“What does SAVED mean? Saved from what.”
Can you imagine my shock? After more than 12 years of frequent meetings and discussions with this former Catholic seminarian, who had studied for the priesthood.


In our previous meeting of an hour and half he had indicated a problem with God and punishment. He seemed hung up on a God that is “all love- all forgiving- all accepting”. A problem with God's Sovereignty.


After I got over my initial shock I answered him in these 6 words. “Saved from the Wrath of God'. Saved from Eternal Separation from God, and Eternal Death. Saved from what we were rightfully condemned after the disobedience and offense of our representative 'first parents' and the FALL of mankind into SIN. Saved from Eternal punishment in Eternal hell!


Nicodemas, was a pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin and a teacher of the Jewish religion. A very learned man who came to Jesus in humility and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could do the miraculous signs that you do unless God were with him.”


Jesus replied, “I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:1- 21)

Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter his mother’s womb and be born a second time, can he?”



Nicodemus apparently did not struggle with the concept of being saved. The Jewish religion and the concept of sin and atonement was strong and clear. He had no problem accepting the concept of Eternal Death and hell. The pharisees were very familiar with the concept of Sin and a Wrathful God.


Surprisingly, Catholic doctrine concerning Sin is very certain and clear. However, the Catholic Church's doctrines on Salvation are very complex and dependent upon works, The Mass, the sacraments, ritualism and man-made doctrines. For someone who had studied for the priesthood this should have been obvious. Let's face it! If we were not promised and assured of Eternal Life by Jesus Christ how many of us would be following Him right now? What possible reasons can you give ?


The concept of a Wrathful God may be a terrifying concept but it is all too true. But it is also true that a loving God, from the beginning, planned a Way for us to escape His Wrath. His Way is in no way too complex for the most simple-minded of us. We must believe in Jesus Christ, that He is God, that He died to restore us from Eternal separation (SIN) from God, that He arose again from the dead and ascended into heaven where He acts as our sole mediator , advocate and Savior, interceding for us before God the Father.

Last edited by Dvan34; Sat Mar 02, 2013 10:25 PM.