Vatican: Jews don't need Christ to be saved

[Timna]

Vatican: Jews don't need Christ to be saved

Report, which isn't formal change to doctrine, says Jews don't need to convert for salvation, in an 'unfathomable mystery.'

Jews can secure eternal salvation without converting to Christianity, senior Catholic theologians say in a report published Thursday, in the latest refinement of their stance on a vexed theological issue.

Addressing a question that has long blighted relations between the two faiths, the report also unequivocally states that the Church should not actively seek to convert Jews to Christianity, echoing the stance outlined by former Pope Benedict XVI in a 2011 book.

The report, drawn up by the Church's "Commission for religious relations with the Jews," goes further than Benedict however in effectively affirming that Jews can be saved independently of Christ.

"Although Jews cannot believe in Jesus Christ as the universal redeemer, they have a part in salvation, because the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable," the report concludes, according to a summary released to the media.

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/204717#.VmmjnL8YORM

Sounds like John Hagee.



Vatican: Catholics should not try to convert Jews

'A Christian can never be an anti-Semite, especially because of the Jewish roots of Christianity,' says new document issued by the Holy See; this is the first time the Catholic church officially repudiates active attempts to convert Jews.

Catholics should not try to convert Jews and should work with them to fight anti-Semitism, the Vatican said on Thursday in a major new document that drew the Church further away from the strained relations of the past.

Christianity and Judaism are intertwined and God never annulled his covenant with the Jewish people, said the document from the Vatican's Commission for Religious Relations with Jews.

"The Church is therefore obliged to view evangelization to Jews, who believe in the one God, in a different manner from that to people of other religions and world views," it said.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4737638,00.html

 

[WorldWithoutEnd]

Clearly, they don't believe the Bible...Acts 4:12.

The word MUST, must be emphasised.

 

[Timna]

Clearly, they don't believe the Bible...Acts 4:12.

The word MUST, must be emphasised.

The Pope, or whomever prepares his remarks, is very adept at verbal gymnastics.

 

[DanLMP]

So much for John 14:6.
Don't need that anymore.

 

[WorldWithoutEnd]

The Pope, or whomever prepares his remarks, is very adept at verbal gymnastics.

Why do you think this is? Personally, I think it's in order to deceive. But in the back of my mind I think that it also may involve their erroneous beliefs that the priests can absolve peoples sin. It's really sad to me, that people actually believe that Catholicism is Christian. I also think it's a ploy of the enemy as found in 2 Cor 11:14-16, in a vain attempt to smear the name that is above every name.

 

[WaitingForTheTrumpet]

Or Matthew 23:37

 

[Timna]

Why do you think this is? Personally, I think it's in order to deceive. But in the back of my mind I think that it also may involve their erroneous beliefs that the priests can absolve peoples sin. It's really sad to me, that people actually believe that Catholicism is Christian. I also think it's a ploy of the enemy as found in 2 Cor 11:14-16, in a vain attempt to smear the name that is above every name.

Since the RCC thinks it is the "Mother Church" and has always been, it is a slap in the face at doctrines other than theirs, particularly Evangelical Christianity, which is deceit, as you mention.

 

[untilhecomes]

At least they are showing their colors for the world to see....

 

[lightofmylife]

Since the RCC thinks it is the "Mother Church" and has always been, it is a slap in the face at doctrines other than theirs, particularly Evangelical Christianity, which is deceit, as you mention.

They are really in darkness because their church is not the way to heaven. No denomination is it is only by Ephesians 2:10-13 that we are saved. They say the apostles creed, but they have not received as their personal Savior to be with in eternal life. John 1:12-15. Praying for Catholics to become born again Christians, and to leave this cult. In Jesus Name!

 

[billiefan2000]

obviously the Vatican ignores John 14:6 and Acts 4:12

and in the OT

Isaiah 53 and Isaiah 9:6 and Micah 5:2

That and the fact most of the early church were Jewish Believers in Jesus

including Paul and Peter and John

 

[Walter Kerr]

I hope that this is not seen as hijacking this thread as that is not my intention. To my mind anyway, the following comments naturally link to this thread showing that Rome considers that the Moslems also don't need Christ to be saved.

Items 841and 845 in the Roman Catholic Catechism are headed, “The Church's Relationship with the Muslims.” Here it is.

"The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day.…

“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 (barque or ship) 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. Outside the Church there is no salvation”
Source: http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a9p3.htm​

The plain reading of that says that it is not a matter of the Moslems being converted to Christ, it seems they can “come as they are.” Provided they link with the Roman Catholic Church they will enjoy its “unity and salvation.” Hence we see the Roman Catholic plans and ongoing attempts to link them to the Church. It doesn’t seem to matter that Islam denies the deity of Christ, His death and resurrection and all the fundamentals of the Christian faith.

The Pope is presenting an open door to the Moslems who need not change anything. They are saved in Mohammed apparently.

The Roman Church’s call to Islam is not really a new phenomenon. They issued a document called “Nostra Aetate” which means “In our Age.” It is a Declaration on the Relation of the Church with Non-Christian Religions issued by the 2nd Vatican Council on 28th October 1965.

“The church has also a high regard for the Muslims. They worship God, who is one, living and subsistent, merciful and almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, who has also spoken to humanity. They endeavour to submit themselves without reserve to the hidden decrees of God, just as Abraham submitted himself to God's plan, to whose faith Muslims eagerly link their own. Although NOT acknowledging him as God, they venerate Jesus as a prophet; his virgin Mother they also honour, and even at times devoutly invoke. Further, they await the day of judgment and the reward of God following the resurrection of the dead. For this reason they highly esteem an upright life and worship God, especially by way of prayer, alms-deeds and fasting.” (My emphasis) Source: http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_...ts/vat-ii_decl_19651028_nostra-aetate_en.html​

Rome admits that Islam denies Christ’s deity, but they seem happy enough that at least Islam sees Jesus as a prophet. How can any Bible believing Christian give any support to those who deny the Godhood of Jesus? Islam is applauded for esteeming Mary whom the Moslems even “devoutly invoke.” Mary, certainly does better that the Son of God in this statement, but who is surprised by that?

 

[Andy C]

Nothing the Pope or the catholic church says or does surprises me anymore. Satan is not happy with the deception of a billion member church, he wants another billion or so to join together, and lose out on salvation. And yes, I know there will be many who will come out of the catholic church as saved, but only if the do not follow the teachings of that church, and have accepted Jesus as their Savior, with no works required, saved by Grace, through Faith in Him.

 

[duckdogger]

The catholic organization is satanic from its fictitious foundation to the doctrinal sewage it spews today. Mind you not the "parishioners", but the leadership.

 

[DanLMP]

The Muslims AND the atheists Walter.

 

[Hol]

Thanks Walter, I had no idea the RCC is so hateful towards the gospel for both Jews & Muslim

 

[Rescued by the Cross]

The timing of many of these pronouncements is interesting. The Pope has clearly signed on to support "climate change" which causes one to wonder what He received in exchange for the support. I really wonder if behind the scenes, the political leaders assured the Pope that they would eventually move to elevate the RCC to become the broker of peace among the disparate religions.

RCC support is tied to money and power as evidenced by their profiting and involvement in immigration in the United States. I suspect that something was promised to obtain the support on the climate initiatives.

 

[Diane B]

I think that the Pope is doing them all a favor by not converting them to Catholicism. Let the Evangelicals show them the One True, Living God.
(I don't know the heart of every person in the Catholic church; some could be saved and truly believe. That is between them and God. I have a very dear friend who converted when she married. (Her "conversion" was a few brief meetings with a very elderly priest. I don't think she really got any idea about the faith then and still remains a Christian now, to what I know of her.))

 

[Michael Ross]

It's a cult,,,, plain and simple. People have known this for hundreds of years, Martin Luther for one. They refer to the Pope as "The Father". Talk about leaving a bad taste in your mouth.....
The Roman Catholic Church seems to make this stuff up as they go along. We can only pray and hope that the good people in that church will get away from that misguided teaching.

 

[Xenosjeff]

The pride and arrogance of Roman doctrine reflects it's father. Satan and Rome now are almost out of their theological closet once and for all.

Dear Roman Catholic. Your church just denied Jesus is the way to the Father. Should we wait for your apologists to straighten up the meaning? You know this isn't really a deep mystery right?

First to the Jew then the gentile........

If this was the early church's policy we wouldn't have any converts prior to mid Acts.

Pope, your an imbecile or worse, you actually believe this is your call.

Jeff

 

[Andrew]

Acts 4:

11 This Jesus is the stone rejected by you builders, which has become the cornerstone.
12 There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people, and we must be saved by it.”