There is a common tendency with people to make negative judgments about other people. In high schools, this tendency shows itself in cliques. A few popular kids get into a group, and gradually begin to think that they are better than others because they are better liked. Kids who aren't "in" may become objects of pity, or contempt, or even of cruel jokes. In one way or another the clique passes subtle judgment on the others as being a lower class of human beings.

The same tendency to look down on others shows itself in various religions. Some religious groups become so self-centered that they believe no one of a different faith can go to heaven. When taken to an extreme, this kind of attitude is far more cruel than the snobbish teenage cliques.

The teachings of the Bible are quite a contrast to this. To begin with, God's Word tells us that we should not label people as "saved" or "sinner." Jesus said,

"Judge not, that you be not condemned. Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?" (Matthew 7:1, 3)

The disciple James put it this way: "There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?" (James 4:1)

When the Lord was on earth, a judging attitude was prevalent among the leaders of the church. Many thought that when the Messiah came, He would save Jews, and not others. When Jesus did come, they condemned Him for associating with non-Jews and Jews alike.

Jesus discouraged this kind of attitude. Once He was speaking with some people who "trusted in themselves" that they were saved and others were not. He asked them to consider two prayers: "God, I thank you that I am not like other men," and "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" Jesus praised the man who thought he was a sinner. (Luke 18:9-14)

It's better to think of yourself as a sinner than to think you are saved.

You may remember the parable of the good Samaritan, too, who stopped to help the wounded man by the roadside. Even though this Samaritan was of the "wrong" faith (from the Jewish point of view), Jesus said that the Samaritan should be loved as a neighbor, because he was a good man. In fact, He said that a person who wants eternal life should be like this Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37), even though the Samaritan was neither Christian nor Jewish. Jesus saw - and sees - what is in a person's heart, not just what church one belongs to.

The Bible states clearly that it is the way a person lives, not just what he believes, that determines whether he goes to heaven or not. Jesus said, "Not every one who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven." (Matthew 7:21)

Again, "He shall reward every one according to his works." (Matthew 16:27)

"Those who have done good," He says, will go "to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation." (John 5:29)

Since a person's life, not just his faith, determines his eternal lot, Jesus foretold that many Christians would not be saved, because they had lived an evil life.

"Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you: depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'" (Matthew 7:22-23, Luke 13:25-27)

One reason why a non-Christian can be saved, is that he can love his neighbor. Anyone who genuinely loves his neighbor also loves Christ, although he may not realize it. Jesus said, "Inasmuch as you have ministered to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me." (Matthew 25:40)

Faith in Jesus, without love to the neighbor is meaningless.

"Though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing." (1 Corinthians 13:2)

Genuine love, on the other hand, is a sign that a person knows the Lord in his heart, regardless of the religion he professes outwardly.

"Love believes all things." (1 Corinthians 13:7)

"He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God." (3 John 1:11)

"Let us love one another, for love is of God, and every one who loves is born of God and knows God. God is love, and anyone who abides in love abides in God, and God in him." (1 John 4:7-11)

Summary:

Some Christian churches teach this: Only Christians are saved.

What the Bible actually says (and what the New Christian Church teaches): Good people from all religions are saved.

Some references from teachings for the New Christian Church : Heaven and Hell 318-328, Divine Providence 326

Used with the permission of John Odhner, the author of this very useful site: http://whatthebiblesays.info/Introduction.html

524. 1. Everyone has imputed to him after death the evil in which he is engaged; likewise the good. To make this discernible in some clarity, we will examine it in distinct parts as follows:

1. Everyone has his own particular life.

2. His own life awaits everyone after death.

3. An evil person then has the evilness of his life imputed to him, and a good person the goodness of his life.

First, that everyone has his own particular life. People know that everyone has his own particular life, thus one distinct from that of another. For there is a perpetual variety in everything, and no two things are the same. Therefore everyone has his own identity. This is clearly apparent from people's faces. No one's face is exactly like that of another, nor can it be to eternity. That is because no two minds are alike, and the mind begets the face; for the face is, as people say, an image of the mind, and the mind draws its origin and form from the person's life.

[2] If a person did not have his own particular life, as he does his own particular mind and his own particular face, he would not have any life after death distinct from that of another. Indeed, neither would there be a heaven, for heaven consists of perpetually distinct individuals. Its form derives solely from varieties of souls and minds disposed into such an order that they constitute a united whole, and this from one whose life is in each and every element there as the soul is in man. If this were not so, heaven would be dispersed, because its form would be dissolved.

The one from whom each and every one of its constituents has life, and who causes the form to cohere, is the Lord.

Every form in general consists of a variety of elements, and its character depends on the harmonious coordination and disposition of these into a united whole. Such is the human form. So it is that, although consisting of so many members, viscera and organs, a person has no sensation of anything arising in him or emanating from him except as its being a united whole.

[3] Second, that his own life awaits everyone after death. People in the church know this from the Word, and it is known from the following passages there:

...the Son of man will come..., and then He will render to each according to his deeds. (Matthew 16:27)

...I saw...books...opened.... And they were judged, all according to their works. (Revelation 20:12-13)

...in the day of...judgment..., (God) will render to each one according to his works. (Romans 2:5-6. Cf. 2 Corinthians 5:10)

The works according to which it will be rendered to everyone are his life, because it is his life that does them and they are in accord with his life.

Because it has been granted me for many years to be in the company of angels and to speak with newcomers from the world, I can testify for a certainty that everyone is examined there to discover what sort of life he led, and that the life he acquired in the world awaits him as his life to eternity. I have spoken with people who lived centuries ago, whose life was known to me from historical records, and I have found it to be like the description. I have also been told by angels that a person's life cannot be changed after death, because it has been structured in accordance with his love and consequent works. Moreover, that if it were changed, the organic structure would be destroyed, which can never happen. They also said that a change in the organic structure is possible only in the material body, and not at all possible in the spiritual body after the former has been cast off.

[4] Third, that an evil person then has the evilness of his life imputed to him, and a good person the goodness of his life. An imputation of evil does not require indictment, arraignment, conviction and sentencing as in the world, but it is brought about by the evil itself. For evil people of their own free will separate themselves from the good, since they cannot be together. The delights of an evil love detest the delights of a good love, and atmospheres of delight emanate from everyone there like odors from every plant on earth; for these are not absorbed and concealed by a material body as before, but flow freely out into the spiritual atmosphere from their loves. So, because evil there is detected virtually in its smell, it is this which indicts, arraigns, convicts and sentences, not in the presence of some judge, but in the presence of everyone who is in a state of good. This, then, is what we mean by imputation. Moreover, an evil person chooses companions with whom to live in his delight, and because he detests the delight of good, of his own accord he betakes himself to his like in hell.

[5] An imputation of good is effected similarly. This happens in the case of those who in the world acknowledged that every good in them was from the Lord and none from themselves. After they have been prepared, they are conveyed into the interior delights of good, and a path is then opened for them into heaven, to a society whose delights are homogeneous with theirs. This is brought about by the Lord.