Jesus No Longer the Only Way?

Technically, in and of itself, that statement is correct. Now, before you toss eggs at me, hear me out.

Many, if not most, people don't come to know who Christ is until after they've been saved. Indeed, there are a great many people here on this board who got saved before they even cracked open a Bible, so to suggest that those people weren't saved because they didn't really know Christ would be prejudicial.

However, once a person is saved, they begin a life in which they come to know Christ more and more over time. No Christian ever gets to know Christ completely or perfectly, and no person is ever done getting to know Christ, at least, not until we die and go to be with him.

Now, as far as being in other religions, one must remember, true Christianity is a relationship, not a religion. That which referrs to the Christian religion is the belief system, customs, practices, and institutional tradtitions which are all setup by man. Yes, even Baptist churches are setup by man, not God. Churches are our way of expressing, to the best of our imperfect human ability, our fellowship with God. But true Christianity is the one-on-one relationship each of us individually has with out Savior. No religious institution has a monopoly on that relationship.

The Title of the OP is "Jesus No Longer the Only Way". Don't confuse a certain religious institution with being the way. No church is the way. In fact, even Christianity is not the way. Only Jesus is the way. He didn't say "this is the way", he said "I am the way".

 

"Can a good person who isn't of your religious faith go to heaven or attain salvation, or not?"

Poor choice of words to determine if people think Jesus is the only way. The result of that poll does not accurately represent what the topic question is. A more accurate question would be "do you believe Jesus is the only way to heaven".

I believe a Catholic can be led to Christ. I believe a good person who isn't of my belief can go to heaven... IF Jesus is the way.

 

Good point, kubel. The SOLE factor of attaining salvation is whether or not a person has accepted the gift of salvation that Christ offers. A Baptist doesn't have the exact same "faith" as a Methodist, Anglican, or Presbyterian, so being of a certain faith is a poor requisite for one's salvific condition.

 

Jesus is the only way

 

Is Jesus the only way?

Can a good person who is a Muslim or Hindu go to heaven even if he doesn't know who Christ is?

The answer is "No." There is no other name given among men whereby we can be saved.

If a person is being drawn by God, that person will come to know Jesus Christ (who he is, what he has done)and will make a confession of faith.

God can reveal this truth to them in a vision or in direct intervention. But they will know who Jesus is and they will confess him as Lord.

 

The survey question was worded very poorly and says nothing about Jesus being the only way.

Define religious faith.
Define good person.
Define salvation.

To extrapolate from this poorly worded question that eangelicals in mass don't believe that Jesus is the only way is disingenious and misleading.

 

Ro 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent?

Mt 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations;

and then shall the end come.

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

 

If inclusivism means all Christians, no matter what the denomination, it is one thing, but that doesn't seem to be what the article is talking about.

God said not to have "other" or "false Gods" before Him. Whether you call Christ Jesus or Christ or Messiah is irrelevant. Whether you are Hindu or Buddhist or Christian is very relevant.

 

AMEN!

 

How many Christians believe that Jews do not need to be born again to be saved? Considering the way that some people act regarding the Jews in prophecy, I would suggest that figure could be high.

 

The original mesasge of salvation that said belief in Christwas required for salvation was given to the Jews.

 

Imagine that! The saints and martyers stood up for Jesus dispite crucifiction, burning, being fed to animals etc. And we wont stand up simple because it is unpopular and someone might not invite us to their party or attend our church.

 

Imagine that!

 

I don't think a majority of evangelicals believe this, but a growing number do. I was criticized by 3 born again Christians for saying that the God of Islam is not the God of the Bible. Afterwards, in the course of discussing this with them, I found out that they believe good Muslims who don't hear about Jesus will go to heaven. This is not the first time I've had this kind of discussion born again believers. I've met Christians who tell me that they used to believe Jesus is the only way to God and eternal life but they no longer believe it. This has been happening more the past few years.

This poll was given to people of many religions. If someone said "outside of your faith," I would consider that to mean outside of the Christian faith. </font>[/QUOTE]I see the same thing Marcia. I keep hearing from people that claim to be Christian's, that the god of Islam and all the rest are the same God as the one in the Bible we believe in. Something like it's just God's way of using different paths for different cultures or some such nonsense. Then they say when you point out scripture that says otherwise, that some of scripture might be from God but it's mostly from men.
How do you talk to someone like that?

 

Persecution does work wonders. Talked about that last Sunday in SS and how much the church gets so much bolder and spreads in times of persecution.

 

Rachel-"Persecution does work wonders. Talked about that last Sunday in SS and how much the church gets so much bolder and spreads in times of persecution."

Rachel, that is only after the chaffe is separated from the wheat. I can tell you are wheat.

 

this is a moot point IMO

there are no good people. one sin makes a man "ungood"

there is none good but God alone, Jesus' words.

so the technical answer is YES, a good person can be saved outside of Jesus.

However, no such person exists.