Sunday question: Christians, which is the right path to salvation, and why do you believe that?

You know I am not a believer, but I’m not asking this question in order to argue or debate with the Christian believers among us. Instead, this is a question where you can state your belief/s on what God requires of you for you to obtain salvation. If anyone is going to argue with you it will be other Christians who believe that isn’t what God requires, that it’s something entirely different. I’m not sure I can provide an exhaustive list. There are three broad categories of belief in salvation. These are:
1—Pluralism
2—Inclusivism
3—Exclusivism

Flowing through all 3 of the above, there are a host of different ideas about what leads to salvation for a Christian. This is the real issue of what’s required to be saved, whether you subscribe to 1, 2 or 3 above. Some believe salvation is by works alone. Only by resisting sin and doing good can one attain salvation. Others say that works are useless, and that only by accepting Jesus of Nazareth as your personal lord and Savior can you be saved. Then there is the school of thought that says both are needed. You must have faith, and if you do, that faith will show in good works. Death-bed repentance won’t work. Some claim that ONLY repentance works, and that repentance requires confessing your sin to a priest.

Calvinists believe you have no say in the matter. God has chosen those he wants to save from the foundations of the Earth, and predestined some to meet his requirements and others to burn in Hell. Some, particularly in Catholic circles, think you can buy your way in. If you have enough people pray for you that will get you out of purgatory early and into the Heavenly realm. This is not so popular now, but in the middle ages the Catholic Church grew enormously wealthy by selling indulgences, and the wealthy left money to survivors in return for constant prayers for them. Some believe that you ascend to Heaven through self inflicted suffering and asceticism. Then there are those who claim baptism will do the trick.

Some say Jesus is not enough. You need to follow the teachings of Mary Baker Eddy and reject modern medicine. Others suggest that if you reject Joseph Smith’s revelations from the Angel Moroni, you’re likely to miss the trip to Heaven and you most certainly won’t get your own planet to rule over. Only the most upright Mormons get that. Still others scoff at Ms Eddy and Joseph Smith’s claims, instead being certain that faith in the living God, Sun Mynug Moon (now no longer living) is the path.

What do you think is the path to salvation, and why do you think that’s it?