Growing up in conservative evangelicalism, there was one question above all others that consumed my every waking hour. Will I go to heaven? That question was in turn followed up by a host of others: What do I have to do to get there? Who else will be there? Can I accidentally screw things up and get turned away at the pearly gates for some unknown reason? Hypothetically, if someone was born, lived, and died on a desert island and never heard about Jesus would they get to go to heaven too? Because that seems unfair because I was told in no uncertain terms that the only way to get to heaven was to ask Jesus into my heart as my personal Lord and Savior otherwise I would go to hell.
Hey Zack, thanks for the post. Little feedback: I definitely appreciate the core message of excoriating hypocritical sociocultural and politically motivated evangelicals but your theological conclusion on salvation is worryingly flawed: "the way into heaven wasn’t through magic words at an altar ... but through acts of love and service". Much could be said, but I hope you understand that salvation occurs through faith alone but that faith produces good works. The absence of good works is a 'likely' sign that the faith is dead, impotent, or never existed. Thus we can judge wisely but epistemically humbly. Again, just some of your phrases gave the appearance as if you believe in real ancient religious works that earn you good grace. Hope you don't actually believe that and can take this criticism in good form. Best-
Hey Zack, thanks for the post. Little feedback: I definitely appreciate the core message of excoriating hypocritical sociocultural and politically motivated evangelicals but your theological conclusion on salvation is worryingly flawed: "the way into heaven wasn’t through magic words at an altar ... but through acts of love and service". Much could be said, but I hope you understand that salvation occurs through faith alone but that faith produces good works. The absence of good works is a 'likely' sign that the faith is dead, impotent, or never existed. Thus we can judge wisely but epistemically humbly. Again, just some of your phrases gave the appearance as if you believe in real ancient religious works that earn you good grace. Hope you don't actually believe that and can take this criticism in good form. Best-