Hay una tendencia común entre las personas a hacer juicios negativos sobre otras personas. En las escuelas secundarias, esta tendencia se muestra en las camarillas. Unos pocos chicos populares se meten en un grupo, y poco a poco empiezan a pensar que son mejores que otros porque les gustan más. Los niños que no están "en" pueden convertirse en objetos de lástima, o de desprecio, o incluso de bromas crueles. De una forma u otra la camarilla juzga sutilmente a los demás como una clase inferior de seres humanos.

La misma tendencia a despreciar a los demás se muestra en varias religiones. Algunos grupos religiosos se vuelven tan egocéntricos que creen que nadie de una fe diferente puede ir al cielo. Cuando se lleva a un extremo, este tipo de actitud es mucho más cruel que las camarillas de adolescentes esnobservadores.

Las enseñanzas de la Biblia son un gran contraste con esto. Para empezar, la Palabra de Dios nos dice que no debemos etiquetar a la gente como "salvada" o "pecadora". Jesús dijo,

"No juzgues, para que no seas condenado. ¿Por qué miras la paja en el ojo de tu hermano, pero no consideras la viga en tu propio ojo?" (Mateo 7:1, 3)

El discípulo James lo dijo de esta manera: "Hay un Legislador, que es capaz de salvar y destruir. ¿Quién eres tú para juzgar a otro?" (Santiago 4:1)

Cuando el Señor estaba en la tierra, una actitud de juicio prevalecía entre los líderes de la iglesia. Muchos pensaron que cuando el Mesías viniera, salvaría a los judíos, y no a otros. Cuando Jesús vino, lo condenaron por asociarse con no judíos y judíos por igual.

Jesús desalentó este tipo de actitud. Una vez habló con algunas personas que "confiaban en sí mismas" que se salvaron y otras no. Les pidió que consideraran dos oraciones: "Dios, te agradezco que no soy como los demás hombres", y "Dios, ten misericordia de mí, un pecador". Jesús alabó al hombre que se creía pecador. (Lucas 18:9-14)

Es mejor pensar que eres un pecador que pensar que estás salvado.

Tal vez recuerde también la parábola del buen samaritano, que se detuvo a ayudar al hombre herido al borde del camino. A pesar de que este samaritano era de la fe "equivocada" (desde el punto de vista judío), Jesús dijo que el samaritano debía ser amado como un prójimo, porque era un buen hombre. De hecho, dijo que una persona que quiere la vida eterna debería ser como este samaritano (Lucas 10:29-37), aunque el samaritano no era ni cristiano ni judío. Jesús vio - y ve - lo que hay en el corazón de una persona, no sólo la iglesia a la que uno pertenece.

La Biblia dice claramente que es la forma en que una persona vive, no sólo lo que cree, lo que determina si va al cielo o no. Jesús dijo: "No todo el que me diga: 'Señor, Señor', entrará en el reino de los cielos, sino el que haga la voluntad de mi Padre que está en los cielos". (Mateo 7:21)

De nuevo, "recompensará a cada uno según sus obras". (Mateo 16:27)

"Los que han hecho el bien", dice, "irán a la resurrección de la vida, y los que han hecho el mal, a la resurrección de la condenación". (Juan 5:29)

Dado que la vida de una persona, no sólo su fe, determina su suerte eterna, Jesús predijo que muchos cristianos no se salvarían, porque habían vivido una vida malvada.

"Muchos me dirán en ese día: 'Señor, Señor, ¿no hemos profetizado en tu nombre, expulsado demonios en tu nombre y hecho muchas maravillas en tu nombre?' Y entonces les declararé: "Nunca os conocí: apartaos de mí, los que practicáis la ilegalidad". (Mateo 27:22-23, Lucas 13:25-27)

Una razón por la que un no cristiano puede ser salvado, es que puede amar a su prójimo. Quien ama genuinamente a su prójimo también ama a Cristo, aunque no se dé cuenta. Jesús dijo: "En la medida en que has atendido a uno de los más pequeños de estos mis hermanos, me lo has hecho a mí". (Mateo 25:40)

La fe en Jesús, sin amor al prójimo no tiene sentido.

"Aunque tengo toda la fe, para poder remover montañas, pero no tengo amor, no soy nada." (1 Corintios 13:2)

El amor genuino, por otra parte, es un signo de que una persona conoce al Señor en su corazón, independientemente de la religión que profesa en el exterior.

"El amor lo cree todo". (1 Corintios 13:7)

"El que hace el bien es de Dios, pero el que hace el mal no ha visto a Dios". (3 Juan 1:11)

"Amémonos los unos a los otros, porque el amor es de Dios, y todo aquel que ama nace de Dios y conoce a Dios. Dios es amor, y el que permanece en el amor, permanece en Dios, y Dios en él". (1 Juan 4:7-11)

Resumen:

Algunas iglesias cristianas enseñan esto: Sólo los cristianos se salvan.

Lo que la Biblia realmente dice (y lo que la Nueva Iglesia Cristiana enseña): Gente buena de todas las religiones se salvan.

Algunas referencias de las enseñanzas de la Nueva Iglesia Cristiana: Sobre el Cielo y el Infierno 318-328, La Divina Providencia 326

Usado con el permiso de John Odhner, el autor de este sitio muy útil: http://whatthebiblesays.info/Introduction.html

3934. 'And Leah said, A troop comes!' in the highest sense means Omnipotence and Omniscience, in the internal sense the good of faith, and in the external sense works. This is clear from the meaning of 'a troop' in this context. The reason 'a troop' in the highest sense means Omnipotence and Omniscience is that the word troop here denotes a large number; and when a large number is used in reference to the Lord's Divine an infinitely large number is meant, and this is nothing else than Omnipotence and Omniscience. But the term omnipotence is rooted in the idea of vastness in dimension, and omniscience in the idea of vastness in number. Omnipotence is also rooted in the idea of infinite good, or what amounts to the same, in Divine love and so in the Divine will, whereas omniscience is rooted in the idea of infinite truth, or what amounts to the same, in Divine intelligence. Why 'troop' in the internal sense means the good of faith is a question of correspondence, for good that is the good of charity corresponds to the Lord's Divine omnipotence, and truth which is the truth of faith to His omniscience.

[2] The reason why 'a troop' in the external sense means works is that these correspond to the good of faith. Indeed works are the product of that good, for the good of faith cannot exist without works, just as thinking what is good and willing it cannot exist without the doing of it. The one is the internal, the other the corresponding external. What is more, so far as works are concerned, if they do not correspond to the good of faith they are not the works of charity, nor are they the works of faith, since they are not the outcome of what should properly be within them, but dead works that have no good or truth within them. But when the external does correspond to the internal, works are either those of charity or of faith. The works of charity are those which flow from charity as their soul, but the works of faith are those which flow from faith. The works of charity are done by one who is regenerate, whereas the works of faith are done by one who is not yet regenerate but is becoming so. The same applies to affections, that is to say, to the affection for good and the affection for truth. The regenerate person does good out of an affection for that good and so from a desire for good, whereas the one who is to be regenerated does good out of an affection for truth, and so from a knowledge of good. (How these affections differ from each other has often been shown already.) From this one may see what is meant by works.

[3] Furthermore the relationship of the good of faith to works is like that of a person's will and consequent thought to his face, which, as is well known, is an image of the mind, that is, of the person's will and consequent thought. If will and thought do not present themselves in the face as their true image then hypocrisy or deceit, not will and thought, are manifested there because that person presents a different face from what he wills and thinks. It is similar with every act of the body in relation to the more internal things of thought and will. The internal side of a person lives within his external by means of act or action. If act or action does not accord with his internal it is a sign either that that act is not the product of his internal but a mere response to custom and habit, or that it is something untrue as in hypocrisy and in deceit. Here again one may see what is meant by works. Consequently anyone who professes faith, more so anyone who professes the good of faith, and yet denies works, and more so if he rejects them, is without faith and still more without charity.

[4] This being the nature of the works of charity and faith, and since nobody has any charity or faith in him unless works are being done, the Word therefore mentions works so many times, as may be seen from the following places: In Jeremiah,

Your eyes have been opened upon all the ways of the sons of man, giving to everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his works. Jeremiah 32:19.

In the same prophet,

Turn now every one of you from his evil way, and make your works good. Jeremiah 35:15.

In the same prophet, I will requite them according to their work and according to the work of their hands. Jeremiah 25:14.

In Hosea,

I will visit upon him his ways, and requite him for his works. Hosea 4:9.

In Micah,

The earth will be a desolation over its inhabitants, on account of the fruit of their works. Micah 7:13.

In Zechariah,

Thus said Jehovah Zebaoth, Turn from your evil ways and from your evil works. Jehovah Zebaoth thought to deal with us according to our ways, and according to our works so He dealt with us. Zechariah 1:4, 6.

In John,

Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Yes indeed, says the Spirit, that they may rest from labours, for their works follow them. Revelation 14:13.

[5] In the same book,

I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged by the things written in the books, according to their works. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and hell gave up the dead that were in them. They were judged therefore every one according to their works. Revelation 20:12-13.

In the same book,

Behold, I am coming quickly, My reward with Me, to give to everyone according to his work. Revelation 22:12.

In John the Evangelist,

This is the judgement, that light has come into the world, but men preferred darkness rather than light, for their works were evil. Everyone who performs evil deeds hates the light and does not come to the light lest his works should be exposed. Anyone however who does the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen, because they have been wrought in God. John 3:19-21.

In the same gospel,

The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that their works are evil. John 7:7.

In the same gospel,

Jesus said to the Jews, If you were Abraham's sons you would do the works of Abraham. You do the works of your father. John 8:39, 41.

In the same gospel,

If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. John 13:17.

[6] In Matthew,

Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works. He who does and teaches so will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:16, 19.

In the same gospel,

Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by Your name, and by Your name cast out demons, and do many mighty works in Your name? But then I will confess to them, I do not know you; depart from Me, you workers of iniquity! Matthew 7:21-23.

In Luke,

The householder replying says to them, I do not know where you are from. Then you will begin to say, We ate in your presence and we drank; you taught in our streets. But He will say, I tell you, I do not know where you come from; depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity! Luke 13:25-27.

In Matthew,

Everyone who hears My words and does them I will liken to a wise man. But everyone hearing My words and not doing them will be likened to a foolish man. Matthew 7:24, 26.

In the same gospel,

The Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father together with His angels, and at that time He will repay everyone according to his works. Matthew 16:27.

[7] From all these places it is evident that works are what save a person or what condemn him, good works being those that save, evil those that condemn; for his works contain what he wills. Anyone who wills what is good does what is good, but anyone who does not do what is good, no matter how much he may say that he wills it, does not will it when he does not do it. It is as though he were to say, I will it, yet I don't will it. And because the will itself is contained in works, and charity belongs to the will, and faith to charity, it is evident what kind of will, that is, what kind of charity and faith, is present in someone when he does not do good works, and more so when he does the opposite of these.

[8] In addition it should be recognized that the Lord's kingdom begins in a person in the life that belongs to works, for he is then at the start of regeneration; but once the Lord's kingdom is established in him the kingdom ends in works, and then he is regenerate. Indeed the internal man is in this case present in the external in a corresponding fashion; and since works are done by the external man while charity and faith rooted in charity dwell in the internal man, works are therefore at the same time charity. And as it is in the works of the external man that the life of the internal so presents itself, therefore - when speaking about the Last Judgement in Matthew 25:32-46 - the Lord lists nothing else than works, declaring that those who have done good works will enter into eternal life and those who have done evil into a state of damnation. What has been said also shows the meaning of what one reads about John's lying at Jesus' breast and in His bosom and about His loving him more than the rest, John 13:23, 25; 21:20; for John represented good works, see the Prefaces to Genesis 18, 22. What the works of faith are, which from their appearance may be called the fruits of faith, and what the works of charity are, will in the Lord's Divine mercy be discussed more fully elsewhere.