Have YOU ever thought about who will be saved on Judgment Day, given the various religions today with differing and even
contradicting doctrines? Are those who say that “one belief is as good as another” and “any religion is good enough” telling the truth about
salvation on the day when Christ returns? Is it true that church affiliation does not guarantee salvation but one’s conduct in life and how one treats others? How about merely professing belief in our Lord Jesus Christ, will these be enough for one to get to heaven?
The belief regarding salvation and the means to receive it vary enormously even among various Christian-professing religions. Yet in the light of the Holy Scriptures, people’s beliefs can be proven to be just myths-falsehoods or erroneous beliefs, and thus would not guarantee one’s salvation. Hence, man should heed Apostle Paul’s admonition, thus:
“Have nothing to do with godless myths … rather, train yourself to be godly” (1 Tim. 4:7, New International Version).
The following are some of the myths related to the promised salvation on Judgment Day. Albeit popular, they must not be perpetuated, for they are not in accordance with the pristine teaching of God written in the Bible.
* “You can get to heaven just by living a ‘holy’ life.”
Among Christian-professing people, the popular belief persist that as long as they do acts that they consider ”holy” such as joining pilgrimages, observing devotion, receiving the sacraments, and performing acts of penance, they will be saved. Another idea that is widely accepted by many is that by just being nice-kind, forgiving, civil-and not being judgmental to other people would be enough to ensure salvation. If their “holy” deeds far outweigh their bad deeds, they will be assured of receiving the eternal reward.
Helping the poor or being kind to the elderly, for instance, is good and commendable. But will this and other so-called “holy” acts be enough to make us truly holy and thus will entitle us entry to the kingdom of God? According to the Bible, how can we become holy or be sanctified? Our Lord Jesus Christ testifies:
“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” (John 17:17, New King James Version)
Hence, the basis of holiness is the word of God. By means of God’s words we will be made clean of our imperfections (John 15:3). We can not be holy by obeying man-made doctrines that are against the teachings of God. The Bible states clearly that obedience to God’s words will sanctify or make us holy (1 Pet. 1:22).
Furthermore, our Lord Jesus Christ has an unequivocal statement about all of the so-called “holy” acts done by those who are
separate from Him. He made it clear that one who is separate from Him can do nothing:
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5, NKJV)
What they cannot do is to be filled with fruits of holiness or righteousness (Phil. 1:11, Ibid.).
Thus, man needs to be joined to or to be in union with Christ so that he shall abound in fruits of righteousness. Man can not bear fruits of righteousness by himself or he can not perform holy deeds if he is separate from Christ. Thus, we should be joined to Christ like branches are joined to a vine – with Christ as the vine and us as His branches (John 15:5, Ibid.).
How else is the relationship with Christ described in the Bible? It is likened to that of the head and a body, constituting “one new men” (Eph. 2:15). The head is our Lord Jesus Christ and the body is His Church (Col. 1:18). The Church being referred to is the Church of Christ (Acts 20:28, Lamsa Translation).
Therefore, membership in the Church is indispensable to man’s holiness because one who is not a member of the true Church is separate from Christ, and who is separate form Christ can not be holy. Hence, anyone who refuses to join the true Church refuses to be united with the Savior and, in effect, refuses to be holy…
…to be continued…