Four Different Views on Salvation
Abstract
This paper looks at four different views experts have concluded of salvation. It talks about who will receive salvation and how we receive salvation. There are four different views of salvation and each view is represented in this paper. Douglas Giivett and Gary Phillips take on the hard restrictivist view, in that only those who have given their lives fully to Jesus will be saved. John Hick argues a pluralist view, in that all people will be saved if they believe in God. Clark Pinnok explains an inclusivist point of view that says that humans are saved through Christ alone accept through some exceptions. Finally the soft restrictivist view explains that Christ is the only way to Heaven and that the Lord can reach those who have not yet been evangelized to. Given my research for this paper I will be agreeing with the soft restrictivists throughout this paper.
Four Different Views on Salvation: Who and How do we Receive it? Salvation is living life eternally, that much can be agreed upon. Salvation itself is not much of an argument. The problem that I am researching is not ‘is salvation out there?’ The problem lies when the question ‘who does salvation reach?’ is asked. Many people ask themselves the question ‘who will live eternally in Heaven and what does salvation truly accomplish?’ The pluralist view takes on the stance that Christianity is not the one and only salvific path, but that it is one among many others. They believe that the center of salvation is God, not Christ (Hick, 1995). The hard restrictivists believe the opposite. They say that salvation is only given because of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Due to this belief, the very core of their viewpoint is that people get to Heaven through surrendering their lives to Christ, and becoming Christians (Geivett & Phillips, 1995). The inclusivist view says that God saves people through Christ alone; however, he makes this possible through ways that
This paper looks at four different views experts have concluded of salvation. It talks about who will receive salvation and how we receive salvation. There are four different views of salvation and each view is represented in this paper. Douglas Giivett and Gary Phillips take on the hard restrictivist view, in that only those who have given their lives fully to Jesus will be saved. John Hick argues a pluralist view, in that all people will be saved if they believe in God. Clark Pinnok explains an inclusivist point of view that says that humans are saved through Christ alone accept through some exceptions. Finally the soft restrictivist view explains that Christ is the only way to Heaven and that the Lord can reach those who have not yet been evangelized to. Given my research for this paper I will be agreeing with the soft restrictivists throughout this paper.
Four Different Views on Salvation: Who and How do we Receive it? Salvation is living life eternally, that much can be agreed upon. Salvation itself is not much of an argument. The problem that I am researching is not ‘is salvation out there?’ The problem lies when the question ‘who does salvation reach?’ is asked. Many people ask themselves the question ‘who will live eternally in Heaven and what does salvation truly accomplish?’ The pluralist view takes on the stance that Christianity is not the one and only salvific path, but that it is one among many others. They believe that the center of salvation is God, not Christ (Hick, 1995). The hard restrictivists believe the opposite. They say that salvation is only given because of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Due to this belief, the very core of their viewpoint is that people get to Heaven through surrendering their lives to Christ, and becoming Christians (Geivett & Phillips, 1995). The inclusivist view says that God saves people through Christ alone; however, he makes this possible through ways that
References: Fackre, G. J., R. H. Nash, and J. Sanders. (1995). What about Those Who Have Never Heard?: Three Views on the Destiny of the Unevangelized. Downers Grove, IL. InterVarsity. Geivett, D. R., and G. W. Phillips. (1995). A Particularist View: A Post-Enlightenment Approach. Four Views on Salvation in a Pluralistic World. (pp. 213-45). Zondervan. Hick, J. (1995) A Pluralist View. Four Views on Salvation in a Pluralistic World. (pp. 29-59). Zondervan. McGrath, A. E. (1995). A Particularist View: A Post-Enlightenment Approach. Four Views on Salvation in a Pluralistic World. (pp. 151-80). Zondervan. Pinnock, C. H. (1995). An Inclusivist View. Four Views on Salvation in a Pluralistic World. (pp. 95-123). Zondervan.