Do Protestants believe that Catholics will go to heaven?

Answer 1

Roman Catholic AnswerIf you are asking for individual Catholic opinions, I should think that they would be all over the place; if you are asking for the official Catholic teaching, then that is a different story:

The slogan commonly referred to is "Extra Ecclesiam, nulla salus" which is Latin, from several Church Councils which teaches that "outside the Church there is no salvation. Does this mean that no one outside the visible Church is getting into heaven? By no means. It means that all of those who do go to heaven are getting there on the merits gained through the Catholic Church even if they are not in the Church. It is a little complicated, but it might be simplest to remember that the Catholic Church IS the Mystical Body of Christ and that without Christ, then there is no salvation. Looked at it this way, it is perhaps easier to understand. Also remember that, although the fullness of Christ's grace and the means to salvation are all found only in His Church, this does not mean that He is limited to only giving grace to those visibly inside of Her.

Bottom line? Only God decides who gets into heaven. Anyone who dies with mortal sin on his soul cannot go to heaven - the very definition of mortal sin is sin which separates one from God. The normal way in which God has decreed to forgive sin is through His Church. This is His decision, not man's. Can He forgive sin outside of His Church, and His Sacraments? Of course He can. Does He? We don't know, nor is it our place to judge. However, anyone who realizes that Jesus came to earth and established a Church for salvation and rejects that Church is rejecting the normal means of salvation, and must be willing to accept the consequences. The fact that God can work outside the Church is no reason to be rashly assume that He will do so, we are not God, and can not judge God. Nor, for that matter, can we judge another person's soul. Nor can we rashly assume that God will provide outside the means that He has already provided.

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AnswerCatholics believe that Jesus Christ died for everyone and that because of this, every soul has the possibility of being saved and going to heaven. They believe that anybody who is validly baptized and believes in the Nicene Creed, in its traditional interpretation, is a Christian and capable of meriting salvation, although this is very difficult outside the visible Church that Our Blessed Lord established for this purpose.

Answer 2

Do Protestants Believe Catholics Will Go To Heaven?

• Since there are many different Protestant groups with many different beliefs that is a tough question to answer. Taken as a whole, though, most Protestant groups accept the Christian faith of Roman Catholics and believe that they are saved. Here are some examples of Protestant denominations that do believe Catholics are saved: Methodists, Anglicans, Free Methodists, and Lutherans. There are many more. In fact, I do not know of any Protestant tradition that officially says that Catholics are not saved. Most likely there are many Protestant individuals within those groups who think Catholics are outside the scope of salvation but that is their own private belief. Many times when I encounter that belief in Protestants I find, after speaking with them, that it is based on ignorance of Catholic faith. The Catholic Church officially recognized the validity of most Protestant at Vatican II. The Church is making great strides toward unity.

• Some Protestant groups and individuals do believe that all Catholics will not go to Heaven; the reasons are probably as varied as the groups or individuals. Not all Protestants, though, feel this way. What difference will that make to the actual outcome? Only God will decide. There are many Protestants as well as Catholics who choose not to do God's will.

• I am a Christian and also a Protestant and short of not living in Ireland where the war between Protestants, Catholics and British still boil over, I have NEVER once heard mention in my church or talking to other Christians anything about a Catholic not going to heaven. It's gossip by some narrow-minded individuals. I was brought up in my faith not to be pious and judgemental and we are tools of God and not the judge and jury of other people.

• I am also Protestant, but I believe that Catholics will also go to heaven. But to go into a little more detail, Catholics don't tend to believe that Protestants will go to heaven as often as Protestants believe that Catholics will. While Catholics simply think Protestants believe differently and won't go to heaven, Protestants believe that Catholics do have their incorrect beliefs but anyone who believes that Jesus died and returned to life will go to heaven and Catholics do believe that, so we believe they will go to heaven.

• Going to heaven is not a Catholic nor a Protestant issue. It is godly issue. Even if you are a God follower and fulfill God´s demands and have no faith, you will find a very tough road ahead.

• I'm a protestant and I believe both Protestants and Catholics have a chance to go to heaven because no religion nor person is exactly perfect, i mean the Catholic religion may have some faults as well as Protestants so it's not a matter of religion it's a matter of practicing what you preach, not just saying you shouldn't lie it's a matter of not lying.

• Since there are many different Protestant groups with many different beliefs that is a tough question to answer. Taken as a whole, though, most Protestant groups accept the Christian faith of Roman Catholics and believe that they are saved. Here are some examples of Protestant denominations that do believe Catholics are saved: Methodists, Anglicans, Free Methodists, and Lutherans. There are many more. In fact, I do not know of any Protestant tradition that officially says that Catholics are not saved. Most likely there are many Protestant individuals within those groups who think Catholics are outside the scope of salvation but that is their own private belief. Many times when I encounter that belief in Protestants I find, after speaking with them, that it is based on ignorance of Catholic faith. The Catholic Church officially recognized the validity of most Protestant at Vatican II. The Church is making great strides toward unity.

• I am a Protestant, but I believe that Catholics will also go to heaven. But as for the groups, Catholics don't tend to believe that Protestants will go to heaven as often as Protestants believe that Catholics will. While many Catholics simply think Protestants believe differently and won't go to heaven, Protestants usually believe that Catholics do have their incorrect beliefs but anyone who believes that Jesus died and returned to life will go to heaven and Catholics do believe that, so Protestants believe they will go to heaven.

• I am a Protestant, and I honestly have my doubts about whther a person (not specific to a Catholic) who prays to someone other than God (Mary, for instance) can go to heaven. It directly violates one of the 10 commandments. I am sure you can be forgiven for this, but you must also be saved in order to have your name put in the Book of Life mentioned in The Bible. If you are NOT SAVED through the grace of Christ and God (which you do by being led through a simple prayer saying to God that you believe He is God and that His son died to save our souls and that you wish to live according to His teachings and accept Him into your heart) then you cannot go to Heaven. If Catholics do not go through this prayer, it follows that they could not be accepted into Heaven. I am not trying to slam Catholicism here or single them out. NO ONE is an exception to the rule. NO ONE who hasn't been saved may enter the Kingdom of God.

• It's a matter of what God says. To see this we must look to the Bible as it is God's Word. God says in His holy Word in the book of Romans chapter 3 verse 23 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." This means we have all done wrong and we don't stand up to God's Holy standard. The Bible also says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." So Jesus gave His Life for us on the cross so that we could have everlasting life. An exchange had to take place to make a way to God for us. The animal sacrifices of the Old Testament was no longer the way as the blood of an animal only covered our sins but Jesus bore our sins on the Cross.

  So how does anyone get to Heaven? The Bible says in the book of John chapter 3 verse 3: Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." What does this mean? Let's look at what John chapter 3 says as the answer is in the text.

Jhn 3:2

This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."

Jhn 3:3

Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

Jhn 3:4

Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"

Jhn 3:5

Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

Jhn 3:6

That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Many people say that verse 5 is water baptism and that is how to become born again.

John chapter 3 verse 5 says "unless one is born of water and the Spirit,"

then verse 6 immediately says: "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."

What does this mean?

"Born of water," "and the Spirit."

"That which is born of flesh is flesh," "that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."

1st we were born of water (physical birth, mother's water breaks,) and 2nd we must be indwelt with God the Spirit. To further help we can look at Romans chapter 10 verses 9-10

Rom 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Rom 10:10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

In verse 9 it says if we confess (means to agree with,) Jesus as Lord and believe He rose after 3 days WE WILL BE SAVED. In verse 10 God says with the MOUTH CONFESSION is made UNTO SALVATION. Put John 3 together with Romans and we see that:

1. God loved us so much He sent Jesus to die on the cross for us.
2. We must be born again.
3. This is a Spiritual rebirth not physical.
4. God wants to live in us.
5. We need to repent (turn our back,) of our sins.
6. By allowing God to live in us and be the Lord of our lives we are SAVED.

THIS IS THE GOSPEL. GOOD NEWS. JESUS LOVED US SO MUCH HE DIED ON THE CROSS FOR US.

The story of the thief on the cross next to Jesus is glorious. That thief:

1. wasn't a catholic or protestant or a Mormon or a Jehovah witness or a Muslim (words found nowhere in the Bible.)
2. never got baptised by water.
3. never spoke in tongues nor did he do anything that would merit being right with God in his own power.
4. never did any good works.
5. BUT JESUS TOLD HIM:

Luke 23:43;

"Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."

Luk 23:39 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us."

vs 40: But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?

vs 41: And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong."

vs 42: Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom."

vs 43: And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."

Verse 42 the thief acknowledged Jesus as Lord and Jesus saved him from damnation (hell,) by assuring him "today you will be with Me in Paradise. What a glorious God and Saviour we have the honour to trust in.

Acts 3:18-19 says: "But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.18

Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out...."19

So in closing to get to heaven you must follow the Bible;

It is not the prayer that saves you but the fact that when you say it you mean what you say.

Another perspective:

For members of any one group to say that members of any other group will or will not "go to heaven" is presumption of the worst kind. God will judge; man's responisibility is to exercise HUMILITY, learn the TRUTH and FOLLOW it.

I would like to say that personally i think anyone can go to heaven although no one has the right to declare that someone will or wont because this is Gods choice but we can say our views . I think that as long as you are generally a good person with no major sins you can eventually get to heaven. i don't understand why some people think if you are not established in a faith or something you cant go. Like if a child was never introduced to a religion by there parents is it there fault?

As commentary on this, I am an atheist, I'd like to broaden the perspective a bit more, what you say is I think shows you have a good moral compass, but the reason most Christians don't believe this is because the bible does not give you a free pass except through Jesus, and in a few verses, expressly deny's you heaven. It would be nice if it did huh? Because far more than parents, for most of history, odds are you where not born in a geographical location where you could learn about Jesus, A few continents and locations it becomes actually imposable.

Catholics don't say if you do certain things you will or wont go to heaven we leave this to God to decide. And i have a question for you who think that if you say this special pray you will get to heaven, if you say the prayer but are a very bad person after sinning continually without being sorry for what you did can you still go? Is it a definite meaning after you say and believe it no matter what you still can go? i don't think its definite nor do i know if this prayer helps you i just say if you try hard yo will eventually get to heaven.

This is a bit of a misconception I know a lot of atheists and theologians wrassle with the idea of god's forgiveness extending to monsters, especially while the virtuous non believers by RAW are condemned, The bible is fairly clear however, These words are not a magic check book, The real currency of those prayers are the genuine feelings of the individual that he or she is doing grievously wrong and wants to change, a few verses go so far as to say if you play half hearted with god, He would rather you didn't 'love' him at all

It is not for us to decide. And the difference between purgatory believes between Catholics and other Christians i think is the fact that some think you will g straight to heaven as long as you believe but we Catholics believe you have to make up for what you did wrong on earth. we have no idea how long it will take or how it is also mentioned in the Bible (sorry i am not exactly sher were) that you must be cleansed by a painful process and something to do with fire. this is part of the reason we Catholics believe in purgatory.

Well, It would be nice in my opinion if the punishment didn't include your god's crazy absolute morality system. for 1500 years far more people who died (and mostly children) were without the vaguest notions of the western view of religion, that you must believe in Jesus to be saved. I know many individuals struggling with faith might find it disheartening to see their religion boiled down to that uncomfortable fact, but if it where not the case, there would not be missions to save souls in basically every sect, and the aspect would be preserved in scripture. If you strongly believe the non believers and heathens get a ticket to heaven when they don't obey the first commandant or Jesus, Your views just aren't in line with the current versions of the bible (not that it's really changed too much) and if this is a growing movement in their religious sect it hasn't made it into any scripture I know of yet. I would personally like to see it occur but as many 'improvements' to Christianity, I find, if you don't actually need Jesus for salvation. How is it still Christianity? In any case, I hope this puts a broader perspective to the reader on the issue of heathen salvation.