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The book of Hebrews deals with this very issue. The book was written to Jewish Christians who were enduring severe persecution. Many of them lost their jobs, their families, their homes, and their land. A false idea/teaching began to spread that they could go back to the old way, to the old sacrificial system. However, now that Christ had come, salvation can be found through no other means. This is one of the premises under which the book of Hebrews was written. Thus, when you read passages such as Hebrews 6:4-6 with the proper context in mind, it makes a lot more sense. The Jews could not go back to the old way. Christ has been crucified, the veil was torn, Christ had become the ultimate sacrifice. Salvation is now found through Him, and through Him alone.
This has always been a spiritual struggle for me, this very question. My mother was Jewish, my father a Christian. They allowed us to follow our own paths and I became a Christian although I feel close ties to the Jewish people. I have always found it hard to believe that the God I love would exclude my mother from his grace and salvation simply because she was Jewish, because she was a good person and taught her children the wrongs and rights of life and she was unselfish enough to allow us to become the person we chose to be without persecution or ridicule. I accept his judgement, whatever that is, but I still would like to believe that it's broader than that.
The Jews celebrate Yom Kippur, ("Day of Atonement") which is the holiest day of the Jewish year. It is a day of communal fasting and praying for forgiveness for one's sins.
Christ told the Pharisees in John 8:21" Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come." John 8:24 "I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." The cold hard truth is that ANYONE who rejects Christ as the Messiah, redeemer, the incarnate Son of God will "die in their sins."
Like the Great Father that He is, God loves all mankind. I believe that Non Christians who obey the simple injunction of " To obey to God's command as prescribed by their own religion, and loving their neighbor as they love themselves will surely find mercy and forgiveness in God. I believe that Christianity is just the easiest way of achieving Salvation and forgiveness if sin.
Jesus is the only Way, Truth and Life applies to all nations. The purpose of God coming down as man to show us the way would be defeated if He exempted any part of His children. His love for all of us is unconditional and He cis no respecter of people.
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