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Hi Fran, I do believe the only way to be saved is through Jesus. To me, that means more that a person needs to follow in the spirit of Jesus rather than necessarily believe certain theological doctrines about him. I believe if a person in another religious tradition such as Buddhism, Judaism, whatever, lives according to the teachings of Jesus but does not necessarily believe he is God or the Messiah, they can still be saved because they are following the way taught by Jesus, which is the way of spiritual rebirth. An example of a person who I believe did this is Mahatma Gandhi, a Hindu. He lived a life of self-sacrifice, in the path of Jesus, even though he did not recognize Jesus's Godhood or believe certain Christian doctrines. I believe when such people die, they will meet Jesus and they will be told that Jesus is the Lord and they will have no problem whatsoever agreeing that he is divine, because they will see his glory. As for people who do not live according to the way of Jesus, when they die they will have to have their sins burned away in a purgatorial fire -- not a literal fire of physical pain, but some process of reform and correction. For some souls this could last a long time and be very difficult; for others only briefly, depending on their needs. Then they will be ready to enter heaven, where they will recognize Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Christian Universalists have different views on whether Jesus is the only way or what exactly this means, but most of them probably believe, in some form or another, that we are all saved through Jesus Christ, even the people who are in non-Christian religions. I happen to have a lot of respect for Buddha, and believe that people can benefit greatly from following his teachings, which in many respects are similar to the way of Jesus. Buddha was a great soul who taught peace, non-violence, love, and righteousness. But I still believe that Jesus is Lord and that when people die, they will see and understand this. Some religions may help people to come closer to Jesus, while other religions (e.g. extreme forms of Islam, in my opinion) may drive a person away from Jesus and his path of peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Peace in Christ,
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Christian Universalist FAQ -- Frequently Asked Questions
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Heavenly Father, please bless this ministry, lead multitudes to this website, and help them see the truth of Your love and forgiveness for all people through the power of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of the whole world. Open their eyes to Your true nature, take away their fears, and fill their hearts with the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. |