Is The Christian Doctrine Of Salvation Flawed?

 

Many good people adhere to non-Christian worldviews. They avoid heinous acts such as child abuse, torture, rape, and murder. While they may sometimes lie, curse, think bad thoughts, or occasionally cheat, they do not cause significant harm to others. However, according to the Bible, they are still destined for hell.

Meanwhile, Christians commit similar or even worse sins but are promised heaven simply because of their faith in Christ.

How is this fair?

To examine the validity of the Christian doctrine of salvation, we must first define the term ‘salvation.’

Salvation is defined as “deliverance from the power and effects of sin,” “liberation from ignorance or illusion,” or “preservation from destruction or failure.”¹

Understanding the Christian definition of sin is crucial. Sin is essentially “doing what is wrong,” “missing the mark,” or “a positive act of committing evil that ought not to be done.” A more profound definition of sin is that it is “an assault on God.”

The Bible teaches that sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4). Sinful acts are described as follows:

“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like” (Galatians 5:19-21; cf. Mark 7:21-22).

Some may wonder why sin matters. Why does the Christian faith place such importance on sin and its effect on humanity’s eternal destiny?

According to the Bible, those who sin fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). God is holy, and those who believe in Him are called to be holy: 

“As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:14-16; cf. James 4:4; 1 Corinthians 10:31).

Since sin affects humanity’s relationship with God, it matters, especially in the context of eternal life with Him.

Because sin separates man from God, every religion teaches its doctrine of salvation.

The Christian Doctrine Of Salvation

Christianity teaches salvation by grace through faith. Ephesians 2:8-10 states:

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

The Bible explicitly states that salvation is only possible through belief in Jesus Christ:

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’” (John 14:6; cf. John 3:18; Acts 4:12; 1 Timothy 2:5-6).

A key distinction between Christianity and other religions is the mode of salvation. In most religions, salvation is achieved through rituals or good works (salvation by works). In Christianity, however, God seeks humanity by sacrificing Himself on the cross, so that those who believe in Jesus Christ receive the benefits of HIS atoning sacrifice (salvation by grace through faith).

If salvation depended on good works, the responsibility of salvation would shift from God to man. However, humanity is prone to sin, making perfect obedience impossible. Every good deed would be tainted by sin.

Salvation: “DO” Vs. “DONE”

All major religions outside Christianity emphasize doing good works for salvation. Christianity, on the other hand, proclaims that salvation is done—God bore the sins of the world, died on the cross, and resurrected on the third day, defeating sin and death.

The Question Of Justice

It is undeniable that many non-Christians are good people. They avoid heinous crimes, yet according to the Bible, they are destined for hell. Meanwhile, Christians who sin—even grievously—are promised heaven because of their faith in Christ.

How should this apparent contradiction be reconciled?

No human—Christian or not—is sinless. Everyone sins, and because God is holy, there is a colossal schism (massive gap) between man and God. Every religion teaches a way for man to be saved from sin.

But What About Christians Who Continue To Sin After Salvation?

The Bible teaches that those who believe in the Triune God and the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ are not condemned:

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2).

Christians, though forgiven, still have a sinful nature. However, when they place their faith in Christ, the power of sin is broken (cf. Romans 6:20-23, 7:14-15, 8:8).

Upon surrendering to Jesus, believers become God’s children (Ephesians 1:5; Romans 8:15). Just as children sometimes disobey their parents, Christians sometimes disobey God. However, they can no longer live in sin as they did before because their nature has changed (2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 John 3:4-10).

1 John 1:9 teaches that believers should confess & repent of their sins and seek God’s forgiveness. Confession involves acknowledging the severity of sin and turning away from it. This should be a continual practice in a believer’s life.

Though believers still struggle with sin, Jesus intercedes for them as their High Priest (Romans 8:34). The goal is holiness, and sanctification will one day be complete (1 John 3:2). Until then, Christians continue to fight against sin (Matthew 5:29-30; Colossians 3:5-8).

What About Hypocritical Christians?

The Bible clearly states that faith in Christ should produce good works:

“As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead” (James 2:26; cf. John 12:46, 15:5).

A Christian’s life should bear the fruit of the Spirit:

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-25).

If a Christian’s life remains unchanged after salvation, they are in a dangerous spiritual position.

Conclusion: Is The Christian Doctrine Of Salvation Flawed?

No, the doctrine is not flawed.

1. Christians are saved solely because of Christ’s death and resurrection.

2. Salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ, not works.

3. Born-again Christians should strive to live a holy life.

The Christian doctrine of salvation teaches that no one can earn salvation through good deeds. Instead, salvation is a gift from God, freely given to those who believe in Jesus Christ. True faith should manifest in righteous living, reflecting the transformative power of grace.

Endnotes:

¹https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/salvation

Sin & Salvation In Islam & Christianity: Accord and Discord (Part 2)

ISLAM & CHRISTIANITY: ACCORD & DISCORD

            In the first part, the pertinent teachings from both the worldviews (Islam and Christianity) were presented. The next logical step is to observe the areas of accord (agreement) and discord (disagreement) between these major world religions.

ACCORD IN ISLAM & CHRISTIANITY

            Islam and Christianity are theistic religions, believing in the existence of God. The scriptures – the Quran and the Bible, are considered to be God’s revelations to mankind. These revelations affirm that Satan is the author of evil and sin entered the earth through him.

            The sovereignty of God, especially with reference to the final judgment of sins is affirmed by both the scriptures. The reward for belief and punishment for sin, whereby believers gain paradise or heaven (eternal life) and unbelievers the hell (eternal death), is clearly emphasized in these worldviews.

DISCORD BETWEEN ISLAM & CHRISTIANITY

            Even though Islam and Christianity have the same belief with respect to a few points related to sin and salvation, it is to be affirmed that there are disagreements also. Islam and Christianity differ and contradict each other on many counts.

            Let’s consider five points of disagreement between Islam and Christianity:

            First: The First Sin. A conflict occurs as early as in the account of the first sin. Even though the Quran records that Adam and Eve sinned, it also records that they realized their sin and pleaded to Allah for forgiveness (Surah 7:23). As a result, Allah forgave them (Surah 2:37) and Adam was accorded the status of a prophet.

            On the other hand, the Bible does not record this instance of repentance and forgiveness. The Bible states that Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden and were forbidden to eat of the tree of life.

            Islam believes in salvation by works that is initiated by man, so it records in Adam’s account that Allah will only forgive those who truly repent. On the contrary, the Bible teaches that Adam was banished and forbidden to eat from the tree of life. This sets the scene for God to initiate salvation by grace, so that only those who truly repent and believe in Christ are saved.

            Second: The Transmission of Sin. The Quran teaches that sin is not transmitted into posterity because “all people are born as true Muslims, innocent, pure, and free (Qur’an 30:30).”³⁹

            The Biblical teaching thoroughly disagrees with this line of thought. The Bible teaches that man is inherently sinful, sinful at the time of his birth.

            This disagreement implies that a Muslim will be forgiven by Allah if only he realizes his sinfulness and asks for forgiveness. On the contrary, the Bible teaches that man can only be saved by the grace of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose one-time perfect sacrifice gained salvation to all those who truly believe in Christ.

            This leads us to one of the core disagreements between Islam and Christianity, which pertains to one’s salvation.

            Third: The Means of Salvation. Islam is a proponent of salvation by works theology, whereas Christianity unquestionably asserts salvation by grace through faith. These teachings radically oppose each other.

            Either a believer believes in his works (salvation by works) or he believes in God’s work (salvation by God’s grace). The finitude of a believer whose logical implication is imperfection can never offer perfect works during his lifetime. A man cannot believe in both God’s work and his work, for the one denies and nullifies the other.

            If a believer cannot offer perfect works to the perfect God, then God, if HE chooses to accept the imperfect works of man, devoid of another equivalent act of making the imperfect perfect, then God would reveal an innate form of injustice - not a hallmark of a perfect being.

            The metaphysics of God would not allow God to accept the offer of imperfect sacrifices from man. God, who is ontologically perfect, cannot accept/tolerate imperfection of any manner or kind, whatsoever. Salvation by works would therefore be metaphysically impossible doctrine.

            Even the grace of God cannot compensate for man’s imperfect works. For grace is an attribute of an ontologically perfect God. Perfection is God’s ontic essence, whereas grace is an attribute of God. Metaphysically, any attribute of a perfect being should complement its ontic essence and shall not be in conflict.

            Fourth: The Means of Salvation – the Persons of Mohammed and Jesus Christ. This discord revolves around the central figures of Islam and Christianity – Prophet Muhammad and the Lord Jesus Christ, respectively. As the prefixes indicate one is a prophet and the other, God.

            Islam claims that Prophet Muhammad is the final prophet and an intercessor. Christianity asserts that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man, and the Savior of mankind.

            Salvation within the Christian framework is personal, for a man is saved by the grace of God through faith in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

            Salvation in Islam is entirely dependant on a transcendent God, but not dependant on the person of the prophet Muhammad. A Muslim’s focus is more on the law than the person of God.

            A Muslim grows in the law, whereas a Christian grows into the likeness of the person of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. A Muslim knows his law, which supersedes the person of the Prophet Muhammad, whereas a Christian knows his Lord Jesus Christ.

            Fifth: The Assurance of Salvation.  Islam does not seem to provide its believers with complete and convincing assurance of their salvation. A Muslim is always dependent on his transcendent God, who decides the eternal fate of a Muslim.

            But Christianity provides complete and a convincing hope for the believer’s presence with God (Rom. 8:38), through the ministry of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

CONCLUSION

            Given the points of agreements and disagreements, a logical conclusion is that the points of discord far outweigh those in accord.

            Islam and Christianity differ in the basic foundational aspects of the topics of sin, salvation, and assurance. In fact, we are well aware that Islam and Christianity do not worship the same God. So Islam and Christianity do not teach the same truths.

            However, it is interesting to note that both religions claim their Scriptures to be divinely revealed or inspired. Because of the prevalent fundamental and foundational contradictions, it is only plausible that a person will go to God through either the Islamic way or the Christian way, but certainly not through both the ways.

            Given this situation, it is the reader who should make a choice. But how would we make a wise choice if we do not read our Scripture completely, or even think our faith through?

            Let’s pray that every seeker of the truth would be humble and honest in his endeavor. The living God would illumine every seeking soul with the knowledge of his presence and the understanding of HIS truth.

            Even as I researched and authored this document, I should confess that my faith and conviction in Christ has only been strengthened. My love for Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away my sins, has only increased.

            The brutally profound words of Millard Erickson present an apt conclusion, “…throughout life, a person says to God, in effect, “Leave me alone.” Hell, the absence of God is simply giving that person at last what he or she has always asked for. It is not God, but one’s own choice that sends a person to hell.”⁴⁰

            So it is only through belief in the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that one would gain eternal life. The loving and the living God will act according to his good and perfect will to continually draw his people closer towards him. Amen.

Endnotes:

³⁹Badru D. Kateregga, and David W. Shenk, A Muslim and a Christian Dialogue, (Scottdale: Herald Press, 1997), 45.

⁴⁰Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology, (Michigan: Baker Academic, 1998), 456.