Just Curious

“I'm just curious, I am correct in assuming that Ray and other Christians here all believe that Catholics, Methodists, Lutherans, Episcopal, and various other sects of Christianity are all false Christians, UNLESS they are born-again, and become Evangelical Fundamentalists?”

The Bible doesn’t mention “Catholics, Methodists, Lutherans, Episcopal,” etc., instead, the Scriptures simply have two categories--the “just” and the “unjust.” The “just” are those whom God has justified (made right with Himself through faith in Jesus). The “unjust” are those who are still in their sins. The Bible warns that God ill see to it that every wicked person gets exactly what they have coming: “So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 13:49-50). That’s good news for those who care about justice.

So, the question is, how is a person “justified”? This is what Martin Luther (a Catholic monk) asked hundreds of years ago. He found, through reading the Bible, that we are freely justified by God's mercy. The criminal is guilty, but the judge pays his fine. That’s mercy. In Christ, God acquits us from the courtroom because Jesus paid our fine. Everlasting life is a free of God (see Romans 6:23). No one has to be “religious” to try and earn salvation from death. So who are the true Christians? Here is that answer from the Bible: “Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are His,’ and, ‘Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity” (2 Timothy 2:19). So make sure you are the Lord's, and that if you name the name of Christ, you depart from iniquity (violation of God’s Law).