My nephew once asked me this very interesting question:
“Who has the greater chance of being saved? The Christian who is not a good person or a good person who is not a Christian?”
I had to take a pause for a moment considering the weight of the question.
Being a Catholic (and a Christian) myself, I wanted to let my nephew know how important it is to have the right faith. But I also can’t deny the truth that being a nominal Christian (in name only) isn’t enough to be saved.
I then answered that the good person (or the person trying one’s best to be good and seeking the truth) would have a better chance to be saved rather than the Christian who, despite knowing God refuses to live as a Christian (and can be considered “bad”) because this Christian mocks the very faith that should have brought him or her to salvation.
Who is the Bad Christian?
To answer the question more accurately, I also had to define what being a “bad Christian” means.
Do we consider as bad Christians those who seem self-righteous and looks down on others? Do we define being bad as being imperfect and still having many flaws? Or is it more obvious for those who commit mortal sins?
First of all, we must admit that being a Christian does not automatically make us sinless.
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” – 1 John 1:8 (NRSVCE)
No matter how much we try, we still fall. We fall but we continue to hope that God would help us in our journey towards holiness.
The important thing is our intention and our persistence to rise up after every fall.
“If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” – 1 John 1:9 (NRSVCE)
What Being a Bad Christian Means
The bad Christian is the person who may have been baptized as a Christian but who nevertheless lives a life completely unbecoming of a Christian. This is not the Christian who falls every now and then but repents. This is the Christian who would not even admit one’s sins.
The bad Christian is the person who twists the true meaning of Christianity to suit one’s earthly desires. Whether it is for money, fame or pleasures of the flesh, this Christian mocks the name of God and uses it only to gain one’s selfish desires.
In the end, being a bad Christian means not repenting of one’s sins and seeing the need to receive God’s mercy. This Christian, although fully aware of God’s law of love and truth stubbornly refuses to recognize it.
Who is the Good Unbeliever?
The good unbeliever is the person who, though not being a Christian is trying one’s best to live a life of love and service to one’s neighbors and who is seeking the truth in one’s life.
This person is guided by one’s conscience and does not wish to harm or abuse other people.
We must remember that this does not mean that a person can be perfectly good without God. But a person can try one’s very best, open oneself to the Spirit of Truth and be guided accordingly by God.
The Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium (16) states:
“Nor is God far distant from those who in shadows and images seek the unknown God, for it is He who gives to all men life and breath and all things, and as Saviour wills that all men be saved. Those also can attain to salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience. Nor does Divine Providence deny the helps necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God and with His grace strive to live a good life. Whatever good or truth is found amongst them is looked upon by the Church as a preparation for the Gospel.”
The True Danger of Not Being a Christian
While the Church acknowledges the possibility of salvation even for unbelievers, we must not forget the real risks of a life not within the safety of His Church.
Consider the pagans who lived long ago. Isn’t it true that they could have lived holier lives if they had known the Ten Commandments revealed to the Jews?
Whereas unbelievers who know nothing about Christianity can search for God in the shadows, how much peace and joy would they have found had they seen the Light of Christ!
Christianity equips a person with Truth and Love. We are guided in every aspect of our lives so that we can make it safely through this life.
That is why the Church should be urged all the more to be missionaries for those who are yet to hear the Good News.
It is like a person who needs to travel in the dark. If one is an unbeliever, one may only have a small matchstick or candle to guide oneself along the way. The Christian, on the other hand, is equipped with a powerful torch that would keep oneself from stumbling in the dark. This is true unless the Christian decides to disregard the light altogether, throw it away and make the journey in a far worse condition than the unbeliever.
Final Words
In the end, we do not know the extent of God’s Mercy and Wisdom. His ways is not limited to our way of thinking. And He can reach the people we think are already hopeless when it comes to salvation.
God’s Mercy is unfathomable and boundless. Jesus Christ wants to draw all men to Himself. The only limit that could ever prevent Him from saving us is our stubbornness and our persistent denial to receive His salvation.
“On the Cross, the fountain of My mercy was opened wide by the lance for all souls – no one have I excluded!” – Jesus to St. Faustina (Divine Mercy In My Soul, 1182).
Jocelyn Soriano writes about relationships and the Catholic faith at “Single Catholic Writer”. She wrote the books To Love an Invisible God, Defending My Catholic Faith and Questions to God.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In