USA Today, quoting from Newser posted this feed today (May 29, 2013):

“… a Vatican spokesman stresses that the church believes all salvation ‘comes from Christ, the Head, through the Church which is his body,’ meaning those with awareness of the Catholic Church who ‘refuse to enter her or remain in her … cannot be saved’ …  The spokesman also makes it clear that church doctrine considers salvation off-limits to members of other religions and other branches of Christianity, although people who have never been exposed to Christianity might still have a shot.”

Well, I have had no problem with salvation being off-limits to me. I knew that since I was raised in the Roman Catholic tradition (I lied at my first confessional and never got that right), jettisoned it during college years and never to return again, that I was on my way to hell — according to what I was taught. This news feed tells me nothing has changed (I assume the quotation above reflect the accuracy, if not the spirit of what was said).

Actually, I agree with the idea–I have no right to salvation. But, then again, neither does anyone of any religion, “Christian,” “Catholic” or not. And it has nothing to do which “Christian” group or denomination or movement or alternate religion that I might associate with. We are alienated from God, not because we fail to identify with (embrace, believe, etc.) any particular religious teachings.  But, we are in deep trouble because we have failed to acknowledge the Lordship of the Creator God over our lives. All of us!

Only through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ do we enter into salvation, it is not of ourselves, or our religion – it is a gift of God, so that no one can have a smug, denominational arrogance.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Eph 2:8–9)

It is not a gift from any human organization, no matter their claims to authority. It is a gift! And it is from God! Period. Praise the Lord.