“Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.” I’ve always been uneasy about this claim as applied to today. I understand Mark’s logic because it is a great pep talk or source of encouragement for those struggling with the harsh realities of their lives, especially persecution for following Jesus and his way. Baptism would protect them from harm, although that was not a guarantee for sure. Nevertheless, it gave the baptized hope for life-everlasting and eternal rewards – not punishment.
However, today the necessity of baptism is based on this concept described in the Catechism Roman numeral III: THE CHURCH IS CATHOLIC Outside the Church there is no salvation.
Section 846 of the Catechism reads: How are we to understand this affirmation, often repeated by the Church Fathers? Re-formulated positively, it means that all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body: Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Council teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church. He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and Baptism, and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through Baptism as through a door. Hence, they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it (my emphasis).
This is a very bold claim. Some would say, especially those of other faiths, that this claim is quite arrogant, self-serving, and a development in Church early history and thinking to bolster the Catholic Church’s power and influence. Let’s ask what was said and claimed during the very early years. It’s important to know.
Let’s begin with St. Ignatius of Antioch and his excerpt from his letter to the Philadelphians written about 110 AD. He said: “If any of us makes a schism in the Church, we shall not inherit the kingdom of God…Take heed and have only one Eucharist.” What does that letter also say?
Here is what seems to be a key point. Chapter 6 of Ignatius’ letter is entitled: “Do not accept Judaism.” It reads: But if anyone preach the Jewish law unto you, listen not to him. For it is better to hearken to Christian doctrine from a man who has been circumcised, than to Judaism from one uncircumcised. He warns the Philadelphians not to listen to Jewish Christians who believed Jesus was the Messiah but who advocated that Christians should observe the Torah. This is a key point regarding the Church’s “no salvation” argument.
Ignatius continues: But if either of such persons do not speak concerning Jesus Christ, they are in my judgment monuments and sepulchers of the dead, upon which are written only the names of men. Ignatius is referring to Judaism. He says: Do not accept it. St. Ignatius believed that Torah-following Jewish Christians were creating schisms. This is a very early stage for the development of the concept of no salvation outside the Church. Salvation was not for these Jews.
Let’s move to St. Irenaeus of Lyons and his “Against Heresies” (189 AD) about 80 years later. By the way, this title was formulated several centuries after the work’s composition after the debate between teachers and schools at the time of Irenaeus had escalated into expulsion from the church of those who disagreed with the developing orthodoxy. In this much later period the Greek word for divisions (hairesis) was changed into the Latin haereses later translated into English as heresy.
"Against Heresies" Chapter 4 reads: "Whosoever confesses that one God is the author of both Testaments, and diligently reads the Scriptures in company with the presbyters of the Church, is a true spiritual disciple…A spiritual disciple of this sort, truly receiving the Spirit of God,...judges the Jews who do not recognize the advent of Christ accomplished for the salvation of men…”
In other words, St. Irenaeus said there is no salvation for those who are Jewish and follow the Torah. And no salvation for those who are so called heretics. "He shall also judge those who give rise to schisms, who are destitute of the love of God, and who look to their own special advantage rather than to the unity of the Church; and who for trifling reasons, or any kind of reason which occurs to them, cut in pieces and divide the great and glorious body of Christ, and so far as in them lies, destroy it…He shall also judge all those who are beyond the pale of the truth, that is, who are outside the Church. (end)
Of course, baptism is important, but our claim that one cannot be “saved” unless one is baptized has a background of animosity towards the Jewish people and so-called heretics. This history should not be forgotten especially when we consider our Jewish neighbors.
Deacon David Pierce
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