An Excellent Question from the CCG Board

[steve (steve)]

John posted an excellent question today on the CCG board. Since I have agreed to take a break from posting on the CCG board and since John is a valued personal friend of long standing, I will answer here instead of on the board on which he posted it.

He asked,<blockquote><font color="0000ff">If an individual cries out to "God" in an hour of need or in their search for truth and it is not in the name of Jesus, is that person destined for eternal torment, abandonment and Hell fire forever and ever?

I realize that Pentecostals and Fundamentalists ascribe to a specific format for salvation and I entirely understand that, but not everyone on the planet is as enlightened as we are. So the scenario I speak of is for individuals that truly do acknowledge God and desire to do what is right before God.

This is not a trick question. It is for my own benefit so that I completely and totally understand how God views His creation. It is also so that I fully understand the creator of my soul

So I will ask it again. If a person cries out to God and not Jesus is that person going to spend eternity in Hell no matter how pure their motives are heart may be?

Once again, no speculation, just the facts...a definitive answer or answers from our most learned Bible scholars will suffice on this particular issue. Thank you

p.s. I know this is a lot to ask, but short cryptic answers would be greatly appreciated. Keep is simple Bible scholars.</font></blockquote>John,

I know this an answer you will probably not like, but I give it anyway. For a speculative question, there is usually no non-speculative answer possible.

In other words, your question has too many variables to answer without speculation. For example, does the individual in question know of Jesus and yet disbelieve, or has he never heard of Jesus?

In general, however, if a person is consciously resisting belief in Jesus and yet hopes that God will hear him or her anyway, then I don't see any way that he or she can be saved - at least not if the Bible is really God's revelation to man and is really true.

If a person believes in Jesus and in his Gospel, however tenuously, and cries out to God, that person will be heard even if he or she may not explicitly address Jesus by name, or say the words "in the name of Jesus." Jesus is God, so praying to God means you are in fact praying to Jesus even if you don't address him as "Jesus."

For another (but equally true) kind of answer, know that (Biblically speaking) praying "in the name of Jesus" does not mean saying the words "in the name of Jesus" in one's prayer. It means instead that one believes in Jesus and his Gospel and is praying on that basis - that is, based on Jesus' assurance that God will hear us because of His work and merits, not our own.

Does that help answer your question?

[onesimus (onesimus)]

John,

I have contemplated this question myself.

This is me best short answer to the question you posed. My position is somewhat tentative, and (for the benefit of those concerned about orthodox soteriology) I have no intention of trying to create and promulgate my idea as a new doctrine.

Two Scriptures come to mind:

1. Now a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was mighty in the Scriptures. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, <u>being acquainted only with the baptism of John.</u> (Acts 18:24,25 NAS)

2. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13 NAS)

Comments:

<font color="0000ff">1. I conjecture that Apollos knew a lot about the Christ from his study of the OT. But he didn't know, or use, the name "Jesus."

2. Apollos was saved without using the name "Jesus." He subsequently learned the name, and more, from Aquila and Priscilla. (Acts 18:26ff)

3. "If an individual cries out to 'God' in an hour of need or in their search for truth and it is not in the name of Jesus," he will be saved if he does so with a completely open heart.</font>

Suggested reading: Samuel Morris, the story of a young African's journey from darkest Africa to the Christian faith, and eventually to America. It has been years since I read this book. My (sketchy) recollection is that Samuel Morris cried out to God, knowing nothing about Jesus, the Bible, or anything we take for granted in the modern western world.

Is that any help?

Steve

[onesimus (onesimus)]

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