Who will be saved?

One of the most important and deep-seated questions humans ask is, “Will I be saved?” This is expressed in other ways, like “Is heaven real? How will I enter it?” In fact, almost all religions speak of offering salvation.

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Among Christians, there are preachers who say that salvation is assured to those who belong to their group; outside of it, one cannot hope to be saved.

Who will be saved? Through a parabolic teaching, Jesus, in today’s Gospel, warns those who think that entry into the Kingdom is through “ascription,” that is, the assignment of status through kinship ties. The Jews may be the chosen people, children of Abraham, but their salvation is far from assured. Very early, through the words of John the Baptist, the people have been warned that their claim to privileged status via family heritage is no guarantee for being saved: “Produce good fruits as evidence of your repentance; and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones” (Lk 3:8). Jesus’ parable places a measure of status not in ascription but in performance. The authentic response to Jesus’ teaching entails both hearing and doing. The true disciple is one who hears the word of God and puts it into practice, bearing the fruit of repentance and good deeds.