have confession and stuff? Idk because my grandmother is a strong Catholic, and so was my dad until he became more Protestant, which is what I am now. Some different denominations talk about how it's necessary to be that one to go to heaven. Is this true?
 
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tourist

Senior Member
Mar 13, 2014
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Tennessee
#2
It is necessary for you to repent of your sins and rely on the shed blood of Jesus dying in your place. Being a Catholic or a member of any other denomination is irrelevant.
 
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Stranger36147

Guest
#3
I say it doesn't matter what denomination you belong to. If you believe in the sacrifice Christ made for us on the cross and believe that he rose from the dead, you can go to Heaven.

I would trust scripture over what any denomination has to say on the matter of salvation.
 
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88

Senior Member
Nov 14, 2016
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#4
Is it necessary for you to be Catholic to go to heaven? Like to have confession and stuff? Idk because my grandmother is a strong Catholic, and so was my dad until he became more Protestant, which is what I am now. Some different denominations talk about how it's necessary to be that one to go to heaven. Is this true?
****Jesus saves us---not any Church---we must have "real faith"-----accept Jesus and confess our sins to God...
 
Apr 30, 2016
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#5
Is it necessary for you to be Catholic to go to heaven? Like to have confession and stuff? Idk because my grandmother is a strong Catholic, and so was my dad until he became more Protestant, which is what I am now. Some different denominations talk about how it's necessary to be that one to go to heaven. Is this true?
What a great question!
And what great answers you got.

Do you suppose God is Catholic? Baptist? Methodist?
Could you imagine if He only let into heaven people from any one denomination? LOL

First of all, God will judge you on what you know. If your grandmother knows what she knows, she'll be judged on that.
You'll be judged on what you know and believe.

I know that in the Catholic church something called Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus exists. Some will say that outside the Catholic church there is no salvation. This is very misunderstood and should not trouble you.

As those here have stated, Jesus saves you, HE hung on that cross, not any one denomination.
 

Blain

The Word Weaver
Aug 28, 2012
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#6
What a great question!
And what great answers you got.

Do you suppose God is Catholic? Baptist? Methodist?
Could you imagine if He only let into heaven people from any one denomination? LOL

First of all, God will judge you on what you know. If your grandmother knows what she knows, she'll be judged on that.
You'll be judged on what you know and believe.

I know that in the Catholic church something called Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus exists. Some will say that outside the Catholic church there is no salvation. This is very misunderstood and should not trouble you.

As those here have stated, Jesus saves you, HE hung on that cross, not any one denomination.
umm I think saying God will judge you on what you know is way off, there is no condemnation in Christ.
Alex you going to heaven is not based on confession to a priest the priest is a man and has not the power or authority to forgive sins only Christ has that. There are many things I don't like about the Catholic religion and that is one of them.
 
Apr 30, 2016
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#7
umm I think saying God will judge you on what you know is way off, there is no condemnation in Christ.
Alex you going to heaven is not based on confession to a priest the priest is a man and has not the power or authority to forgive sins only Christ has that. There are many things I don't like about the Catholic religion and that is one of them.
Hi Blain

So what do you think?

God is going to judge you on what you DON'T know?

Interesting concept. So you get to the pearly gate and God says..."WHAT! You DIDN'T KNOW that??? I guess you can't get in".

Alex, didn't say anything about any priest. He asked if every denomination can get to heaven. What do you reply to that?

Fran
 
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Ugly

Guest
#8
There are plenty of threads on catholicism. Perhaps look into those.
But mostly Christians do not accept catholicism. Many teachings are unbiblical.
And this isn't a 'denomination' issue since the teachings they have are so contrary to the bible.
 

Adstar

Senior Member
Jul 24, 2016
7,417
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#9
Is it necessary for you to be Catholic to go to heaven? Like to have confession and stuff? Idk because my grandmother is a strong Catholic, and so was my dad until he became more Protestant, which is what I am now. Some different denominations talk about how it's necessary to be that one to go to heaven. Is this true?
I was born into a catholic family and it was a devout one too.. I only missed one Sunday mass in my life up to my 20th year. I served as an altar boy for 10 years went to a convent primary school and was taught by nuns and a marist brothers High school/colledge..

But when i read the Bible for the first time in my early 20's i renounced the catholic religion and became a Christian and i will never go back to that harlot false religion ever again.. You asked ""Is it necessary for you to be a catholic to go to heaven?""



The question should be ""Is it possible for a catholic to enter into eternal life with the LORD Jesus Christ?""

My answer to that question is:: If they are a true catholic, No..
 

Blain

The Word Weaver
Aug 28, 2012
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#10
Hi Blain

So what do you think?

God is going to judge you on what you DON'T know?

Interesting concept. So you get to the pearly gate and God says..."WHAT! You DIDN'T KNOW that??? I guess you can't get in".

Alex, didn't say anything about any priest. He asked if every denomination can get to heaven. What do you reply to that?

Fran
When he asked about having confession and the fact he asked about being Catholic it kind of added together priests will be in the confession booth for people to confess their sins that is what I was talking about. And God is not going to judge us on what we know and don't know. We who are in Christ have no fear of being judged because we are called saints perfected in Christ and not appointed to his wrath. Besides you think he will judge us on our knowledge? on what we know and don't know? he said to lean not on our own understanding for a reason
 
Apr 30, 2016
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#11
When he asked about having confession and the fact he asked about being Catholic it kind of added together priests will be in the confession booth for people to confess their sins that is what I was talking about. And God is not going to judge us on what we know and don't know. We who are in Christ have no fear of being judged because we are called saints perfected in Christ and not appointed to his wrath. Besides you think he will judge us on our knowledge? on what we know and don't know? he said to lean not on our own understanding for a reason
Blain,
You're a young guy and I'm not going to argue with you.

Here's what I think though:
God WILL judge you on what you know.

Let's say you believe you should confess directly to God. This is what you believe in your heart and you love our Lord Jesus.

A Catholic person believes he should confess to a priest because he heard this all his life. This is what he believes in his heart and he loves our Lord Jesus.

Who is going to heaven?
Each one KNOWS something totally different.

Fran
 

Blain

The Word Weaver
Aug 28, 2012
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#12
Blain,
You're a young guy and I'm not going to argue with you.

Here's what I think though:
God WILL judge you on what you know.

Let's say you believe you should confess directly to God. This is what you believe in your heart and you love our Lord Jesus.

A Catholic person believes he should confess to a priest because he heard this all his life. This is what he believes in his heart and he loves our Lord Jesus.

Who is going to heaven?
Each one KNOWS something totally different.

Fran
Wisdom and understanding is not limited by age, I may be young but that doesn't mean I don't know what I'm talking about.
Here is how I see it God looks to the heart if say that I am before God as well as a catholic now say he asks each of us why should I let you into heaven? My reply would be I am not worthy of your kingdom but I trust in Jesus Christ and the catholic says the same thing because regardless of our understanding in how we should confess our sins we both share a very deep and personal love bond and relationship with God.

Our doctrines are different our understanding and views of the scriptures are different we both have a different level of knowledge however our hearts share the same fire for him the same passion same love and adoration and that is what makes us able to go home with him.
 

Adstar

Senior Member
Jul 24, 2016
7,417
3,468
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#13
Blain,
You're a young guy and I'm not going to argue with you.

Here's what I think though:
God WILL judge you on what you know.

Let's say you believe you should confess directly to God. This is what you believe in your heart and you love our Lord Jesus.

A Catholic person believes he should confess to a priest because he heard this all his life. This is what he believes in his heart and he loves our Lord Jesus.

Who is going to heaven?
Each one KNOWS something totally different.

Fran
Fran if someone comes to the person who believes that they must confess to a priest to be forgiven that sin and they are told that No if you believe Jesus and trust in the Atonement of the LORD Jesus Christ and aknowledge your sin to God then you shall be saved... Then from that moment on they have been told the truth and if they continue to go to a priest to confess their sins and thus make a public show of support for a false relgion then they have rejected the Word of God that was clearly given to them and they shall not have eternal life with God...

One cannot plead ignorance if one has been told the truth...
 
Apr 30, 2016
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#14
Fran if someone comes to the person who believes that they must confess to a priest to be forgiven that sin and they are told that No if you believe Jesus and trust in the Atonement of the LORD Jesus Christ and aknowledge your sin to God then you shall be saved... Then from that moment on they have been told the truth and if they continue to go to a priest to confess their sins and thus make a public show of support for a false relgion then they have rejected the Word of God that was clearly given to them and they shall not have eternal life with God...

One cannot plead ignorance if one has been told the truth...
Hi Adstar,
I understand your point.

Here's the problem. I know both Catholic and Protestant doctrine.
Did you know that Catholics are told exactly what you're saying above? Here it is:

exposed to ultimate despair.[SUP]333[/SUP]845 To reunite all his children, scattered and led astray by sin, the Father willed to call the whole of humanity together into his Son's Church. The Church is the place where humanity must rediscover its unity and salvation. The Church is "the world reconciled." She is that bark which "in the full sail of the Lord's cross, by the breath of the Holy Spirit, navigates safely in this world." According to another image dear to the Church Fathers, she is prefigured by Noah's ark, which alone saves from the flood.[SUP]334[/SUP]
"Outside the Church there is no salvation"
846 How are we to understand this affirmation, often repeated by the Church Fathers?[SUP]335[/SUP] Re-formulated positively, it means that all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body:
Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Council teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church. He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and Baptism, and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through Baptism as through a door. Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it.[SUP]336[/SUP]847 This affirmation is not aimed at those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ and his Church:
Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, 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.[SUP]337[/SUP]848 "Although in ways known to himself God can lead those who, through no fault of their own, are ignorant of the Gospel, to that faith without which it is impossible to please him, the Church still has the obligation and also the sacred right to evangelize all men."[SUP]338

(Catechism of the Catholic Church)

Then there's vincible and invincible ignorance. If you're interested check out CCC paragraph nos. 1735, 1746, 1793 and 1859.

You see, it's very complicated.

So in the end analysis, I like to depend on God's mercy, grace, and understanding.
What is in our HEART, is what we will be judged on.

YOU think you have the truth. The guy that goes to confession things HE has the truth. If each of you believe in your heart that you're doing the right thing, THIS is what you will be held accountable for.

(not to mention John 20:23!)

So better not to complicate things too much... What say you?

Fran[/SUP]
 
Apr 30, 2016
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#15
Wisdom and understanding is not limited by age, I may be young but that doesn't mean I don't know what I'm talking about.
Here is how I see it God looks to the heart if say that I am before God as well as a catholic now say he asks each of us why should I let you into heaven? My reply would be I am not worthy of your kingdom but I trust in Jesus Christ and the catholic says the same thing because regardless of our understanding in how we should confess our sins we both share a very deep and personal love bond and relationship with God.

Our doctrines are different our understanding and views of the scriptures are different we both have a different level of knowledge however our hearts share the same fire for him the same passion same love and adoration and that is what makes us able to go home with him.
I'm sorry Blain. I was young too once and not dumb - I didn't mean to imply anything of the sort. I apologize.

And to the above, I say AMEN!
We must have misunderstood each other in some way. I agree with all you say.

Blessings,
Fran
 
Aug 16, 2016
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#17
As far as im aware of Catholics confesses to man. We are to confess to God he is the only one who can cleanse us. The Catholic priest have no authority to forgive sins only God does. Please tell your loved ones to seek God directly for forgiveness not man.
 
T

Tinuviel

Guest
#18
The only time we are told to confess to a human is when we've wronged them. In that case, it can be an extreme load off of your shoulders. But no, it is not necessary to have confession with an earthly priest. Christ came to be our eternal High Priest. And not only can He listen to our sins, He can forgive them and take away the guilt :)
 

Blain

The Word Weaver
Aug 28, 2012
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#19
I'm sorry Blain. I was young too once and not dumb - I didn't mean to imply anything of the sort. I apologize.

And to the above, I say AMEN!
We must have misunderstood each other in some way. I agree with all you say.

Blessings,
Fran
it happens sometimes I was at fault too:)
 

17Bees

Senior Member
Oct 14, 2016
1,362
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#20
Alex - just so there is a more complete picture of what scripture actually says about the forgiveness of sin, James 5:16 tells us specifically to confess our sins to one another. And to go a little further (and I'm paraphrasing from some writing by Joe Martignoni a Catholic apologist) in Matthew 9:6 Jesus says the authority to forgive sin was given to Him and two verses later in verse 8, that this very authority was given to "men" plural. In John 20:22 and 23 Jesus breathed on his Apostles at the time of His resurrection and said "...Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any they are forgiven, if you retain the sins of any they are retained". And in the verse before this, John 20:21 Jesus told his disciples that just as God sends Him, so He sends his Apostles with such authority through the Holy Spirit. This is not meaning that man forgives the sin, that power resides with God alone, but that God administers that power through the apostle's ministry. Catholics believe they are simply following the plan laid out by Christ by confessing their sin to Priests whom they consider to be apostle's of Christ's ministry.