Question: Is Mother Theresa a true Christian?
Answer: 'Of course she is!' That's what all Catholics
and many Protestants would affirm without any hesitation. 'It's
enough to consider her charity and work among the poor in Calcutta.
She is a saint!'
If good works makes anyone a Christian, then we must also regard a
friend of mine a communist and an atheist, to be a true Christian as
well, for he, though unknown to the media, has dedicated his life to help
the poor. Yet he would be the first to refuse the name
'Christian.'
Works alone do not make anyone a Christian. Clearly, we must consider
what a person believes as well as what he does, or, in other words, the
proper motives for their works. The Jews also were very zealous in their
religion, yet the apostle Paul did not consider them saved because their
religion was 'not according to knowledge' and they attempted to
make themselves right with God by their works while refusing to rely on
Christ for salvation.
Still, one may argue, 'Mother Theresa believed in
Christ and her works are the evident proof of her faith.'
Maybe. Maybe not.
If Mother Theresa believed in Christ alone without depending on her
works for justification, she was a true Christian, for the Scriptures say
that a person 'is not justified by the works of the law, but by the
faith of Jesus Christ' (Galatians 2:16). Her good works would be the
evidence of genuine faith in Christ, as James say: 'I will show you my faith by my works' (James 2:18).
If that is so, it is confusing why Mother Theresa remained a faithful
member of the Roman Catholic Church which officially teaches that personal
good works are not merely the evidence but also the cause of personal
righteousness for justification. In that case, the Roman Catholic Church
would curse the poor nun: 'If anyone says that the righteousness
received is not preserved and even increased before God though good works,
but that such works are merely the fruits and signs of the justification
obtained, and not also the cause of its increase, anathema sit'
(Trent, On Justification, canon 24).
On the other hand, if Mother Theresa depended on her good works for
salvation, she was not a true Christian, for the Bible clearly states:
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For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of
yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone
should boast (Ephesians 2:8,9).
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[God] has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not
according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace
which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began (2 Timothy1:9).
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Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but
according to His mercy He saved us (Titus 3:5).
So what is my verdict? God knows! What we know for certain are the
principles by which God justifies or condemns Mother Theresa and every one
of us.
There is a far more important question for us than to speculate on
whether Mother Theresa was a true Christian or not. God is her judge,
'for the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward
appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart' (1 Samuel 16:7). He knows her motives as well as her actions. What is
of greater concern to us is our own salvation.
Am I a true Christian?
A false Christian is one who 'believes' in Christ and yet depends, at
least in part, on his own works for salvation. His 'good' works are the
fruit of pride and unbelief. A true Christian is one who believes in Christ and does not depend on
his own works for salvation. His good works are the evidence to living
faith.
Moreover, a true Christian is
eager to let everyone know that Jesus is the only way to heaven. It is
sad that Mother Theresa neglected this, the greatest work of all. She
wrote: 'There is only one God and He is God to all; therefore it is
important that everyone is seen as equal before God. I’ve always said we
should help a Hindu become a better Hindu, a Muslim become a better
Muslim, a Catholic become a better Catholic.'
It's true: there is one God; it is
just as true that there is one Mediator between God and man, Christ
Jesus! Muslims and Hindus are not saved without Christ, whether they are
better or not.