Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!rice!bcm!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: billy@stl.stc.co.uk (Billy Khan) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Interfaith - How should Christians respond? Message-ID: Date: 7 Mar 91 08:20:42 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: STC Telecomms, New Southgate, London, N11 1HB Lines: 40 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu Supersedes: In article ee8kag@gdt.bath.ac.uk (K A Goatman) writes: *>I know of one local church which is heavily committed to it. Can anyone *>think of any examples *from the life of Jesus* which may throw some *>light on what his response would be? *>The only verse that sprung to mind is John 14v6 - 'I am the way ... *>no one comes to the Father except by me' *He also said that He had "other flocks to tend," and that "in My Father's house there are many Mansions." *Further: He said "except by Me," not "except by the Church." Salvation is *through Grace, not through church-membership. *Recall the story of those who are saved and say in amazement, "We knew you not!" *-- but Christ said that "as you have done to each of these, you have done also *to Me." This is dangerously close to reopening the deadly dull Faith Vs Works *argument: but I suggest that these passages at least _imply_ that salvation *is possible outside of Christianity. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ You cannot say this if you accept John 14v6!!! There is no salvation outside of Jesus Christ, period! *I confess, however, that I am somewhat biased in this matter in that I am *married to an atheist/agnostic (depending on when you ask her) and sincerely *want to believe that she can be saved, since I know almost certainly that she *won't be converted. Believe she can be saved for goodness sake! How do you know she won't be converted? Do you know the lords idea for that person? By saying you don't think she can be converted you are saying that God can't do everything! Gods knows what it would take to convert her, he could do it. You must continue to pray to that end! From that day on, Ootai always called me "Mektangonagooligooli," an ancient Inuit word meaning "he who eats mice and pisses on his own luggage." The Roach [You might want to look at I Cor 7:14 in this context. --clh]