It’s difficult to go through life without having been asked this question by a non-Catholic friend, door-to-door missionary or televangelist. We are then told that we must simply make a “Sinner’s Prayer” after which we are saved and our fate is sealed. The better question might be, “Where are we ever told to do this in Scripture or Sacred Tradition?” Since most non-Catholic Christians believe that the Bible alone is our sole authority (Sola Scriptura), wouldn’t it stand to reason that this would be explicitly spelled out in Scripture?
The fact is that just as Sola Scriptura itself is a self-refuting and false doctrine, there is simply no basis for the false teaching that all we must do is believe and “accept” Jesus. To support this doctrine, our non-Catholic friends will point to Rom. 10:13, which says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” However, we read in Matt. 7:21 that, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”
Whereas, “accepting Christ” or choosing to follow him is a decision we must make – we are also told by Christ himself that we must be baptized in the Trinitarian formula (Matt. 28:19, Mark 16:16). We must love our neighbor (Matt. 22:39, Mark 12:31). We must remain faithful to the end (Matt. 10:22, 24:13). We must eat his flesh and drink his blood (John 6:31-71). The Bible is clear that salvation is not a one-step occurrence but a lifelong process. The initial grace of salvation is the gift of faith that we receive from God – the grace to believe in Him. However, as we are shown over and over in Scripture – salvation can be lost by our own doing (Matt. 5:13, Rom. 11:22, Heb. 10:26-27, 2 Pet. 2:20-22, 2 Pet. 3:17, Rev. 3:5).
Whereas, “accepting Christ” or choosing to follow him is a decision we must make – we are also told by Christ himself that we must be baptized in the Trinitarian formula (Matt. 28:19, Mark 16:16). We must love our neighbor (Matt. 22:39, Mark 12:31). We must remain faithful to the end (Matt. 10:22, 24:13). We must eat his flesh and drink his blood (John 6:31-71). The Bible is clear that salvation is not a one-step occurrence but a lifelong process. The initial grace of salvation is the gift of faith that we receive from God – the grace to believe in Him. However, as we are shown over and over in Scripture – salvation can be lost by our own doing (Matt. 5:13, Rom. 11:22, Heb. 10:26-27, 2 Pet. 2:20-22, 2 Pet. 3:17, Rev. 3:5).
It is also interesting to note that the Bible calls the virtue of love the greatest virtue – and not faith or hope. It is love that motivates our willingness to obey God and his Church. It is love that is behind every charitable act. And, it is love that fuels our faith and hope in God. Our obedience to God’s will is essential. Jesus left us the Church, which is his very Body (Acts 9:4-5, 1 Cor. 12). It is the fullness of him (Eph. 1:22-23) and is “the pillar and foundation of truth” (1 Tim. 3:15). Jesus gave total Authority to his Church (Matt. 16:18-19, 18:15-18, Luke 10:16, John 16:12-15, 20:21-23). Consequently, disobedience to his Church is disobedience to Jesus himself.
Have you accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior? The more important question is, “Are you enduring in faith through obedience to Christ and his Church?
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