Well, there are some Biblical grounds for that idea. In Matthew 25:31-46, the story of the sheep and goats gathered from all the nations of the world, there's a possible implication that explicit recognition of Christ is not required for salvation, but rather sincere action according to Christ's commands of love and mercy for all humanity. And earlier in Matthew 7:15-23 Christ seems to emphasize salvation is based on the fruits of one's actions, and not the claiming of His name (of which He warns that many false prophets will adopt as wolves in sheep's clothing).
And if you take that literally it would condemn everybody who has been born in times and places where he either has had no chance to ever hear of Jesus, or Jesus has been just the name of somebody in the religion of some foreign people they never learn much about. Most people stay in the religion their family and the people around them have and taught them, does that automatically make them evil or not worthy of salvation?
And that is the main reason why I am not a member of any Christian church. I believe in God, and Jesus, but I will not believe God would be that cruel.
He tells someone in the comments that following Christian principles is enough--that he doesn't need to be a follower of Jesus.
Well, there are some Biblical grounds for that idea. In Matthew 25:31-46, the story of the sheep and goats gathered from all the nations of the world, there's a possible implication that explicit recognition of Christ is not required for salvation, but rather sincere action according to Christ's commands of love and mercy for all humanity. And earlier in Matthew 7:15-23 Christ seems to emphasize salvation is based on the fruits of one's actions, and not the claiming of His name (of which He warns that many false prophets will adopt as wolves in sheep's clothing).
Except Jesus stated that He was THE way and no one would come to the Father except through Him. John 14:6.
And if you take that literally it would condemn everybody who has been born in times and places where he either has had no chance to ever hear of Jesus, or Jesus has been just the name of somebody in the religion of some foreign people they never learn much about. Most people stay in the religion their family and the people around them have and taught them, does that automatically make them evil or not worthy of salvation?
And that is the main reason why I am not a member of any Christian church. I believe in God, and Jesus, but I will not believe God would be that cruel.