What are the essentials for salvation? Here is one person’s take:
1. Belief in the existence of God: Duh, right? In short, as relativised as the term “Christian” has become, there is really no such thing as an atheistic Christian.
2. Belief in the deity of Christ: I believe that Christ is the center of the Christian message. Who He is is as important as what He did. I don’t necessarily believe that people must be presented with a Nicene or Chalcedonian understanding of who Christ is, but I don’t think that anyone can be a Christian and simply believe that Christ was a man who died on the cross. They may not understand that Christ is homoousios with the father, but knowing that He is God’s Son is an ontological claim, not just a relational one. In other words, when we claim that God sent His Son, we are saying that God sent one of His own nature, not simply some man that He was particularly fond of.
3. Belief in the personal sin: This means that a person must realize their need for forgiveness before they can receive forgiveness. Once again, I believe that this happens at the time of regeneration as God restores our relationship with Him and we suffer a deep conviction of our own unrighteousness. No one can be saved unless they experience such a subjective conviction.
4. Belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ: Both number 2 and 4 are unique to this list because they are the only two that provide content that cannot be acquired outside of special revelation. In other words, people will not be able to acquire this information outside of the Gospel. Without the unique message of the Gospel that comes to us through Christ and the Apostles, people can, on their own, come to the conclusion that God exists (Romans 1) and be convicted of personal sin (Romans 2), but they cannot know about who Christ is and what He did. Since I believe that the Gospel message is essential to salvation, this puts me in the rare camp of “restrictivism” with regards to the destiny of the unevangelized. Again, being a Calvinist makes this easy and complicated at the same time. Nevertheless, I don’t think that Heaven will be inhabited by any (outside of those who are mentally unable) who did not hear and believe the Gospel while on earth. One may not know how Christ’s death satisfies our need (i.e. vicarious penal substituation), but one does have to know that Christ died for them and that He rose from the grave and that this somehow saves them.
5. Faith alone: Notice here I have cheated. I did not put “Belief in faith alone.” While I am firmly convicted that justification is by faith alone, I am not persuaded that one must believe in the doctrine of sola fide to be saved. My reasoning for this is twofold. 1) It is very difficult to know what to do with those who preceded the Reformation. While I appreciate what Thomas Oden’s Justification Reader has done to show how prevalent an unarticulated doctrine of sola fide was prior to the Reformation, I still am convicted that the majority of the Church believed that their works contributed to some degree to their ultimate justification. 2) The mass amount of people today who profess belief in the Reformed doctrine of sola fide often fall back, doctrinally speaking, into some sort of works based belief system. Like the Galatians, many Christians today receive the gift of God and then begin to attempt to pay Him for it. Whether it is through a righteous life, fear that they might lose their salvation, or the simple addition of the work of baptism to their faith, this is an adoption of a works based belief system that, while wrong and damaging to their walk, does not disqualify them from their inheritance or evidence that they never really received the gift. In the end, it is my belief that these people will realize that it was their faith alone that saved them, even though they may have believed that their works were a necessary contribution. In this sense, these people lack the fullness of the Gospel and need to understand just how radical and scandalous the grace of God truly is.
posted November 6, 2007 at 10:17 am
David,
A friend you haven’t met yet wrote you this about the above truths:
Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.
posted November 6, 2007 at 10:27 am
Karl Rahner’s “anonymous” Christian might be in order here. I often think of Gandhi in that way. I just don’t think God has a check list.
posted November 6, 2007 at 10:37 am
The anonymous Christian../
people who haven’t heard of the Gospel or even rejected it might be saved through Christ. Non Christians could have “in their basic orientation and fundamental decision accepted the salvific grace of God through Christ although they may never have heard of the Christian revelation.” So someone who lives in the grace of God and attains salvation outside of explicity constituted Christianity can exist and does exist. We name God very poorly when we do it out of a model that is less about our belovedness and our love of one another and more about a sort of vindictive God who will get you if you don’t do as we say. When someone has had Jesus named poorly, but still manages to live in God’s grace – ie. Gandhi, Tich Nhat Hhan, and others – they are far better at the Christian path than I can ever be. They are perhaps models of Christ’s grace for us all.
posted November 6, 2007 at 11:02 am
I get really bugged by these lists. I don’t think that salvation is primarily an intellectual assent to a particular “correct” set of beliefs. It’s not that I don’t think these beliefs are significant. I just think that salvation is much more personal than this…much more about relationship. Not so easy to reduce to bullet points. It’s something that is meant to be wrestled with.
posted November 6, 2007 at 11:32 am
How might the (believing) thief on the cross have answered the question?
posted November 6, 2007 at 11:43 am
It is presumptuous to assert knowledge the mind of God, on this or any other issue.
What if the Qu’ran has it right, and not the Bible? There is no way to know.
A possibly unintended consequence of this sort of list is to sew discord.
posted November 6, 2007 at 12:10 pm
Those of the Reformed tradition continue to ignore the “right straw epistle,” James, much like their father Martin Luther. I have always appreciated the Reformed tradition’s emphasis on the mind and intellect. Nevertheless, they have a terribly narrow view of the world. “[W]hat to do with those who preceded the Reformation….”–this is an issue? I recall that Christ and the Apostles preceded the Reformation. I also recall they had vigorous debates about the nature of salvation.
It is a vestige of the Institutional Church which causes us to continue to seek “one right answer” to every question.
posted November 6, 2007 at 1:13 pm
Presumably innocent little aborted fetuses have souls and go straight to Heaven without having to deal with the Belief List, while all those who get born and live in the world have a very great chance of falling short on some items on the Belief List, or — horrors!– being born into a Muslim family and winding up in hell because they believed the wrong list.
So aren’t the aborted fetuses better off, what with their guarantee of Eternal Salvation?
The unnamed item of belief that underlies all of the others is that the personality and consciousness of the human individual continues after death.In heaven everyone has more or less their individuality, like there’s Plato, and over there’s Uncle Mike. Folks walk and talk with Jesus. Probably there is a take-a-number system for that. I’ve even been told “Think of green grass, beautiful mountains, crystal clear streams, wonderful fruit trees, all animals are friendly. We will walk and talk with Jesus. That is heaven.”
Well. That is Disney Land. Or the Isles of the Blessed. Or the Elysian Fields. Or the Happy Hunting Ground. Or the Muslim Paradise. Isn’t this kind of thinking a Bronze Age dream of a life without toil? Is it even remotely plausible?
It certainly isn’t, to me.
If a cannon ball whacks my head off, I think my consciousness ceases immediately and forever, and I don’t think it will make the slightest difference what I believed.
posted November 6, 2007 at 6:26 pm
For me, the trouble with the list is that it’s the overriding truth only at the beginning of the road.
As you progress along that road, in my experience, you face a choice. It is to either rigidly cling to those theories and stall. Or to let the spiritual reality and desire- which becomes evident- become your guide. Which means letting the notions and the many corrupt maps of the road, made by people who clearly never made it far along it themselves, go.
posted November 7, 2007 at 12:43 am
Did the thief on the cross affirm all five of these? Or did Jesus fail to give him the theological grilling we would have?
posted November 7, 2007 at 9:44 am
So let’s see what you could deny and still be saved.
You could deny:
1. The reality of Satan
2. The Virgin Birth
3. The miracles of Jesus, Peter, Paul etc
4. The historicity of any or all of the sayings of Jesus
5. The authority of the Pauline writings
6. The historicity of the Hebrew Bible in its entirety
7. The supernatural content of Paul’s experience on the Damascus Road (the little stroke or whatever)
In other words, Episcopalians can be saved!!
Somebody should tell Bishop Spong the good news!
posted November 7, 2007 at 2:29 pm
If there is truly a life after death
And if there is truly a God there who judges us
And if we are judged almost entirely on our mental assent to a series of unverifiable claims about a person who lived in a province of the Roman Empire 2000 years ago (claims that have always been rejected by at least half the world)
And if our actions here on Earth in no way factor into the equation
And if, upon our failure to meet these requirements, our non-corporeal beings are tortured for eternity along with those of Anne Frank and Gandhi
Then I see no reason why we should not prefer to worship the devil.
posted November 7, 2007 at 8:11 pm
#5 is basically a direct attack on Catholicism. Not surprising, since the author is a self-proclaimed Calvinist, that most judgmental branch of all of Christianity (which is saying something).
posted November 8, 2007 at 3:38 am
I beleive that your saved by faith, but being saved fills you with the holy spirit therefor Our hearts are changed and to do anything aginst gods will only fills us with sadness and grief. Its hard to sin when god lives in side you.
posted November 8, 2007 at 11:35 am
i don’t see that anyone addressed the question as it was asked in the bible which is where we go to find the answers. It was asked by the Etheopian eunich and he was given the answer. A very simple answer. Why do you avoid that in giving this answer? there are five steps to salvation. Hear, believe, make confession, repent, and be baptised.
Study to show yourslef approved and if you should fall short repent, ask God for forgivness and get back on the straight and narrow road.
you have to hear it and study to know what God wants of us. Just believing without any other effort on the part of a human will surly cause the loss of a soul.
When teaching the bible why leave any of it out?
posted November 8, 2007 at 11:48 am
David,
I believe the promises Jesus has made to me. It’s not my job to condemn my sister or brother who believes differently. I think this is what Paul means when he instructs us to “work out YOUR OWN salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil 2:12, my emphasis).
Your list, however well-intentioned, puts God’s grace in a man-made box, which is blasphemous.
Peace.
posted November 8, 2007 at 12:14 pm
A person should not want to go to hell, a place of torment–so much so that people will wish to die, but they will not be able to do so. Also, because Jesus Christ, God’s only son died a cruel death for us to pay for our sins. He made a way for us. The devil does not love you or even care about you at all. Why would a person want to worship the devil? It is not an intelligent decision. It is one you will pay a heavy price for. The devil will lie to you, But that is what He is–a liar.
posted November 8, 2007 at 2:11 pm
Salvation comes in different forms. There is short term salvation which delivers a person or persons from immediate danger or harm by providing them with a Spiritual way out of the predicament. There is long term salvation which deals with a person’s deeds and actions carried out in their day to day lives; whether they be righteous deeds or unrighteous and whether they repent of their ways when they learn their ways are erroneous (see Ezekiel 18:all)
Short term deals with overcoming addictions or depressed conditions; i.e the Exodus from Egypt. Though the Israelites were liberated from the rule of Pharoah, they were not mentally liberated from the customs which were contrary to what God desired for them in service to Him.
Long term deals with one’s commitment to God to work in His Service, obey His commandments, and to keep Him out front in all of our doing.
refer to Solomon’s dedication prayer and God’s Answer…”If My people, who are called by My name…”
posted November 8, 2007 at 2:37 pm
The only thing I see to be “The essentials for salvation” is to be an actual Jew. Jew mean “chosen” and the only people to actually ascend up like Enoch, Elijah and Yeshua ha’meshiach (Jesus the christ) are those chosen to do so. Everyone else emain in “the lake of fire”, Civilization, until it is their time to be the chosen. The number to obtain it at this civilization’s end is between three hundred million and seven hundred and fifty miullion, according to the revelation I have received.
Elijah “NatureBoy”, the prophet like unto Moses.
posted November 8, 2007 at 2:38 pm
The only thing I see to be “The essentials for salvation” is to be an actual Jew. Jew mean “chosen” and the only people to actually ascend up like Enoch, Elijah and Yeshua ha’meshiach (Jesus the christ) are those chosen to do so. Everyone else emain in “the lake of fire”, Civilization, until it is their time to be the chosen. The number to obtain it at this civilization’s end is between three hundred million and seven hundred and fifty miullion, according to the revelation I have received.
Elijah “NatureBoy”, the prophet like unto Moses.
posted November 8, 2007 at 6:57 pm
kueby1:
We all sin, and it is highly naive to say that the outward expression of a person’s faith is a true reflection of their heart. (The Puritans tried it, and look where it got them.)
passnthrough:
Stating the negative case for a faith (“YOU’RE GOING TO HELL!!!!! BURN BABY BURN!!!!!”) is never going to be the best way to gain converts …
posted November 9, 2007 at 9:27 am
People that don’t even know Jesus as their Saviour
think that some how by their good works, that the
lord will favour them.. (not so)If this was so then Jesus would not
had to die on the cross.
When you are Saved by Grace,through faith….Then Our Good Works is
Because of our faith… if we say we have faith, and have not works then our faith Is DEAD!
posted November 9, 2007 at 1:28 pm
Billy Hale wrote:
“People that don’t even know Jesus as their Saviour think that some how by their good works, that the lord will favour them.. (not so)”
Yes, IS so. For without the “good works”, faith is dead. And, faith without “good works” only exemplifies: “for they are liars, and the truth is not in them”. And, Jesus said, “For they shall come to me in that day saying, Lord, Lord, have we not done wondrous things in your name? And, I shall say, get thee behind me, for I have never known you”. We may be saved by our faith, but the bible is very clear that we WILL BE judged “by our works”.
Billy wrote:
“If this was so then Jesus would not had to die on the cross.”
And, those that say that they love Christ yet still sin, would have Him killed on that cross over and over again? The Cross of Christ never “saved” me from doing one act of sin. It only acts as an example of the great love that God has for us (all). The question never was “how much does God love us”? The real question for mankind is, how much do we love Him? It is man’s nature to “sin”. And, we will sin over and over again (cross or no), because that’s who we are. But, it is God’s nature to love and forgive. Thank God for a loving God. For “we have all sinned and come short of the glory of the Lord”. The cross does not keep us from sinning, simply points out how much we (all) really need God in our lives. And sets us an example, like Christ, that God’s will is supreme.
Billy said:
“When you are Saved by Grace,through faith….Then Our Good Works is
Because of our faith… if we say we have faith, and have not works then our faith Is DEAD!”
True. However, I would not have put “Saved by Grace,through faith”. Because, we are not saved by grace but simply through our faith, alone (just as in the days of Abraham, Isaac and Noah). The grace of God (cross) gave us a doorway to salvation (His son). But, to think that it is the only doorway is a little self centered. God has opened many ways to Him. Many opportunities to show Him our love and devotion. And, as Jesus so wonderfully said about salvation and heaven: “Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy spirit (sole), and with all thy mind; and, the second one is like unto it, love thy neighbor as thyself”. Upon these two things lay all the keys to the kingdom.
All the doorways to heaven (salvation) run through this same principle. And, it is our faith in God, our love for God, and our willingness to put God before ourselves and any other possession of THIS world, that is the determining factor of our own salvation and our ultimate fate.
posted November 12, 2007 at 10:55 am
To be saved, believe in the virgin birth, Jesus death and resurrection, then receive the Holy Ghost.
posted January 16, 2008 at 12:08 am
to say we are saved simply by faith is not according to the word of God. (by The Grace Of God,then by Faith we believe unto salavation)
Also to say that Jesus Christ Is Not The Only Way to Heaven Nd to the father Which is In The Bodily person of Jesus.
For GOD (Holy Ghost)was in His son Reconciling the world unto himself.
To Deny this Is to Deny The Deity Of Jesus Christ.
posted March 14, 2008 at 3:06 am
For those who deny the value of works as a integral part of justification in the eyes of Christ, I call each person to seek the wisdom of the early church fathers. Authoritatice christians such as Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, St. Polycarp and more not only claim membership to the universal church of the time, but stand on a platform of unanimous agreement on christian doctrine. Enjoy