I've been absent from this thread for a while - other pressing matters requiring my attention - and I'm not sure how much more I'll be able to reply over the next while, even though I think the discussions have gone fairly well in general.
I had planned to reply to a couple of posts directed at me, and I'll apologize now for not being able to do so - instead, I will try to give a general response to the topic of salvation as this thread has currently shifted to that area.
I have a thesistic worldview. Although I tried, I could never reconcile a universe that existed of its own accord eternally. Each time I came back to the question of how or why existence itself came to be, I could never find a satisfactory answer for physical matter being its own originator. Even when I tried to consider energy being the cause of matter, I was stumped by the Law of the Conservation of Energy, and since Energy cannot be CREATED or destroyed, I was still left with the question of how/why energy originated.
On the other hand, considering the possibility of an eternal force of intelligence in (or, technically, prior to) the universe required less substantiation from a scientific perspective. A creative entity capable of forming the universe is not (nor should not be) subject to a dependence on material composition (matter or energy) in order to exist. A creative force of this nature, being utterly beyond the scope of limited human comprehension was (for me) the only recourse to answer how and why the universe came to be - and in terms of human understanding, an entity of this nature is best described as "God".
So, I now have a belief that God created the universe, and in doing so, set out to include in the creation human beings, creatures capable of rational thought and relational existence. I do not have the means to answer why God chose to do so.
Further, with my understanding of God being totally free of any constraints regarding time or physical elements, must exist in a manner that is not directly tangible to our temporal and material existence within His created universe. That does not mean, however, that God is excluded from being a part of the universe He created - as it is His creation, He can interact with it as much or as little as He chooses.
Further, a creator God of such magnitude (theoretically) wishing to interact directly with the material beings He chose to bring into existence, might best do so in a manner by which we can more easily interact with the divine - a being that contained the full measure of humanity and divinity simultaneously - Jesus Christ. This is why, as a person with a theistic worldview, I found myself drawn to the Christian expression of theism as opposed to other faith systems. It simply made the most sense to me, all things considered.
So, on to salvation.
For whatever reason, God chose to bring humanity into existence, but an existence tied to the material universe. God, by His own nature, would seem to exist beyond the limitations of the material universe.
If we believe that God created us as entities capable of relational existences, it does not seem to make sense that upon our material death, we lose any further possibility of continuing an existence that includes a relational aspect. To be able to continue in that way, it would seem to make sense that it would continue in an "afterlife" with the being who created us and intended us to be relational - God.
Therefore, if God created us as relational beings, and allows for the opportunity to become fully relational with Him after our mortal existence, how does He determine who does - and who does not - get this opportunity?
If we also assume that another component of our own existence is Free Will, we can clearly see this manifest itself in our relational existence - we choose, freely, who we will develop relationships with in this world. Even when someone want to have a relationship with us, we are capable of choosing to ignore that other person, and walk away.
If God wishes to enter a relationship with each of us, but will not go so far as to force the issue, then it is our choice as to whether we enter into that relationship with Him. For the Christian, this is done by embracing Jesus Christ, as God's most tangible expression of His love and presence in our physical universe.
But the final question is this - when does God decide that a person can no longer choose to enter into a relationship with the divine? Must that be done on earth, or is there one final opportunity when a mortal comes face to face with their Creator? If it is the latter, this works well with the C.S. Lewis concept that there is no one in Hell who didn't choose to be there - since Hell is complete alienation and separation from God, can this only be done upon coming face to face with the Divine and clearly saying, "I want nothing to do with you".
Personally, I do not think that Scripture (which is Divinely inspired and not Divinely dictated) gives us enough information to know this answer with certainty. This is my hope for humanity, that God will indeed give every opportunity to His creation to enter into a relationship with Him. It is also possible that in the moment of your last breath, you have passed the point of no return.
I don't know the answer, but when I consider the universe as I have described, I do have at least some hope that God's grace is limitless, up to the point of respecting the free will He gave us.
