DITC Commentary On The Story:
Heaven Open To Everyone, Says Pope
Bruce Johnston in Rome, Electronic Telegraph, ISSUE 2023, Friday 8, December 2000
by Sandy Simpson, 12/00


Recently the comments from the pope in the story Heaven Open To Everyone, Says Pope raise many questions.  Let's look at a quote from the article.

"THE Pope has amended a Vatican pronouncement that the Roman Catholic Church was the "only way to salvation", saying that Heaven is open to all as long as they are good.  He said at an audience that "all of the just on Earth, including those who ignore Christ and his Church" were "called upon to build the kingdom of God". His words repeated what was pronounced at the Second Vatican Council 40 years ago, but were clearly intended to repair harm to religious dialogue caused by a document issued in September."
QUESTIONS

Let me start with some questions this proclamation from the pope raises:

(1) How can the pope amend a proclamation by former popes who all claimed to be infallible when speaking "Ex Cathedra"?  Wouldn't that make the former popes fallible?

(2) Did God change His mind?  I thought the Bible says that God never changes (Heb. 1:10-12, 6:17, 13:8).

(3) Does the Bible state that the Roman Catholic Church is the only way to salvation?  I thought Jesus Christ was the only way to salvation (Acts 4:12, Jn. 14:6).

(4) Where does the Bible state that heaven is open to all as long as they are good?  Can even one Bible verse be quoted to support the pope's proclamation?  Doesn't the Bible state that all men are wicked and beyond cure? (Jer. 17:9)  If all men are wicked, how can they go to heaven and be with God who is entirely holy and righteous?  Can men attain heaven on the merit of their own good works?  (Is. 64:6, Rom. 11:6, Eph. 2:8-9)

(5) Can those who ignore Christ be included in the kingdom of God?  Don't practically all the parables warn us about those who will and will not be included in the kingdom of God?  How can a person ignore Christ, Who is clearly our only way to salvation (Jn. 14:6) and still be in His Kingdom?

CONCLUSION

Now I know what I am about to say will likely make many people angry.  But it must be said by someone.  On the basis of this one statement by the pope alone, it is clear that he has no idea how a person is saved.  Therefore he himself cannot be saved.  In order to preach the gospel of salvation the person who is preaching that gospel must have understood it and accepted it himself, or at the very least preach it correctly.  The above statement clearly shows that the pope has no idea what salvation is all about.  Therefore, we can deduce that since he is the leader of the Roman Catholic Church very few Catholics who follow Him as their highest human leader understand salvation either.  This is very sad.  But we have already seen this truth played out in the continued teaching of many false and even heretical doctrines by the Roman Catholic Church and their acceptance by most Catholics.  In this one statement by the pope he denies two of the core doctrines of the Faith: (1) Salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone and that (2) Scripture is entirely inerrant and the highest authority in the life and practice of every Christian.  Those who deny the core doctrines of the faith are, by definition, heretics. Followers of heretics who still want to call themselves "Christians" or followers of Christ are, by definition, cultists and their movement is, by definition, a cult.  Therefore, for Roman Catholics to call themselves Christians while their highest authority denies the core doctrines of Christianity is a farce.

I hope that many Catholics will recognize the apostasy of the Roman Catholic church and "come out of her" before they share in her plagues.  This is also a call to many Charismatic and Evangelical Christians who have aligned themselves with the pope and the RCC to separate themselves from this apostasy.  Even Billy Graham has called this pope his "man of the year".  This is like calling the Gnostic Simon Magus or Balaam your "man of the year".  They may claim to be Christians, but by their teaching both explicitly and implicitly they prove themselves to be heretics.

It is my hope that true believers will wake up and come away from the RCC!