Only One Way To Be Saved?
May 19th, 2008 by Sean
I just came across this 7 minute video about whether or not it is arrogant for Christians to say that there is only one way to be saved. This is a common complaint about Christianity–we are intolerant of other spiritual paths. But, suppose, just suppose, that there really is only one way that God has provided. If this is the case, then the other religions are the guilty ones, for they purport to provide a way to salvation and are unwittingly deceiving people into a false sense of salvation. It reminds me of the story of the guy who was shipwrecked and was the only one to survive. After floating around on his plank of wood for a day someone came by in a motorboat and threw him a rope to save him. Would the castaway respond with smugness and ingratitude, “What, you think you are the only person with a rope to save me?” No! He would grab the rope, because whether or not there are others to save him, this person is here and has the means to save him now. God has made a way for people to be saved, and that way is through Jesus, his only begotten son who died for our sins and was raised for our justification. If we turn him down, he will honor our right to choose, but let no one say that God is cruel to only make one way; that only insults the one who loved so much that he gave.
The next question Christians pose is whether all Christians will be saved. I have yet to meet a single trinitarian who will consider the possibility that I will be saved.
According to ‘orthodox’ theology I am completely damned and will burn in hell forever (as I have been told confidently by countless evangelicals).
Perhaps we should explore the reason why God only made one way?
That’s a good point Fortigurn. Just about every Christian denomination out there thinks that THEY are the one’s that have it right and many firmly believe that they will be the only ones to be saved. And yes, we unitarian, non-immortal soulists are certainly not to be included with them.
Another thought on this (and this could certainly be a subject unto itself), is what about those that have never or never will be exposed to that “one way of salvation” (Jesus the Messiah)? It wouldn’t be right of God to not offer salvaton to those who never knew the offer existed in the first place.
I don’t believe in “universalism”, but there has to be a fair method of exposing everyone to this offer once resurrected from the dead. Shouldn’t this be the purpose of the millenium and the 2nd Resurrection? Shouldn’t final judgement be a “process” that allows those never exposed to the offer or not fully explained it to have it properly presented and then allowed to make a true choice?
Ron, on that matter what do you think of Acts 17:24-31, and Romans 1:18-25?
Fortigurn,
Oh I think that most humans at a basic level “feel” God or have thoughts that there is something greater out there that created everything (sans our Atheistic brothers living in denial – sorry guys). But the subject at hand is that with Christianity – Jesus of Nazareth is THE ONLY path to salvation. And if that requires knowledge of Jesus and acceptance of his “gift”, then just believing there’s a God/god out there just doesn’t cut it. What of those that have never heard of Jesus? How can they be required to “believe in him” if they never knew/know he existed/exists?
What about babies and children who die before they can intelligently understand the gospel? What about those who never had exposure to the gospel? What about the mentally disabled who cannot grasp the gospel? What about those who lived before Christ?
It is my belief, for whatever that’s worth, that salvation is available for people in these categories but that does not mean that they will enter the kingdom apart from the blood of Christ–God may still admit them into his kingdom on the basis of Christ even though they never knew him. Thus Christ is still the way, the truth, and the life, the one through whom all must be saved.
Clark Pinnock raises some interesting points in his book A Wideness in God’s Mercy
Ron, I certainly agree with you about Jesus being the only way, and that just believing ‘there’s a God out there’ doesn’t cut it. I also agree that those who have never heard of Jesus cannot be expected to believe in him (Romans 10).
But what the two passages I cited suggest to me is that God has given all men opportunity to know He exists, and that it is subsequently their responsibility to act on that opportunity.
I don’t believe any will be raised and judged for knowing of the ‘unknown God’ but not recognizing either Him or His laws. However, it does seem God has given all men everywhere some opportunity to know of Him, and to pursue this knowledge.
Sean, I’ll have to think about that a little more before I comment.