Are non-Christians saved?

Most evangelicals will say that whoever do not come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ and accept him as savior will go to hell. Is it true? They even quote a few verses from the Bible to prove it. But, if they had not misquoted the verses, they could not have proved it. 

1. God is not respecter of persons

God created all and he is the God of all people. He is not the God of Christians only and he is not partial towards any person. He tells us to judge righteously without respecting persons. He also judges righteously without respecting persons.

"Lev 19:15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour. 1 Pet 1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:"

  Further God judges every man according to his work, but not according to whether he is a Christian or not.

2. Only by the name of Jesus Christ

"Acts 4:10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth….12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

Evangelists are using this verse to preach that the name of Jesus Christ is given for salvation and it is the only way. However, this verse is not at all given to teach salvation of the soul. In the context it says that Apostle Peter used the authority given by Jesus (in the name of Jesus) healed (saved from the long time sickness) the lame (impotent) man. If we twist the word of God and teach believers to use the name “Jesus” as a magic formula (mantra) to be saved or to enter heaven, it is deception.

Please look at the context of the verses:

"Acts 4:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, 9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole… Acts 3:6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. 7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God." 

In its context, Peter used the name Jesus Christ to heal a person from sickness, but not to save him from hell.

However, if we look at verse twelve without the context, we may prove that the name is given to save people from hell.

"Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

But if we do that it is deception and we will be doing it on purpose.


 

3. I am the way, the truth, and the life

Jesus Christ proclaimed that he is the way, the truth, and the life. 

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

Christians believe that this is to accept his name as the lord and savior in order to go to heaven. But it is not so. It is to live the way he lived, believe the truth he preached, and to receive his spirit life and to mortify the flesh life. Jesus Christ resent the formal acceptance of his name for a favor to attain heaven.

"Matt 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."

Jesus Christ wants his people to obey his commandments as he has obeyed God.

"John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love."

Salvation is obtained by obedient life, but not by reciting a phrase or cliché.

"Rom 5:10 … we shall be saved by his life."

4. God Loves the whole World

God gave His Son for the whole world, not for the religious Christians only. 

"John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son... Rom 2:11 For there is no respect of persons with God. 12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law."

God is the most holy and the righteous Judge. It is against God's righteousness to favor a group of people just because they call themselves Christians or Children of God. The above verse says that a person 'with law' or 'without law' both will be punished according to their sins. In other words, Christians or Jews or anybody else will be judged according to their sins and not according to their religious affiliations.

5. Salvation for Non-Christians

Every person in the world is given by nature a heart with conscience and a mind with thoughts which reflect the law of God. They may choose to obey or not to obey them. It is their choice.

"Rom 2:14... when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another; 16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

1 Cor 7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God." 
God divides the whole world in two groups, the Obedient and the Disobedient. Salvation belongs to the Obedient.

"Matt 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:.....

34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:.. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, ...

 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:......
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."

The above is the description of the judgment of the entire world. They were separated into two groups. The two groups are not Christians and Non-Christians, but the Righteous and the Unrighteous. The Righteous are gathered into eternal life and the Unrighteous are into the everlasting fire. This parable was told by the Lord Jesus Christ himself.

6. Much is given much is required

Christians have the word of God, the Bible, which the Non- Christians do not have. The word of God has all instructions that are needed for a person even to receive the abiding of God

. "Luke 12:48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required. Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at..." 

God says, much is required from those much is given. That is, God requires more from Christians than he requires from Non-Christians. But Christians think that God will ignore their sins just because they are called by his name and God will punish Non-Christians because they do not in his religion. But the judgment of God is upon everyone in proportion to what we have received and how much we have obeyed from it.

"2 Tim 2:19 ... Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

 1 Peter 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?"

 
Every sinner will face punishment starting with sinning Christians. It seems Christians are in more trouble than others. But we have the benefit of the written word of God. We can overcome if we follow the Bible.


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