Relativism and salvation
Upvote:-1
Jeff, a third position (other than "Damn him!" or "He's cool.") might be "We don't know." or "I don't know." personally, i think it's a big waste of time for believers, while on Earth, parsing out who's going where for eternity. i might feel safe saying "Adolf Hitler is going (or has gone) to hell fer sher" but it seems to me that, since i am not in a position to actually make that decision (as is no other human being in history, save one) that it might be a waste of time to act as if i am.
God is more merciful than any of us can articulate. this also means (in my opinion) that any mortal that articulates a specific limit to God's mercy is walking on thin ice. it's silly. so why bother with it?
doesn't mean that everyone goes to Heaven. even so, if someone thinks they would rather rule in hell than serve in heaven, God loves them enough to accept that rejection.
there are enough issues of discipleship, mercy, and justice in this life and on this planet to deal with; without worrying about the same in the next life. let God worry about it.
just my $0.02 .
Upvote:2
I'd say that anyone who says that you do not need Christ in order to be saved is, by definition, not a Christian. I suppose it's possible that he is a very confused or ignorant Christian.
Perhaps what you're asking hits on a question that I've pondered for many years: If we understand Christianity to essentially say that in order to be saved you must adhere to certain beliefs, or make certain affirmations, then: What is the absolute minimum that someone could believe and still be saved? Or to put it the other way around, How wrong can someone be and still be saved?
For example, Christians routinely debate different theories about the second coming of Christ, pre-tribulation rapture versus post-tribulation rapture, etc. I think very few Christians suppose that if a person is wrong about the nature or timing of the rapture that this means that he is not saved.
On the other hand, if someone says that he believes that Jesus Christ was an insane person who just thought he was God and that neither his death nor his teachings have any value, I think almost any Christian would say that person is not saved.
But what's the minimum set of correct beliefs? I don't know.
More post
- 📝 Does the New Testament disregard the Old Testament?
- 📝 What exactly was the purpose of the Council of Nicea?
- 📝 Did Thomas Pearne do anything other than contradict Granville Sharp?
- 📝 How to receive the gift of tongues according to the New Testament?
- 📝 What is the mark placed on Cain?
- 📝 What is the basis for calling God's love "reckless"?
- 📝 What is the source of this quote from Augustine about thanking heretics?
- 📝 In premillennialism, who returns to the earth with Jesus before his 1000 year reign?
- 📝 What is the significance of water from Jesus' side?
- 📝 What is the history of offertories?
- 📝 Eucharist as a definition of the Church in any early universal councils before the 1054 split?
- 📝 Was Onan really struck dead by God for masturbating?
- 📝 If Jesus Christ was born without the original sin, then how could He have died?
- 📝 Blood transfusions and Christianity?
- 📝 How is it possible that Saint Andrew was an apostle of Jesus Christ?
- 📝 What is the Swedenborgian (New Church) view of therapies that involve access to the subconscious mind?
- 📝 Do any authorities have anything to say about "criminality" as grounds for divorce in addition to "adultery," alluded to in the New Testament?
- 📝 Why did Justin Martyr speak so harshly about Christians who ate meat sacrificed to idols?
- 📝 Were those who perished in the flood of Noah eternally damned?
- 📝 Can a heart beat in heaven acording to Catholics?
- 📝 Does a Roman Catholic priest have to intellectually understand a confession in order to grant absolution?
- 📝 Is the Book of Revelation the only place in Scripture teaching eternal torment?
- 📝 What are the protestant arguments against a sacramental economy?
- 📝 In the Catholic Church, is there specific canon law on voluntary excommunication?
- 📝 Was there a "cessation of church fathers" in Catholicism?
- 📝 How do married clergy (preachers) in Protestant denominations support their family?
- 📝 Why could not Mary Magdalene touch the resurrected body of Jesus?
- 📝 What does Catholic Church teach about the interpretation of the metaphor of "salt of the earth?"
- 📝 Satan and language
- 📝 According to the Catholic Church, did Jesus have faith or hope?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 Relativism and salvation
- 📝 Is the "sinner's prayer" important for salvation and why?
- 📝 How does Matthew 25:31-46 ("The Sheep and the Goats") reconcile with salvation by faith?
- 📝 If both the Orthodox and Catholic Church affirm salvation by grace through faith, why did the Protestant Reformation happen?
- 📝 Why does the Salvation Army not administer the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper?
- 📝 Is there a significant difference between salvation by faith with works and salvation by faith and works?
- 📝 How do the proponents of the idea that salvation once received cannot be lost explain Hebrews 6:4-6 and 10:26-29?
- 📝 Did the disagreement between the Catholic Church and Protestant Church on the issue of salvation by grace alone end in 1999?
- 📝 How do those who believe in salvation by grace, and in works being the fruit of salvation, explain Galatians 6:8-9?
- 📝 What is the current and historical viewpoint on universal salvation as a doctrine in the Catholic Church?
- 📝 In Catholicism is salvation by grace alone or by following the ten commandments and confession?
- 📝 Incompatibilities between Vatican II and the Council of Florence on salvation outside the Church?
- 📝 Has the matter of salvation - whether it is by works or by faith alone - ever been considered on any councils of the Catholic and Orthodox churches?
- 📝 Is the root of salvation correctly summed up as "Be saved and repent!" or should it be "Repent and be saved!"?
- 📝 How do Protestantism and the LDS Church differ as to what is required for a believer to attain salvation and eternal life?
- 📝 Do Lutherans believe that the sacraments are necessary for salvation (similar to Catholics), and if so, how do they reconcile this with Sola Fide?
- 📝 Salvation Army and the brass band
- 📝 Is there a need for Christians to believe in Christianity at all, if they don't believe in Resurrection and Salvation through Christ alone?
- 📝 According to Christians who believe that salvation can be lost, what is spiritual rebirth, what is eternal life and can salvation be regained?
- 📝 How do Christians who believe that salvation can be lost interpret John 6:37-44 and John 10:11-30?
- 📝 According to Presbyterianism, is there salvation available for Adam and Eve?
- 📝 What is the relationship between commandments and salvation in Roman Catholicism?
- 📝 Was salvation available to Lucifer and those angels who rebelled with him?
- 📝 Can I believe in evolution and still be a Christian?
- 📝 Why does Judaism celebrate Sabbath on Saturday and most Christians celebrate Sabbath on Sunday?
- 📝 What is the basis for saying Christians and Muslims worship the same God?
- 📝 How do young earth creationists reconcile the age of the universe with the speed of light, and visible distant objects?
- 📝 How to answer "Why do evil and suffering exist?"
- 📝 If Adam and Eve were perfect, why did they choose to sin?
- 📝 Why are Matthew, Mark, and Luke called the synoptic gospels?