PTM E-UPDATE -- FEBRUARY 8, 2010

Who, exactly, is "saved"?

Q. Some Christians believe when we find out who are the truly saved people are it might surprise us. Some are very dogmatic about who is saved and who isn't and make an "us and them" culture that divides and can cause conflict. What is "being saved" -- "born again" and can we really know whether or not we are saved?

Some who believe we get saved by saying a sinners prayer and then get put into a religious program to reform our character to make us acceptable to Christian society (church, Bible, prayer, service, rule keeping) Some say conversion is just the seed of our salvation and we're not truly born into the kingdom until we die and leave this world and only those who keep going in relationship with and service to God until the end, so we can't be sure until we "get there." Others say we can have assurance because if God has begun a good work in us he will carry it on to completion.

I'm struggling to explain salvation to someone who seems to be more informed and more spiritual than I am but does not believe Jesus is the Son of God who died to save us. I want to believe all sincere upright and peace-loving people are accepted/saved because they already live by kingdom principles whatever their religious beliefs. Surely God won't let genuine good people perish.

I don't think any church or ministry explains salvation or the kingdom of God adequately enough to convince highly intelligent and deep people and perhaps they can only understand if God explains it directly.

A. I agree with those who feel we will be surprised when we know those in whom Christ has lived his risen life. We will be surprised because legalistic religion has done its best to diminish and devalue God's love and turn his grace into a system of rules and regulations. Wisdom and intelligence are not directly related to one's relationship with God. One does not comprehend or gain or attain to God on the basis of greater cognitive powers. God is not realized only as and when one acquires superior or better knowledge -- that, in fact, is the heresy of gnosticism, to which the New Testament responds. Paul explains that Christ crucified is a stumbling block to Jews, who look for miraculous signs as well as fidelity to the old covenant and their traditions -- and foolishness to Gentiles, who look for wisdom (1 Corinthians 1). The person to whom you have reference seems to be blinded by their own academic prowess.

Thus, as you say, one cannot struggle to explain salvation, or any other spiritually discerned (by God's grace) perspective to someone who does not share in that spiritual dimension. We are currently dealing with those "two different worlds" in a three-part CWR series. You clearly articulate the many religious perspectives offered to people, in terms of their salvation. According to the Bible the only salvation we have (from ourselves, from sin, from religion) is in our personal relationship with God. Can each and every one of us know exactly how many other people have that personal relationship? Can we identify them by name? Are they on the membership rolls of a particular church (religion, of course, would like for us to think so). God does not reveal the precise knowledge of how we might specifically and dogmatically identify the relationship others have with him.

Those who truly have a relationship with God live in two different worlds -- at the same time. As Christ-followers we live in this physical world, but we also, by God's grace, are in the spiritual world of eternity. God does not bring us into relationship with himself, and thus save us, by virtue of what we know, how much we do or how many religious rituals we perform. He brings us into relationship with himself because of his grace, because of his own virtue -- because of his own generosity and righteousness, not because we earn or deserve his favor.

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