C'è una tendenza comune con le persone a dare giudizi negativi sulle altre persone. Nelle scuole superiori questa tendenza si manifesta nelle cricche. Alcuni ragazzi popolari entrano in un gruppo e gradualmente cominciano a pensare di essere migliori degli altri perché sono più simpatici. I bambini che non sono "dentro" possono diventare oggetti di pietà, o di disprezzo, o anche di scherzi crudeli. In un modo o nell'altro la cricca emette un sottile giudizio sugli altri come una classe inferiore di esseri umani.

La stessa tendenza a guardare gli altri dall'alto in basso si manifesta in varie religioni. Alcuni gruppi religiosi diventano così egocentrici da credere che nessuno di una fede diversa possa andare in paradiso. Se portato all'estremo, questo tipo di atteggiamento è molto più crudele delle cricche di adolescenti snob.

Gli insegnamenti della Bibbia sono in netto contrasto con questo. Per cominciare, la Parola di Dio ci dice che non dobbiamo etichettare le persone come "salvate" o "peccatrici". Gesù disse,

"Non giudicate, che non siate condannati. Perché guardi la pagliuzza nell'occhio di tuo fratello, ma non consideri la trave nel tuo occhio?". (Matteo 7:1, 3)

Il discepolo James ha detto così: "C'è un solo Legislatore, che è capace di salvare e di distruggere. Chi sei tu per giudicare un altro?" (Giacomo 4:1)

Quando il Signore era sulla terra, un atteggiamento di giudizio era prevalente tra i capi della Chiesa. Molti pensavano che quando il Messia sarebbe venuto, avrebbe salvato gli ebrei, e non altri. Quando Gesù venne, lo condannarono per essersi associato sia con i non ebrei che con gli ebrei.

Gesù ha scoraggiato questo tipo di atteggiamento. Una volta parlava con alcune persone che "confidavano in se stesse" di essere salvate e altre no. Ha chiesto loro di prendere in considerazione due preghiere: "Dio, ti ringrazio di non essere come gli altri uomini" e "Dio, sii misericordioso con me, peccatore! Gesù lodò l'uomo che pensava di essere un peccatore. (Luca 18:9-14)

È meglio pensare a te stesso come un peccatore che pensare di essere salvato.

Ricorderete anche la parabola del buon samaritano che si fermò ad aiutare il ferito sul ciglio della strada. Anche se questo samaritano era di fede "sbagliata" (dal punto di vista ebraico), Gesù disse che il samaritano doveva essere amato come vicino, perché era un uomo buono. Infatti, Egli ha detto che una persona che vuole la vita eterna dovrebbe essere come questo samaritano (Luca 10:29-37), anche se il samaritano non era né cristiano né ebreo. Gesù ha visto - e vede - ciò che c'è nel cuore di una persona, non solo la chiesa a cui si appartiene.

La Bibbia afferma chiaramente che è il modo in cui una persona vive, non solo ciò in cui crede, che determina se va in paradiso o meno. Gesù disse: "Non tutti quelli che mi dicono: 'Signore, Signore', entreranno nel regno dei cieli, ma chi fa la volontà del Padre mio che è nei cieli". (Matteo 7:21)

Di nuovo, "Egli ricompenserà ciascuno secondo le sue opere". (Matteo 16:27)

"Coloro che hanno fatto il bene - dice - andranno "alla risurrezione della vita, e coloro che hanno fatto il male, alla risurrezione della condanna". (Giovanni 5:29)

Poiché la vita di una persona, non solo la sua fede, determina la sua sorte eterna, Gesù predisse che molti cristiani non si sarebbero salvati, perché avevano vissuto una vita malvagia.

"Molti mi diranno in quel giorno: 'Signore, Signore, non abbiamo forse profetizzato nel Tuo nome, scacciato i demoni nel Tuo nome e fatto molte meraviglie nel Tuo nome? E allora dichiarerò loro: 'Non ti ho mai conosciuto: vattene da Me, tu che pratichi l'illegalità! (Matteo 27:22-23, Luca 13:25-27)

Uno dei motivi per cui un non cristiano può essere salvato, è che può amare il prossimo. Chi ama veramente il prossimo ama anche Cristo, anche se non se ne rende conto. Gesù disse: "Nella misura in cui avete servito uno di questi miei fratelli più piccoli, l'avete fatto a Me". (Matteo 25:40)

La fede in Gesù, senza amore per il prossimo, non ha senso.

"Anche se ho tutta la fede, per poter rimuovere le montagne, ma non ho amore, non sono niente". (1 Corinzi 13:2)

L'amore autentico, invece, è segno che una persona conosce il Signore nel suo cuore, indipendentemente dalla religione che professa all'esterno.

"L'amore crede in tutte le cose". (1 Corinzi 13:7)

"Chi fa il bene è di Dio, ma chi fa il male non ha visto Dio". (3 Giovanni 1:11)

"Amiamoci l'un l'altro, perché l'amore è di Dio, e chiunque ama è nato da Dio e conosce Dio. Dio è amore, e chiunque dimora nell'amore dimora in Dio, e Dio in lui". (1 Giovanni 4:7-11)

Riassunto:

Alcune chiese cristiane lo insegnano: Solo i cristiani si salvano.

Cosa dice la Bibbia (e cosa insegna la Nuova Chiesa cristiana): Le brave persone di tutte le religioni vengono salvate.

Alcuni riferimenti da insegnamenti per la Nuova Chiesa cristiana : Cielo e Inferno 318-328, Divina Provvidenza 326

Usato con il permesso di John Odhner, l'autore di questo utilissimo sito: http://whatthebiblesays.info/Introduction.html

794. Verse 5. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, signifies the doctrine destroying utterly the goods of the Word and its truths. This is evident from the signification of "mouth," as being doctrine, from which is instruction, preaching, and reasoning (of which above, n. 782). "The mouth of the beast," signifies doctrine, because in the preceding verse it was said that "they worshipped the dragon and its beast;" and this signified the acknowledgment of that dogma, and the reception of it in doctrine; also because it was said above that "the mouth of that beast was as the mouth of a lion," which signified instruction, preaching, and reasoning, which are from the received doctrine. The above is evident also from the signification of "speaking great things," as being to teach evils that destroy the goods of the Word, for "great" is predicated in the Word of good, and in the contrary sense of evil, while "many" is predicated of truth, and in the contrary sense of falsity (See above, n . 336-337, 424). Because "the beast" means those who by reasonings separate faith from life, and those who do this destroy the goods of the Word, and because his "mouth" signifies their doctrine, therefore "to speak great things" signifies to destroy the goods of the Word. The above is evident also from the signification of "speaking blasphemies," as meaning to falsify the truths of the Word (See above, n. 778). From this it is clear that "there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies" signifies the doctrine destroying the goods of the Word and utterly falsifying its truths. It is said utterly falsifying its truths, because the falsification of the Word even to the destruction of Divine truth, such as it is in the heavens and such as it is in the spiritual sense of the Word, is signified by "blasphemy" (See above, n. 778); this therefore is what is meant by utterly falsifying truths.

[2] It is said that "the mouth of the beast speaking great things" signifies doctrine, and instruction, preaching, and reasoning therefrom destroying the goods of the Word; it shall be told, therefore, in what manner they are destroyed. They are destroyed especially by teaching that faith without good works justifies and saves, and this is confirmed by the reasoning that no one can do good of himself, and that the good that a man does of himself must needs be meritorious good; and this is established by the Word, especially by the Pharisee and the publican praying in the temple:

That the latter was justified merely by his saying, God be merciful to me a sinner; and that the Pharisee was not justified who said that he was not an extortioner, unjust, and an adulterer, as others were, and that he fasted twice in the week, and gave tithes of all that he possessed (Luke 18:10-14);

and also by these words of the Lord:

Doth the lord thank the servant for doing those things that were commanded him? I trow not. So ye also, when ye shall have done all things that are commanded you, say, We are surely useless servants, for we have done that which we ought to do (Luke 17:9, 10).

But those are greatly mistaken who conclude from these words that there is nothing of justification and salvation in good works, but in faith alone, for they do not know what good works are. There are works that are done by man, and these are not good; and there are works that are done by the Lord through man, and these are good. Yet both of these appear alike in external form; but in internal form they are wholly unlike. The works enumerated by the Pharisee were works done from himself, and were therefore meritorious; so, too, the works done by command by servants, who are nevertheless called "useless."

[3] It shall now be told, therefore, how works are done by man himself, and how they are done by the Lord with man, also how the latter are distinguished from the former. It has been shown above n. 790 that man has two minds, one spiritual, the other natural. The spiritual mind is what is called the internal and the spiritual man, and the natural mind is what is called the external and the natural man. And as man has an internal spiritual and an external natural, and the internal is conjoined with heaven and the external with the world, it follows that whatever man does from that internal through the external he does from heaven, that is, through heaven from the Lord; but anything that a man does by the external without the internal, this he does from self. This is meant by the Lord's words in Luke:

Now do ye Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but your inward part is full of extortion and wickedness. Ye foolish ones, did not He that made the outside make the inside also? But rather give for alms those things that are within, then behold all things are clean unto you (Luke 11:39-41).

It is said, "the outside of the cup and of the platter," and "the inside" of them, because the "cup" has a similar meaning as "wine," and the "platter" a similar meaning as "food;" and "wine" signifies truth, and "food" signifies good. It is said also "give alms," and this signifies love and charity. From this it is evident that whatever a man does from the external alone is unclean, but whatever he does from a cleansed internal through the external is clean, for this is from the Lord; but the other from man. But examples will illustrate this point also. The internal is doing good for the sake of good, speaking truth for the sake of truth, acting sincerely for the sake of sincerity, and doing what is just for the sake of justice. He who does good for the sake of good does good from good, thus from the Lord, who is Good itself, and from whom is all good; and he who speaks truth for the sake of truth speaks truth from truth, thus from the Lord, who is Truth itself and from whom is all truth. The like is true of him who acts sincerely for the sake of sincerity, and does what is just for the sake of justice; for sincerity is moral good and truth, and justice is civil good and truth; and all good and truth are from the Lord and not from man, because they are done from the internal through the external. But when a man does and speaks what is good, true, sincere, and just, for the sake of self and the world he does and speaks them from self, because from the external man without the internal; and such deeds or works are all evil, and if heaven is regarded in them they are meritorious, and all such are iniquitous. In this world no one can determine whether works are from the Lord or from man, since in external form the two kinds appear alike, but they can be distinguished by the Lord alone, and after man's life in the world their origin is disclosed (Matthew 10:26, 27; Mark 4:22; Luke 8:17; 12:2, 3, 8, 9). But how an internal is given to man, and an external from the internal, may be seen above n. 790.

[4] From this it can be seen that if man were to fulfill all things of the law from self, that is, were to give much to the poor, were to do good to widows and orphans, to assist the needy, yea, were to give food to the hungry, and drink to the thirsty, to take in strangers, clothe the naked, and visit the sick and those who are bound in prison, preach and teach the gospel, convert the Gentiles, frequent temples, devoutly listen to preaching, attend the sacrament of the Supper frequently each year, spend time in praying, and other like things, and if his internal had not been purified from the love of rule and from the pride of self-intelligence, from the contempt of others, from hatred and revenge, from craftiness and malice, from insincerity and injustice, from the lasciviousness of adultery, and from other evils and falsities therefrom, still all these works would be hypocritical and from the man himself, and not from the Lord. But these same works when the internal has been purified are all good, because they are from the Lord with man. This has been testified to me from very many examples in the spiritual world. I have there heard that it has been granted to many to call to mind the acts of their life in the world, and to enumerate the good deeds they had done; but when their internal was opened it was found to be full of all evil and falsity therefrom; and it was then revealed to them that the good deeds they had enumerated they had done from self, because for the sake of self and the world. But it is otherwise with those who from the Word have abstained from doing evils, and have afterwards shunned and turned away from them because they are sins, and are contrary to love to God and to charity towards the neighbor. Their works were all good, although they had a similar appearance in external form as the works of those described above, and there was a perception in like manner of their having been done as if from self. These works are what are meant in the Word by the "works" that make a man spiritual, and make him happy to eternity; and these can in no way be separated from faith, for if faith were to be separated from these it would be dead, and a dead faith is a faith in falsity from evil.