Are Catholics Saved?

The Protestant Reformation and the Origins of Catholic Critique

On October 31st, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 thesis to the door of All Saints Church in Wittenberg, Saxony. This began the Protestant Reformation, a protest against the corruption of Roman Catholicism in order to reform the Church toward a more biblical and Gospel-centered foundation.

Marian Devotion and Christ as the Only Mediator

Still today, the doctrines of Roman Catholicism are far from sound. Despite what a Catholic might tell you, the Church actually does exalt the Virgin Mary as an object of worship and teaches that She brings us the gifts of eternal salvation as an intermediary between us and Christ.

However, 1 Timothy 2 .5 says there is one mediator between God and men, and that is Christ only. Nowhere in the Bible does it say anything about praying to Mary or any dead saint. In fact, Deuteronomy 18 .11 says that communicating with the dead is detestable to the Lord.

Salvation by Grace Through Faith Versus Catholic Works

The Bible says that it is by grace you have been saved through faith, not of works. The Catholic Church, however, says that if a person claims that salvation is by grace through faith alone, they should be excommunicated.

Catholicism also teaches that a person can lose their salvation and must do acts of penance in order to get it back, but Romans 4 .5 says a person cannot be justified in such ways. The Catholic Church forbids their priests from marrying, but 1 Timothy 4 .3 calls this the teaching of demons.

Whether a Catholic Can Be Born Again

It is possible for a person to be Catholic and also a born-again Christian, but if they truly read the doctrines of the Catholic Church and compare them with the Bible, a maturing Christian should not remain Catholic when we understand the text.