Would you say that I am not a true Christian, or that I am a hypocrite, if I told you I believe this...?

Question

...that I believe that people of other faiths will not necessarily be excluded from salvation and heaven just because they have another religion. I just can't accept that my loving God would codemn all jews, muslims, buddists, among many other religions, to Hell.

I would appreciate any reasoned or thoughtfull answers on this subject.

Thanks

a while back someone was telling me about how they believe in 'Dual Covenant Theology'. This is the idea that all modern day Jews can go to Heaven by adhereing to the coveants they made with God before Christ.

It makes no sense to me that any Christian could believe that, but not believe that people of other faiths could not have the same opportunity. Good Buddists should go to Heaven. Good Muslims will surely enter paradise. And so on.

I know the scripture says "I am the Way and the Truth and the Light, no one comes to the Father except through me"

But can't these words still have truth and meaning in some other way? Or do they mean that you must believe certain exact teachings while on Earth. Maybe all sould departing from Earth meet Jesus Christ before anything else happens in terms of their final resting place. I think those words are some of the most beautiful in the whole Bible. But I think they can have meaning beyond that which is literal.

Answer 1

I believe that there will people from different walks saved with one thing in common aside from their other beliefs. Salvation through Jesus. The Jewish will have their eyes open upon the 2nd coming (those that do not convert prior to that) Muslims, they believe is Jesus, they just hold Mohammad higher, although, there are some that have found Christ. Buddhists, there are some that co-exist with a belief in Jesus. As far as any that do not believe and put their faith in Christ, regardless of Religion, they, according to the Word, the Holy Bible, can not enter Heaven. Again though, we are back to who will make that judgment, only God can make that judgment, he knows every heart for what it really is.

Fuzz has the right idea.

Answer 2

I just answered this for another person, so I hope you don't mind if I copy and paste:

This is a stumbling block for some Christians because they read where it says "There is only one way to the Father, and that is through the Son, Jesus Christ". And, this is true.
The way to the Father can only be accessed through what the Son did for us (not by our correct understanding of who He was). Otherwise, what happened to the millions of people who died in the 2,000 years before Abraham was born? They were neither Jew nor Christian. They could not accept that Jesus was the Messiah because they died having never heard of Him. But, the bible says that any man has only to look at the earth and the stars to know that he has a creator.
And, God says that if any man knocks the door will be open to him and if he seeks he will find. So, even a man born in the jungle in a long lost tribe will try to worship God. They might end up worshipping the sun or a totem pole because they don't have correct information but God looks at their hearts. Even in that tribe there will be some whose hearts want to know God and some that deny Him. Some will go to heaven and some won't. Those that do, will only get there because of Jesus Christ, but they won't know that part of the story until they meet Him face to face in heaven.

So, we have a level playing field. An equal chance for any man from any period in history from any faith to get into heaven, if his heart is right, but his facts are wrong.

Answer 3

I believe the bible is correct entirely, Revelations 7:9 says "After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands."...these are those who have believed in the Son of God...yes there will be many that are from different religions who come to understand and know the truth. Remember that salvation is first for the Jew so why would you believe that God condemns the Jew? ..Also Jesus came to save not condemn. Also remember what John 3:18 says "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.".. I wouldn't say you were not Christan nor would I call you a hypocrite..I would say you are uneducated in the word and need to search the scriptures. Peace

Answer 4

Maybe some would go to heaven if they've never heard the gospel although that's iffy too. There's really only two religions in the world. One says that salvation is by the grace of God. It's a gift. The other says you must earn it. Someone who really loves knows that you cannot force someone else to love you or to stay with you if they don't love you. So when people reject Jesus Christ, He casts them out of His presence, just like they wanted Him to and that is hell. You are not a true Christian (John 14:6).

Answer 5

The Catholic Church has always taught that non Christians MIGHT be saved ... primarily because God demonstrates in scripture that he can save whomever he wants to, for whatever reasons he chooses, or for no reason at all.

But even in that (likely very rare) event, anyone who is saved will be saved solely by the application of the grace which Jesus obtained for us, by his perfect sacrifice on the cross.

It's tough enough for authentic Christians to end up in heaven, even with all of the grace and truth of Jesus Christ at their disposal.

The chances of those who do not explicitly know Christ getting into heaven, by relying on their own imperfect means, are very, very slim.

Answer 6

Regardless of what you would like to believe, any religion that does not teach and preach the saving grace of God through His Son Jesus Christ is not teaching the truth, and it's followers will not see the kingdom of God.

Answer 7

The may problem I see for a Christian Universalist is the position does contridict Christ when he said: "I am the Way and the Truth and the Light, no one comes to the Father except through me"

Answer 8

Beware mythology. It's all pervasive, and there's not really that much to separate one from the next.
2 Timothy 4:3-5 says:
For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

You've got to be a practiser of righteousness yourself before God. Love means being able to be accountable for your own actions. It's the opposite of fear. Perfect love throws fear outside.

Answer 9

I am Christian and I couldn't agree with you more!

Alot of people forget that Christ was Jewish and he followed Jewish law. In Judaism, including Orthodox Judaism, it is believed that you enter the Kingdom of heaven as long as you honor God and make an effort to avoid sinning, reguardless of religious belief.

Also Christ never directly says that if you do not accept him as your savior that you will go to hell, he does say something in that context but it is more directed to Christians.

Answer 10

OT and NT both make it 100% clear that God will not allow or tolerate any other god,idol,or whatever it is called.God did not become PC tolerant just because the world did.
Romans
Job 19
many places in the bible make clear that Jesus is the only way.