The Power of God Unto Salvation

I heard two gentlemen talking on the radio today, and taking opposing positions about whether or not Mother Teresa was a Christian and whether or not she is in heaven. They spoke with conviction and certainty. First off, let me speak with some certainty of my own. They didn't know the lady. Neither did I. The issue centered around her Roman Catholicism, I'm sure, but neither one of those men can answer those questions any better than I can. I have an opinion, but that is worth little in matters like this.

The Bible teaches us that any person who truly believes the message of the gospel of Christ, and who repents of their sins and trusts in Him is saved. This is something that is true no matter what religious affiliation one has. What has to be clarified to determine whether someone is saved or not is; What does that person actually believe? The kind of belief the Bible is talking about is a faith alone in Jesus Christ alone, and completely apart from any sort of works righteousness. This is all laid out in Ephesians 2:8-9 and Titus 3:4-5.

There are people who can talk your ear off about the historical life of Jesus. They may even astound people with their knowledge about His incarnation, the life He lived so perfectly, His death, His burial and His resurrection. The trouble is, they end up adding some sort of system of works to the message of the gospel. In their mind, it is not faith alone in Jesus Christ by which they are saved, but by faith plus some effort or "goodness" of their own. Calling this sort of thing a gospel of another kind, Paul rebuked the religious Jews of his day for trying to add works. Circumcision for example, was an act that such men said was required for salvation. Paul wrote strongly against this in his letter to the Galatians and the Colossians to refute this thinking, and saying in essence that it is not the true gospel.

Truly believing in Jesus involves turning from whatever it is that one might trust in, meaning one's good works and self-righteousness, and placing one's complete trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ. He is the only way to eternal life with forgiveness and acceptance by God. So can a person minister for Jesus while being a member of the Roman Catholic church and go to heaven? Do they teach a works type of righteousness? Yes they do. Does that mean they are not going to heaven? The Roman Catholic church has some issues, that is for sure, but they are teaching the same Jesus that we pray to. They are not teaching a false Christ like say, the Jehovah's Witnesses, for example. Yes, one can repent and believe in Jesus Christ, and minister for Him within the Roman Catholic system. Some that I know of even labor to bring people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ apart from works, and teach against the Roman Catholic doctrine of purgatory.

This takes a very special type of believer. I doubt that I could do it. Their motivation is Jesus, and His love for anybody who is being led astray, which you will find in any denomination. Why should it be any different to want to reach people within the Roman Catholic system, and who better to do that than someone who grew up in that system and came to know the truth about the gospel, and the God they pray to?