Bill O'Reilly's All Inclusive Salvation Plan

I rarely watch Bill O'Reilly live on Fox as he competes with too many other programming choices at 8pm EST, weeknights.  So I record Bill when I remember.  However, last Monday night, I did watch Bill live and not a recording so I could not replay Bill's description of a doctrine in his religion that allows salvation, normally obtained through belief in Jesus Christ, to 'good' people...and Bill specifically mentioned Ghandi....

Pay attention O'Reilly...you good Irish, Catholic boy, you....  first thing I wish to establish, assuming we can agree that the Holy Bible, including my King James version, is the Word of God.  We should be able to agree on this...."All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly finished unto all good works".  II Timothy 3:16-17

Also Bill, I cannot imagine that if the Word of God was left up to the interpretations of dis-spirited men that any of it could be used to shine the light of truth and relevance on any subject.  Gratefully, the Word of God, for Christians, ".....is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart".  Hebrews 4:12  For this reason, I, for one, trust God's Word....and shouldn't we all?

Here are a few facts regarding salvation and to those who are afar off maybe speaking in a foreign tongue and honoring strange gods with erected idols and what have you.  You are an astute individual in a number of areas with a seemingly good working knowledge in many...and it may include religion as I do not know whether or not you have theological studies under your belt. 

Anyway, Bill...I will pick up with the gospel of  Matthew who ensures you that what I am telling you is true.  Jesus is describing events that will take place at the time of His return and/or leading up to it and I believe most Americans are familiar with these passages regarding 'wars and rumours of wars, nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places.  All of these are the beginning of sorrows.  Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake'...Matthew 24: 6-12 

All of that mentioned in the gospel's Bill have been taking place for a very long time and are but precursors that build in intensity and frequency as are the labor pains of a woman as she nears her birth hour....and in this same passage Bill, I do want you to understand that God has provided for the likes of Ghandi, all the Imams in the world, all the Buddhists, all the Hindi and all those in the uttermost darkness of rarely explored lands....verse 14 of Matthew 24 tells us this: "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." 

So you see Bill, the entire world gets a chance to use their God-given free will to either accept or deny Jesus Christ with their individual eternal outcome hanging in the balance.  Sticking with the Sword of the Spirit, Bill, please alow me to lay out a few thoughts that God has on the subject of 'good deeds' and salvation.....

Oh here is a good one..."For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" Romans 1:16  Okay Bill, so far, we know that the gospel, for one, provides salvation to those who believe...so now let us explore what other pathways God has opened up for the 'uninformed' in this information age, an age described by Daniel or more precisely by an angel who required the arch-angel Michael's help to even deliver this message to Daniel...a message that could hardly even be understood until this time...a time described as "...even to the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." Daniel 12:4   Aren't computers marvelous and one can hardly beat air travel in this day and age....so fast...usually.

Bill, God has determined to wait until the gospel of Jesus Christ could be spread to the uttermost parts of the earth....even places where Ghandi might hang out.  We all need to understand what we know to be true considering we even have it in Jesus' own words such as "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."  John 3:17-18  

One would argue and many do,  that good works ought to mean something...and they do.  Usually this is one way to identify a Christian but not only christians for even an evil person knows how to take care of his own....let us see how God views our human righteousness.  God tells us through his prophet Isaiah "But we all are an unclean thing, and all of our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away".  Isaiah 64:6

Regarding sin Bill, that thing which so easily besets us all...let me share this...."For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (big word for you, Bill) through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;  To declare, I say, at this his righteousness: that he must be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.  Where is the boasting then?  It is excluded, By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.  Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."  Romans 3:23:28 

The facts as I have presented them to you Bill, speak for themselves.  Mother Teresa, were she void in faith, would not be in heaven today.....salvation 'is not of works, lest any man should boast'.  Same is true for Ghandi and yet I am sure Ghandi has heard the gospel message and can exercise his God-given free will, as he sees fit, to accept Christ as his Lord and Saviour....or not.  Do you know what he has done, Bill?  Can you read hearts as that part of it is essential...you have to be able to read hearts to know the truth of a person....Have you heard his confession?

Finally Bill, let me confess that I grew up Catholic, am now 65 and have been born again in the Spirit (John 3:3) exactly as Jesus told Nicodemus he must be in order to be saved....hey Bill, he emphasized this message in John 3:7 when he said "Marvel not, that I tell ye, ye must be born again...."  I know the cradle to grave ceremony and ritual of your religion and know there is some such stuff created in all religions, primarily to ensure continued patrongage....while there are some religions intent on the one essential message that we all have to hear and accept or deny...

The gospel message is a simple message and I quote..."But 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; That 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.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation".  Romans 10:8-10

Bill....I made God's case by using His Word which is inerrant and unchanging.  Why would the Alpha and the Omega, the one who sees the beginning from the end, and the end from the beginning, need to change His mind regarding anything?

I cannot read Ghandi's heart Bill, nor can I read yours but I can assume from your stance that you truly do not know what it takes to be saved, to ensure eternal life....as an adult, Bill, do not make any assumptions regarding church doctrine until you back them up with scripture...and please remember this..."For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time".  I Timothy 2:5-6

Have you heard, Bill, have you heard Ghandi preach Jesus Christ for salvation?  Have you spread his gospel message Bill?  Not ashamed of it are you?  Take this in the way in which I am delivering it Bill, as a kind gesture.  Ignorance regarding Islam, as you have discovered, can be deadly....deadlier still...as this can kill your body and your soul, is a disbelief in Jesus Christ.

Final, finally...that bit about one mediator means that no one in any religion including yours can mediate or stand in the gap for us, ..salvation is an individual thing...churches, religions, institutions cannot be born again in the Spirit...only individuals can do that....you can probably skip over those clusters of ten beads on your rosary as Mary is not set up to speak on your behalf....There is no such thing in scripture as collective salvation. "Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death"....isn't going to cut it.  Once when Jesus was told his mother and brothers were awaiting him, he asked rhetorically, Who are my brothers, who is my mother"....then he placed them properly...'them that hear my word and do it".

Take this to church, share it...evangelization of the catholic church could begin with you, Bill!  I know Catholics can be saved, I was one and I am saved today...I know some who are saved, are charismatic, pentecostal even, and have stayed in the church, precisely to evangelize....Have a great day!