Jesus is the only way

[teachccd]

We are bound by the commands of God. God is not. When Jesus speaks the words in John 14:6 He speaks truth but we could never comprehend the infinite truth that He speaks. When we go on trying to figure out who is ultimately saved and who is not we are trying to figure out the infinite essence of an Almighty infinite Love. Why not apply His teachings in John 14:6 to your life and quit trying to figure out where everyone else is going? Yes, we are to evangelize to all by our words and actions but that is where we are the instrument of God. We are not co-judges as only God can read hearts…Can Muslims and Jews or even atheists go to heaven? I don’t know and neither does anyone here. Don’t we have a tough enough time reflecting on our own sins and wondering where we will go?..teachccd

 

[CB_Catholic]

Jesus can save who he wants, but I wouldn’t want to test it out. All we can go by is what the Scriptures teach.
Joh 14:6 Jesus said to him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by Me.

Do you think this verse should be omitted from the Scriptures?

No. Because no one does come to the Father except by Him. Even if they never heard of Jesus, they still would come to the Father by Him. All who are saved (and really only God determines who is saved) are saved by Christ. There is no other way. So even if you are not a Christian, if God, in His mercy, saves you, it is through His Son.

Besides, why would anyone want to omit anything from God’s Word to us? Even if we don’t fully understand it, (or in our human arrogance) disagree with it, His Word is His Word and can’t be changed. It is eternal.

 

[CB_Catholic]

We are bound by the commands of God. God is not. When Jesus speaks the words in John 14:6 He speaks truth but we could never comprehend the infinite truth that He speaks. When we go on trying to figure out who is ultimately saved and who is not we are trying to figure out the infinite essence of an Almighty infinite Love. Why not apply His teachings in John 14:6 to your life and quit trying to figure out where everyone else is going? Yes, we are to evangelize to all by our words and actions but that is where we are the instrument of God. We are not co-judges as only God can read hearts…Can Muslims and Jews or even atheists go to heaven? I don’t know and neither does anyone here. Don’t we have a tough enough time reflecting on our own sins and wondering where we will go?..teachccd

Well said. and, I might add, that God revealed His Truth to us, but He didn’t reveal everything to us. Just what He wanted us to know. Anything else is reserved to Him.

 

[SteveGC]

We are bound by the commands of God. God is not. When Jesus speaks the words in John 14:6 He speaks truth but we could never comprehend the infinite truth that He speaks. When we go on trying to figure out who is ultimately saved and who is not we are trying to figure out the infinite essence of an Almighty infinite Love. Why not apply His teachings in John 14:6 to your life and quit trying to figure out where everyone else is going? Yes, we are to evangelize to all by our words and actions but that is where we are the instrument of God. We are not co-judges as only God can read hearts…Can Muslims and Jews or even atheists go to heaven? I don’t know and neither does anyone here. Don’t we have a tough enough time reflecting on our own sins and wondering where we will go?..teachccd

Well said, teach:thumbsup:

Since you are a “Bible only Christian”, I’ll address this from the New Testament.

Who said I was a Bible only Christian?

All we can go by is what the Scriptures teach.

So…Bible-only or not?​

 

[tobinatorstark]

I saw this reply to a post from Fr. Vincent Serpa and thought it was wrong and misleading so I thought I would respond. I don’t mean any disrespect toward Fr. Vincent but as an apologist I would hope that he misspoke in his reply.

NO ONE comes to the Father except through Christ. All Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims and anybody who doesn’t except Christ will be cast away. The only exception I could see are Babies and those who have never had the chance to hear about Christ, but to those who have had an opportunity and rejected Christ will not see the light of Heaven.

This is a misrepresentation of the parable. What the Parable is saying is that those who become Christian later on in life will inherit the same reward as those have been a Christian for a long time. Being a Christian is ALL ABOUT CHRIST. Not about being a good person or claiming to worship the same God. Jesus paid the price for our sins and I can’t understand why people keep leaving this truth for another.

I think your ideas are misleading and misrepresenting what Fr. Vincent was illuding to.

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

Interesting how you laid down a hard and fast rule for salvation and then immediately made an exception to the rule.

Let me ask about an example, that of a Muslim living in Saudi Arabia. Does that Muslim have a realistic opportunity to learn about Jesus Christ and his message? If not, can that Muslim possibly be saved?

The notion is ambiguous - it could mean two very different things:​

• no one is saved can be saved, without explicit faith in Christ
• If anyone is saved, it because they have, in some way, had faith in Christ

In the latter sense, even atheists & other non-Christians can be saved; this has been debated over the last 40 years, but it is now generally accepted as Catholic doctrine. This is the debate in which the “anonymous Christian” has been so prominent. The answer to you question is, “Certainly” - if the emphasis is on this** latter sense** & not on the former.

The former sense is the one reflected in Ott & his predecessors.

 

[ShellKell]

I think your ideas are misleading and misrepresenting what Fr. Vincent was illuding to.

I was just pointing out that Mr Serpa whom I am guessing is a Priest was wrong in what he was saying and even used a misinterpretation of a Parable. I wasn’t trying to be mean, just pointing something out that I thought was wrong.

 

[Philthy]

Jesus can save who he wants, but I wouldn’t want to test it out. All we can go by is what the Scriptures teach.
Joh 14:6 Jesus said to him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by Me. Do you think this verse should be omitted from the Scriptures?

I think the verse should stay. I dont think it says what you believe it says however. It simply says that all who come to the Father do so through Christ. All of humanity that becomes reconciled to the Father is reconciled through Christ. It says nothing about whether that coming “to the Father” is limited to those having had the opportunity to hear the gospel message.

 

[Snerticus]

May I ask what happens - when a Muslim, Buddhist, Atheist, or other non-Christian soul at the exact moment of death but just before judgement sees Christ and realizes that He is the Way to salvation, and accepts him the instant before judgement - what do you think happens then?

 

[ShellKell]

May I ask what happens - when a Muslim, Buddhist, Atheist, or other non-Christian soul at the exact moment of death but just before judgement sees Christ and realizes that He is the Way to salvation, and accepts him the instant before judgement - what do you think happens then?

Well, I guess using that logic you could say that everyone will be in Heaven because I’m pretty sure that even murderers and child molesters will realize that Jesus is the way to Salvation once they see him. I can’t imagine anyone denying Christ once they see him.

 

[tobinatorstark]

Well, I guess using that logic you could say that everyone will be in Heaven because I’m pretty sure that even murderers and child molesters will realize that Jesus is the way to Salvation once they see him. I can’t imagine anyone denying Christ once they see him.

No not everyone will be in heaven. We don’t know who will end up in heaven or hell.

 

[Snerticus]

Well, I guess using that logic you could say that everyone will be in Heaven because I’m pretty sure that even murderers and child molesters will realize that Jesus is the way to Salvation once they see him. I can’t imagine anyone denying Christ once they see him.

My logic is sound (for the most part), just because you don’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not true.

The reason you can’t imagine anyone refusing God is because you’re human and you yourself believe in God. You say you’re pretty sure murderers and child molester will realize Jesus as savior. Yes, no doubt you are right about some. But don’t presume to speak for all of humanity. I personally can’t imagine anyone denying Christ either at the moment of death. Yet, it happens all the time. And will continue to happen.

*That’s my point. *And that’s what you fail to understand. There ARE people who at death will see Jesus, and instead of them saying Lord, Lord, will say to Jesus - why didn’t you feed all the hungry or clothe all the naked or visit them in prison? Aren’t you supposed to be God? And then they will deny Him. And just because someone says that they “believe” on this earth does not mean that ultimately when they meet Christ they will still do so. That is why as a Catholic I believe that conversion is an ongoing process that everyone is obliged to partake. Just because you say once in your life that you “believe in Jesus” does not guarantee that from then on you have no will to reject Him. We have free will throughout our lives, and many who claim to believe will reject Him. Thus the passage “not everyone who says Lord, Lord will enter the Kingdom”.

Like the poster above me says, we just don’t know who will accept Him or won’t on the last day.

 

[ShellKell]

My logic is sound (for the most part), just because you don’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not true.

The reason you can’t imagine anyone refusing God is because you’re human and you yourself believe in God. You say you’re pretty sure murderers and child molester will realize Jesus as savior. Yes, no doubt you are right about some