Here is an old post I had done a while ago on religious pluralism. I hadn't posted it to the CGA but to a Star Wars Galaxies forum that I was associated with at the time. Its just an interesting read for any interested and relates a little to this topic.
One of the most commonly held beliefs is something called religious pluralism. This is the idea that we must acknowledge that all religions, Christian and non, are equally (or near equally) valid as ways to approach God. Though there may be differences among the world religions, at heart they are fundamentally the same. Often, the analogy is used of people taking different paths up the same mountain, but all arriving at the same summit.
The second answer that many take to heart is that it doesn’t matter whether you believe in Christ, or believe in another religion, whether you go to church or pray or just be a good person. As long as one tries to live a moral life and live with a good conscience, then they are included in Christ’s salvation, even if they never heard of Jesus.
The third answer is the one held by a majority of bible believing Christians. It is the view that though there are indeed truths and values in many other religions, there is only one saving truth, namely the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Which answer is the correct answer? Which ones are misleading? And why? Well, let’s take a closer look at each one.
In the case of the first answer, it is believed by these people that all religions share a fundamental unity that renders them equally valid as approaches to God. However, this idea significantly underestimates the differences between the teachings of various religions. Let's take Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity for example. In classic Buddhism, the problem facing humanity is the suffering caused by desire. Since whatever man desires is not permanent, and ultimately leads to frustration and sorrow, the way to peace of mind and ultimate "salvation" is through the elimination of all desire-even the desire to live. In classic Hinduism, the problem facing humanity is our being trapped in this illusory, material world over the course of many lifetimes primarily due to our ignorance of our true identity as the fundamentally divine beings. The solution to that dilemma is our recognition of our true divine nature. In Islam, man's problem is his failure to live by the law of God which has been revealed through His prophets. The solution is to commit himself to obeying God's laws, in hope that his good deeds will outweigh the bad. In Christianity, the problem is similar – man’s rebellion against the will of God. But the solution is much different. It is through faith in the sacrifice of Jesus for our sins, provided by God's unmerited graces.
Now from these examples alone, it shows that even though there may be similarities among the world's religions, the differences are fundamental in nature. Although there is a commonality in regards to seeking a 'religious experience' or seeking the moral and ethical improvement of man, the path of each religion and the endpoint solution each religion requires is quite different. So it is not likely that all religions lead to the same kind of God or goal and is sometimes contradictary (like islam is saved through works, Christianity is saved through faith) and as such, they cannot all be correct.
In the case of the second viewpoint, people believe that Christ's salvation is available to anybody who positively responds to the truth they have, whether it be through creation, conscience, another religion, or some other means. However, lets go to the bible to see what it says in regards to being saved by Christ. In the new testament, Acts, chapter 10, there was a man called Cornelius who is referred to as "a devout man, . . . who feared God," and this was before he heard the Gospel. It is in the next chapter (Acts 11:13-14) in which Cornelius had spoken of a message given to him. He was told to send for Peter, and Peter will bring a message through which Cornelius and his household will be saved. So even though up to this point, Cornelius was a God fearing man, he did not receive salvation until he heard and believed in the Gospel. For even the bible says in Romans 10:17 "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of (or about) Christ"
So what does that mean? For those who know of God and live a good life, but do not yet know Christ, is there no hope for them? Well actually, the story of Cornelius is a good illustration of the biblical solution to this problem. Because he had tried to live a good life based on what he knew about God, God saw that he eventually received the gospel, in this case through Peter. But it was only then that he experienced Christ's salvation and the forgiveness of sins. This principle was also well summarized in Jesus' statement: "To him who has, shall more be given" (Mark 4:25) So being good is nice, but to obtain salvation, according to the bible, one must accept the gospel of Christ; and to those who seek to lead moral lives or to live good according to their heart, God will make sure that somehow, the gospel will be brought to them as God did with Cornelius. So it is not likely that one cannot be saved without the Gospel of Christ.
Then there is the third answer. A large majority of Christians believe that the only way to heaven is through the faith of Jesus Christ and no other way. They believe this because the bible tells them so.
John 3:3 ". . . no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
John 3:15 ". . . everyone who believes in him [Jesus] may have eternal life"
John 3:18 ". . . whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son."
John 14:6 "Jesus answered: 'No one comes to the Father except through me' "
Acts 3:23 "And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet [Jesus] shall be utterly destroyed from among the people."
Acts 4:12 "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
Romans 10:9 "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved"
Hebrews 9:28 ". . . he [Christ] will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him"
1 John 5:12 ". . . he who does not have the Son of God [Jesus] does not have life."
They have taken this believe not because it sounds mean, or because they have something that nobody else have. Christians believe this answer because it is what the bible tells them.
So now that I've shared with you the three most common answers to those questions, let me take each question individually and answer them according to the bible.
"So what does that mean? In a hypothetical case, does that mean I would not be accepted into Heaven? I think I am a good person, and to be shunned because I did not go to Church or pray nightly seems like a very unfair system to me."
You have a good heart, and you have a good soul. Do you think God sees this and keep you from heaven? Of course not. He loves you as well as all his creation. Therefore, as he did to Cornelius, he will do to you. God will send someone to bring you the gospel of Christ. And all you have to do is accept what Jesus did or not. Salvation is not by works. You cannot earn your way into heaven. Nobody can because nobody is perfect. It is why God sent His son to this Earth to be a teacher, a healer, and a friend, someone who paid the pentalties for all of our wrongdoings so that we could be forever forgiven. So your salvation all depends on whether you choose to believe in Jesus or not, not if you pray or go to church.
"So if Watbu lives a good life, but is not officially a Christian - is he doomed?"
Same answer. He's only doomed if he rejects the gospel that God will bring him. But he's not yet doomed until his last breath because God will always give him the opportunity to learn about Jesus.
"What about the people who have never heard of Christianity?"
Same answer. God will find a way to bring the news of Christ to these people. And he does it through the missionaries that he sends throughout the world.
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