Can non-Orthodox make it to Heaven? Non-Christians?

~Anastasia~

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And most protestants never abandoned the Church, since they are schisms from other schisms?
This is very true. In fact, they are mostly just being faithful to what they have been taught. Which is commendable at least, and how can they know there is error in it (as the case may be) with nothing to compare it to?

What we do know is that God judges each one rightly. I would not wish to speak evil of anyone who loves God with their heart and does their best to follow Him. Simple as that. In the end it is between them and Him. And remember that He also loves people and WANTS them to be saved. It's not as though we could tell Him that He cannot because they are not part of the Church (and a right spirit would not even wish to see people condemned).

By contrast, we simply know what a treasury we have and wish to share it with whoever will receive it. But if they don't or can't, we leave them in God's hands, which is really where all of us are anyway.
 
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“Paisios”

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remember too Christ says those who know the Master's will and don't do it, get a harsher beating than those who don't. God never condemns people because of their own ignorance, even though their Judgment Day might be rough.

Which verse? I don't see anything in that chapter that addresses the ignorant.

Luke 12:47-48

“And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.” (NKJV)
 
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ArmyMatt

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I didn't know Luke had blaspheming the Holy Spirit mentioned. I forgot, how do we know that blaspheming the Holy Spirit means to not repent of sin?

because repentance is refused by the sinner
 
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ArmyMatt

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Luke 12:47-48

“And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.” (NKJV)

thank ye muchly
 
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Jackson Cooper

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Luke 12:47-48

“And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.” (NKJV)
Oh, it wasn't showing up when I clicked on the chapter.
 
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faroukfarouk

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Luke 12:47-48

“And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.” (NKJV)
The believer needs to live up to the light that he has been given.
 
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ArmyMatt

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The believer needs to live up to the light that he has been given.

no, the believer will be judged based on the light he was given, but by the unchanging and true Son of God.
 
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All4Christ

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There are quite a few Eastern Orthodox who believe that no other denomination can lead to salvation. What % of Eastern Orthodox believe this? I don't find it a logical conclusion based on the gospels.
There likely will be many that God leads to (or has led to) salvation who may not be Orthodox. I don’t know percentages.
 
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ArmyMatt

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There are quite a few Eastern Orthodox who believe that no other denomination can lead to salvation. What % of Eastern Orthodox believe this? I don't find it a logical conclusion based on the gospels.

well, that is true, but we don't limit what God can do to bring them to Orthodoxy. it could very well be, given a person's situation, that God leaves them as a Protestant and uses that to make them Orthodox at death.
 
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~Anastasia~

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There are quite a few Eastern Orthodox who believe that no other denomination can lead to salvation. What % of Eastern Orthodox believe this? I don't find it a logical conclusion based on the gospels.

You need to be very careful to understand what people mean. Sometimes it isn't clear, and sometimes catechumens especially get the wrong idea. And sometimes some Orthodox could possibly express different opinions.

What I mean is that you will very frequently hear that we don't limit the grace of God. And that we know where God is, but we don't know where He isn't. Especially according to Romans 2, I believe this is correct. God is going to save whoever He wills, and He wills to save all. So ... I certainly will not dare to speak condemnation of anyone who has any inclination toward Him. (I don't want to speak condemnation of anyone at all, but I'm trying to make my point.)

On the other hand, you might hear that "outside the (Orthodox) Church, there is no salvation."

Some people when they say this, mean that everyone who is saved is added to the Church (whether they were formally within it during their lives or not). So that still is not limiting the salvation and grace of God.

But some people will "hear" this to mean "nobody excepted baptized/chrismated Orthidox will be saved". They could be misunderstanding. Or some might teach/believe this.

I believe when that statement has its roots, it DID mean that nobody outside of those canonically in the Church would be saved, because they were actually talking about those who had the choice to be part of the Church, or had been, but chose to pursue heresies that had been set directly opposed to the Church instead. If for example you have full understanding of the Gospel, but decide instead that Christ Jesus is NOT divine but merely a man whom God sent some special grace to ... well, in that case I believe you DO risk your salvation.

But I don't know any Orthodox in person who actually believe that only Orthodox in this life will be saved. I know of only a few on FB who teach this, and FB in my experience is not a good indication of what Orthodoxy as a whole believes.
 
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~Anastasia~

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right, those saved are the ones who are Orthodox on Judgment Day.
I'm not disagreeing with you Fr. Matt ... you know the majority of non-Orthodox would probably read that as we think "you're going to hell because you're not Orthodox".

There is so much "translating" that needs to be done. It's like I find that if I describe the process of theosis, most Protestants will heartily agree. But simply define "deification" for them and a dark cloud passes over their faces.

You probably know all of this very well. :) I'm restating just for the sake of visitors and lurkers. :)
 
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All4Christ

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I'm not disagreeing with you Fr. Matt ... you know the majority of non-Orthodox would probably read that as we think "you're going to hell because you're not Orthodox".

There is so much "translating" that needs to be done. It's like I find that if I describe the process of theosis, most Protestants will heartily agree. But simply define "deification" for them and a dark cloud passes over their faces.

You probably know all of this very well. :) I'm restating just for the sake of visitors and lurkers. :)
Language is a really big thing that can cause confusion.
 
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ArmyMatt

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I'm not disagreeing with you Fr. Matt ... you know the majority of non-Orthodox would probably read that as we think "you're going to hell because you're not Orthodox".

There is so much "translating" that needs to be done. It's like I find that if I describe the process of theosis, most Protestants will heartily agree. But simply define "deification" for them and a dark cloud passes over their faces.

You probably know all of this very well. :) I'm restating just for the sake of visitors and lurkers. :)

yes, I meant not Orthodox in this life on paper, but who are in their hearts.
 
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My mother despises the Eastern Orthodox church, but does so out of ignorance.

and God will not hold ignorance against her on Judgment Day. He will judge according to the law written on her heart.
 
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