Testing the theology of a born-again paradox.

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Overview

This lesson ponders a controversial issue raised by the article about author Anne Lamott. It is the question that CHRISTIANITY TODAY’S associate editor Agnieszka Tennant asked directly of Lamott: “Do you think that people from other faiths who don’t believe in Jesus are God’s children and will go to heaven?”

Table of Contents

SCRIPTURE: Psalms 19:1-4a; Romans 1:18-23; Acts 14:16-17; Acts 17:22-31; 1 Timothy 2:3-4; Titus 2:11-14; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Mark 16:15-16; John 3:16-18; 1 John 5:9-12; Romans 10:9-13; Matthew 7:13, 21-23; 13:47-50; 25:31-46; John 5:24; Hebrews 9:27-28; 1 Peter 4:17; Acts 10:34-35; Hebrews 11:6

LEADER'S GUIDE

    • Identify the Current Issue

    • Discover the Eternal Principles

—Teaching point one: All people have some awareness and knowledge of God, even if they’ve never heard the gospel or had access to the Bible.

—Teaching point two: It is God’s desire that all people come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

—Teaching point three: Jesus is God’s only Savior and mediator, God’s one provision for our salvation.

—Teaching point four: Those who believe in the gospel will be saved; those who reject the gospel will not.

—Teaching point five: There are only two paths—one leads to eternal salvation, the other to eternal damnation. But judgment is God’s prerogative, and we Christians may be surprised at some of the results of his judgment.

—Teaching point six: God honors those who sincerely fear and seek him and do what is right and acceptable in God’s eyes.

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