Romans 1:20
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
We affirm that God can be known, to a degree, by reason alone. That reason must be enlightened by grace, however.
No-one can be excused for rejecting God.
So can Hindus who do not repent be saved? Jesus says:
I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. (Luke 13:5)
While one may be invincibly ignorant of the true faith, if a person dies in a state of rejection of God, he will definitely go to hell. What’s worse, a Hindu doesn’t know that they need to repent to be saved. A Hindu is therefore in a terrible situation and desperately needs to hear and accept the Gospel. I am not saying that they
cannot be saved, but they have no idea of what’s necessary.
Atemi:
God has commanded that ALL men everywhere repent. This does not exclude that Hindu.
Absolutely correct.
Acts 17:30
“Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent”
Everyone, whatever faith they claim to profess
must repent to be saved. Ignorance of the true faith does
not excuse anyone from having to repent from what they know in their hearts they’ve done wrong.
We Catholics have to evangelise not because other religions are inferior means to salvation, but because they are
false and impede the salvation of mankind. While some may be better than no religion, compared to Christianity, they impede the reception of the grace of repentance - indeed - people of those religions do not know that it is necessary for salvation, and such ignorance is not invincible, for God gives His grace to everyone. Whether we know it or not, we reject God by sinning, and we, Catholic, Protestant, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist
must repent.
So let’s not be politically correct and give into the inclusivist temptation. While one can affirm and hope that God’s grace may move someone to a sufficient belief in God and to repentance and thus salvation, even if they have never heard the Gospel, it is our
duty to spread the Gospel because other religions are gravely deficient and false, impeding the acceptance of that grace. They don’t know they need to repent to be saved.
Let’s not kid ourselves that if someone of another religion appears to be a “good person” that they do not merit damnation. You don’t need to be Christian to commit mortal sin. Many outwardly “good people” wilfully and obstinately break God’s commandments, and all have committed mortal sin and are culpable for rejecting God and in desperate need of forgiveness.
All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. (Eph 2:3)
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23.) Just because Protestants quote this a lot does not make it any less true.
All of us - you, me, Christians, Muslims, the evillest rapists and the holiest of Saints deserve damnation for causing infinite offence to God. Only repentance can save us, and only because of Jesus Christ alone.
The Catholic position is nothing new.
St. Justin said in the second century:
Christ is the Logos Divine Word of whom the whole race of men partake. Those who lived according to Logos are Christians, even if they were considered atheists, such as, among the Greeks, Socrates, and Heraclitus.
Needless to say, if those atheists did not repent, they are still damned, as will you and I be if we don’t.
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Pet 3:9)
…God our Saviour … wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Tim 2:3-4)
Let’s not disappoint Him. Let’s evangelise, shall we?
