Continuing my thoughts from Thursday, I believe creation points even those who've never heard the Gospel toward the Creator. The heavens declare the glory of God. Here are some things that Scripture seems to indicate we can know about the Creator through creation.
The Creator exists (Psalm 19:1)
The Creator is eternal (Psalm 93:2)
The Creator is wise (Psalm 104:24)
The Creator is to be worshipped (Acts 14:15)
The Creator is good (Acts 14:17)
The Creator is transcendent (Acts 17:24)
The Creator is self-sufficient (Acts 17:25)
The Creator is sovereign (Acts 17:26)
The Creator is immanent (Acts 17:26-27)
The Creator is righteous (Romans 1:32)
The Creator is the standard (Romans 2:15)
The Creator will judge (Romans 2:15-16)
*List modified from This Book
I believe that to NOT know the above, we have to suppress the truth (Romans 1:18) that we know in our hearts. Sadly, much of mankind has done just this. I don't think we should be overly optimistic about the fate of those who've never heard. They won't miss heaven because they didn't have enough information, but they may miss heaven because they refused truth they did have access to.
6 comments:
hey matt. i want to discuss one thing you wrote: "I don't think we should be overly optimistic about the fate of those who've never heard." is there reason to be more optimistic about those who have heard over those who haven't?
hey aaron.
I think more light is better. the more we can know about Jesus, and the sooner we can know about Jesus, the better off we may be.
but i wouldn't even venture to guess the ratios of salvation in each group. i really have no clue. Here in wny, i i see quite a few who have heard and yet reject. when i went to china i saw quite a few who hadn't heard that seemed to be waiting to hear.
so if i go by my personal observation...heck, i still wouldn't know :)
hey matt. thanks for responding. i tend not to be a large fan of natural theology and for this reason i agree with your opinion...at first. but faith is also a gift of God and does not depend on knowledge. but i also agree that Christian community tends to do better at keeping than bringing in. less "conversion" needs to happen for someone raised in the church, if the church is being the church.
it seems to me that unbounded optimism for salvation is warranted when i consider the nature of resurrection and Pentecost. the complete change of the universe in raising Jesus from the dead and the universal presence of the Spirit leads me to be think that a great many people will be found in God's kingdom.
combining these thoughts--that raised in the faith is a good thing and leads to salvation, and that the universal presence of the Spirit can't help but be salvific--leads me to think that some kind of post-death conversion is not out of the question.
i am reminded of a quote from karl barth: i have no more right to tell God that hell must be empty than Calvin did to tell God it must be full.
all this to say, i think we should be optimistic about those who haven't heard, because God is gracious and his Spirit is active. what do you think?
ps. sorry about the long, rambly post. thanks for creating a space to talk about these things.
I think God will do (or has done!) everything possible to maximize the number of those who will spend eternity with Him.
As far as I can tell, church history has been much less dogmatic about hell & those who will go there than contemporary evangelicalism has been. Actually, as far as i can tell, there was a solid assortmant of annihilationists, universalists, and those who believed in eternal damnation.
My guess would be the monopoly the 3rd view has in the here & now comes from our desire to read all Scripture in a wooden literal manner (that and our practice of ignoring Scriptures that don't fit our view).
Am I optimistic? Probably not as optimistic as you, but that could change & may just be a personality difference. I have much faith in God's activity/love/grace, but less faith in man's choice to respond positively to free gifts.
On a final note, I only view evangelism as partially afterlife focused. I think we should tell people about Jesus b/c Jesus fixes broken lives, not just b/c He's the way to heaven. But that is just something I wanted to say, nothing to do with your comment.
Good-day :)
I just realized why I wanted to add that last part. I don't want people to be 'overly optimistic' about the fate of those who've never heard in a way that diminishes their motivation to share Christ with such people.
I think this understanding of God's great grace ADDS to the motivation
i agree. well said. interesting note: Soter, the Greek word for Saviour, was used for doctors in Jesus' time. another: German word for salvation: heil. German word for healing: heilung. we downplay the close relation of healing to salvation to our detriment.
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