The Bible does not mention Protestant nor Catholic. Nor does it mention Lutheran, Baptist, Pentecostal, Jehova’s Witnesses, Mormons or any other name but Christian. The New Testament states believers being called Christian three times. Furthermore, Paul the apostle who wrote the majority of the New Testament stated that there is only ONE faith; thereby making all others false. He even said to not allow divisions which are denominations.
Now, is it possible for an individual to make it to Heaven though they attend a false religion? It is possible, but not probable. It’s hard enough to get to Heaven with the right instruction manual. The wrong instructions will most likely lead you down the wrong path. That’s why Jesus warned us of the straight and narrow path, as few will travel it.
I agree!
Paul address the issue of factions in 1 Corinthians, where the church was being split up into those who followed Paul, and others following Apollos, and still others following Peter (Cephas). Paul says that because of this he couldn't talk to them as mature believers, but as carnal men still thinking like normal man of the world.
So, instead we have denominations, all saying they are closer to the cutting edge of what God is doing than the others. If Paul were here today, he would have the same rebuke - that such people are being just like natural people still in the world, and are just carnal babes who can't take any strong spiritual food than baby formula.
So, Catholics maintaining that they are the true church, and some Pentecostal groups saying they are in the centre of God's will and that anyone who doesn't subscribe to their theology is not part of the body of Christ. We have Calvinists who say they have the truth and look on Arminians as false believers. These are as Paul describes: "Carnal babes with one foot still in the world".
Therefore, along with Paul, we can say, "Who is the pope? Who is the Archbishop of Canterbury? Who was John Wesley? Who was Jonathan Edwards? Who is John MacArthur? Who is your pastor? Who is your favourite mentor? Who in the whole of your Christian life is the person you look up to and respect the most? Who am I? Who are you?
What did Paul say about himself, Apollos and Peter? Just servants of God who introduced us to faith in Christ. The word for "servant" in Greek means a galley slave on the lower deck, a nobody who had a job to do, someone who drives the night-cart and empties the excrement pots. This is the meaning of "the treasure in earthen vessels". The earthen vessel was a clay pot to contain the household trash.
So, the Pope, Archbishop of Canterbury, and everyone else who appears to be elevated above the common "herd" are nothing more than earthen trash cans and excrement pots as far as God is concerned. It is "Christ in us, the hope of glory". This is the wonderful grace of God, that the Holy Spirit can come and live in our mortal bodies, which are nothing but clay trash pots.
So, denominations are nothing. They are just buildings holding clay trash pots. The prerequisite for salvation is that one believes that Jesus is the Son of God, and that He rose from the dead, and is willing to be baptised in the name of Christ as a public confession of his commitment to Christ. That transcends denominations and particular man-made "badges" and labels. Denominations are wood, hay, and stubble, and will burn away when Jesus comes again, and those who are committed more to their denomination than to Christ will be left naked and guilty before God.