Extra Ecclessiam Nulla Salus

EXTRA ECCLESIAM NULLA SALUS

Amici,

The following historical account from the early New Testament Church is presented in refutation of the false assumption and idea that the Church started either with the rebellion of Martin Luther, John Calvin and Henry VIII in the 16th century, or worse, with someone’s own man-made denomination in the 20th century or some mega-church in the 21st. The Church started in 33 AD when Jesus Christ said to Simon in Matthew 16:18, “Thou art Rock and upon this Rock I shall build my Church, and the gates of hell shall NOT prevail.”

St. Ignatius of Antioch was a disciple of St. John, the writer of the Book of Revelation, having sat and learned at his feet. St. Ignatius went on to write letters to some of the same Churches in Asia Minor to which St. John had addressed the Book of Revelation (which is really a circular Epistle). One of the Churches to which St. Ignatius wrote an Epistle was the one in Smyrna which St. John addresses in Revelation 2:8-11. Another Church to which St. Ignatius wrote an Epistle is the one in Philadelphia which St. John addresses in Revelation 3:7-13. St. Ignatius essentially carried on the work which St. John had started in Asia Minor. He stated in his epistles that the Church is Catholic ( Katholika Ekklesia ] and that outside of the Church there is no salvation [ extra Ecclesiam nulla salus ]. These things, which are contrary to the Protestant paradigm which began in the 1500 years after the foundation of the Church, were written about 110 AD (a mere 17 or so years after the death of the last Apostle) by a student of that Apostle. The text below cites the relevant sections in the applicable letters.

In chapter 8 of his letter to the Smyrnaeans, St. Ignatius wrote in part the following:

“See that you all follow the bishop, even as Jesus Christ does the Father, and the presbytery as you would the apostles; and reverence the deacons, as being the institution of God. Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop. Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is [administered] either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude [of the people] also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. It is not lawful without the bishop either to baptize or to celebrate a love-feast; but whatsoever he shall approve of, that is also pleasing to God, so that everything that is done may be secure and valid.”

In chapters 2, 3 and 4 of his letter to the Philadelphians, St. Ignatius wrote in part the following:

“Wherefore, as children of light and truth, flee from division and wicked doctrines; but where the shepherd is, there follow as sheep. For there are many wolves that appear worthy of credit, who, by means of a pernicious pleasure, carry captive [ 2nd Timothy 3:6 ] those that are running towards God; but in your unity they shall have no place.”

“Keep yourselves from those evil plants which Jesus Christ does not tend, because they are not the planting of the Father. Not that I have found any division among you, but exceeding purity. For as many as are of God and of Jesus Christ are also with the bishop. And as many as shall, in the exercise of repentance, return into the unity of the Church, these, too, shall belong to God, that they may live according to Jesus Christ. Do not err, my brethren. If any man follows him that makes a schism in the Church, he shall not inherit the kingdom of God. If anyone walks according to a strange opinion, he agrees not with the passion [ of Christ ].”

“Take heed, then, to have but one Eucharist. For there is one flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, and one cup to [ show forth ] the unity of His blood; one altar; as there is one bishop, along with the presbytery and deacons, my fellow-servants: that so, whatsoever you do, you may do it according to [ the will of ] God.”

Therefore, outside of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church there is NO salvation. We are baptized into the Church, the Body of Christ, founded in AD 33 on Peter the Rock in Matthew 16:18, and born of the Holy Spirit at the Feast of Pentecost in Acts 2:1-4. A personal relationship with Christ entails a personal relationship with the Church His Body, and that relationship is one of submission, for Christ did not establish His Church as a Democracy where every person gets a vote but as a Monarchy with Him as absolute Ruler. 

Thus we say:

Christus vincit
Christus regnat
Christus imperat