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NASB | John 3:18 "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 3:18 "Whoever believes and has decided to trust in Him [as personal Savior and Lord] is not judged [for this one, there is no judgment, no rejection, no condemnation]; but the one who does not believe [and has decided to reject Him as personal Savior and Lord] is judged already [that one has been convicted and sentenced], because he has not believed and trusted in the name of the [One and] only begotten Son of God [the One who is truly unique, the only One of His kind, the One who alone can save him]. |
Bible Question:
This is a statment that was giving to me from a preacher that say's he belives that the only way to heaven is through jesus but that you can know about him without ever hearing the word..."I(his name) have stated and do belive that, based on scripture, we cannot, without a doubt, exclude every man who has, for whatever reason or in whatever time, never been exposed to the written Word of God or the Gospel of Jesus Christ from receiving entrance into heaven by the grace of God through the Blood of Jesus Christ. I do not believe that thouse who have not been exposed to the word of God will go to heaven simply because they have not heard." You See My question to him was "Can someone today get to heaven without have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? ie; that jungle native that has never been exposed to the gosple." I mean is there Two ways he says that thruogh creation everone knows thiers a God but know theres a God and have the blood of Christ are two dif. things to me... If we get the blood by beliving theres a God and trying to be good then Why did Jesus have to die for us? to me he gave only one way and thats why we have Missionary to give the word. |
Bible Answer: This is a very hard question that can generate some strong reactions and accusations within the believing community. There are those who would question the credentials (or even the salvation) of even such solid and faithful teachers as Billy Graham and C.S. Lewis based on their answers to this question. The statement, as it stands, without additional assumptions about underlying beliefs, is not hereticaly in and of itself. There is room for question as to whether it is belief in God or belief in Christ alone that saves. Active disbelief in Christ is active disbelief in God (Jn 3:18). However, we are judged based on that which we have seen and heard (see Romans 1:20), NOT that which we have not yet been exposed to. There is no disagreement among solid evangelical preachers or scholars that only because of the blood of Jesus Christ can anyone be saved. However, this applies to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc. They did not believe in Jesus Christ in the sense that we do today, because Christ's work and person were something that even the prophets and angels could not grasp until they observed them(1 Pe 1:10-12). The same is true of anyone who has not heard today. Anyone who is willing to follow God will believe in Christ if-when they have the opportunity (Jn 7:16-17). Thus the gospel was, at the time of Paul, for the (believing) Jew first (Ro 1:16); I would apply this, in a lesser sense, to any God fearer. However, the gospel, by the power of the Holy Spirit, can also take one who has never believed before -- even in that which s-he has seen or heard -- and transform that one into a believer as well. Thus the Gospel is the power of salvation for the heathen as well (Ro 1:16). This is greatly simplified, but the basic idea is that the God-fearer MAY have life but lacks the sure hope available through the deeper revelation of the gospel of Christ. The heathen, in contrast, had no faith and no salvation at all, until he comes to the truth and the Spirit's conviction upon him. If he (or she) then believes, he is saved even if there were no previous knowledge, faith, or interest in God. |