Can a Christian believe a non-Christian can be saved?

So I finally wrote my paper for my religions class that I talked about in a previous post. I decided to write about whether or not a Christian can believe a non-Christian can get to heaven-- that one seemed to be the most interesting, by far! So I'll copy and paste my paper here. Let me know what you think. It's an "academic essay" (whatever the hell that means) so it's really formal and not how I usually write on here! Enjoy!

Christianity and Salvation in Regards to Other Religions

There are many different views in regard to salvation. Salvation is an extremely complex issue and cannot be discussed in one theology. In my essay, I will discuss what salvation is and specifically what Christians believe it is. I will also discuss the different views of who Christians believe are saved. Finally, I will talk about Christians believing that people of other religions can be saved.

The idea of salvation is not solely a Christian concept. Most religions have some concept of salvation, and it does not always involve the idea of a heaven. Christians believe in the saving power of the cross. They believe Jesus was perfect, died on the cross for everyone’s sins, and was resurrected 3 days after he died. Christians tend to believe that the way to be saved is through “church rituals (particularly baptism and -- in the Catholic churches -- confession), good works; Belief in: Jesus' resurrection, Jesus’ status as the only begotten Son of God, Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior; Or by some combination of the above.”[1] The debate comes from the fact that there are numerous other religions that believe in a higher power, in the person of Jesus, and the existence of people in remote areas of the world who never have and never will hear the name of Jesus. The following paragraphs will explain different beliefs about who is saved and the support each belief has.

The first belief is universalism. They believe that everyone, because of the sacrifice of Jesus, is saved. Because, according to Romans 3:23, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Jesus redeemed everyone of their sins. As a result, all are saved and going to heaven. Origen argued that there is no such thing as dualism. He believed that “God will overcome evil and restore creation to its original form.”[2] He did not believe that God, who is perfect and holy, could coexist with Satan, who is evil. Robinson argued that God’s love is stronger than the evil and will eventually conquer evil, which makes “the existence of hell an impossibility.”[3] However, this theory does not take into account the need for faith in any higher power. With this theory, it does not matter what kind of person someone is—they could be a murderer or rapist who is unrepentant of what they did, and they could still get into heaven. Universalists could argue that all people are sinners, one sin is not greater than another, and because of God’s grace, and we are all saved: “For it is by grace that we have been saved… not by works, so that no one can boast” Ephesians 2:8-9.

Another belief of salvation is that only elect people can get into heaven. This theory rests heavily on the idea of pre-destination—that God chose only a few people to be saved. This theory comes from the idea that Jesus came and died for all people, but only a select few will be saved. They argue that because Jesus came and died only to save those who God had already chosen to be saved. However, those who follow this theory do not give any solid Biblical references for their beliefs and dismiss the “universality of God’s love and redemption.”[4]

The last, and most popular, belief is that only believers can get into heaven and be saved. In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” This is the most popular belief among churches today. Jesus is believed to be central to someone’s salvation. If someone does not believe in, and “confess” the name of Jesus, and that he came down to earth and died for our sins, they cannot get into heaven. This belief emphasizes the importance of faith in Jesus and God in order to be saved. Augustine was a strong force behind promoting this idea originally. During the Middle Ages and the Reformation it was further supported. The writers of the time started the idea, that continues to be popular today, that nonbelievers cannot be saved. Calvin stated: “All the more vile is the stupidity of those people who open heaven to all the impious unbelieving, without the grace of him who Scripture teaches to be the only door by which we enter heaven.”[5]

In contrast to the earlier theologians, there have been others who believe that a non-Christian can be saved. In John Wesley’s sermon, “On Faith,” he “argued the need for faith in God in order to be saved—but affirmed that this faith need not be explicitly Christian in character.”[6] In the twentieth-century, C.S. Lewis wrote on the subject of who is saved. In his book, Mere Christianity, he argued that “those who commit themselves to the pursuit of goodness and truth will be saved, even if they have no formal knowledge of Christ.”[7] In regards to other religions, those who are saved are more complicated. Lewis states: “There are people in other religions who are being led by God’s secret influence top concentrate on those parts of their religion which are in agreement with Christianity, and who thus belong to Christ without knowing it.”[8] This idea supports the fact that God is present in everything.

People who have never heard of the name of Jesus or God can still acknowledge the presence of a higher being. In Romans 1:20, Paul states: “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” God is omnipresent, so God is in remote areas of the world where people who have not heard of the name of Jesus would be able to experience Him. If Augustine were to argue this point he would most likely use John 14:6, referencing Jesus saying that he is the only way to be saved. One could state that a person does not necessarily have to acknowledge the person of Jesus to be saved. He came, died, was resurrected and left the Holy Spirit on the earth, so it is through the Holy Spirit that Jesus and God are revealed. Because Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit are one entity, acknowledging the presence of one acknowledges the presence of all three.

Western Christianity is very western-centric and we do not have a clear understanding of other religions, and even the beliefs and practices of Christians in other parts of the world. Other religions believe in a higher being and some even believe in the existence of Jesus. (Islam—Allah and Jesus as a prophet, Judaism—believe in God who is Jesus) God is truth, and if another religion or person lives in a truth, it is following God’s way. In Rob Bell’s book, Velvet Elvis, he talks about all truth being God’s truth, no matter where the truth is found. He references Paul’s writings in the book of Acts where Paul quotes one of the poets of the place he is staying. The poet spoke truth. If all truth is God’s truth then the poet unknowingly spoke God’s truth.[9] Bell states, “as a Christian, I am free to claim the good, the true, the holy, wherever and whenever I find it. I live with the understanding that truth is bigger than any religion and the world is God’s and everything in it.”[10] As a Christian, it is possible to believe that other religions can speak truth and God is present in that truth. Other religions acknowledge the person of Jesus, not always saying he is the Messiah, but a prophet or just a man. It could be argued that because they believe he existed, people who follow other religions are saved. Along with that, if another religion follows a deity, they could be following God, but giving Him a different name. Especially because Jews follow the God of Abraham, as do Christians, they all believe in the same God who is also Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

It is possible, although not always accepted, that Christians can believe that people of other religions can be saved. Christians tend to be very exclusive and intolerant of other religions, not accepting the idea of God’s truth being present in everything, including other religions’ beliefs and doctrines. Although Jesus said he is the way to be saved, it is not defined how exactly that is seen or decided. People can live a life for Christ and not consider themselves Christians.

In conclusion, Christians believe in the saving power of the cross of Christ. However, Christians can also believe that non-Christians, who do not believe in the cross, can be saved. In this essay, I explained the different views about who is saved and who is not. I also explained that it is possible for Christians to believe that nonbelievers and people of other religions can be saved.

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[1]B.A. Robinson, Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance, Religioustolerance.org, http://www.religioustolerance.org/salvatio.htm, 2007

[2] Alister E. McGrath, Christian Theology, (Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2007), 357

[3] Alister E. McGrath, Christian Theology, (Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2007), 357

[4] Alister E. McGrath, Christian Theology, (Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2007), 359

[5] Alister E. McGrath, Christian Theology, (Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2007), 357-358

[6] Alister E. McGrath, Christian Theology, (Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2007), 358

[7] Alister E. McGrath, Christian Theology, (Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2007), 358

[8] Alister E. McGrath, Christian Theology, (Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2007), 358

[9] Rob Bell, Velvet Elvis,, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005), 79

[10] Rob Bell, Velvet Elvis,, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005), 80