PRINTWith so many different religions out there, isn't their more ways than just through Jesus to get to heaven?
With so many different religions out there, isn't their more ways than just through Jesus to get to heaven?
The Bible is clear that Jesus is the only way to heaven, and that were it not for his redemptive work on the cross, we'd all be stuck in our sin, justly deserving God's present and eternal punishment.
It's also clear that *belief* in Jesus is *sufficient* for salvation. Consider this passage in Acts 16:
29The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household."
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Comments
This is a good question. I used to ask it all the time. The answer according to the Bible is yes.
Acts chapter 4 discusses this question. Verse 12 answers it for us. It tells us that there is no other name given under heaven by which man must be saved.
Jesus said himself that He is the way the truth and the life and no one gets to the Father but by him. Joh 14:6. The entire book of John covers this in great detail. So does the book of Romans.
So what of the one who has never heard of the name "Jesus"? God is sovereign, holy and just. He knows from the beginning who will choose him. He is very capable of revealing himself to one who is in a far away place. But this is just my two cents. I wanted to share my thoughts and discoveries because I had this question once myself.
I am sure someone will come along and give a better answer. :-) God bless! Teresa
That was a very good answer. I just want to add about this question in a non Christian perspective. Just so we would not find ourselves into trouble. People in ancient used to said that different religions in the world are like fingers on a hand while Buddha is the palm.
There are also believe that the thought of god is the thing that brings you closer to god. There is an interesting story about this. Once upon a time there was a man who doesn't believe in god to an extent that he constantly thought, 'there is no god'. This thought kept running around in this mind throughout his entire life even until the day he dies. On that day, he met god because the thought of god had been constantly running in his mind.
A branch of Christianity which is called inclusivism, or something around that line, believed that there are many way to heaven and Jesus is one of it. Exclusivist, or something along that line, believe something like Teresa that there is only way to heaven, and that is Jesus.
I do not attempted to provide and answer here. I just merely attempted to provide a more broaden information around that topic. Thank you and God Bless.
"Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29)
I would just like to reply to ArielGenises' definition of exclusivism and inclusivism. Both views say that Christ is the only way to heaven and no one can get there without faith in him. Inclusivism simply says the God sees the hearts of people perfectly and applies the reconciling work of Christ to all who have a heart to receive it - whether they know it or not. God sees the heart!