The Evangelical Universalist Forum

Christ, the Only foundation

I often think about this great controversy of universal salvation, and how it relates to our confession of Christ as the only savior. Can a Buddhist who lived and died hundreds of years before Christ was revealed yet be saved by Christ? I understand the answers given which point out that his salvation may come in the future age, or that when he passed on, he would have seen Christ and acknowledged Him, or that, if he was a wicked man, he might be saved from his hellish environment.

At any rate, I was reading in 1 Corinthians this morning and came across this passage, and wondered if there was something here that relates to those in other belief systems.

1 Cor. 3:10 -15: “As a skilled and experienced builder, I used the gift that God gave me to lay the foundation for that building. However, someone else is building on it. Each person must be careful how he builds on it. After all, no one can lay any other foundation than the one that is already laid, and that foundation is Jesus Christ. People may build on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw. The day will make what each one does clearly visible because fire will reveal it. That fire will determine what kind of work each person has done. If what a person has built survives, he will receive a reward. If his work is burned up, he will suffer the loss. However, he will be saved, though it will be like going through a fire.”

As I read this text this morning, it occurred to me that Christ has always been the foundation, since before the “foundation of the earth.” (1 Peter 1:20 - “Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,”)

Could it be said that the various systems of belief, both before and after Christ’s appearance on earth, have all been built on the foundation of Christ? I was reading Dennis waite’s “Back to the Truth: 5000 Years of Advaita” and noted that much of that belief system correlates to Christ’s teachings, but again, much clearly does not. Christians would say the system is poorly built, and maybe the walls of that and other systems will not last, but the adherents and builders of such will be saved?

The question popped up, and now I await a better understanding!

Loren

One verse has been powerful to me lately.

Ephesians 1:21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

How does the Lordship of Jesus Christ relate to salvation? It is not that we make him lord and in our ability do as he says. I’m saved because I have made him Lord in my life is not the gospel message.

All of our sectarian systems of serving God fall under what God has set up above all. We all fail in our systems. Our sectarian systems become a principality or a power or a dominion or any idea(name) of salvation.

What God did in Jesus Christ is far above any and all of it. Jesus Christ is the living Lord that is approachable and brings us into the relationship with God that God intends…Full reconciliation…“all the fullness of God”.

It is powerful to me because I have failed. I could not keep the faith, the relationship, the covenant.

The lamb came and made the way. The meek lamb came and completely accomplished what I could not do.

There is nothing that can stand against what is far above all.

Has the way always been available in every age? I think so. My verse for today was “seek first the kingdom of God”. It is offset by the things of the earth. People in all generations have been able to look to what is spiritual. They did not have to know the specifics of the one who made the way before the foundation of the world. Their faith declared it. They believed in the spiritual.