Question:  Dear Greg,

            Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation?  Will those who believe in God or in a higher power but do not accept Christ as their Savior but still live a good, moral, loving life be saved?  Our pastor points out that the phrases “faith in Jesus Christ” and “faith in the Son of God” found in Galatians 2:16 and 20 actually mean “by the faith of the Son of God”.  In other words, it’s Christ’s faith, not ours, that matters and brings salvation.  It’s a gift and there’s nothing we do to receive it.

            I’d appreciate your clarification here.

            Sally

Answer:  Dear Sally,

            I am a Christian.  Therefore, I believe Christianity, and its founder, our Lord and Savior, to be THE answer.  It is my belief that all other “religions” are just that—a failed, human attempt to find spiritual meaning in life.  I believe that meaning and significance come from Christ alone, and within and as a result of his gospel.

            I agree with your pastor.  We do not work up the faith that is necessary to be saved. All of salvation, all of it—including the repentance that directs us to God, the faith and trust and belief that we express to God, and certainly his grace that extends salvation to us, is from God.  None of it is uniquely and solely produced or manufactured by us.

            Will others, other than those whom we know as Christians, be saved?  I hope so.  I don’t want to be upset when I arrive in God’s kingdom of heaven and find that there are more people there than I thought would be there—including some specific individuals that I thought would certainly not be present.  In fact, some might logically conclude that if we are upset at such a reality then we won’t be there to begin with!

            I believe that God will save how and when he determines.  He gives us the chance to be his hands and feet in the world, to allow the light of Jesus Christ to be reflected in our lives to others.  But he does not solely rely on our efforts.  Thank God for that!  Some Christians make a mistake when they believe that only those who accept doctrinal formulations and embrace creeds and traditions just like theirs will be saved—that only those who their denominational missionaries reach will be saved.  Such thinking leads us to believe that we own God, rather than the other way around.

            Billy Graham once said, “I used to think that pagans in far off countries were lost—were going to hell—if they did not have the gospel of Jesus Christ preached to them.  I no longer believe that…I believe there are other ways of recognizing the existence of God, through nature, for instance, and plenty of other opportunities, therefore, of saying ‘yes’ to God.”

            A broader view of whom God might save and who he will not does not mean that the Bible teaches universalism—that all will be saved no matter what.  It doesn’t.  It speaks of those who will reject God—and obviously some that have.  Thankfully we don’t have enough information to completely understand God’s wisdom, mercy and justice—and we will need to wait on him to find out all of the specifics of questions like these.

            In Christ,

            Greg Albrecht