The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Questions concerning salvation

Delivered says:

You absolutely cannot tell an Omnipotent being that because you put one meaning to His inspired Words that it means that He must stick to your beliefs. That is the thing with God, He is God and He does what He wants without our permission. Our finite minds cannot comprehend His infinite thoughts. Our imperfection cannot comprehend His perfect will. He is not restrained or contained by our personal prejudices whether they are hidden prejudices or pronounced ones.

He does continue to heal persons inspite of our theologies stating that which is contrary. He does continue to speak to persons, move upon their heart and draw them unto Himself as He will. There is a popular club that I attended often before I entered my walk with the Lord Jesus, and one night during the musical performance of an admitted cult member, someone in the audience felt Gods' presence and heard His call and converted to Christianity.

Reformed theology holds that God can be known, but that it is impossible for man to have a knowledge of Him that is exhaustive and perfect in every way. To have such a knowledge of God would be equivalent to comprehending Him, and this is entirely out of the question: "Finitum non possit capere infinitum." Furthermore, man cannot give a definition of God in the proper sense of the word, but only a partial description. A logical definition is impossible, because God cannot be subsumed under some higher genus. At the same time it is maintained that man can obtain a knowledge of God that is perfectly adequate for the realization of the divine purpose in the life of man. However, true knowledge of God can be acquired only from the divine self-revelation, and only by the relation in which man is conscious of the absolute greatness and majesty of God as the supreme Being, and of his own utter insignificance and subjection to the High and Holy One. And if this is true, it follows that religion presupposes the knowledge of God in man. If man were left absolutely in the dark respecting the being of God, it would be impossible for him to assume a religious attitude. There could be no reverence, no piety, no fear of God, no worshipful service.

Louis Berkhof's "Sytematic Theology"

6. Why is diligent use of the outward means of grace necessary if we are to escape God's wrath and curse for our sin? God has chosen to appoint these outward means of grace (the Word, the sacraments, and prayer) as instruments by which the benefits of Christ's saving work are communicated to us. These means of themselves cannot save us; it is only Christ that can save us; but he makes use of these appointed means. Therefore if we would have Christ and make sure of an interest in him, we must be diligent in our use of the appointed means. The false tendency called "mysticism" despises and neglects the use of these outward means of grace, and is therefore contrary to the Scriptures and spiritually dangerous. Of course God could have made a plan to save sinners without the use of outward means of grace; but he has not chosen to do so, and so we must avail ourselves of the means which God has provided.

6. Why must the Bible be translated into modern languages? The Old Testament was written in Hebrew language, which at the time of the writing was the common language of the covenant people of God; and the New Testament was written in Greek, which at the time of the writing was the language most widely known in the Roman world. Today these languages are known only to the comparatively few who have made a special effort to learn them. The Bible is a message for all mankind, and the gospel which it contains is to be proclaimed to all nations. The Great Commission cannot be carried out adequately without translating the Bible into the various languages of the world. This work of Scripture translation has been going on since very early times, but by far the greatest progress has been made during the past 100 years. Today the Word of God, in whole or in part, speaks to men in more then 1,000 languages and dialects.

1. Why will the heathen, who have never heard the gospel, be condemned at the Judgment Day? Not because of failure to believe in Christ, but simply because of their sins. Rom 2:12

5. Is it not unfair for God to condemn those who have never heard the gospel? If God owed salvation, or "a chance for salvation." to all human beings, then it would be unjust to condemn those who have never heard the gospel. But God does not owe any such thing to anyone. He is under no obligation to provide salvation, or an offer of salvation, to anyone at all. Therefore no injustice is involved in his saving some and passing others by.

7. What hope is there for the salvation of the heathen? The gospel of Christ, published throughout the whole world by missionaries, is the message of salvation full and free to everyone who believes.

Commentary of the WLC by Johannes Vos.