Discipleship Series, Salvation Pt 1: 5 Worldviews of Salvation

FIVE VIEWS OF SALVATION

1.     Pluralism: Many are the roads to the One

a.     Many roads lead to God.

b.     No religion can claim to be the exclusive way or a superior way to God.

c.     This view has strong appeal due to the emphasis upon the cardinal cultural virtues of acceptance, tolerance, and non-judgmental.

                                               i.     Five Arguments for this view:

1.     Exclusive way to promote tolerance in an oppressive world.

2.      What others adhere to in their worldview is livable for them.

3.     Historically, world religions develop geographically. Thus, “How can Christianity claim to be the ‘best’ or ‘only’ way?

4.     Exclusive religions, such as Christianity, fail to produce ethically superior adherents.

5.     Popular pluralism views assume that all religions teach the same basic truth.

                                             ii.     Problem:

1.     They necessitate the abandonment of distinctive truths claims regarding the Trinity, the incarnation of Christ, the atonement, and the resurrection. They do not, however, single out Buddhism, which rejects some of the literature of Hinduism.

2.     They avoid the issue of truth. World religions give contradictory solutions to basic questions. Therefore, it is incorrect that all religions teach the same basic truth. (ex:

a.     God is personal (Christianity; Judaism) vs. God is impersonal (Vedantic Hinduism)

b.     There is one God (Christianity; Judaism; Islam) vs. Many gods (Shintoism; Mormonism) vs. No God (Theravadic Buddhism) 

c.     Humans are guilty of rebellion against a holy God (Christianity) vs. Humanity’s problem is ignorance (Hinduism) vs. suffering (Buddhism)

d.     Salvation is the transformation of the individuals (Christianity) vs. Salvation released from the cycle of rebirths (Hinduism; Buddhism)

3.     Adhering to the god Moloch. One is to sacrifice children.

4.     A proper method of evaluation of the ethical system should occur rather than the individual believer (ex:

a.     Buddhism claims to be a compassionate religion, yet says an individual may suffer because of bad karma in their past life.

2.     Universalism: All things reconciled to God

a.     All human beings are reconciled to God.

b.     No person will be eternally punished or separated from God.

c.     They do not base their position on Scripture but appeal to ethical and theological principles for support—namely, the injustice of an eternal hell and the eternal love of God.

                                               i.     Problem: This view takes away the freedom of man. God denies human freedom.

3.     Inclusivism: Salvation by general revelation

a.     Agrees that Jesus is the only Savior but believes in the possibility that some people can receive salvation without an explicit knowledge of Jesus.

b.     “God’s forgiveness and acceptance of humanity have been made possible by his death, but the benefits of this sacrifice are not confined to those who respond to it with an explicit act of faith.”

c.     Insist that devout believers of other religions will be saved, but only on the basis of Christ’s atoning work.

                                               i.     Problem

1.     Scripture indicates one must believe in Christ in order to be saved: “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (Acts 16:31).

2.     Scripture also indicates one must repent of their sin to be saved: “And saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel’” (Mark 1:15).

4.     Postmodern Opportunity: Getting it right the second time

a.     People receive an after-death opportunity to develop faith in Christ.

b.     An individual who has heard the gospel message in this present age, this postmodern occasion functions as a second chance for salvation.

c.     An individual who never heard the gospel message in this present age, this postmodern opportunity functions as the first chance for salvation.

d.     One advocate of this view says that hell is as a hospital for sick souls who can receive a cure if one receives the medicine.

5.     Restrictivist: Salvation in the name of Jesus only

a.     Jesus is the Savior of only those who have explicit faith in Him.

b.     Another name for this view is exclusivism

c.     Throughout the New Testament, faith is stated as a prerequisite for salvation.

d.     Romans 10:13 says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD shall be saved.”