I first wanted to bring yesterdays thought to it’s inevitable conclusion. That to say that, if non-Christians can experience God’s love just by virtue of their love for each other, does that not suggest they are saved? Not exactly, but close. Here are two conjoined thoughts.
In Romans 2:11-16 we have a description of sinners who do not know the word of God, yet are judged just as the Jews/Christians because they break that law. However, Paul then goes on to say that “when Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, instinctively follow what the law says, they show that in their hearts they know right from wrong. They demonstrate that Go’s law is written within them, for their own consciences either accuse them or tell them they are doing what is right. The day will surely come when God, by Jesus Christ, will judge everyone’s secret life.” We know that the only thing man can do to gain salvation is to believe. No work can bestow salvation, only belief in what Christ has done, lest any man boast that he is good. We’re not. We are all as bad as the worst of sinners, a Ted Bundy or Hitler. It is only because of the free and untainted Gift of Christ that we are holy, and that because he enters in to us through his sacrifice. The point: I believe that when a non-Christian who does not know or understand the sacrifice of Christ believes in that moral law of love written on their heart, then it is quite possible that person will find themselves acceptable before God, if they believed and lived by that law.
C. S. Lewis touches on this in Mere Christianity, but I think more vividly in The Last Battle, which is the last book in the Narnia series. In it, a false God called Tash from a land south of Narnia is brought north along with an invading force. It is discovered that the doorway of a small building in Narnia transports people not to the inside of the building, but to some unknown destination. Not ones to miss taking advantage of something they don’t understand, the followers of Tash proclaim that within the building is Tash, and they declare that those who live in Narnia must either profess their allegiance to Tash or else enter the building and meet Tash himself. A young prince who has served Tash faithfully all his life decides he wishes to enter the building so that he might meet his god. Now this prince has in fact lived by an inner law of love, righteousness and fairness which he attributes to Tash because Tash is the God he was raised to believe in. Against the protest of his people, he enters and finds himself face to face with Aslan, the god which his people taught him was evil. One look at the great lion, who is an analogy for Christ Jesus, and the prince realizes he’s been serving the wrong god. He falls to his knees weeping, expecting to be put to death by the creature who looks down at him with the love he’s longed to serve his whole life. However, rather than killing him, Alsan declares the prince that he counts all his service to Tash as service to Himself because he served not in the spirit of Tash as his countryman did, who it is clear throughout the book serve out of selfish gain, but in His spirit. The great Judge therefore looks into the prince’s heart and judges him not on his knowledge or exterior performance, but on the internal state of his heart.
Based on these two thoughts, I myself have concluded that there will be many who in their life have not called Christ their Lord and Savior, but who, by virtue of their hearts intent, are acceptable to Christ. He accepts them because when one truly lives one’s life not for oneself, but for God (how ever you may perceive him, since it is not our understanding of God that saves us… Ha! Who could be saved then?), then one is, by that act of trusting in their higher power and in love, declaring Christ as King.
Having said all that, all of which I do believe, I will qualify it by saying that I am not that Judge. I am in fact human and quite prone to failure. As such I can only interpret these scriptures to the best of my limited abilities, which I have. God remains the Judge and he may one day say, “Geeze Matt, ya really got that one wrong!” But I believe firmly that if I have made such a mistake, that it too is forgivable.
On to the bible study for today.
Thought 1:
John 11:25 says “I am the resurrection.” Martha had a limited perspective on what the resurrection was. She saw it, as many of us do, as a limited category, an event that happens way out there which does not effect us here today. But God is very often broader and less limited then we give him credit. He usually IS what he is tells us about. He IS love, He IS the word, He IS wisdom, He IS our provision, and He IS the resurrection. The resurrection is not just a pie in the sky, by and by, it is NOW! It is EVERY DAY! It is the very LIFE of a Christian! He is what makes us ALIVE!
Thought 2:
The last section of John 11 deals with the Pharisees plotting the death of Jesus. I often feel that the Gospels are just as much books about Pharisee-ism and the blindness of religion without humility, as it is about Christ. Here we see the absolute and total blindness of the Pharisees, who have reports of THE DEAD RISING and rather than falling on their knees in submission to this obvious appearance of a living God, they react selfishly, and seek to guard THEIR religion. This tells me just how careful I need to be of pride and a lack of humility, because it can blind me SO DEEPLY as to not even see God when he is right their in front of me Resurrecting the dead.
Thought 3:
And in verse 51 we see that God will use even the blind and prideful to his purpose. Here he uses the High Priest as a prophet to prophecy His own plan of salvation! The very ones who represent the deepest form of rebellion against God are used to proclaim His Salvation!!! Praise God for He is one all powerful, all encompassing Just Judge!
Now, I gotta get some stuff done. Love ya all.
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