The recent death of the pope has prompted much mourning and contemplation among Roman Catholics and other people worldwide. For millions of Christians, he was not just a global religious leader but a symbol of spiritual steadiness and moral purpose. In this season of grief, we stand together with those who mourn, knowing that his life and influence are a living testimony of how one faithful life can touch countless millions. Regardless of our theological disagreements, we acknowledge the dignity of his office and respect the power of his ministry.
And, in recent days, a video has been making the rounds on social media, showing a Roman Catholic priest saying clearly that Protestants are not saved. This, together with the discussions about the pope’s death, precipitates what ensues. I have no desire to polemicize for the sake of polemics. It isn’t because I am anti-Roman Catholic, although many Protestant people are. I am going to try to provide some clarity.
I identify deeply with the Reformation—not as a movement of rebellion but as one of reform. The Protestant Reformers, including my own theological ancestor John Wesley, never sought to abolish or replace the Church, but to renew it according to the Word of God. Wesley himself remained within the Church of England and called for a return to biblical fidelity, not a rupture from Christian tradition.
With that spirit of charitable conviction, I want to address three common Roman Catholic claims: that Protestants (1) do not have a valid priesthood, (2) do not administer true sacraments, and (3) are therefore not saved. These claims rest on a particular reading of Scripture—and it is that exegesis I wish to examine, because at its core, it is deeply flawed.
1. “Protestants Do Not Have the Priesthood” — Misreading the New Covenant
Rome teaches that valid priesthood depends on apostolic succession and the sacrament of Holy Orders. Since Protestants lack this, they are said to have no true priesthood and no authority to mediate grace.
But this assertion overlooks the New Testament’s fundamental redefinition of priesthood:
- Jesus Christ is the once-for-all High Priest (Heb. 4:14–5:10; 7:24–27). His sacrifice on the cross fulfilled and ended the Old Covenant system.
- The priesthood is no longer hereditary or sacrificial; rather, all who are in Christ become part of a “royal priesthood” (1 Pet. 2:9; Rev. 1:6), called to offer spiritual sacrifices and intercede for others.
- Nowhere in the New Testament are church leaders described as mediators of grace or bearers of a new priestly office modeled after the Levitical order. Instead, Christ alone mediates between God and humanity (1 Tim. 2:5).
That said, Protestants do not discard the importance of apostolic continuity. We take seriously the biblical mandate to guard sound doctrine (2 Tim. 1:13–14), and the church’s connection to the apostles matters deeply. However, we reject the idea that this succession is institutional and exclusive. Protestants generally affirm a succession of apostolic teaching, faithfully preserved and proclaimed, rather than a succession guaranteed through physical ordination rites. And unlike Rome, we do not claim a monopoly on that succession.
2. “Protestants Do Not Administer True Sacraments” — A Confusion of Authority and Efficacy
The Roman Catholic Church teaches that sacraments are valid only when administered by a duly ordained priest within apostolic succession. From this it follows that Protestant sacraments are “illicit” or even null.
But Scripture never grounds the efficacy of baptism or the Lord’s Supper in the status of the one administering them:
- Baptism is valid when performed in obedience to Christ’s command and in the name of the Triune God (Matt. 28:19). Paul himself downplays the significance of who performs it (1 Cor. 1:14–17).
- The Lord’s Supper is about remembrance, proclamation, and participation in Christ (1 Cor. 11:23–26). Paul’s instructions to the Corinthians emphasize faith and discernment—not ordination.
To argue that sacraments depend on the ontological character of the minister or institutional alignment with Rome imposes an extra-biblical framework on what Christ intended to be simple, grace-filled ordinances for His people.
Protestants view the sacraments as means of grace—powerful, but not magical. They derive their power from the Word of God and the presence of Christ, received by faith. That faith—rather than institutional lineage—is the dividing line in Scripture.
3. “Protestants Are Not Saved” — A Denial of the Gospel
Of all the claims made by some in Roman Catholicism, this is the most dangerous: that Protestants are, by virtue of lacking the “true” priesthood and sacraments, cut off from saving grace.
This belief stems from a sacramentalized gospel—a gospel in which salvation is mediated through the Church rather than through Christ. But the New Testament teaches:
- We are justified by grace through faith, not through works or sacraments (Eph. 2:8–9; Rom. 3:28; Gal. 2:16).
- Christ is the sole mediator and the only name by which we are saved (Acts 4:12; 1 Tim. 2:5).
- The thief on the cross was saved without ordination, sacraments, or ecclesial hierarchy—because he entrusted himself to Jesus (Luke 23:42–43).
The idea that salvation is not available outside of Roman Catholicism is not just exclusivist—it is unbiblical. It denies the sufficiency of Christ and the universality of the gospel. It turns the Church from the witness of salvation into its gatekeeper.
Reform, Not Replacement
The Reformers never sought to create a new religion. They sought to call the Church back to Christ. That is the spirit I share. I am not interested in throwing stones across ecclesial divides. I am interested in clarity, faithfulness, and unity in the truth.
I believe in the “one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church”—but I believe this church is found wherever Christ is proclaimed, the sacraments are rightly administered, and lives are transformed by grace. That includes Protestants and Roman Catholics alike. But when one branch of the Church declares the others invalid and outside of salvation, it must be lovingly but firmly challenged.
Let us be clear: Protestants have a priesthood—because we are in Christ. We administer the sacraments—because we obey His command. And we are saved—because we believe the gospel.
Final Thought: Unity and Clarity
At the heart of my concern is a longing for greater unity among all who call on the name of Jesus. I do not write from a spirit of rivalry or division. I am far more interested in what unites us—our shared confession of Christ crucified and risen, our devotion to the Scriptures, and our hope in the coming Kingdom—than in what separates us. I like to avoid “us versus them” language, and I believe love must guide all Christian discourse. Yet love also requires truthfulness. When claims are made that exclude entire communities of believers from salvation, they must be addressed—not to deepen division, but to guard the gospel and invite deeper understanding. My hope is that we continue these conversations not in suspicion, but in charity, and with a shared desire to see Christ glorified in a Church that is both faithful and one.
