Salvation, the Word or the Papacy

… at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
I Peter 1.7-9

Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write to you concerning the common salvation, it was needful for me to write to you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints.
Jude 3

The central theme of the Bible is God's salvation of his people. Salvation through the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ was God's plan from before the foundation of the world (I Peter 1.20; Revelation 13.8). God first promised to send a savior after Adam and Eve sinned, and before he drove them out of the garden of Eden (Genesis 3.15).

When God drove Adam and Eve out of the garden of Eden, he placed at the east of the garden Cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life (Genesis 3.24). We can understand the flaming sword to be the word of God (Ephesians 6.17; Revelation 1.16; 2.16; 19.15; Hebrews 4.12; Jeremiah 23.29). It is in his word that God's plan of salvation—the way of the tree of life—is revealed to us (II Timothy 3.15).

Jesus is the word of God become incarnate (John 1.1-14). His very name carries the message of salvation. "Jesus" means "Yahweh saves" (Yahweh is a Hebrew name of God in the Old Testament). That is why, when the angel of God appeared to Joseph in a dream to tell him to not fear to take Mary to be his wife, he told him "… she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus; for he shall save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1.21)

The writer of Hebrews says of Jesus, "… he became the author of eternal salvation to all that obey him." (Hebrews 5.9). The word 'obey' here is hupakouo (hupo = 'under', + akouo = 'to hear'), and has the meaning of being under and hearing, as a subordinate hears a superior.

In John, chapter 3, Jesus told Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews and a Pharisee, that one must be born 'from above' (Gr. anothen) in order to enter the kingdom of God. Nicodemus asked if one could enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born. But Jesus told him that one must be born 'of the Spirit' in order to enter the kingdom of God. A better translation of John 3.5 would read: "… except a man be born of water—even of the Spirit—he cannot enter the kingdom of God." The little greek word kai is often translated "even"—which I believe better conveys the Lord's meaning here. He is contrasting the water of the womb and fleshly birth, with the water of the Spirit and heavenly birth. Water is often symbolic of the Holy Spirit in scripture (John 4.10-14; 7.37-39; Revelation 22.1, 17; Isaiah 12.3; 44.3; Matthew 3.11; Mark 1.8; Luke 3.16; John 1.33).

This passage in John 3 does not refer to baptism, as papal teaching would have you believe. Baptism is an outward expression of an inward reality that has already taken place. We do not enter the kingdom of God by being baptized. We enter the kingdom of God by being born of the Spirit. We do not get born of the Spirit by being baptized. We get baptized because we have been born of the Spirit.

The way that we get born of the Spirit is by believing on Jesus, his death for our sins, and his resurrection for our justification (I Peter 2.24; Romans 6.10-11).

When God created Adam and Eve, he created them in his own image (Genesis 1.27; 5.1-2). After they sinned, they were no longer in the image of God, but had a fallen nature—subject to sin and death. When they afterwards had children, their children were born in their fallen image (Genesis 5.3)—under sin's power, and subject to death—and thus sin and death were passed on to all of mankind (Romans 5.12-21). This is the meaning of original sin.

Mankind was powerless to redeem himself from sin and death, and to restore himself to the image of God. God had given to man life, pure and sinless—that could have been eternal. But man had chosen disobedience and death. He had nothing to offer to God with which to purchase his redemption. All was defiled by sin. The animal sacrifices in the Old Testament, required to be unblemished (e.g. Exodus 12.5), were symbolic of the unblemished sacrifice that Christ would offer to the Father when He offered Himself at Calvary (I Peter 1.19).

It was to the man that God had given commandment that he should not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2.16-17). His was the sin of disobedience (Genesis 3.17); the woman was but deceived (Genesis 3.13). Thus it was from Adam that all mankind inherited original sin (Romans 5.12-19). Because his Father was God, Jesus did not inherit Adam's sin. He also lived a sinless life (Hebrews 4.15; 7.26; I Peter 2.22; I John 3.5). Before Jesus went to Calvary, he was able to say, "… for the prince of this world [the devil] cometh, and hath nothing in me." (John 14.30) Thus, when he went to the cross, he was offering himself to the Father as a pure and spotless sacrifice that could atone for all the sins of all mankind (John 1.29; Galatians 1.4; I John 2.2; Revelation 1.5), and purchase the redemption of those who would become his Church (Acts 20.28; I Corinthians 6.20; I Peter 1.18-19).

When Jesus laid down his life on the cross at Calvary, he willingly bore our sins in his own sinless body, and endured their punishment—which was death (I Corinthians 15.3; Hebrews 9.28; I Peter 2.24; 3.18; Isaiah 53.5, 11). In this way, God's justice was fulfilled, as sin's penalty was paid in full by the death of Christ (Romans 3.21-26). And because he was sinless, it was impossible for death to hold him, and God raised him from the dead (Acts 2.24).

By our faith in Christ, we are identified with him in his death on the cross, his burial, and his resurrection. Baptism is symbolic of this (Romans 6.3-11; Colossians 2.12-15). Thus we can reckon ourselves dead to sin, and alive unto God through Christ.

Even as our sin was imputed to Jesus on the cross, so his perfect righteousness is imputed to us when we place our faith in him (Romans 4.22-25; II Corinthians 5.21; I Peter 2.24). We did not, and could not, earn or deserve this; nor can we merit it or add to it in any way (e.g. sacraments, etc.). It is entirely the gift of God, which we receive by grace through faith (Romans 3.28; 5.1-2, 15-19; 9.30-32; 10.3-11; Galatians 2.16; Philippians 3.9; Titus 3.4-7).

This is the miracle of the new birth; this is how we are born 'of the Spirit'. This is God's salvation. In this way, Christ lives in us by faith (Galatians 2.20). This is how we are born the children of God (John 1.12-13; Romans 8.11-17; Galatians 3.26). By faith in Christ, we are being restored into the image of God that Adam and Eve lost in the garden of Eden (Romans 8.29; II Corinthians 3.18; Colossians 3.10).

Papal Rome incorporates some of the above into its teaching about salvation—but only as a counterfeit trying to appear like the genuine article. That their view of salvation is entirely different from the biblical view can easily be seen from official church teachings:

Furthermore, we declare, we proclaim, we define that it is absolutely necessary for salvation that every human creature be subject to the Roman Pontiff.
Boniface VIII, Unam Sanctam (1302)

… subjection to the Roman pontiff is necessary for salvation for all Christ's faithful…
Leo X, Fifth Lateran Council, Session 11 (December 19, 1516), On the abrogation of the Pragmatic Sanction

Boniface VIII issued his bull in 1302, and Leo X his in 1516. Lest you think that Rome has by now abandoned such absurdity, see these 20th century papal teachings:

6. … Christ our Lord instituted His Church as a perfect society … which should carry on in the future the work of the salvation of the human race, under the leadership of one head … and by the ministry of the sacraments …
11. Furthermore, in this one Church of Christ no man can be or remain who does not accept, recognize and obey the authority and supremacy of Peter and his legitimate successors.… Let them hear Lactantius crying out: "The Catholic Church is alone in keeping the true worship. This is the fount of truth, this the house of Faith, this the temple of God: if any man enter not here, or if any man go forth from it, he is a stranger to the hope of life and salvation. Let none delude himself with obstinate wrangling. For life and salvation are here concerned, which will be lost and entirely destroyed, unless their interests are carefully and assiduously kept in mind." Pius XI, Mortalium Animos, §§ 6, 11 (1928)
{Note that in this quote from Lactantius, who lived 240-320, he speaks of the "Catholic" (and not "Roman Catholic") Church. This was long before the bishop of Rome laid claim to any of the papal prerogatives that are claimed today. He was but an equal among bishops—except that he had the honor of being seated in the imperial city Rome}

They, therefore, walk in the path of dangerous error who believe that they can accept Christ as the Head of the Church, while not adhering loyally to His Vicar on earth. They have taken away the visible head, broken the visible bonds of unity and left the Mystical Body of the Redeemer so obscured and so maimed, that those who are seeking the haven of eternal salvation can neither see it nor find it. Pius XII, Mystici Corporis, § 41 (1943)

14. This Sacred Council … teaches that the Church … is necessary for salvation.
¶ They are fully incorporated in … the Church who … accept her entire system and all the means of salvation given to her, and are united … with Christ, who rules her through the Supreme Pontiff and the bishops. The bonds which bind men to the Church … are profession of faith, the sacraments, and ecclesiastical government and communion. Vatican II, Lumen Gentium, § 14

In the previous quote, and those following, we see that the Papacy also teaches that the sacraments are necessary for salvation. Such teaching does not increase the people's faith or bring them any nearer to God, but only keeps them subject to the Roman priests, from whom alone they can receive the sacraments. And the Papacy is not content to merely teach this false teaching—they must also hurl curses at those who reject it, and who hold to the truth as it was given to us in the Scriptures.

If any one saith, that the sacraments of the New Law are not necessary unto salvation … and that … men obtain of God, through faith alone, the grace of justification … let him be anathema. Council of Trent, Seventh session, On the sacraments in general, Canon IV

If any one saith, that baptism is free, that is, not necessary unto salvation; let him be anathema. ibid., On baptism, Canon V

If any one denieth, either that sacramental confession … is necessary to salvation … or saith, that the manner of confessing secretly to a priest alone … is alien from the institution and command of Christ, and is a human invention; let him be anathema. Council of Trent, Fourteenth session, On the most holy sacrament of penance, Canon VI

It moreover declares, that … our Redeemer, in that last supper, instituted … this sacrament in two species, yet … they, who receive one species alone, are not defrauded of any grace necessary to salvation. Council of Trent, Twenty-first session, Decree on communion under both species …, Chapter III

I, Pius, bishop of the catholic church, with firm faith believe and profess each and every article contained in the profession of faith which the holy Roman church uses, namely … I profess also that there are seven sacraments of the new law … necessary for salvation …Vatican I, Session II, Profession of faith

And lest you think that those doctrines and anathemas of the Council of Trent (1537), have been rescinded or forgotten by the Papacy, here is proof that they haven't been:

I, Pius, bishop of the catholic church, with firm faith believe and profess … the sacred canons and the ecumenical councils, especially the sacred Trent, I accept unhesitatingly and profess; in the same way whatever is to the contrary, and whatever heresies have been condemned, rejected and anathematised by the church, I too condemn, reject and anathematise. This true catholic faith, outside of which none can be saved … Vatican I, Session II, Profession of faith

Therefore, following in the footsteps of the Council of Trent and of the First Vatican Council, this present council wishes to set forth authentic doctrine … Vatican II, Dei Verbum, ¶ 1

This Sacred Council … proposes again the decrees of the Second Council of Nicaea, the Council of Florence and the Council of Trent. Vatican II, Lumen Gentium, § 51

And while the Papacy curses all who reject their false teachings—including God's faithful—they at the same time embrace the followers of Islam, as though they are fellow heirs of salvation—even though Islam rejects cardinal truths of the Christian faith:

But the plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator. In the first place amongst these there are the Mohamedans, who, professing to hold the faith of Abraham, along with us adore the one and merciful God, who on the last day will judge mankind. Vatican II, Lumen Gentium, § 16

Papists should ask their priests or their 'pope': "How is this possible, when Muslims are not subject to the Roman pontiff, and do not receive the sacraments?" "How can they be anathemized, and in God's plan of salvation at the same time?"

All of the foregoing, to which more could be added, is irrefutable evidence that those who place their faith and trust in the Roman Papacy do so at grave peril to their souls! Not only do they trust in doctrines that are false and at serious variance with the New Testament of Christ; but they also bear deep in their spirits the Papacy's curses against the holy teachings of Christ and of his apostles, and against those who abide in those teachings.

It is imperative, for your own spiritual health and well being, if you are in submission to the papacy, its system, doctrines, and teachings, that you wholeheartedly renounce and forsake that system and its teachings, and place your faith rather in Christ—the Author of eternal salvation—as he is revealed to us in the New Testament, which he certified with his blood.