dizzle
May 27th 2004, 07:39 AM
The Original Good News
David A. Depew, LLB and Master of Biblical Studies, Dr. Jur.
An apologetic for the original Good News that people can get to heaven who
never heard the name of Jesus
(Heaven being defined as a place or places opposite hell or the lake of fire)
______________________________________________________________
Today there is a habit in the evangelical community to piously quote, "...there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12 KJV.
Unfortunately the attitude projected is frequently an attitude that the speaker is quite proud that he knows this secret name. Therefore, it is just the tough luck of some other people that they do not know the secret name. Such speakers are encouraged by other Scriptures such as, "I am the way and the truth and the life; no man comes to the Father, but through Me." John 14:6.
Again, "...if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved." Rom. 10:9. This statement is understood to mean that a person is lost unless he knows a sufficient amount of correct information about Jesus and then specifically asks Jesus to become his personal Savior.
We note that the emphasis on "personal Savior" is apparently a rather recent Western and American emphasis as opposed to an emphasis on a family decision to follow Christ and to be Christians. Luke 19:9.
Most Evangelicals agree that there will be some people in heaven who did not know or say the name Jesus. The usually accepted examples are only the saints ("holy ones") who lived in the Old Testament period and infants and children who die before the "age of accountability". Many Christians even acknowledge that someone like Job will apparently be in heaven. This is acceptable to us even though Job apparently lived during the period of the patriarchs. Some people do claim he lived several hundred years later. However, he did not seem to know anything about the special
revelation of God to the Hebrews and the people in the blood line leading
to Jesus. All of his theology seem to be based on general revelation. It is not at all clear that he expected his Redeemer to die and be raised from the tomb. Job 19:25-26.
Most Evangelicals agree that there will be some people in heaven who did not know or say the name Jesus. . .
Some people think that there may have been a significant number of people in Old Testament times who had no contact with special revelation. It is thought that the general revelation in nature was sufficient to bring some individuals to a saving knowledge. The habit today is to state that since the time of Jesus, salvation is only provided to the blessed individual who:
(A) knows a sufficient amount of correct information about Jesus and:
(B) then specifically asks Jesus to become his/her "personal Savior."
Some who hold this view declare that a significantly smaller percentage of people are being saved now than before the time of Christ! This is the required conclusion from those ideas. Their thought is that, before Christ, the general revelation in nature was sufficient to bring some people to God. Now the assertion is that people can ignore the general revelation and they have to wait for a Christian to bring the good news about Jesus. The church has been rather slow to spread the word, therefore few are being saved and no one is being saved in the areas where the gospel has not spread.
But this type of thinking is going against the clear revelation that the gospel is the good news. Thus, the prevailing attitude is making the good news into bad news! What is the Gospel supposed to be, good news or bad news?
JESUS AND ETERNAL LIFE
Very serious questions are, Why did Jesus teach so extensively about the kingdom, when He could have emphasized the need to follow Him and the necessity of believing on Him as the personal Savior who provides for eternal life? Why were there some apparently honest people who asked Jesus for the key to eternal life and yet they were not told to believe on Him? Matt. 19:16-30; Mark 10:17-27; Luke 10:25-37; Luke 18:18-24. Also see the Sermon on the Mount. Matt. 5-7.
These questions can force a person to reconsider his understanding of the commonly accepted formula for salvation.
THREE GROUPS OF PEOPLE AND THREE PLACES IN ETERNITY
Other seldom discussed facts regarding salvation are given in Revelation chapters 20-22. Contrary to most peoples' simple ideas, the text indicates that there will be THREE categories of people in eternity, not just two!
These are:
1) People in the lake of fire. Rev. 20:15; 21:8; 22:15.
2) Kings of the new earth and people of the nations who live on the new earth and who go visit The City, the New Jerusalem. Their names are written in The Lamb's Book of Life. Rev. 21:1-2 & 23-27; 22:2.
3) The bond-servants of the Lamb in the New Jerusalem who shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads, they shall reign forever and ever.
The revelation was given to John to be given to these bond-servants or Christians. Rev. 1:1; 21:3; 22:3 - 6. If we understand salvation to be an all or nothing proposition, with some people in hell (the lake of fire) and others in heaven (New Jerusalem), from where will the group come who will inhabit the new earth? Could they be "Old Testament saints" and others from both before and after Christ who asked God to forgive their sins and trusted and believed in God, even though they did not have written revelation and did not have a saving knowledge of Jesus?
JESUS = YESHUA = JEHOVAH IS SALVATION MESSIAH = THE ANOINTED ONE
When we consider the importance of the name of Jesus, it should realized that Jesus is an English name. His mother, Mary, did not call Him "Jesus". Such a Hebrew mother would have called Him "Yehoshua" or the shortened form "Yeshua". Both names meaning "Jehovah is salvation." (see B-D-B-G, New Hebrew and English Lexicon.) This is the same name as Joshua in the O.T. which is rendered Jesus by the Greek Septuagint (Exod. 17:9) and the Greek N.T. (Acts 7:45 & Heb 4:8). Because of the importance of His name in the consideration of the Gospel, we shall refer to Jesus as Yeshua. This may help to put into perspective fact that the N.T. writers were writing about a Hebrew name not an English name.
Some people have a habit of quoting, "...there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12 KJV. Such people should remember that in Semitic languages and thought, the word name does not mean only what it means in English. Note that in verse 7, where the question is asked, "By what power, or in what name, have you done this?" Here we see that power and name are used together. In verse 10, Peter refers to the healing of the lame man as being brought about by the authority of or the power of Yeshua.
THE TRINITY AND SALVATION BY GOD
We must remember that there is a Holy Trinity. Yeshua is God. When Yeshua walked in Israel and people asked Him to perform miracles, they were talking to God.
The Scriptures seem to emphasize the oneness of the godhead rather than the division into three personalities. See John 10:30, "I and the Father are one (a unity or one essence)." Some people seem to emphasize the three, rather than the unity. This obscures the fact that salvation is of the Lord. (Ps 3:8 and Joel 2:32). If a person pushed the division aspect to the extreme, could it be said that God the Father and God the Holy Spirit could not save a person? Is it only Yeshua who can
save?
Is it only Yeshua who can
save?
And what of the people in the O.T. times? Were they saved by the Father or by Yeshua? The names and functions of the godhead are somewhat intertwined in the Scripture, "For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father (or Father of Eternity), Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace on the throne of David and over His kingdom to establish it ... forevermore, the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish this." Isa. 9:6-7.
These two verses were written to refer to the coming Son, but there are clear indications of the Trinity in references to terms traditionally also used to refer to the Father. These terms include Mighty God and Eternal Father or Father or Eternity.
In light of this brief consideration, we again are confronted with the questions. If a person pushed the division aspect of the Trinity to the extreme, could it be said that God the Father and God the Holy Spirit could not save a person (even using the agency of Yeshua)?
IN O.T. DAYS, WHAT FAITH DID PEOPLE HAVE ?
According to the O.T., what kind of people were accepted by God and thereby avoid eternal punishment.? Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Sarah all these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and welcoming them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for He has prepared a city for them. Heb. 11:13-14 & 16. God gave these particular people promises involving land, descendants and blessings.
He certainly did not give everyone such promises. But what of the more common people, who did not receive a special individual promise from God? People who nevertheless:
(a) confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth; and
(b) desired a heavenly country?
Would that confession and desire have been sufficient for their salvation by God? Certainly it would have been sufficient. Another interesting Scripture is Gen. 18:18 where the Lord said about Abraham, "...in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed." Also see the related passages in Gen. 12:2-3 and 28:14.
This is fascinating if it is understood that every single nation of people that have ever lived on the earth will be blessed by The Anointed One (The Messiah), a descendent of Abraham. The meaning can be that some particular individual(s) from every single nation that is or has ever been on earth will be saved by the gracious work of The Anointed One (The Messiah). If this is the meaning, then we are forced to realize that as far as we know, whole nations perished before the time of Abraham and before the time of Yeshua, without ever receiving specific revelation about God. But yet, some individual(s) in each one of those nations must be blessed by The Anointed One.
A reasonable conclusion is that general revelation in nature must have lead some people to salvation by the Lord in every heathen nation, both before and since the time of Abraham, as well as before and since the time of Yeshua.
Another fascinating little glimpse of Yeshua's work in those B.C. years is in 1st Corinthians 10:4 referring to the wilderness experience of the Israelites. It states, "...they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and that rock was The Anointed One (The Messiah)." So we see that Yeshua was active in B.C. times, even when not known by the name Yeshua.
Other references from the O.T. would include:
(a) Joel 2:32, "Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord (YHWH) will be saved." This is picked up and repeated in Romans 10:13 as being applicable in N.T. times.
(b) Daniel indicates that Nebuchadnezzar, the heathen king, had a dream which predicted a judgment of insanity. Yet Daniel, the prophet, did not urge the king to specifically trust in YHWH. He told the king to break away from or redeem his sins and do righteousness. Dan 4:27. After the seven year bout with insanity, the king acknowledged the Most High, the King of heaven. However, the true condition of his heart and his repentance from sin are still obscure.
(c) Exekiel 17:22-23 gives the prophecy of The Anointed One (The Messiah as a cedar-like tree that grows. Birds of every kind will dwell under it and in its shade. Birds often, but not necessarily, denote the nations (gentiles). This Scripture emphasizes birds of every kind. This could indicate that some gentiles from every kind of nation will be saved by God.
From the foregoing it appears that some people from every nation throughout the history of the world will be blessed by salvation brought about by The Anointed One (The Messiah), the descendant of Abraham.
IS NATURAL REVELATION OF ANY VALUE FOR SALVATION ?
The Bible says that there is revelation of God in nature, it is called natural or general revelation. Often noted in this regard is Psalm 19:1-6, The heavens are telling the glory of God, and the firmament is declaring the work of His hands... Also less well known is Col. 1:23, ...the hope of the gospel that you have heard which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven...
But there is a question raised about the efficacy of natural revelation. It has become popular to down-play the value of it. Yet, the Holy Spirit speaking through Paul said in Romans 1:18-21a, (emphasis and division added) For the wrath of God is revealed ... against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth by unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. Since the creation of the world,:
- His invisible attributes,
- His eternal power, and
- His divine nature,
have been clearly seen, being understood through what had been made,
- so that they are without excuse.
- For though they knew God,,
- they did not honor Him as God,
- or give Him thanks, but they became futile..."
What would have happened if the people had honored God whom they knew and given thanks to God whom they knew (through general revelation)? Would they have been saved? Would they have been excused? Because of the natural revelation, everyone is without excuse if they do not honor God and give thanks to Him. The very fact that an excuse would be necessary, indicates that these people should have turned to God. He will apparently use the natural revelation as a basis for judgement against them for not turning to God.
Commenting on Romans 1:19, Adam Clarke quotes with approval Dr. John Taylor, Although the Gentiles had no written revelation, yet what may be known of God is every where manifest among them, God having made a clear discovery of himself to them. For his being and perfections, invisible to our bodily eyes, have been, ever since the creation of the world, evident to be seen, if attentively considered, in the visible beauty, order, and operations observable in the constitution and parts of the universe; especially his eternal power and universal dominion and providence: so that they cannot plead ignorance in excuse of their idolatry and wickedness. Clark concludes that there is enough natural revelation for people
to avoid idolatry and wickedness. See Adam Clarke, Bible Commentary,
original, Vol. VI, p-43.
. . .there is enough natural revelation for people
to avoid idolatry and wickedness.
One highly useful way of categorizing different individuals and their response to revelation has been proposed by Don Richardson, author of Eternity in Their Hearts and Peace Child. He has suggested (in unpublished conversations) that there are three groups of people:
Group "A" is composed of people around the globe who are easily persuaded sinners. These are drawn in to God by general revelation. They have set their threshold of submission quite low. They believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those people who diligently seek Him (as explained in Heb. 11:6). These people are attracted to God like iron filings are attracted to a magnet.
Group "B" is composed of people around the globe who are not so easily persuaded. They are not convinced by natural revelation. These individuals need special revelation such as teaching, preaching and instruction before they are persuaded to repent and to turn from their wicked ways.
Group "C" is composed of people who are unpersuadable sinners. Neither general nor special revelation persuade these individuals to repent.
This is a very suitable explanation which commends itself as being Biblical.
Another possible reference to the results of natural revelation is the rather obscure reference to I have other sheep, which are not of this fold in John 10:16. Yeshua said I must bring them also, and they shall hear My voice; and they shall become one flock with one Shepherd. It seems that these are people who had not yet heard His voice, nor joined with other believers to become one flock, nor come under the leadership of Yeshua. People from every tribe and tongue and nation are have been purchased by the blood of Yeshua. Rev. 5:9.
One Scripture used to challenge church members to work for missions contains these questions. Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. How shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard?... Rom. 10:13-14.
The scriptural answers are not usually read. Paul goes on to ask another question and answer himself in verse 18, But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have: Their voice has gone out into all the earth and their words to the ends of the inhabited earth. It is interesting to observe that Paul states in verse 17, So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word concerning Christ. He then equates the word concerning Christ with that in Psalm 19:4a, Their voice has gone out into all the earth and their words to the ends of the inhabited earth. This is understood to relate to the teaching in John 1:9, There was the true light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.
The same apostle quotes Yeshua saying, Every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God. John 3:20-21. This Scripture indicates that some people must be practicing the truth, wrought of God, before they come to the light.
Another Scripture which must be understood in harmony with others is found in Matt. 9:35-38. There Yeshua said, The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beg the Lord of the harvest to send out worker into His harvest. There is no statement here that the harvest needs to be converted from one type of thing into another. All that the harvester does is to pick and transport an already ripened and desirable grain. The essential character of the grain is not changed during the harvest. The natural revelation must have lead many people to be ready for harvest because He said, The harvest is plentiful.
The fact that people around the world in every nation may grope and find Him is mentioned in Acts 17:26-27, and He made from one (person) every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times, and the boundaries of their habitation, that they should seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us...
Alvertus Peters wrote a book, Divine Lord and Savior. It has a chapter titled, "There Is No Other". He is a proponent of the traditional view. But in a discussion of the subject of people who may cry to God for help, without really knowing to whom they are crying, he says, The subject is a very painful one... See page 185. But it is apparently only painful because his realization does not fit in with his traditional ideas. In the painful section, Peters reiterated the standard view, then says, Yet, logical and apparently conclusive as such reasoning is, there is on the other hand, our knowledge of the character of God. That He is 'long suffering and of tender mercy, not willing that any should perish.' We know also that Jesus Christ is a sufficient Savior.
Therefore, this thought will not leave us: 'May it not be that the Holy Spirit works on the hearts of some who have never heard the gospel, awakening them to sorrow for sin and to a humble cry for help, even though not knowing clearly to whom they cry? And if there is such repentance and such a longing to be saved, may God not know of that way by which the salvation of Christ can be extended to such souls, even though they knew Him not?' It seems to me that we are not forbidden to cherish such a hope; for if it is true that 'what things soever the law saith, it speaketh to them that are under the law' (Romans 3:19), it must be equally true that 'what things soever the gospel saith, it speaketh to those that have the gospel.'
To reason from the solemn warnings of the Word of God addressed to those where the preaching of the gospel is [conducted,] as if everything applied without qualification to those who have never heard, is scarcely justifiable.
Peters goes on to note the Romans 10:18 passage. He concludes that revelation in nature is a thing ...which the apostle here seemed to rank as something that may lead men to faith and salvation. This is an amazing admission on the part of Peters who filled pages with the traditional view, yet conceded that this was a painful subject. Why should the subject be painful? If people in the time of the Old Testament could be saved without knowing the details of the coming Messiah's life, death and resurrection, why do we not accept that people can be saved the same way today? We should remember the words of the angel, Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which shall be to all the people for...there has been born for you a Savior, Who is The Anointed One (The Messiah), the Lord. Luke 2:10-11.
If we accept the traditional view, we are to believe that on the day before the death of Yeshua, a person could be saved by God because of the sinner's repentance and a belief in God, without knowing specifically of Yeshua. But the day after Yeshua's death, a sinner would have to:
(A) know of the name of Yeshua and
(B) what His work was here on this earth.
This would be true even if the repentant sinner was thousands of miles from Jerusalem and had no way of hearing about Yeshua's death and subsequent resurrection. This traditional view changes the incarnation and sacrifice of Yeshua from being good news into bad news for the vast majority of the people in the world. The traditional view would be akin to saying that the rules have been changed in the middle of a soccer game.
THE TEACHINGS OF YESHUA AND THE DISCIPLES
Yeshua did not tell everyone to believe on Himself for salvation. In Mark 1:14b-15, we read, Yeshua came into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand, repent and put your trust in (believe) the good news.' Also see Matt. 4:23 in this regard.
There are places in Scripture where people conversed with Yeshua about salvation, but He did not tell them to believe on Him for salvation or eternal life. Often these people appear to be open to receive the word but still He did not tell them to believe on Him as their personal Savior.
Perhaps it could be argued that His unique mission required that He not disclose to them His true identity for a time. But, then many people would have erroneously concluded that Yeshua was merely a wise rabbi or a special prophet, rather than the One Who was personally responsible for salvation.
A summary of Yeshua's preaching found in Mark 1:14-15, says He
came ...preaching the good news of God and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the good news." Yeshua was not telling the people to believe in Him as their personal Savior. He just told them to repent and believe the good news that the kingdom of God is at hand. Apparently we may be assured that the people who repented and believed the kingdom of God was at hand would be saved without believing in Yeshua as their personal Savior. Another example is in John 3:1-3. Nicodemus declared that Yeshua was a rabbi who came from God as a teacher and God was with Him because He performed attesting miracles. Yeshua told Nicodemus that whoever believes in the Son of Man (Messiah, The Anointed One) may have eternal life (verses 14-15). But fro the text we have, we see that Nicodemus apparently was not told that a personal belief in the God/Man with whom he was speaking was necessary for his own salvation.
In Luke 18:9-14, we see where Yeshua told about the Pharisee and the tax-collector who went into the temple to pray. The tax-collector prayed, God be merciful to me, the sinner. That man went away justified without knowing about Yeshua.
PERSONAL SAVIOR
There may be a danger in telling people to believe in Yeshua as their personal Savior. I have heard non-believers understand those words to mean that the Savior is merely someone to take or leave, because whether you believe or not, is merely your personal opinion. They fail to realize that He is God and is the Savior of believers, whether or not other people believe. This misunderstanding unfortunately reduces the choice of eternal consequences to being similar to deciding about food or the color of a new car to be purchased. We consider these as personal choices. But the results of choices are not the same when people chose whether to worship:
(a) YHWH, as revealed in the Scriptures,
(b) Vishnu, of the Hindu Indians, or
(c) money, of Wall Street.
Certainly the choice is made personally by the individual. But that does not make every personal choice correct. The correctness of that choice does not depend on the individual who is making that choice. Selection (a) is the only correct choice, whether the individual is Jewish, Gentile, or Indian. All choices, except (a) are objectively wrong as revealed by the Scripture. Perhaps we should use the more useful statement, Yeshua is the Savior and I personally trust Him for my salvation.
There may be a danger in telling people to believe in Yeshua as their personal Savior.
In the Great Commission, Yeshua said that we should be going and making disciples, baptizing in (into) the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. Yeshua did not specifically say, teach them to believe in Me as their personal Savior. It is interesting to note that the command is to baptize in the name, singular, not names. The name the three have in common is YHWH. This would seem to emphasize that the preaching and discipling is t draw people to God as a whole godhead, not just to Yeshua.
Another insight is found in Philippians 2:9-11 where the name is emphasized. Therefore also God highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him THE NAME which is above every name, that at the name of Yeshua every knee should bow ... and every tongue should confess that Yeshua is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
A pious Jewish person hearing this would know that the name referred to is YHWH. Many Jewish people still refer to Him as Hash-shem or The Name. The thought Paul seems to be trying to get across is that Yeshua is to be worshipped, not because He has the name Yeshua (YHWH is Salvation), bu because He has the name YHWH. This again emphasizes the oneness of the Trinity.
Yeshua taught some things about the Trinity. He said, I and the Father are one. John 10:30. Also He said, Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me. John 14:11. Again, He spoke, You believe in God, believe also in Me. John 14:1. Perhaps there can be a difference in time as to when a person comes to have knowledge of salvation, the Trinity and of God's plan.
In 1st Timothy 2:4, Paul, through the Holy Spirit, says God is our Savior, Who desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge/recognition of the truth. Perhaps the Spirit is listing be saved and come in sequential order on purpose. Grace and peace are apparently purposely listed in sequential order elsewhere by Paul. It seems that a person can be saved before coming to the knowledge/recognition of the truth. The life and ministry of Apollos is instructive on this point. Acts 18:24-26. We should consider, was he saved before he was more accurately instructed, apparently with news and theology about the death and resurrection of Jesus? Were the people under his preaching saved prior to this more accurate and full instruction? The results indicated for those who search, but who do not have an extensive knowledge of God is interesting. In Romans 2:6-8, Paul says, God will render to every man according to his deeds. To those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, (is given) eternal life. But, to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, (is given) wrath and indignation.
We note that Paul did not say here that eternal life would only be given to those individuals who accepted Yeshua as their personal Savior. In Acts 17:26-27, it is recorded, He made from one flesh every nation of mankind that they should seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.
The Greek poets referred to this fact. Even the Muslims say that God is as near to us as our jugular vein. Such discussion should not and must not lead to universalism where everyone is saved, regardless of the object of their belief. The Scriptures are clear, You shall have no other gods besides Me. Sanders believed that such discussion inevitably leads to universalism. See Sanders page 20. But, God says that those who are cowardly, untrustworthy, abominable, murders, immoral, idolaters, and all liars will not be saved. Rev. 21:8.
A POSSIBLE EXPLANATION OF THE ORIGINAL GOOD NEWS THAT PEOPLE CAN GET TO HEAVEN WHO NEVER HEARD OF YESHUA
There was no need for God to change His method of operation after Messiah, The Anointed One, came to earth. Before then, faith in God was mans' obligation. After He came, mans' obligation is the same. The good news is that the sacrifice for sin was made by Yeshua and was shown to be acceptable by His resurrection! Luke 2:10-11. But how can people who never heard of Yeshua be helped by His sacrifice for their sin? We remember the foreboding words, "...there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12 KJV.
In ancient and modern times there are instances of people being saved by someone whom they did not know by name. We have already mentioned several Biblical examples.
In modern secular society there are examples. Our courts of law are set up to preserve and save the innocent person from civil problems with neighbors and from criminal problems with worse malefactors. The judge makes a decision, but in some cases the parties do not even see the judge, nor know his name.
It is possible to probate an estate and the parties would never know the name of the judge. The attorney handles the case, and if there is no dispute, the matter is routine. The parties never attend a court trial or hearing.
Could not this be an illustration of a person trusting the (legal) system, the courts, and his own lawyer to handle a matter? The matter is handled and the results are obtained (estate distributed according to the will) without ever even knowing the name of the judge.
The function of the court clerk is even more anonymous to the average person. Every document that comes out of a court has to have the signature of the court clerk. Land or money will not be transferred without that name. The police will not act on a warrant without the clerk's signature attesting that the warrant is true and correct. Very few people know the name of the clerk. Everyone benefits because the clerk does his job. We have less crime because the clerk has his name on warrants of arrest of malefactors. We have relative calm because he has his name on orders settling land disputes and domestic fights. All law abiding people benefit, whether or not they know his name. But if an individual decides to fight against the law and to rob his neighbor, such a person will hopefully feel the effect of the signature of the clerk, even though that person does not know the clerk.
Cannot we, who trust the system, say we are saved from crime and lawlessness and even from unjust punishment against ourselves, in/thorough/by the name of that clerk, even though we do not know his name?
Such examples may be one imperfect way of trying to understand and explain how Yeshua gave benefit to all, even to those who do not know His name. He is the only instrument or agent of salvation on behalf of the godhead for those who trust on the system which God established.
Another illustration is as follows: Suppose a kind, generous and hospitable man owned a mansion. He wanted people to come into his mansion. He put up welcome signs inviting people to come in to visit and enjoy the house as though it were their own. People who did not know the owner personally could take him at his written word (the signs out front) and come and enjoy the house. But, people who knew him as a relative or friend could come and enjoy the house with much more freedom.
However, let's consider this. What if someone who did not see the signs came and had a picnic on the back yard grass in a manner respectful to the unknown owner of property? The picnicker learned to love the owner because of the way the owner designed and kept the property. He longed to meet the owner face to face. Would the owner be wrathful against such a man because he did not know the owner or see the welcome signs? Woul not the owner send out his son to welcome the picnicker into a banquet? But what would happen if the picnicker died before the son or the servants of the son got to invite the picnicker into the house? Would the picnicker be considered a crook and an outcast?
Contrast that outcome to what the owner's attitude would be in another situation. Suppose someone else came on the property and saw the way the owner designed and kept up the property, but claimed that he had a different idea. He had no use for the owner. He felt that he had as much right to be there as the owner. He started to build his own banquet hall on the property. What would be the attitude of the true owner? His wrath would go out against the usurper.
From what we know of the nature of God, if we consider God to be the lan owner in this parable, He would welcome people who:
(A) understood His invisible attributes,
(B) understood His eternal power, and
(C) understood His divine nature, and who
(D) clearly saw them and understood them through what had been made, and who
(E) honored Him as God and
(F) give Him thanks.
Rom. 1:18-21. This would be true even though they did not know Him personally. We can assert this on the basis of the Scriptures we have examined.
CONCLUSION
We have examined several Scriptures. These teach that God saved individuals (on man's part) by repentance and faith in God in both the Old and New Testament times. Scriptures show that Yeshua's sacrifice was necessary for the forgiveness of all sins, both before and after He came. Jesus is God. God saves sinners, even if they have never heard the name of Jesus or Yeshua. He is the agent, whether or not they know His name or that He is the agent responsible. We may attempt to understand this by what an unknown court clerk does in signing court orders or by what a generous man would do with house guests. The people who were saved in the Old Testament times and the others saved in the current times, but who do not know specifically about Yeshua's work, will be the people who inhabit the New Earth.
Meanwhile, the Bride will dwell with the Lamb in the New Jerusalem. This understanding of the work of Yeshua does not change our mission, but makes it more enjoyable. The command is still to go into all the world, teaching them all the things that Yeshua taught and baptizing them in the name (YHWH) of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
__________________________________________________________
APPENDIX
COMMENTS OF SANDERS, LADD & WELCH
Dr. J. Oswald Sanders was General Director Emeritus of the Overseas Missionary Fellowship, OMF, (formerly the China Inland Mission). He was a saint with a true heart for world evangelism. He wrote a small book titled, How Lost Are The Heathen. He takes the traditional stand that it is necessary to have a specific quantity of knowledge about the life and ministry of Jesus to be saved. This conclusion of his is foretold in his usage of the word heathen in the title. In his chapter titled, Who are the Heathen?, he equates the heathen with the lost. He says, referring to the heathen, that ....the point in issue is not social status or degree of civilization, but relationship to God. And again, It was to seek and save these 'lost' men and women that our Lord came to earth (Luke 19:10). See page 19 of his book.
By equating those without a relationship with God to the lost, he therefore comes to the necessary conclusion that they are the lost. This evades the question and is circular reasoning. Dr. Sanders quotes, but disagrees with, the view of G. E. Ladd that: The operation of God's grace may well be wider than the knowledge of the gospel, just as the grace of God in the Old Testament was wider than Israel... No, we do not slam the door on those millions who have not heard the name of Christ, any more than we can restrict a saving knowledge of God only to Israelites in the Old Testament.
We do pronounce that only the cross and resurrection of Christ saves. We equally pronounce that the non-Christian religions are devoid of any saving truth. But there may be hearts outside the sound of the gospel who have felt after God (Acts 17:27), who seek for honor and immortality (Rom. 2:7), who do have the true circumcision of the Spirit, and to these hearts God applies the salvation of Jesus Christ.
"How many we do not know." Sanders acknowledges that this view has more apparent Scriptural support than some other views. But he still feels that the weight Scripture is with his view that people are lost unless they know a sufficient amount about Yeshua. See page 62 of Sanders book.
Sanders also quotes, without approving, a Dr. Welsh who wrote Challenge to Christian Missions. Dr. Welch said, How was it possible for Abraham and the devout Jews to be accepted of God without the knowledge of the historical Jesus...? ...Abraham was justified because he believed God, and that was counted for righteousness.
The heathen today are B.C. What operated B.C. in God's treatment of the Jew, operates proportionately in Asia and in every continent and island which is not Anno Domini. God's method of principle is the same for all alike when dealing with different races, all of them B.C. The grace which was at least within the heart of the humble-hearted Jew has always been, and now is within the reach of the Gentile in proportion, if there is a similar response of spirit.
Sanders rejects this suggestion saying, While it is conceivable that God in His sovereignty might save some without the preaching of the word and th hearing of the gospel, this cannot be substantiated beyond question from Scripture, whereas there is a strong body of explicit Scriptures which would appear to affirm the opposite. See Sanders, pages 64-65.
Sanders goes go on to recount some amazing stories of people who were following God before being reached by the gospel. One man reported three crises in his life. The first was when he became aware of the perfection and wonder of the universe created by God. The second was when he had a serious condemnation and conviction of sin. And third, was when he becam an earnest seeker for God's answer and he sought forgiveness. He then felt the presence of a Savior. Later he told a missionary, since I heard you speak, I recognize in Jesus the Person who has made atonement for my sins.
Sanders discounts these and other stories he relates by saying, But in any case, is there any evidence that the heathen world in general is seeking the truth, fearing God and working righteousness as was Cornelius? On the contrary, when the truth of the gospel is presented by the missionary, instead of embracing it, the great majority reject it. He seems to ignore the fact that even in the so-called Christian nations where the gospel has been known and preached for years, the majority reject it.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Abd-al-Masik, Who is Allah in Islam?, Villach, Austria, Light of Life Press, distributed by Al-Nour (gospel fellowship), Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Brown-Driver-Briggs-Gesenius The New Hebrew English Lexicon, Peabody,
Mass., Henderson, 1979.
Clarke, Adam, Bible Commentary, 2nd Edition, 6 volumes, New York, Mason &
Lane, 1837.
Peters, Alvertus, Divine Lord and Savior, Fleming Revell, 1949.
Sanders, J. Oswald, How Lost are the Heathen, Chicago, Moody Press, 1979. Rev. 2-18-96[/QUOTE] 300
Notice - The featuring of a particular member article does not constitute endorsement of every single item or point of view contained therein by each and every member of TheologyWeb leadership. We strive to have a varied cross-section of representations of differing opinions on secondary Christian issues. The only requirement for the featuring of a particular article is that said article must not contradict the essentials articulated in the TheologyWeb statement of faith found here in our Mission Statement (http://www.theologyweb.com/forum/mission/)or be blatantly offensive to the Christian worldview of the site Owners.
David A. Depew, LLB and Master of Biblical Studies, Dr. Jur.
An apologetic for the original Good News that people can get to heaven who
never heard the name of Jesus
(Heaven being defined as a place or places opposite hell or the lake of fire)
______________________________________________________________
Today there is a habit in the evangelical community to piously quote, "...there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12 KJV.
Unfortunately the attitude projected is frequently an attitude that the speaker is quite proud that he knows this secret name. Therefore, it is just the tough luck of some other people that they do not know the secret name. Such speakers are encouraged by other Scriptures such as, "I am the way and the truth and the life; no man comes to the Father, but through Me." John 14:6.
Again, "...if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved." Rom. 10:9. This statement is understood to mean that a person is lost unless he knows a sufficient amount of correct information about Jesus and then specifically asks Jesus to become his personal Savior.
We note that the emphasis on "personal Savior" is apparently a rather recent Western and American emphasis as opposed to an emphasis on a family decision to follow Christ and to be Christians. Luke 19:9.
Most Evangelicals agree that there will be some people in heaven who did not know or say the name Jesus. The usually accepted examples are only the saints ("holy ones") who lived in the Old Testament period and infants and children who die before the "age of accountability". Many Christians even acknowledge that someone like Job will apparently be in heaven. This is acceptable to us even though Job apparently lived during the period of the patriarchs. Some people do claim he lived several hundred years later. However, he did not seem to know anything about the special
revelation of God to the Hebrews and the people in the blood line leading
to Jesus. All of his theology seem to be based on general revelation. It is not at all clear that he expected his Redeemer to die and be raised from the tomb. Job 19:25-26.
Most Evangelicals agree that there will be some people in heaven who did not know or say the name Jesus. . .
Some people think that there may have been a significant number of people in Old Testament times who had no contact with special revelation. It is thought that the general revelation in nature was sufficient to bring some individuals to a saving knowledge. The habit today is to state that since the time of Jesus, salvation is only provided to the blessed individual who:
(A) knows a sufficient amount of correct information about Jesus and:
(B) then specifically asks Jesus to become his/her "personal Savior."
Some who hold this view declare that a significantly smaller percentage of people are being saved now than before the time of Christ! This is the required conclusion from those ideas. Their thought is that, before Christ, the general revelation in nature was sufficient to bring some people to God. Now the assertion is that people can ignore the general revelation and they have to wait for a Christian to bring the good news about Jesus. The church has been rather slow to spread the word, therefore few are being saved and no one is being saved in the areas where the gospel has not spread.
But this type of thinking is going against the clear revelation that the gospel is the good news. Thus, the prevailing attitude is making the good news into bad news! What is the Gospel supposed to be, good news or bad news?
JESUS AND ETERNAL LIFE
Very serious questions are, Why did Jesus teach so extensively about the kingdom, when He could have emphasized the need to follow Him and the necessity of believing on Him as the personal Savior who provides for eternal life? Why were there some apparently honest people who asked Jesus for the key to eternal life and yet they were not told to believe on Him? Matt. 19:16-30; Mark 10:17-27; Luke 10:25-37; Luke 18:18-24. Also see the Sermon on the Mount. Matt. 5-7.
These questions can force a person to reconsider his understanding of the commonly accepted formula for salvation.
THREE GROUPS OF PEOPLE AND THREE PLACES IN ETERNITY
Other seldom discussed facts regarding salvation are given in Revelation chapters 20-22. Contrary to most peoples' simple ideas, the text indicates that there will be THREE categories of people in eternity, not just two!
These are:
1) People in the lake of fire. Rev. 20:15; 21:8; 22:15.
2) Kings of the new earth and people of the nations who live on the new earth and who go visit The City, the New Jerusalem. Their names are written in The Lamb's Book of Life. Rev. 21:1-2 & 23-27; 22:2.
3) The bond-servants of the Lamb in the New Jerusalem who shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads, they shall reign forever and ever.
The revelation was given to John to be given to these bond-servants or Christians. Rev. 1:1; 21:3; 22:3 - 6. If we understand salvation to be an all or nothing proposition, with some people in hell (the lake of fire) and others in heaven (New Jerusalem), from where will the group come who will inhabit the new earth? Could they be "Old Testament saints" and others from both before and after Christ who asked God to forgive their sins and trusted and believed in God, even though they did not have written revelation and did not have a saving knowledge of Jesus?
JESUS = YESHUA = JEHOVAH IS SALVATION MESSIAH = THE ANOINTED ONE
When we consider the importance of the name of Jesus, it should realized that Jesus is an English name. His mother, Mary, did not call Him "Jesus". Such a Hebrew mother would have called Him "Yehoshua" or the shortened form "Yeshua". Both names meaning "Jehovah is salvation." (see B-D-B-G, New Hebrew and English Lexicon.) This is the same name as Joshua in the O.T. which is rendered Jesus by the Greek Septuagint (Exod. 17:9) and the Greek N.T. (Acts 7:45 & Heb 4:8). Because of the importance of His name in the consideration of the Gospel, we shall refer to Jesus as Yeshua. This may help to put into perspective fact that the N.T. writers were writing about a Hebrew name not an English name.
Some people have a habit of quoting, "...there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12 KJV. Such people should remember that in Semitic languages and thought, the word name does not mean only what it means in English. Note that in verse 7, where the question is asked, "By what power, or in what name, have you done this?" Here we see that power and name are used together. In verse 10, Peter refers to the healing of the lame man as being brought about by the authority of or the power of Yeshua.
THE TRINITY AND SALVATION BY GOD
We must remember that there is a Holy Trinity. Yeshua is God. When Yeshua walked in Israel and people asked Him to perform miracles, they were talking to God.
The Scriptures seem to emphasize the oneness of the godhead rather than the division into three personalities. See John 10:30, "I and the Father are one (a unity or one essence)." Some people seem to emphasize the three, rather than the unity. This obscures the fact that salvation is of the Lord. (Ps 3:8 and Joel 2:32). If a person pushed the division aspect to the extreme, could it be said that God the Father and God the Holy Spirit could not save a person? Is it only Yeshua who can
save?
Is it only Yeshua who can
save?
And what of the people in the O.T. times? Were they saved by the Father or by Yeshua? The names and functions of the godhead are somewhat intertwined in the Scripture, "For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father (or Father of Eternity), Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace on the throne of David and over His kingdom to establish it ... forevermore, the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish this." Isa. 9:6-7.
These two verses were written to refer to the coming Son, but there are clear indications of the Trinity in references to terms traditionally also used to refer to the Father. These terms include Mighty God and Eternal Father or Father or Eternity.
In light of this brief consideration, we again are confronted with the questions. If a person pushed the division aspect of the Trinity to the extreme, could it be said that God the Father and God the Holy Spirit could not save a person (even using the agency of Yeshua)?
IN O.T. DAYS, WHAT FAITH DID PEOPLE HAVE ?
According to the O.T., what kind of people were accepted by God and thereby avoid eternal punishment.? Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Sarah all these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and welcoming them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for He has prepared a city for them. Heb. 11:13-14 & 16. God gave these particular people promises involving land, descendants and blessings.
He certainly did not give everyone such promises. But what of the more common people, who did not receive a special individual promise from God? People who nevertheless:
(a) confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth; and
(b) desired a heavenly country?
Would that confession and desire have been sufficient for their salvation by God? Certainly it would have been sufficient. Another interesting Scripture is Gen. 18:18 where the Lord said about Abraham, "...in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed." Also see the related passages in Gen. 12:2-3 and 28:14.
This is fascinating if it is understood that every single nation of people that have ever lived on the earth will be blessed by The Anointed One (The Messiah), a descendent of Abraham. The meaning can be that some particular individual(s) from every single nation that is or has ever been on earth will be saved by the gracious work of The Anointed One (The Messiah). If this is the meaning, then we are forced to realize that as far as we know, whole nations perished before the time of Abraham and before the time of Yeshua, without ever receiving specific revelation about God. But yet, some individual(s) in each one of those nations must be blessed by The Anointed One.
A reasonable conclusion is that general revelation in nature must have lead some people to salvation by the Lord in every heathen nation, both before and since the time of Abraham, as well as before and since the time of Yeshua.
Another fascinating little glimpse of Yeshua's work in those B.C. years is in 1st Corinthians 10:4 referring to the wilderness experience of the Israelites. It states, "...they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and that rock was The Anointed One (The Messiah)." So we see that Yeshua was active in B.C. times, even when not known by the name Yeshua.
Other references from the O.T. would include:
(a) Joel 2:32, "Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord (YHWH) will be saved." This is picked up and repeated in Romans 10:13 as being applicable in N.T. times.
(b) Daniel indicates that Nebuchadnezzar, the heathen king, had a dream which predicted a judgment of insanity. Yet Daniel, the prophet, did not urge the king to specifically trust in YHWH. He told the king to break away from or redeem his sins and do righteousness. Dan 4:27. After the seven year bout with insanity, the king acknowledged the Most High, the King of heaven. However, the true condition of his heart and his repentance from sin are still obscure.
(c) Exekiel 17:22-23 gives the prophecy of The Anointed One (The Messiah as a cedar-like tree that grows. Birds of every kind will dwell under it and in its shade. Birds often, but not necessarily, denote the nations (gentiles). This Scripture emphasizes birds of every kind. This could indicate that some gentiles from every kind of nation will be saved by God.
From the foregoing it appears that some people from every nation throughout the history of the world will be blessed by salvation brought about by The Anointed One (The Messiah), the descendant of Abraham.
IS NATURAL REVELATION OF ANY VALUE FOR SALVATION ?
The Bible says that there is revelation of God in nature, it is called natural or general revelation. Often noted in this regard is Psalm 19:1-6, The heavens are telling the glory of God, and the firmament is declaring the work of His hands... Also less well known is Col. 1:23, ...the hope of the gospel that you have heard which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven...
But there is a question raised about the efficacy of natural revelation. It has become popular to down-play the value of it. Yet, the Holy Spirit speaking through Paul said in Romans 1:18-21a, (emphasis and division added) For the wrath of God is revealed ... against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth by unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. Since the creation of the world,:
- His invisible attributes,
- His eternal power, and
- His divine nature,
have been clearly seen, being understood through what had been made,
- so that they are without excuse.
- For though they knew God,,
- they did not honor Him as God,
- or give Him thanks, but they became futile..."
What would have happened if the people had honored God whom they knew and given thanks to God whom they knew (through general revelation)? Would they have been saved? Would they have been excused? Because of the natural revelation, everyone is without excuse if they do not honor God and give thanks to Him. The very fact that an excuse would be necessary, indicates that these people should have turned to God. He will apparently use the natural revelation as a basis for judgement against them for not turning to God.
Commenting on Romans 1:19, Adam Clarke quotes with approval Dr. John Taylor, Although the Gentiles had no written revelation, yet what may be known of God is every where manifest among them, God having made a clear discovery of himself to them. For his being and perfections, invisible to our bodily eyes, have been, ever since the creation of the world, evident to be seen, if attentively considered, in the visible beauty, order, and operations observable in the constitution and parts of the universe; especially his eternal power and universal dominion and providence: so that they cannot plead ignorance in excuse of their idolatry and wickedness. Clark concludes that there is enough natural revelation for people
to avoid idolatry and wickedness. See Adam Clarke, Bible Commentary,
original, Vol. VI, p-43.
. . .there is enough natural revelation for people
to avoid idolatry and wickedness.
One highly useful way of categorizing different individuals and their response to revelation has been proposed by Don Richardson, author of Eternity in Their Hearts and Peace Child. He has suggested (in unpublished conversations) that there are three groups of people:
Group "A" is composed of people around the globe who are easily persuaded sinners. These are drawn in to God by general revelation. They have set their threshold of submission quite low. They believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those people who diligently seek Him (as explained in Heb. 11:6). These people are attracted to God like iron filings are attracted to a magnet.
Group "B" is composed of people around the globe who are not so easily persuaded. They are not convinced by natural revelation. These individuals need special revelation such as teaching, preaching and instruction before they are persuaded to repent and to turn from their wicked ways.
Group "C" is composed of people who are unpersuadable sinners. Neither general nor special revelation persuade these individuals to repent.
This is a very suitable explanation which commends itself as being Biblical.
Another possible reference to the results of natural revelation is the rather obscure reference to I have other sheep, which are not of this fold in John 10:16. Yeshua said I must bring them also, and they shall hear My voice; and they shall become one flock with one Shepherd. It seems that these are people who had not yet heard His voice, nor joined with other believers to become one flock, nor come under the leadership of Yeshua. People from every tribe and tongue and nation are have been purchased by the blood of Yeshua. Rev. 5:9.
One Scripture used to challenge church members to work for missions contains these questions. Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. How shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard?... Rom. 10:13-14.
The scriptural answers are not usually read. Paul goes on to ask another question and answer himself in verse 18, But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have: Their voice has gone out into all the earth and their words to the ends of the inhabited earth. It is interesting to observe that Paul states in verse 17, So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word concerning Christ. He then equates the word concerning Christ with that in Psalm 19:4a, Their voice has gone out into all the earth and their words to the ends of the inhabited earth. This is understood to relate to the teaching in John 1:9, There was the true light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.
The same apostle quotes Yeshua saying, Every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God. John 3:20-21. This Scripture indicates that some people must be practicing the truth, wrought of God, before they come to the light.
Another Scripture which must be understood in harmony with others is found in Matt. 9:35-38. There Yeshua said, The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beg the Lord of the harvest to send out worker into His harvest. There is no statement here that the harvest needs to be converted from one type of thing into another. All that the harvester does is to pick and transport an already ripened and desirable grain. The essential character of the grain is not changed during the harvest. The natural revelation must have lead many people to be ready for harvest because He said, The harvest is plentiful.
The fact that people around the world in every nation may grope and find Him is mentioned in Acts 17:26-27, and He made from one (person) every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times, and the boundaries of their habitation, that they should seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us...
Alvertus Peters wrote a book, Divine Lord and Savior. It has a chapter titled, "There Is No Other". He is a proponent of the traditional view. But in a discussion of the subject of people who may cry to God for help, without really knowing to whom they are crying, he says, The subject is a very painful one... See page 185. But it is apparently only painful because his realization does not fit in with his traditional ideas. In the painful section, Peters reiterated the standard view, then says, Yet, logical and apparently conclusive as such reasoning is, there is on the other hand, our knowledge of the character of God. That He is 'long suffering and of tender mercy, not willing that any should perish.' We know also that Jesus Christ is a sufficient Savior.
Therefore, this thought will not leave us: 'May it not be that the Holy Spirit works on the hearts of some who have never heard the gospel, awakening them to sorrow for sin and to a humble cry for help, even though not knowing clearly to whom they cry? And if there is such repentance and such a longing to be saved, may God not know of that way by which the salvation of Christ can be extended to such souls, even though they knew Him not?' It seems to me that we are not forbidden to cherish such a hope; for if it is true that 'what things soever the law saith, it speaketh to them that are under the law' (Romans 3:19), it must be equally true that 'what things soever the gospel saith, it speaketh to those that have the gospel.'
To reason from the solemn warnings of the Word of God addressed to those where the preaching of the gospel is [conducted,] as if everything applied without qualification to those who have never heard, is scarcely justifiable.
Peters goes on to note the Romans 10:18 passage. He concludes that revelation in nature is a thing ...which the apostle here seemed to rank as something that may lead men to faith and salvation. This is an amazing admission on the part of Peters who filled pages with the traditional view, yet conceded that this was a painful subject. Why should the subject be painful? If people in the time of the Old Testament could be saved without knowing the details of the coming Messiah's life, death and resurrection, why do we not accept that people can be saved the same way today? We should remember the words of the angel, Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which shall be to all the people for...there has been born for you a Savior, Who is The Anointed One (The Messiah), the Lord. Luke 2:10-11.
If we accept the traditional view, we are to believe that on the day before the death of Yeshua, a person could be saved by God because of the sinner's repentance and a belief in God, without knowing specifically of Yeshua. But the day after Yeshua's death, a sinner would have to:
(A) know of the name of Yeshua and
(B) what His work was here on this earth.
This would be true even if the repentant sinner was thousands of miles from Jerusalem and had no way of hearing about Yeshua's death and subsequent resurrection. This traditional view changes the incarnation and sacrifice of Yeshua from being good news into bad news for the vast majority of the people in the world. The traditional view would be akin to saying that the rules have been changed in the middle of a soccer game.
THE TEACHINGS OF YESHUA AND THE DISCIPLES
Yeshua did not tell everyone to believe on Himself for salvation. In Mark 1:14b-15, we read, Yeshua came into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand, repent and put your trust in (believe) the good news.' Also see Matt. 4:23 in this regard.
There are places in Scripture where people conversed with Yeshua about salvation, but He did not tell them to believe on Him for salvation or eternal life. Often these people appear to be open to receive the word but still He did not tell them to believe on Him as their personal Savior.
Perhaps it could be argued that His unique mission required that He not disclose to them His true identity for a time. But, then many people would have erroneously concluded that Yeshua was merely a wise rabbi or a special prophet, rather than the One Who was personally responsible for salvation.
A summary of Yeshua's preaching found in Mark 1:14-15, says He
came ...preaching the good news of God and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the good news." Yeshua was not telling the people to believe in Him as their personal Savior. He just told them to repent and believe the good news that the kingdom of God is at hand. Apparently we may be assured that the people who repented and believed the kingdom of God was at hand would be saved without believing in Yeshua as their personal Savior. Another example is in John 3:1-3. Nicodemus declared that Yeshua was a rabbi who came from God as a teacher and God was with Him because He performed attesting miracles. Yeshua told Nicodemus that whoever believes in the Son of Man (Messiah, The Anointed One) may have eternal life (verses 14-15). But fro the text we have, we see that Nicodemus apparently was not told that a personal belief in the God/Man with whom he was speaking was necessary for his own salvation.
In Luke 18:9-14, we see where Yeshua told about the Pharisee and the tax-collector who went into the temple to pray. The tax-collector prayed, God be merciful to me, the sinner. That man went away justified without knowing about Yeshua.
PERSONAL SAVIOR
There may be a danger in telling people to believe in Yeshua as their personal Savior. I have heard non-believers understand those words to mean that the Savior is merely someone to take or leave, because whether you believe or not, is merely your personal opinion. They fail to realize that He is God and is the Savior of believers, whether or not other people believe. This misunderstanding unfortunately reduces the choice of eternal consequences to being similar to deciding about food or the color of a new car to be purchased. We consider these as personal choices. But the results of choices are not the same when people chose whether to worship:
(a) YHWH, as revealed in the Scriptures,
(b) Vishnu, of the Hindu Indians, or
(c) money, of Wall Street.
Certainly the choice is made personally by the individual. But that does not make every personal choice correct. The correctness of that choice does not depend on the individual who is making that choice. Selection (a) is the only correct choice, whether the individual is Jewish, Gentile, or Indian. All choices, except (a) are objectively wrong as revealed by the Scripture. Perhaps we should use the more useful statement, Yeshua is the Savior and I personally trust Him for my salvation.
There may be a danger in telling people to believe in Yeshua as their personal Savior.
In the Great Commission, Yeshua said that we should be going and making disciples, baptizing in (into) the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. Yeshua did not specifically say, teach them to believe in Me as their personal Savior. It is interesting to note that the command is to baptize in the name, singular, not names. The name the three have in common is YHWH. This would seem to emphasize that the preaching and discipling is t draw people to God as a whole godhead, not just to Yeshua.
Another insight is found in Philippians 2:9-11 where the name is emphasized. Therefore also God highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him THE NAME which is above every name, that at the name of Yeshua every knee should bow ... and every tongue should confess that Yeshua is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
A pious Jewish person hearing this would know that the name referred to is YHWH. Many Jewish people still refer to Him as Hash-shem or The Name. The thought Paul seems to be trying to get across is that Yeshua is to be worshipped, not because He has the name Yeshua (YHWH is Salvation), bu because He has the name YHWH. This again emphasizes the oneness of the Trinity.
Yeshua taught some things about the Trinity. He said, I and the Father are one. John 10:30. Also He said, Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me. John 14:11. Again, He spoke, You believe in God, believe also in Me. John 14:1. Perhaps there can be a difference in time as to when a person comes to have knowledge of salvation, the Trinity and of God's plan.
In 1st Timothy 2:4, Paul, through the Holy Spirit, says God is our Savior, Who desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge/recognition of the truth. Perhaps the Spirit is listing be saved and come in sequential order on purpose. Grace and peace are apparently purposely listed in sequential order elsewhere by Paul. It seems that a person can be saved before coming to the knowledge/recognition of the truth. The life and ministry of Apollos is instructive on this point. Acts 18:24-26. We should consider, was he saved before he was more accurately instructed, apparently with news and theology about the death and resurrection of Jesus? Were the people under his preaching saved prior to this more accurate and full instruction? The results indicated for those who search, but who do not have an extensive knowledge of God is interesting. In Romans 2:6-8, Paul says, God will render to every man according to his deeds. To those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, (is given) eternal life. But, to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, (is given) wrath and indignation.
We note that Paul did not say here that eternal life would only be given to those individuals who accepted Yeshua as their personal Savior. In Acts 17:26-27, it is recorded, He made from one flesh every nation of mankind that they should seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.
The Greek poets referred to this fact. Even the Muslims say that God is as near to us as our jugular vein. Such discussion should not and must not lead to universalism where everyone is saved, regardless of the object of their belief. The Scriptures are clear, You shall have no other gods besides Me. Sanders believed that such discussion inevitably leads to universalism. See Sanders page 20. But, God says that those who are cowardly, untrustworthy, abominable, murders, immoral, idolaters, and all liars will not be saved. Rev. 21:8.
A POSSIBLE EXPLANATION OF THE ORIGINAL GOOD NEWS THAT PEOPLE CAN GET TO HEAVEN WHO NEVER HEARD OF YESHUA
There was no need for God to change His method of operation after Messiah, The Anointed One, came to earth. Before then, faith in God was mans' obligation. After He came, mans' obligation is the same. The good news is that the sacrifice for sin was made by Yeshua and was shown to be acceptable by His resurrection! Luke 2:10-11. But how can people who never heard of Yeshua be helped by His sacrifice for their sin? We remember the foreboding words, "...there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12 KJV.
In ancient and modern times there are instances of people being saved by someone whom they did not know by name. We have already mentioned several Biblical examples.
In modern secular society there are examples. Our courts of law are set up to preserve and save the innocent person from civil problems with neighbors and from criminal problems with worse malefactors. The judge makes a decision, but in some cases the parties do not even see the judge, nor know his name.
It is possible to probate an estate and the parties would never know the name of the judge. The attorney handles the case, and if there is no dispute, the matter is routine. The parties never attend a court trial or hearing.
Could not this be an illustration of a person trusting the (legal) system, the courts, and his own lawyer to handle a matter? The matter is handled and the results are obtained (estate distributed according to the will) without ever even knowing the name of the judge.
The function of the court clerk is even more anonymous to the average person. Every document that comes out of a court has to have the signature of the court clerk. Land or money will not be transferred without that name. The police will not act on a warrant without the clerk's signature attesting that the warrant is true and correct. Very few people know the name of the clerk. Everyone benefits because the clerk does his job. We have less crime because the clerk has his name on warrants of arrest of malefactors. We have relative calm because he has his name on orders settling land disputes and domestic fights. All law abiding people benefit, whether or not they know his name. But if an individual decides to fight against the law and to rob his neighbor, such a person will hopefully feel the effect of the signature of the clerk, even though that person does not know the clerk.
Cannot we, who trust the system, say we are saved from crime and lawlessness and even from unjust punishment against ourselves, in/thorough/by the name of that clerk, even though we do not know his name?
Such examples may be one imperfect way of trying to understand and explain how Yeshua gave benefit to all, even to those who do not know His name. He is the only instrument or agent of salvation on behalf of the godhead for those who trust on the system which God established.
Another illustration is as follows: Suppose a kind, generous and hospitable man owned a mansion. He wanted people to come into his mansion. He put up welcome signs inviting people to come in to visit and enjoy the house as though it were their own. People who did not know the owner personally could take him at his written word (the signs out front) and come and enjoy the house. But, people who knew him as a relative or friend could come and enjoy the house with much more freedom.
However, let's consider this. What if someone who did not see the signs came and had a picnic on the back yard grass in a manner respectful to the unknown owner of property? The picnicker learned to love the owner because of the way the owner designed and kept the property. He longed to meet the owner face to face. Would the owner be wrathful against such a man because he did not know the owner or see the welcome signs? Woul not the owner send out his son to welcome the picnicker into a banquet? But what would happen if the picnicker died before the son or the servants of the son got to invite the picnicker into the house? Would the picnicker be considered a crook and an outcast?
Contrast that outcome to what the owner's attitude would be in another situation. Suppose someone else came on the property and saw the way the owner designed and kept up the property, but claimed that he had a different idea. He had no use for the owner. He felt that he had as much right to be there as the owner. He started to build his own banquet hall on the property. What would be the attitude of the true owner? His wrath would go out against the usurper.
From what we know of the nature of God, if we consider God to be the lan owner in this parable, He would welcome people who:
(A) understood His invisible attributes,
(B) understood His eternal power, and
(C) understood His divine nature, and who
(D) clearly saw them and understood them through what had been made, and who
(E) honored Him as God and
(F) give Him thanks.
Rom. 1:18-21. This would be true even though they did not know Him personally. We can assert this on the basis of the Scriptures we have examined.
CONCLUSION
We have examined several Scriptures. These teach that God saved individuals (on man's part) by repentance and faith in God in both the Old and New Testament times. Scriptures show that Yeshua's sacrifice was necessary for the forgiveness of all sins, both before and after He came. Jesus is God. God saves sinners, even if they have never heard the name of Jesus or Yeshua. He is the agent, whether or not they know His name or that He is the agent responsible. We may attempt to understand this by what an unknown court clerk does in signing court orders or by what a generous man would do with house guests. The people who were saved in the Old Testament times and the others saved in the current times, but who do not know specifically about Yeshua's work, will be the people who inhabit the New Earth.
Meanwhile, the Bride will dwell with the Lamb in the New Jerusalem. This understanding of the work of Yeshua does not change our mission, but makes it more enjoyable. The command is still to go into all the world, teaching them all the things that Yeshua taught and baptizing them in the name (YHWH) of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
__________________________________________________________
APPENDIX
COMMENTS OF SANDERS, LADD & WELCH
Dr. J. Oswald Sanders was General Director Emeritus of the Overseas Missionary Fellowship, OMF, (formerly the China Inland Mission). He was a saint with a true heart for world evangelism. He wrote a small book titled, How Lost Are The Heathen. He takes the traditional stand that it is necessary to have a specific quantity of knowledge about the life and ministry of Jesus to be saved. This conclusion of his is foretold in his usage of the word heathen in the title. In his chapter titled, Who are the Heathen?, he equates the heathen with the lost. He says, referring to the heathen, that ....the point in issue is not social status or degree of civilization, but relationship to God. And again, It was to seek and save these 'lost' men and women that our Lord came to earth (Luke 19:10). See page 19 of his book.
By equating those without a relationship with God to the lost, he therefore comes to the necessary conclusion that they are the lost. This evades the question and is circular reasoning. Dr. Sanders quotes, but disagrees with, the view of G. E. Ladd that: The operation of God's grace may well be wider than the knowledge of the gospel, just as the grace of God in the Old Testament was wider than Israel... No, we do not slam the door on those millions who have not heard the name of Christ, any more than we can restrict a saving knowledge of God only to Israelites in the Old Testament.
We do pronounce that only the cross and resurrection of Christ saves. We equally pronounce that the non-Christian religions are devoid of any saving truth. But there may be hearts outside the sound of the gospel who have felt after God (Acts 17:27), who seek for honor and immortality (Rom. 2:7), who do have the true circumcision of the Spirit, and to these hearts God applies the salvation of Jesus Christ.
"How many we do not know." Sanders acknowledges that this view has more apparent Scriptural support than some other views. But he still feels that the weight Scripture is with his view that people are lost unless they know a sufficient amount about Yeshua. See page 62 of Sanders book.
Sanders also quotes, without approving, a Dr. Welsh who wrote Challenge to Christian Missions. Dr. Welch said, How was it possible for Abraham and the devout Jews to be accepted of God without the knowledge of the historical Jesus...? ...Abraham was justified because he believed God, and that was counted for righteousness.
The heathen today are B.C. What operated B.C. in God's treatment of the Jew, operates proportionately in Asia and in every continent and island which is not Anno Domini. God's method of principle is the same for all alike when dealing with different races, all of them B.C. The grace which was at least within the heart of the humble-hearted Jew has always been, and now is within the reach of the Gentile in proportion, if there is a similar response of spirit.
Sanders rejects this suggestion saying, While it is conceivable that God in His sovereignty might save some without the preaching of the word and th hearing of the gospel, this cannot be substantiated beyond question from Scripture, whereas there is a strong body of explicit Scriptures which would appear to affirm the opposite. See Sanders, pages 64-65.
Sanders goes go on to recount some amazing stories of people who were following God before being reached by the gospel. One man reported three crises in his life. The first was when he became aware of the perfection and wonder of the universe created by God. The second was when he had a serious condemnation and conviction of sin. And third, was when he becam an earnest seeker for God's answer and he sought forgiveness. He then felt the presence of a Savior. Later he told a missionary, since I heard you speak, I recognize in Jesus the Person who has made atonement for my sins.
Sanders discounts these and other stories he relates by saying, But in any case, is there any evidence that the heathen world in general is seeking the truth, fearing God and working righteousness as was Cornelius? On the contrary, when the truth of the gospel is presented by the missionary, instead of embracing it, the great majority reject it. He seems to ignore the fact that even in the so-called Christian nations where the gospel has been known and preached for years, the majority reject it.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Abd-al-Masik, Who is Allah in Islam?, Villach, Austria, Light of Life Press, distributed by Al-Nour (gospel fellowship), Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Brown-Driver-Briggs-Gesenius The New Hebrew English Lexicon, Peabody,
Mass., Henderson, 1979.
Clarke, Adam, Bible Commentary, 2nd Edition, 6 volumes, New York, Mason &
Lane, 1837.
Peters, Alvertus, Divine Lord and Savior, Fleming Revell, 1949.
Sanders, J. Oswald, How Lost are the Heathen, Chicago, Moody Press, 1979. Rev. 2-18-96[/QUOTE] 300
Notice - The featuring of a particular member article does not constitute endorsement of every single item or point of view contained therein by each and every member of TheologyWeb leadership. We strive to have a varied cross-section of representations of differing opinions on secondary Christian issues. The only requirement for the featuring of a particular article is that said article must not contradict the essentials articulated in the TheologyWeb statement of faith found here in our Mission Statement (http://www.theologyweb.com/forum/mission/)or be blatantly offensive to the Christian worldview of the site Owners.