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Old 03-17-2018, 07:42 PM
TK Burk's Avatar
TK Burk TK Burk is offline
Lamb Saved & Shepherd Led


 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Wisconsin
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How to Save the Hypothetical Man

How to Save the Hypothetical Man
Part 1 of 3

The Bible is filled with many wonderful things, but of all found there, nothing compares to the gospel message of Jesus Christ. Yet, when I teach about this salvation plan explained in Acts 2:38 necessitates repentance, baptism in Jesus’ name, and the infilling of the Holy Ghost, I am often asked if that applies to the hypothetical man. To better understand what I mean, here is an example how this question is typically asked: “if a jungle tribesman dies without ever hearing the message of salvation, is he saved or lost”? Before answering this I ask for the name of this man. As many times as I’ve been asked about this fella, you’d think he had a household name. Yet, to date, no one knows who he is. Of course, getting his name is not my true goal. Instead, my purpose is to reveal that their hypothetical man represents a struggle they have with Jesus’ gospel. This conflict is summed up in the following two questions:
  1. How can God fault a man or a woman for not obeying a gospel they never heard?
  2. How is God a God of love if He condemns those who disobey Him?

Hypothetical questions can be answered with hypothetical answers. However, these real concerns require a real response. Therefore, I will answer each of the two questions in this study.

(Note: any UPPERCASE wording in Scripture is added by me for emphasis)


Question 1: How can God fault a man or a woman for not obeying a gospel they never heard?

In our “Politically Correct” (PC) society, claims of exclusiveness are often frowned upon. For instance, few accept the idea there is “a truth” that is above all truths, unless, of course, that truth is “the truth” they believe. Instead, what we hear are words like inclusiveness, sensitivity, diversity, tolerance, and pro-this and anti-that. This “PC”sentiment has bled into many churches to where the grace-filled message of Jesus being the “only way” to be saved is now viewed as judgmental, bigoted, and intolerant. To claim to be in Jesus Christ’s church, a person would have to be a follower of His teachings. Therefore, let’s see what Jesus said about this exclusiveness:
John 8:24 I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
According to these verses, and others, a person can only receive salvation through Jesus Christ (see Matthew 1:21; Luke 24:46-49; Acts 2:1-40, Acts 4:12). Thus, a Church teaching this same salvation message would not be judgmental, bigoted, or intolerant since they are only quoting what Jesus and His Apostles said. No man or woman has the authority to make the gateway to God’s kingdom any “narrower” or "tighter" than Jesus taught it (see Matthew 7:14). Similarly, no man or woman—regardless of disagreement or indifference—has the right to make the way to hell any “wider or broader” than Jesus taught it either (see Matthew 7:13). So, the question of whether our hypothetical man can be saved without knowing what the Bible says really boils down to seldom asked questions such as:
  • Does this hypothetical man want to know God?
  • Would our hypothetical man respond favorably to the gospel if it was presented?
  • Though Jesus made a way for everyone to obtain eternal life, does our hypothetical man even care about the condition of his soul?

I am familiar with a case that will help address the first part of this study. A man I know never went to church for any reason (funerals, weddings, nothing) his entire life. To protect his privacy, I will call him Tony. So, Tony knew Christianity existed, but knew next to nothing about its doctrines. When this story happened, he was on a college football scholarship and played well enough he was being looked at by pro scouts. One evening while walking around campus, Tony looked to the sky and had the same thought countless other people had since the beginning of time—this thought was that those stars must have come from somewhere. This led him to talk to the unknown creator of those stars. (Unknown to him, this is called prayer.) He then began asking this creator about needs in his personal life. To his amazement, Tony began receiving answers to these talks. After some time, he realized he had not thanked this creator for responding to him. In his dorm that night he began thanking this creator, and as he did, he felt a power rush over him like nothing he experienced before. It was then that my friend began talking in a language he did not understand. (What Tony did not know is that he had received the infilling of God’s Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.) This new experience went on for a long time that night. When he awoke the next morning, he felt different, so much so that he said he lost the “killer instinct” needed to continue playing football. Tony knew something life-changing had taken place, he just did not know what it was. So, he asked this still nameless creator to help him understand. That day, for the first time in his life, he was invited to church. This wasn’t one or two people inviting him to different churches, but instead, several people around campus inviting him to the same church. He did visit that church. There they taught him the New Covenant message of salvation found in Acts 2:38. He had already received the baptism of the Holy Ghost in his dorm, so Tony was baptized in Jesus’ name. He then gave up his football scholarship and eventually answered God’s call to pastor.

Tony’s experience is not uncommon. Such occurrences are found in the Bible. Abraham’s story is an example. While living in Ur, his family worshipped idols of false gods that man fashioned from wood, stone, and metal (see Genesis 11:27-28, Genesis 31:3, Genesis 31:19; Joshua 24:2). Thus, Abraham grew up not knowing the Lord God. The Bible says, “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). Thus, Abraham’s desire to know a god not made by man led him to experience the One true God (see Genesis 12:1; Acts 7:2-4).

A hunger to know God was also MY EXPERIENCE. I hit rock bottom in my early 20s. In desperation, I asked God to prove Himself to me. A few days later I was invited to an apostolic church for the first time in my life. During my first visit, I heard a sermon that characterized an important event in my life. That was the first message I heard in an apostolic church. It was also the first message the preacher speaking that night ever received in a dream. The next service I repented of my sins and was baptized in Jesus’ name. A few days later I received the gift of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues. All this came from my plea to know God.

We cannot limit what Jesus can do. After all, by Him, all things were created, and He is the one who maintains complete authority in heaven and on the earth (see Genesis 1:1; Matthew 28:18). From this power, He can heal mankind’s infirmities and forgive their sins (see Psalms 103:2-3). It is the Church’s job to share Jesus’ gospel with others (see Mark 16:15). Earlier I explained how God saw the desire my friend Tony and I had to receive a real connection with Him. God responded by sending someone to share with us the salvation message in Acts 2:38. If God can respond to our desire to know Him, why can’t He do the same for the lost tribesmen of this world—regardless where they are found? Before you answer, remember that the Bible does boast that “with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). So, the real question isn’t “how can God fault a man or a woman for not obeying a gospel they never heard,” but rather, how can a man or woman go their entire life without experiencing an insatiable desire to experience God?
__________________
The Bible is open to those that want Truth, and if they want Truth, they find Truth. They watch individuals squabble over Bible symbolism on the Internet, and leave the Message boards to enter into the real world where live people dwell, and they find Truth. The World Wide Web is full of Internet Ayatollahs who speak their mind. There is only one Truth, and it is not hidden. No matter what anyone says, Truth still converts the sincere.
 -DD Benincasa, 12/06/03

www.tkburk.com

Last edited by TK Burk; 03-17-2018 at 08:16 PM.
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