The Bible specifies that the only means of salvation is by faith in Jesus and in the sacrifice of his perfect human life as a ransom price for mankind (John 14:6, Acts 4:10-12, 1 Timothy 2:5-6). The Bible does not teach that one religious system, then or now, is either a substitute for faith in Jesus, or is somehow an additional requirement for salvation.
For those who choose to devote their lives to God now, in their present lives, the opportunity for a heavenly existence is possible, through a keeping of one’s devotion throughout one’s life (Romans 12:1, Revelation 2:10, 1 John 3:2). The rest of mankind—past, present and future—will be resurrected from the dead during God’s future kingdom, and after being given the opportunity to become fully in harmony with God, granted the everlasting perfect physical life lost by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Isaiah 35:8-10, John 3:16). This latter group includes the entire spectrum of mankind, from those who knew nothing of God in their previous lives to those who worshipped God but never truly devoted their lives to Him.
Jesus taught that he understood and loved his Father so much that his will and character wholly reflected God (John 10:30). Living a life pleasing to God means developing and mirroring Jesus’ character as much as possible. Jesus himself taught that the Scriptures, which later became the Bible, are the way to understand him and his teachings (John 5:59). The Apostle Paul also taught that study of God’s word is the way to develop a character pleasing to God (2 Timothy 2:15-16, 2 Timothy 3:16-17). As each Christian begins to develop a mind and character that reflects Jesus, they become increasingly responsible for faithfulness to God’s word as revealed in the Bible. Each Christian, therefore, is responsible for examining the messages they allow into their minds and hearts, whether those messages come from social contacts, media, or a religious institution that they may attend. It takes a great deal of faith to leave a religious institution that one has become familiar with, but whose teachings are out of harmony with biblical teachings; however, such a step may be productive, even necessary, for spiritual growth.
Even so, a person who is lovingly worshipping God to the best of their abilities, unaware that they are attending religious institutions which are not fully in harmony with biblical teachings, is not necessarily placing their salvation at risk. Even if they are not called by God to a fully consecrated life now, having lived a life of devoted worship to God may be of great assistance in coming fully into harmony with God in His future kingdom. If the individual is exhibiting behavior that is damaging to their character or to others, it may be prudent, depending on the situation, to point out how the behavior is out of harmony with biblical teachings rather than address the entire religious institution. If it is God’s will, over time they may come to understand the broader, firmer way to serve and please God and in turn seek to surround themselves with similar goals and understanding.
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