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By Hank Walker | Pastor at Peach City Fellowship

The question of why Jesus is the only path to salvation and how “good people” who are not Christians, might be excluded from heaven is one of the harder tenets of Christianity for people to accept. To understand this, we need to explore the following: salvation, the definition of “goodness,” and the testimony of Scripture.

Biblically, salvation is a gift from God, purchased by Christ, that reconciles condemned people to Himself. Jesus states, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6) If Jesus has purchased salvation with His own blood, is He not justified in claiming exclusivity for the gift He is providing? The basis for this exclusivity lies in the understanding that humanity is born separated from God due to sin. Jesus’ substitutionary death and resurrection are the means of atonement and redemption.

Second, the biblical concept of “goodness” is not solely reliant on moral actions or societal standards. Many consider themselves “good” based on their deeds, but Scripture asserts that human righteousness is impotent to save a person. Romans 3:23 states, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” emphasizing that even the most moral individuals do not meet God’s perfect standard. For a person to be saved, good is not good enough—only PERFECTION is!

Since Jesus was the only perfect person to ever live, ONLY repentance (a change of mind) and faith (trust, reliance, dependence) in HIM are sufficient to save. In Christianity, acknowledgment of Jesus as a historical figure is not enough; trust in Him is necessary. Matthew 7:21 points out that not everyone who calls Jesus “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of the Father. Thus, a genuine relationship with Jesus, characterized by faith and obedience, is vital for salvation.

Finally, many argue that it seems unfair that kind-hearted people who do not follow Jesus should go to hell. However, if man is the offender—the guilty one—and God offers a free and gracious means to avoid the promised penalty for sin, should not God be the one who sets the terms of peace?

Is your faith grounded upon Jesus, or are you trusting your own standard of “goodness?”

Grace and peace, y’all. Soli Deo Gloria