Results 1 - 3 of 3
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Romans 2:14-15 commonly mutilated? | 1 Cor 2:14 | Reighnskye | 133413 | ||
I have many times heard a common mutilation of scripture within the organized religion, which is perhaps solely based upon a misapplication of the following scripture text out of Romans 2:12-16. Romans 2 12 For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law; 13 for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, 16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus. (NAS95) - The common mutilation/misapplication of this particular text conveys the idea that those who never hear the Gospel of Jesus (in their own native language) will be saved solely through the state of their own conscience, apart from the Gospel message. (For example, the aborigine in Africa, where they don't have cars, indoor plumbing, lightbulbs, or bibles.) Romans 2:12-16 (verses 14 and 15 particularly) is often said to refer to people who have never heard the Gospel message of Jesus. However, I suggest that this is the farthest thing from the truth. I suggest that the text rather conveys that the Gentile believer lacks a knowledge of the Old Testement Law of Moses (the Ten Commandments and such), and therefore can yet be saved without a knowledge of Jusaism that was typically only had by the Jews. However, the text does not say that Gentiles don't need to hear the Gospel of Jesus in order to be saved. It rather simply says that exposure to the Law of Moses is not necessary. Please reread the text and notice the many references to the Old Testament Law of Moses as opposed to the New Testament Gospel of Christ. In other words, the Gentile need only hear the Gospel of Jesus, without reference to the Old Testament Law of Moses and the Ten Commandments, in order to be saved. A knowledge of Old Testament Judaism is unnecessary for purposes of salvation, as Gentiles were not commonly afforded that knowledge, as the Jews were. Paul later seems to reinforce the necessity of the Gospel message for Gentiles in Romans 10:14-17: Romans 10 14 How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? 15 How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, "HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!" 16 However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, "LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT?" 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. (NAS95) Although God's voice through the Law of Moses (and even the creation itself) be wholly resisted and denied, nonetheless the word of Christ is yet capable of inspiring faith in darkened and ignorant unbelievers. - Comments? True? False? - Blessings, Reighnskye |
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2 | Romans 2:14-15 commonly mutilated? | 1 Cor 2:14 | srbaegon | 133441 | ||
Hello Reighnskye, Sadly, I have heard the same type of thing starting to come from my own faith tradition. To quote what is being said: "God will not condemn those who have not rejected the witness of Himself in creation." This was written by Dave Hunt in his book "Calvinism Debated". The same type of thing has been written by Dr. Tony Evans. It grieves me that these brothers are straying from the clear teaching of Scripture. Steve |
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3 | Romans 2:14-15 commonly mutilated? | 1 Cor 2:14 | Reighnskye | 133449 | ||
Steve, Tim and Hank: Blessings - Steve, I have to fully agree with your statements. You said: "Sadly, I have heard the same type of thing starting to come from my own faith tradition. To quote what is being said: "God will not condemn those who have not rejected the witness of Himself in creation." This was written by Dave Hunt in his book "Calvinism Debated". The same type of thing has been written by Dr. Tony Evans. It grieves me that these brothers are straying from the clear teaching of Scripture." - Tim, Since you ask, I sat myself at Willow Creek Community Church, in a large room of a hundred people, wherein the doctrine was taught to singles small group leaders, as per a regular series of answering tough theological questions. The teachings were pre-scheduled and authorized through Willow Creek authority, and delivered through paid ministry staff who were church-ordained. It was part of a four-week series addressing other tough theological questions as well, with the particular doctrine comprising one session. The crux of these messages was purposed to educate laypeople how to reach objectioning unbelievers with the Gospel, so they could invite them to church. The proof text that was utilized was Romans 2:14-15. I was instructed these things myself as a small group leader there. I've since heard the doctrine in a half dozen other mainstream megachurches in Illinois, directly through the pulpit. - Hank, I would have to agree that the doctrine is a blasphemous heresy. The doctrine is often used as a religious disclaimer concerning the aborigine in remote parts of Africa, which says that those who never hear the gospel, in their own native language, can still be saved with a clear enough conscience. Basically the idea is that sinners who never hear the Gospel are off the hook, and have a free ticket to heaven, because God or the church failed to reach them with the Gospel anyhow, and therefore they don't deserve to go to hell. Although the doctrine is not biblically based, it goes along the reasoning that God would never condemn people who didn't have an opportunity to hear the Gospel in this life. This doctrine likely originates from the identical notion that aborigines in remote Africa (where the New Testament hasn't yet been translated into their own native language) are accounted equal with unborn aborted babies who never get to choose Christ in this life. Also, we may include severely mentally-challenged people who can't discern right from wrong nor understand a verbally communicated Gospel message. (A few will even stretch this to religionists of non-Christian faiths.) Now, it is my personal view that all of these individuals (aborted babies, mentally-challenged people and distant aborigines) do not get an automatic free ticket into heaven, pending a clear enough conscience in this life. This is because I believe that all human beings (aborted babies included) are born as sinners, and are each eternally scheduled for hell, simply by way of default. Rather, I tend to go in the direction, that there will likely be opportunity, during Christ's millennial reign on earth, for these people to knowingly accept or reject the Gospel, from a clearer vantage point. Perhaps a common lack of eschatological fluency, amongst many of the larger megachurches, has led to extra-biblical notions on salvation, causing religious disclaimers to be made, when the church doesn't feel it's reached everyone with it's vital Gospel message. End-time eschatology has largely been scrapped among the larger megachurches (5000 plus members), insofar as it tends to confuse newer mass converts. - Mark 16 15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. (NAS95) Matthew 28 19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, (NAS95) John 14 16 "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; (NAS95) - Blessings, Reighnskye |
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