Questions tagged [soteriology]
The study of the mechanisms by which an individual is saved.
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If unconditional election is true do we worship God in vain?
According to the teaching of Unconditional Election, God has already chosen who is saved and who is condemned. If we have no control over whether we receive or reject grace, someone can never truly ...
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What's the Eastern Orthodox view on Roman Catholic notion of sanctifying grace?
In Roman Catholic Church there is a doctrine that says that salvation is achieved by sanctifying grace.
Maybe I do not understand this doctrine enough but practically it I think it means that after ...
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According to Wesleyan-Arminianism, does God fail?
According to Wesleyan-Arminianism, does God try His absolute hardest to save all of mankind- but ultimately fails and has no other choice but to send a majority of mankind to have their flesh burned ...
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Did Waldensians believe in unconditional election?
I have read about the history of the Waldensians. It appears they were largely honorable in their dealings; unfortunately it is hard to know exactly what they believed prior to their accepting ...
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According to Reformed Theology do non-trinitarians go to hell?
According to Reformed theology, if one believes that Yeshua (Jesus) is the Messiah and the son of God (but they deny that he is God and the second person of a triune god), is this person sent to an ...
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Are there any Christian sects that say salvation is based, in whole or in part, on your response to Jesus on Judgment Day?
I recently had a conversation with a Christian who believes that our choices during this life are not the only factors affecting salvation. Rather, God will be very lenient about our Earthly behavior, ...
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Those who enjoy pain: where do they go [according to Catholicism] [closed]
Hypothetically, if someone who did not sin, but enjoy receiving pain as they got used to it or other reasons, would they still not deserve Hell? I know next to nothing about Catholicism/Christianity, ...
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According to Catholicism, does God want everyone to be Catholic?
According to Catholicism, does God want all humans to be Catholic? And if everyone became Catholic, would Satan be abolished? Is this acknowledged in the Bible or elsewhere?
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What do Protestant churches teach about the fate of deceased infants?
My question is posed to the Protestant churches that teach that man is saved by faith alone.
If a person is saved by faith alone, what happens to children who die before they are able to conceive of ...
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Acts 17:30 What does "overlooked" mean? [closed]
Paul, after reasoning about idolatry in Athens, states:
Therefore, although God has overlooked such times of ignorance, he now
commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has set a day ...
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What is the biblical basis for the Athanasian Creed's statement that believing in the Trinity is necessary for salvation?
The Athanasian Creed states:
Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic faith. Which faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled; without doubt he ...
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What is the role of the Holy Spirit in Swedenborg's soteriology?
A common function of the Holy Spirit in the salvation of sinners, according to Catholicism, mainstream Protestantism, and the Reformed Church, among others, is derived from passages like the following:...
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Is there a recognised soteriology that combines selective election for some and general election for everyone else?
Are there any Christian groups or denominations that hold a belief in selective election to salvation, in that some individuals are specifically and irresistibly called (Noah, Moses, 12 desciples, ...
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Works Rightouseness - Is there any Christian Group that focus on this
I have been reading a Protestant book on evangelism and it, as well as other books I have read from Evangelical sources, focus greatly on on how their faith practice is in direct opposition to Works-...
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In which writing(s) does Hugo Grotius set forth the "Governmental Theory of the Atonement"?
I'm trying to locate, in book form in English, the writings of Hugo Grotius in relation to the "Governmental View of the Atonement". I see very little of his writings available in book form in English ...
user22588
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Did John Calvin believe there was no salvation outside the visible church?
What did John Calvin believe about salvation outside of the church?
He writes in book IV of the Institutes:
But because it is now our intention to discuss the visible church, let us learn even ...
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Who adheres to dual-covenant theology?
Another question has asked about the Biblical basis for dual-covenant theology, but I'm interested in who holds it. Wikipedia indicates that some "liberal" Christians do, but I'm looking for more ...
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How do Evangelicals understand "holy children" in 1 Cor 7:14, with respect to the salvation of children dying in infancy?
For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. (1 ...
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What is Church of England's doctrine on unbaptised dead infants and how was it formed?
The penultimate rubric in the Book of Common Prayer Public Baptism Service reads: "It is certain by God's Word, that children which are baptized, dying before they commit actual sin, are undoubtedly ...
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Where can I find the text of the documents produced at the Council of Quiercy (853)?
The Catholic Encyclopedia has an article about the "Councils of Quierzy", and indicates that at the 853 council, Hincmar wrote decrees about predestination, universal redemption, free will, and grace. ...
user22790
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How is the matter of why the Son of God needed to be sacrificed explained in the Roman Catholic Church?
Why did God the Father need to sacrifice His own Son for the sake of granting salvation to the fallen humanity? Couldn't He just forgive humans without making any sacrifice? Why is it so that "without ...
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What caused the shift from "Faith Of Christ" to "Faith In Christ" in modern translations?
The phrase "Faith in Christ" can also be translated "Faith of Christ" (or "Faithfulness of Christ" [NET]):
In the older school of translations of the Bible into English (I'll call them the "King ...
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According to the Catholic Church, are Jews saved without faith in Jesus?
According to recent news stories, the Vatican has issued a report saying that Jews can be saved without faith in Jesus (see for example here).
This sounds very strange, so my questions are:
Does ...
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What are the main biblical interpretations used to defend the point of view that Nicodemus had inferior faith?
I was reading a post by John Piper here where he said this:
But it is not saving faith. Nicodemus was not born again
The same week my Pastor made a derogatory reference to the faith of Nicodemus, ...
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What did the early church fathers (pre-5th c.) teach with regards to the doctrine of baptism as a necessity for salvation?
The title says it all, really.
What did the ECF believe and teach with regards to baptism being or not being necessary for salvation?
Related: What did the early church fathers (pre-5th c.) teach ...
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According to the wider hope/inclusive framework, why does the church still exist?
In the wider hope/inclusivist theological framework, very simply put, people who have not heard the Gospel are not necessarily lost and destined for hell. Given that understanding, why does the ...
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Which theory of the atonement did C. S. Lewis hold?
In C. S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (spoiler alert), the White Witch, the personification of the devil, says some interesting things:
You at least know the Magic which the ...
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Can a Mormon reach salvation if they do not pay tithes?
This is actually a question that stems from some information that I found when reading this article. The article claims that Mormon Mission Presidents receive each a lot of tax free benefits, and it ...
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Do Catholics subscribe to the "once saved, always saved" doctrine that many evangelical Christians believe in?
Many evangelical Christians say that once a person has accepted Jesus as their Savior and repented of their sins they have formed a bond between their soul and the Lord that is unbreakable. Do ...
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How do sola fide adherents explain The Parable of the Ten Virgins?
In Matthew 25:1-12 we read about ten young ladies (a bridal party) eagerly awaiting the arrival of the groom. Five of them run out of oil and have to go buy more, missing the groom's arrival and thus ...
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What does Colossians 2:11 mean in light of Evangelical Protestant Soteriology?
And in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without
hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of
Christ;
Colossians 2:11 (NASB)
When you came ...
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How do evangelical universalists reconcile their position with the designation for Judas that it would be better if he had never been born?
By "evangelical" in this context I am referring to those with the common evangelical view that the Bible is the word of God and inerrant in the autographs.
The idea that Judas might be ultimately ...
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According to Catholicism, does the last judgement include a last chance to reconcile?
I was reading a Catholic Magazine a few years ago (it might have been Catholic Answers) and I remember reading an article on the last judgement that seemed to suggest that at the end of time there ...
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Where does the Scripture say that you need to be in the state of Divine Grace in order to go to Heaven?
If I am correct, the Catholic Church teaches that you need to be in the state of Divine Grace at the moment of your death if you wish to go to Heaven.
If you are not, then you are automatically ...
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What soteriological doctrines are most prevalent within Protestantism throughout the world?
As we all know, there are many Protestant denominations: Anglican, Lutheran, Baptist, Presbyterian, Reformed, Methodist, Adventist, Congregationalist, etc.
In India, we have AG, IPC (Indian ...
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Does water baptism or a subconscious intention to be baptized with water by a human being necessarily and logically follows one's spiritual salvation? [closed]
Some say that water baptism is “an outward expression of an inward reality”; that it is “obedience to a command by God”. Regarding these statements, I have the following questions:
Does all inward ...
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What is the relationship between commandments and salvation in Roman Catholicism?
Jesus during the conversation with the zealous youth, tells him:" You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false ...
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Parable of weeds - where did the enemy get seeds from? [closed]
In the Parable of Weeds, the enemy is narrated as sowing the seeds of weed once the farmer had sown good seeds (Mt 13:25). But, Matthew 13:30 suggests that the tares along with their ripe seeds ...
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What is the Catholic interpretation of Soteriology in the Bread of Life Discourse in John chapter 6?
Catholics interpret the Bread of Life Discourse in John chapter 6 in light of transubstantiation (= the miracle of bread changing into Jesus' literal flesh and wine changing into Jesus' literal blood ...
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In Galatians 4:19, what is the meaning of "Christ formed in you"? [closed]
When Paul is speaking of Christ being in the Galatians, what is the true meaning of that phrase, "Christ formed in you"? Does it relate directly to salvation?
In the context of the letter, ...
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What is Thomas Aquinas' perspective on salvation for baptized heretics who believe in the Trinity?
St. Thomas Aquinas is praised globally for his intellect, and such has gained him the merit of being a 'Doctor of the Church'. I am curious about several things though:
What are Aquinas's views on ...
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What is an overview of interpretations of "all Israel will be saved" in Romans 11:26? (Catholic/Protestant overview)
The phrase "all Israel" in Romans 11:25–26 has been a source a significant disagreement in church history, particularly since the Reformation:
25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want ...
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Do any trinitarian Protestant traditions teach that anyone who denies the Trinity is necessarily unsaved?
The traditional understanding of the Trinity, "one God in three Persons," is a widespread belief within Christianity, but there are nonetheless many nontrinitarians who associate themselves with ...
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What is the biblical basis for dual-covenant theology?
Dual-covenant theology, or two-covenant theology, holds that there are two covenants in effect—one, the Old Covenant (with the Mosaic Law) applying to Jews, and the second, the New Covenant (through ...
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Do proponents of Federal Vision believe that there is no hope of salvation without baptism?
According to my reading of this article written by an opponent of Federal Vision, physical water baptism is required for salvation according to those who advocate the framework:
Some would insist ...
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How do opponents of Penal Substitution explain God's declaration that He "will not leave the guilty unpunished"?
In referring to opponents of Penal Substitution theory, I'm referring specifically to those who view it as a false view of the Atonement, not merely that it is incomplete (eg those who hold to ...
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Is Luther really the originator of "We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone"?
The quote "We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone" is commonly attributed to Martin Luther, but is this actually so? If so, in what context did he say or write this? If ...
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According to Charismatic Christians, do those who never hear the gospel of Christ go to hell?
I'd like an overview of what Charismatic Christians believe regarding the unreached. Are people who have never heard the gospel of Christ going to hell? For example: infants, fetuses, mentally ...
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Catholic Church's History Reflects The life of Christ?
Background: A while back I had a very devout friend of mine explain to me that the life (or as I understood, the History) of the Catholic Church sort of paralleled the life of Jesus. That, like Jesus, ...
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According to LDS, what principles of the gospel were corrupted in the Great Apostasy?
In the LDS.org article on Apostasy, the Great Apostasy is described in the following terms:
After the deaths of the Savior and His Apostles, men corrupted the principles of the gospel and made ...
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