10. What is necessary to be saved? You have to be baptized, belong to the Church established by Jesus Christ, obey the Ten Commandments, receive the Sacraments, pray, do good works and die with grace in your soul.”¹⁷

The Roman Catholic doctrine of the means of salvation is a human works program (contrary to the following scriptures). It is a program in which the adherents can never KNOW that they HAVE eternal life. Nothing in the above statement of Rome’s means of salvation speaks of faith in the substitutionary death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ in our place.

The scriptures, however, give the following as God's wonderful and gracious plan of salvation:

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that those who believe in him should not perish, but may have life everlasting.

II Corinthians 5:21 For our sakes he made him to be sin who knew nothing of sin, so that in him we might become the justice of God.

John 3:36 He who believes on the son has everlasting life; he who is unbelieving towards the son shall not see life, but the wrath of God rests upon him.

Colossians 1:13-14 He has rescued us from the power of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved son, in whom we have our redemption, the remission of our sins.

Galatians 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from the wickedness of this present world according to the will of our God and Father:

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and not from yourselves, for it is the gift of God; not as the outcome of works, lest anyone may boast.

Titus 3:5 Then not by reason of good works that we did ourselves, but according to his mercy he saved us through the bath of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit

Romans 3:28 For we reckon that a man is justified by faith independently of works of the law.

Romans 10:9-10 For if thou confess with thy mouth that Jesus is the Lord, and believe in thy heart that God has raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believes unto justice, and with the mouth profession of faith is made unto salvation.

Romans 10:13 For whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

John 1:12-13 But to as many as received him, he gave the power of becoming sons of God; to those who believe in his name: Who were born not of blood (as in human decent from a particular human family), nor of the will of the flesh (as by human will or good works), nor of the will of man (as by appointment of human priest or official), but of God.

Romans 5:1 Having been justified therefore by faith, let us have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Romans 4:1-8 What then shall we say that Abraham, our father according to the flesh, acquired?  For if Abraham was justified by works, he has reason to boast, but not before God. For what does the scripture say?” Abraham believed God and it was credited to him for justice.” Now to him who works, the reward was not credited as a favor but as something due. But to him that does not work, but believes in him who justifies the impious, his faith is credited to him as justice. Thus David declares the blessedness of the man to whom God credits justice without works; Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not credit sin.

Assurance of present salvation:

I John 3:2 Beloved, now we are the children of God, and it has not yet appeared what we shall be. We know that, when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him just as he is.

Ephesians 2:5-6 Even when we were dead by reason of sins, brought us to life together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and seated us together in heaven in Christ Jesus.

John 5:24 Amen, amen, I say to you, he who hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has life everlasting, and does not come to judgment; but has passed from death to life.

I John 5:13 These things I am writing to you that you may know that ye have eternal life, you who believe in the name of the Son of God.

The apostle Paul wrote as he was moved of the Holy Spirit:

Galatians 1:8-9 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel to you other than that which we have preached to you, let him be anathema (cursed). As we have said before, so say I now again; If anyone preach a gospel to you other than that which you have received, let him be anathema (cursed)!

Someone is cursed of God...the Romanist or the Apostle Paul!

Every Roman Catholic must make the clear decision. Either he will accept the gracious and free offer of God to save him on the merits of the substitutionary death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ in our place and know assuredly that he already has eternal life or accept the impossible works program of Roman Catholicism, under which he can never know if he has accomplish enough to merit eternal life.

Pope Paul should be heard by every Roman Catholic when he said after 80 years of Roman Catholic works that he “feared approaching death and judgment by God.” In contrast, the apostle Paul wrote: “For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better...” (Philippians 1:23)

¹⁷Rev. William J. Cogan, A Catechism for Adults, (Chicago, Ill, ACTA Publications), p. 51