Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox

[yeshua_seven]

I've been wondering about this lately and asking God for an answer, but He isn't giving me an answer at this point. My Ethiopian Protestant friends tell me that Eastern Orthodox are not born-again, and I've met others who say Roman Catholics are not born-again. Is justification by faith alone an essential doctrine? "Alone" I guess is the key word. If Roman Catholics believe that Jesus died on the cross for their sins, but believe they have to be baptized in water also in order to be saved, does that cancel out their belief that Jesus died on the cross for their sins? Or can they believe that water baptism is required and still be saved even though it is not required?

When I find out my friends are Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox, I want to know whether I should be filled with joy or sadness? I want to know so I can share the gospel with them. I don't want to share the gospel with them if they already saved. I have more important things to do than convert someone to Protestanism if they already saved. That's like trying to convert a Baptist to a Pentecostal or a Lutherin to a Methodist. What's the point? lol.

[Trumpet]

Hi Yeshua Seven!

Believing that Jesus is your Savior, and that He died for your sins is the requirement for basic salvation. Sanctification comes after salvation (Justification by faith). Yes, Justification by faith is all you need. But to learn more of God, and to get closer to Him takes a moving on. Baptism etc. can be part of the moving on process. God desires for all of us to move closer to Him, so moving on is a very good thing. Whenever someone tries to insert their particular churches' beliefs into the mix, things start to get muddy. A Roman Catholic CAN be saved. An Eastern Orthodox CAN be saved. Protestants CAN be saved, but the church that you may belong to, or attend has nothing to do with your salvation. Many people in ALL churches ARE NOT saved. Denominations are man's way of building a temple on a few particular truth's, (and sometimes lies), instead of following Jesus individually. Going to any church is OK as a means to worship and learn, but the best way to go beyond what churches offer is to spend time IN the Word of God and spend time WITH God, and realize that in every little bit of your life, God will use it for your good. Salvation is only a first step in your relationship with God. So no matter what church your friends attend, it's their relationship with God that has the real meaning.