A Question to non-universalist.

[baobobtree]

If I except Jesus as my lord and savior, but also except Zoroaster, Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, The Buddha, Amitabha, Avalokiteshvara, Muhammad etc. as also being my lords and saviors, can I get into heaven?

 

[LJSGM]

Matthew 7

13"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

John 10

The Shepherd and His Flock

1"I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. 3The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." 6Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them.
7Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.[a] He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

John 1

The Word Became Flesh

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning.

3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood[a] it.
6There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.[b]
10He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13children born not of natural descent,[c] nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. 14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only,[d] who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Ephesians 4

4There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

 

[Eph429]

If I except Jesus as my lord and savior, but also except Zoroaster, Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, The Buddha, Amitabha, Avalokiteshvara, Muhammad etc. as also being my lords and saviors, can I get into heaven?

Unfortunately no my friend. Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to the Father. He is the way, the truth and the life. God abhors worship to other Gods, He commanded that we worship no other gods before Him.

It's impossible to serve God and other gods.

MuchLoved
J

 

[HypnoToad]

If I except Jesus as my lord and savior, but also except Zoroaster, Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, The Buddha, Amitabha, Avalokiteshvara, Muhammad etc. as also being my lords and saviors, can I get into heaven?

Don't see how that's possible, as they don't teach the same things. You can't completely follow any of the others without disobeying Christ. And only following the things they happen to agree on is not "accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior".

 

[ContentInHim]

No - Jesus is NOT an insurance policy.

 

[InnocentOdion]

If I except Jesus as my lord and savior, but also except Zoroaster, Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, The Buddha, Amitabha, Avalokiteshvara, Muhammad etc. as also being my lords and saviors, can I get into heaven?

Nope, sorry mate.

If you did, you wouldn't really believe in Jesus or what He said. He said He's the only way to heaven -- a pretty big thing to say if there are other ways, right?

The ten commandments say don't have any other god before our God, and I don't think God approves of putting partners with Him. Don't forget Muhammad isn't believed to be a saviour either, and Buddha isn't a saviour either--though that's debatable from person to person.

 

[calidog]

If I except Jesus as my lord and savior, but also except Zoroaster, Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, The Buddha, Amitabha, Avalokiteshvara, Muhammad etc. as also being my lords and saviors, can I get into heaven?

No. You're denying your belief on Jesus by trusting in other "gods"

 

[ebia]

If I except Jesus as my lord and savior, but also except Zoroaster, Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, The Buddha, Amitabha, Avalokiteshvara, Muhammad etc. as also being my lords and saviors, can I get into heaven?

No. "Jesus is Lord" is supposed to be a declaration in the same way that a Roman citizen would say "Caesar is Lord" - it's meant to be both absolute and exclusive. There is an unstated second half of the declaration: "Jesus is Lord ... therefore Caeasar (or Visnu, or the world economic system, or anything else) is not."

 

[heron]

No - Jesus is NOT an insurance policy.

Imagine an attorney treating a client with this approach -- that they'd stand behind a defendent, but then also take cases of the offense. Or telling someone they're your best friend, then tell five others they are your best friend too.

It's courtesy, ethics, almost common sense that there's something wrong in taking a two-faced approach. It assumes that the other party is too naive to notice, or does not have sufficient worth to respect them.

Whether it's Christianity or something else, there's something off-base about making up your own standards and expecting others to comply with them. Recognizing value in many religions is fine, and even adopting certain practices might not be offensive (days of worship, schedules of prayer, attention to the poor, methods of relaxation...).

But when you start addressing personalities, and agreeing with each one behind the other's back... that means you are keeping them in your own boxes, rather than recognizing the reality of their beings.

What others said above are important tenets of Christianity.

 

[BigNorsk]

If I except Jesus as my lord and savior, but also except Zoroaster, Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, The Buddha, Amitabha, Avalokiteshvara, Muhammad etc. as also being my lords and saviors, can I get into heaven?

What you are talking about is spiritual adultery. You cannot be the bride of Christ and be married to all those other Gods as well.

2Co 6:16-18 NET.
(16) And what mutual agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said, "I will live in them and will walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."
(17) Therefore "come out from their midst, and be separate," says the Lord, "and touch no unclean thing, and I will welcome you,
(18) and I will be a father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters," says the All-Powerful Lord.
1Co 6:9-11 NET.
(9) Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! The sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, passive homosexual partners, practicing homosexuals,
(10) thieves, the greedy, drunkards, the verbally abusive, and swindlers will not inherit the kingdom of God.
(11) Some of you once lived this way. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Universalism just doesn't work. Christianity is not just living a moral code, it is being united with Jesus Christ.

Marv

 

[BigNorsk]

If you want an earthly illustration. Imagine you say you accept some guy to be your king, but you tell him you also accept all other kings as your king as well. That creates a problem, because the kings do not agree with each other. You cannot obey all. The only way a King can truly be your Lord is if you have only one King. That way you respond to his commands and do his will. Otherwise if you are doing the will of another king you are not actually being the subject of the first.

Marv

 

[MessianicJewishGuy]

If I except Jesus as my lord and savior, but also except Zoroaster, Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, The Buddha, Amitabha, Avalokiteshvara, Muhammad etc. as also being my lords and saviors, can I get into heaven?

I'm sorry but no. If you accept everything else you are accepting a forgery of Yeshua.

 

[Anjilina17]

Do you believe in what you just stated? You can't compare forgery to someone's believe. And I am sorry, but really it is accept and not except, but you can accept the Lord as your savior and accept the blessed teachings of Zoroaster, Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, The Buddha, Amitabha, Avalokiteshvara, Muhammad etc. Remember these are not GODs nor are they portrayed as GODs. These mentors are idols.

 

[MessianicJewishGuy]

Do you believe in what you just stated? You can't compare forgery to someone's believe. And I am sorry, but really it is accept and not except, but you can accept the Lord as your savior and accept the blessed teachings of Zoroaster, Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, The Buddha, Amitabha, Avalokiteshvara, Muhammad etc. Remember these are not GODs nor are they portrayed as GODs. These mentors are idols.

Only what is concurring with the Bible. It is a very thin line:

Matthew 7 (King James Version)

1Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
6Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
7Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
9Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
10Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
12Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
13Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
15Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
24Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
28And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
29For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.



Only through Yeshua HaMashiach are you saved. Not by Idol or Traditions of men.

 

[Key]

If I except Jesus as my lord and savior, but also except Zoroaster, Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, The Buddha, Amitabha, Avalokiteshvara, Muhammad etc. as also being my lords and saviors, can I get into heaven?

Well here might be some small problems:

Zoroaster was just a man who talked about god, but did not claim to be a savor, or have the ability to grant you entrance into Heaven, only to show you the "right" way to live.

So accepting him as a "savor" would be folly on your part, as he never claimed to be one.

Shiva and Vishnu are not Savors, but gods, as such, they do not offer salvation, only reward for obedience.

(the) Buddha was just a monk, that taught a good way to live a life, he did not claim to offer salvation, same as Zoroaster.

Muhammad, now this is a fun one, see, if you follow the "people of the book" you can not follow Allah. That might cause a problem for you on the outset. Secondly, Muhammad did not offer salvation, only prophecy and talked about Allah, and how to enter "heaven" you must be obedient to the Koran.

So, there might be some issues with your choice of who you try to lump together as a "following" and what you call upon for Salvation.

The funny part is, each of these things you mentioned, if any of the other ones were right per say, and Jesus was wrong, they would be ticked at you, because they do not offer an "open door" policy for you to worship other gods, as such, you would just hang yourself in the end of things.

Better to pick one, and stand with it, if you are wrong, then so be it, but, if you are wrong it was not for a lack of faith or trying, and in the end, that is what should matter the most to you.

God Bless

Key

 

[WarEagle]

If I except Jesus as my lord and savior, but also except Zoroaster, Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, The Buddha, Amitabha, Avalokiteshvara, Muhammad etc. as also being my lords and saviors, can I get into heaven?

Whoever said you could be saved by "accepting Jesus as you Lord and Savior"? That's not Biblical. The Bible never tells us that we're to accept Jesus, but that it's up to Jesus to accept us or not.

Jesus is Lord and Savior whether you accept Him as such or not. The question is, is He your Lord and Savior?

If you believe that you can serve Him along with other "lords", then He isn't your Lord.

If you believe that He is just another in a long list of "saviors", then He isn't your Savior.

 

[MessianicJewishGuy]

Whoever said you could be saved by "accepting Jesus as you Lord and Savior"? That's not Biblical. The Bible never tells us that we're to accept Jesus, but that it's up to Jesus to accept us or not.

Jesus is Lord and Savior whether you accept Him as such or not. The question is, is He your Lord and Savior?

If you believe that you can serve Him along with other "lords", then He isn't your Lord.

If you believe that He is just another in a long list of "saviors", then He isn't your Savior.

You need to clear this up for him:

Romans 10 (King James Version)

1Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 2For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
3For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
4For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
5For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
6But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above
7Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
8But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
12For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
15And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
16But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
17So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
18But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
19But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.
20But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.
21But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

 

[calidog]

If I except Jesus as my lord and savior, but also except Zoroaster, Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, The Buddha, Amitabha, Avalokiteshvara, Muhammad etc. as also being my lords and saviors, can I get into heaven?

Not even.

 

[heron]

Originally Posted by baobobtree
If I except Jesus as my lord and savior, but also except Zoroaster, Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, The Buddha, Amitabha, Avalokiteshvara, Muhammad etc. as also being my lords and saviors, can I get into heaven?

Not even.

Even if all these religions did exist with reality and validity in the same world, our Heaven is not the same place as their Nirvana or Moshka or Firdaws or Machonon (forgive me if I got the levels or spellings wrong). They are different locations with different attributes, so there is no reason a believer of another religion would aspire to the same place.