christian@topaz.UUCP (11/23/86)
Hi, 11/21/86 >Tom Albrecht wrote: >... Not all >those who are physically descended from Abraham are the children of promise, >but only those who come through the line of Isaac. ... This is not Scriptural. The reason for mentioning this is to bring up a reform in the Roman Catholic church that comes from the Second Vatican Council. One of the reforms deals with opening official channels of communication with other Christian denominations, and non-Christian denominations. For example: the Lutheran and Roman Catholic denominations have spent the last several years working together on various position papers dealing with some of the differences we've faced over the centuries. One of the papers deals with the subject of faith and works. The agreement is that salvation is dependent on faith, and such a faith would show itself in works. As for the non-Christian faiths, the Roman Catholic church has officially opened communication channels with Moslems, Jews, etc - all who are decendants of Abraham, because Scripture says that God's promise was made to the family of Abraham, rather than a select part of it. And we've gone further, by officially opening communications with other religions, such as the eastern religions, since we are all God's creation. Our present pope, Pope John Paul II has already gone to their countries to speak with some of their leaders - got pictures to prove it :-) . One other point - what about say a Moslem who becomes a Christian. He or she is just as saved as you or I inspite of whose side of the family they come from. The Apostle Paul takes it even further in Romans 2:2-16. At one point he says "... For whenever the gentiles, who do not possess the law, do by nature the deeds of the law, they, although they do not possess the law, are a law unto themselves. They show the work of the law written on their hearts ... ." He goes on to make the point that they, even not knowing Jesus but living their lives in accordance to his way, are saved since their hearts don't convict them. At least this is the way I understand the passage. Because of this, I believe that all the good people who never heard of Christ are saved. For that matter, Abraham had never heard of Jesus or spoke with his mouth that Jesus is Lord and Saviour; yet God saved him. He wasn't Christian by our definitions today. Besides who are we to tell God, or others, who is saved or not. Our job is to love God with our whole body, soul and spirit; and to love our neighbors as ourselves. When we do these things, God can then use us to bring others to Himself. And note that `neighbors' doesn't restrict it to any particular group. >It is by His grace alone that we are saved. So true. And remember Romans 2:5-6 "... when the judgement of God will be revealed, when he will repay every man for what he has done" --- notice it is based on what you have done, not just faith without works. A true faith shows itself in works. James is right when he says a faith without works is dead; from this, a faith showing itself in works is alive. God Bless, Mike Andrews