I had a wonderful question posed to me following my prior blog posting. The question was essentially, do I really believe someone can have an eternal relationship, "be saved", and not be a follower or believer in Jesus Christ? This is my attempt to answer that question.

As I've explored the world religions more in depth these last several weeks (more than ever before) I've come to learn there are some areas where Christianity and the other religions are in agreement. All of them (except perhaps Buddhism) worship the same God we do. I've found the other religions seem to be living out their faith more readily than we as Christians oftentimes do. Judaism and Christianity have much the same history - the sacred text of the Jewish people is our sacred text. The stories of the Jewish people are our stories. The heritage of the Jewish people is our
heritage – at least up to the time of Jesus Christ. It's at the point of Jesus Christ where we, as Christians, diverge paths from the Jews. In fact, this is the point of divergence for Christians and most of the other world religions.

As I mentioned in my sermon on Islam last weekend, our disagreement with Islamists centers around Jesus Christ and that we believe Jesus is divine; they do not. We believe Jesus died for our sins - the sins of the world; they do not. I've come to respect the lives of the Hindus, Buddhists and Islams (I'm sure I will the Jews as well as I learn more about them). Nevertheless, there are areas I disagree with them as a Christian - again that centers around Jesus as our savior who took the sins of the world upon his shoulders - for all people.

I recently read something by Rev. Adam Hamilton which made me question and reflect a bit differently of how Jesus provides salvation for the world. What if by taking the sins of the world upon his shoulders for all people - Jesus opened the way even for those who don't believe in him? What about those who never heard of him? If someone has never heard of Jesus would they be doomed to an eternity of hell? What of someone who never learns the gospel? What of the person who is raised by fanatic parents or atheistic parents and they never have the opportunity to come to know Jesus? Would they be condemned to hell? Should a mentally challenged person who does not understand the meaning of Jesus and what Jesus did for all, be condemned to hell?

There are many questions - and I'm still working out some of the answers. I do believe in God's grace, mercy and judgement and trust he wil judge believers and non-believers with grace and with infinite wisdom. In some ways I am choosing to stand in the gray on this one - it's not black and white for me. There are numerous issues where I stand in the gray: homosexuality (our new testament and old, call it a sin against God); Christians who don't tithe - scripture says we are to give 10% of our income back to God; Christians who don't pray; Christians who don't worship; Christians who profess to be Christians, but don't live the lifestyle Christ calls us to live... What I do know is that God will judge accordingly and he does not call me to judge.

Is there a chance that those who do not believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God can still have an eternal relationship with God - perhaps. I'm just glad I'm not making the judgement call on that.

What do you think? Do you think someone can have an eternal relationship with God - reach heaven - but not know Jesus?

Blessings to you all,

Patrick