|
|
|
It is the claim of virtually EVERY other religious belief in the world, that a person can attain to heaven without knowing or believing in Jesus Christ. In fact, most religions persons in the world directly oppose Jesus Christ and any claim that is made by Him over their lives and beliefs. Acceptance of the gospel taught in the Bible and presented by Jesus Christ, strips a person of a belief that they can control their own destiny and, by means of their own personal goodness, merit a place in whatever heaven they have devised in which to believe. Even the atheist or the person who chooses not to believe that there is life after death, has their comfortable theories upset by the teaching of Jesus Christ. Belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ removes control of a person's future from the individual and places it in the hands of God. This does not set well with the majority of people, because it calls all persons to accountability before God and places them in a position whereby they cannot be seen as right before God, since the judgment of God is not based on the rules of acceptance created in the minds of humanity. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a means of salvation, created and implemented by God and is not an invention of the mind of humanity. As such, it is God who sets the standards and implements the process by which every human being is subject. Salvation is from God, not from humanity, and it is based on God's decree and God's rules which are unchangeable. The claims of Christianity are unique, based on the person and work of Jesus Christ alone. It is a claim that salvation is through Jesus Christ alone and it is asserted that there is no other way to find a means of obtaining a right relationship through God except through belief if Jesus Christ. And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12 There is no other name of a person, organization or belief through which a person can call to God for forgiveness and obtain salvation. It is through the name of Jesus Christ, the knowledge of who He is and faith that is placed in His person and work that brings salvation to the individual. Those who do not know the name of Jesus Christ, do not know who He is or what He did, cannot obtain salvation. There are those, even in the Christian community, who teach that God will grant salvation to persons who have not heard of Jesus Christ or the gospel, just because the person is sincere in their belief. These teachers attempt to justify their position by claiming that there is a "wideness" to God's mercy that goes beyond the gospel message. They attempt to define God in their own terms, assuming they have the right to claim that God grants mercy on their own terms and, on the opposite side, His justice in condemning unbelief is less than perfect. Those who teach such a belief, teach from their own mind and not from the words of God or Jesus Christ written in the Bible. Salvation is not granted on the basis of sincerity of belief in a false religious system, no matter how well-intentioned the adherent may be. If a person is granted salvation because of sincerity of belief in an idol., then the death of Jesus Christ was pointless, because people are then saved by faith in their own belief rather than by faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. If one presumes to believe that salvation is granted on the basis of sincerity, then those who may oppose Jesus Christ, even though they do not know Jesus Christ or have never heard the gospel, also qualify for salvation because of their sincere hatred of Jesus Christ and those who believe in Him. In addition, those who believe that salvation is granted through a sincere belief, change that position when an individual hears the gospel and is told about Jesus Christ. They would then say that salvation is granted by a belief in Jesus Christ, but what does that do to the sincerity of a person's belief in another means of obtaining salvation? Is salvation granted by a sincere belief in a religious persuasion, no matter how false, or is it granted through the knowledge and receiving of Jesus Christ? Humanity is not saved by its beliefs or systems of religion, but through Jesus Christ who is, alone, the mediator or the one who can bring humanity into a right relationship with God. It is not sincerity that is the mediator between God and man, but Jesus Christ. It is expressed by Timothy: For there is one God and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 2:5 "That is a very narrow point of view," a person might say. Yes, it is narrow, extremely narrow, but extremely clear. Jesus Christ is not concerned with how wide a person believes that the way to heaven might be, but by the actual way declared by Himself. Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." John 14:6 Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matthew 7:13-14 If a person wishes to believe in the "wideness" of God's mercy, then they can join the many who also wish to enter into that belief, but in so doing they will find destruction as the destination. If a person wishes to choose the "narrowness" of God's mercy, then they can join the few, but they will find life and salvation as the destination. The Biblical answer to the question is very clear. A person CANNOT obtain salvation without hearing the gospel or knowing Jesus Christ. Those who believe and teach otherwise place themselves in a position superior to God, attempting to establish their own criteria for salvation, based on what they would like instead of what is revealed in the Scripture. In that situation, those people are false teachers and are to be rejected. SOURCES OF FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS WEBSITE Writings Resources: SALVATION Articles JESUS CHRIST Articles Articles: What Is Salvation?
|
| COPYRIGHT © 2001 by ON DOCTRINE & ONDOCTRINE.COM, All Rights Reserved |