Unconditional Redemption?

I draw your attention to this article from the Huffington Post regarding Pope Francis' recent
shocking statements on the topic of salvation. In his homily, Pope Francis quoted from Mark 9:38-40
as a Scriptural basis for his claim that anyone, regardless of religion, creed, ethnicity, background,
or orientation can be redeemed through Jesus.

He says

"The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! 'Father, the atheists?' Even the atheists. Everyone!... We must meet one another doing good. 'But I don't believe, Father, I am an atheist!' But do good: we will meet one another there."

It sounds right. Doesn't it?
With a little probing, however, it doesn't.
Unfortunately lies are the most easily accepted when they are sandwiched between truths.
You would think that Mulder and Scully would have taught us that nugget of wisdom by now.

Jesus did die for everyone. Redemption and grace are free to everyone in this world.
It's the one truth claim that makes Christianity unique among religions; this much is true.
However there is indeed one condition...: Acceptance.
If an atheist becomes a philanthropist and spends his life
building orphanages and supporting meals-on-wheels and simultaneously spurns
the precious gift that Jesus Christ died to offer, he will die in his sins.

It's really as simple as that. It's the one condition that must be met before
salvation. Acknowledgement and acceptance. If I were to give you a million dollars
no strings attached, you would still be required to accept my offer.
Otherwise you would leave our encounter none-the-richer.

Anyone who claims otherwise has clearly off-handedly dismissed some rather voluminous
portions of Scripture and any flimsy attempt to base said claim(s) on misquoted passages
from the gospel of Mark are easily undermined.

Rejection of Christ's hard-won gift to us is apparently something that God the Father does not
take very lightly at all (Hebrews 12:25). That's really all there is to it.
And no amount of 'do-gooding' is going to buy your way past that fact.

Supporting Scripture:
Mark 1:15, John 1:10-14, John 6:29-37, John 8:23-24, John 10:25-28, John 14:6, John 20:31,
Acts 13:23;38-41, Acts 15:7, Acts 16:29-31, Romans 5:1; 8-12; 15, Romans 10:8-13, 1 Corinthians 15:17, Galatians 3:22; 26, Ephesians 2:8-9, 1 John 5:13.
And many more...