Our Sunday morning “church” group is currently taking a look at the subject of human salvation. To help stimulate our thoughts, we’ve decided to use portions of Terrence Tiessen’s Who Can Be Saved? In examining the various views of human salvation, Tiessen uses the following categories: Ecclesiocentrism (salvation only comes to those who hear and respond to the gospel), Agnosticism (while explicit faith in Jesus is normative, we don’t really know the fate of those who never hear the gospel), Accessibilism (there is reason to be hopeful about the salvation of some who have never heard the gospel), Religious Instrumentalism (while Jesus is in some ways special, God raises up non-Christian religions as instruments of salvation), and Relativism (salvation is universally available through various religions).
Of course there is some overlap between categories, and other writers have come up with their own schemes for delineating the different responses to the relevant subjects. We are not necessarily committed to Tiessen’s conclusions, though we do like the subjects he broaches and the way he handles at least some of these matters. What we are concerned about is thinking through some of the big issues that pertain to human salvation from a Christian and biblical perspective. To this end, I put some rather random thoughts on paper, which I hope will assist us in our discussions. These are not final thoughts or completely organized thoughts but rather general ideas that come to mind when approaching such matters. For what it’s worth, here they are:
Thoughts on Salvation
It is essential to realize that the thoughts I’m putting down here are not inspired, and that certain things I say are probably based more on gut feelings and assumptions than on some perfect understanding of what God is saying. While I hope these words are helpful and accurate, I do not assume, and neither should you, that they are somehow flawless representations of the truth. This being said, here are some off-the-cuff thoughts about the subject to which we now turn.
● It is important to ask what the practical implications of our choices are. If we are talking about human salvation, it is not enough to speculate about the spiritual status of so-and-so if we never weep over his lostness (if he is actually lost), celebrate his salvation (if this is the case), or are even likely to impact his life. E.g., How helpful is it to speculate about the fate of the ignorant in Africa if we are probably never going to visit Africa? It might, I suppose, affect our prayer lives or our missionary efforts. For most of us, however, (and whether or not this is good) it’s probably not a practical daily concern. Therefore, how much of our energy should be expended on such matters?
● What is the next question? If something is stated as necessary or likely for salvation, are we sure that we’ve asked enough questions about it? For instance, if we say a person must have faith to be saved, we are still left with a number of inquiries: What is faith? What does it mean to believe? If we say that true faith ushers in a holy lifestyle, which seems to be a biblical axiom, are we sure we are able to recognize holiness or fruit when we see it? (E.g., Holiness is obviously not “measured” by number of services attended or by our ability to use religious lingo). Please, do not misunderstand: We do not want to get tied down to an endless array of questions, rabbit trails that distract us from the real questions at hand. We do, however, want to stop and ask relevant questions when they have a direct bearing on the way we understand a given issue. For instance, if we say that the coming of Jesus has ushered in a new era, which it has, we should also ask ourselves in what sense (theologically and practically) this is so.
● What is salvation in the first place? By this, I am not trying to take a bare minimalist approach, reducing salvation to as few facts as possible. Rather, I’m seeking to understand what it is that unites any lost person with his Creator. As best as we can understand, what’s the essence of faith? From the human perspective, how does one come into a right relationship with God?
● What does it mean for God to save? If He saves, in what manner does He? Clearly, He uses human instrumentality in the conversion of others, which–for us–is both a responsibility and an honor. But, does He need to use us? Or, does He normally use us? Or, has He merely told us that He uses us, not in the sense to limiting His own ability to act apart from us but in order to call us to responsible action?
● It seems true that God can do whatever He wants with His creatures. Thus, if He chooses to allow us all to be condemned, that would be a biblically permissible thing for Him to do. In fact, it wouldn’t be unfair for Him to do a whole lot of things that we deem hard to swallow. On the other hand, He will not and cannot do that which contradicts His own nature and character. Nor, it would seem, does He act in ways that violate His own purposes.
● What is God like? From Scripture, it appears that a number of ideas come to the fore. God is holy, which entails His moral perfection, His separation from anything that is evil or wrong, His utter rightness and one-of-a-kind ness. Likewise, He is absolutely fair. Whatever He does is right, and any creature who could see things from His perspective would totally agree with His choices. As Scripture says, “Surely, the judge of all the earth will do right?” Also, and especially, God is love. What this entails is not always self-evident, and certainly God can be loving while simultaneously judging those who oppose Him. That much is clear. Beyond this, however, it appears that God is a community of perfect love, a being of incomprehensible mercy and grace, a Lord who has set as His primary agenda the mission of sharing His love with others. A being of perfect holiness (whatever that means, and I think we can know something [but not everything] about this), and absolute fairness (whatever that means, and I think we can know something [but not everything] about this, as well), has chosen to rescue us from ourselves and to envelop us in His immense love. Our assessment of salvation has to come to grips with the kind of being God is.
● In any Christian perspective, Jesus is the only Savior. Only He satisfied the demands of God’s justice. Only He is able to link heaven (since He’s God) and earth (since He’s a human). Only He can carry us into the presence of God, etc. Thus, if a person is saved, this salvation must come through the work and activity of Jesus. Still, there is another question: How does one come to benefit from Jesus’ activity? The normative answer is faith. But questions remain: What is faith, exactly? How much information is necessary to believe? How much error can be present where there is genuine faith? Can a person be united to God through Jesus without knowing about Jesus? In other words, is it possible to come to God through His Son without actually knowing anything about Him?
● In dealing with various biblical passages, it is important, I think, not to allow certain passages to be used in such a way that they crowd out or take precedence over other passages. When we do this, and it’s admittedly difficult to avoid such a mentality, we allow certain realities to shield us from other realities, or we allow one aspect of the truth (or our interpretation of it) to become the force by which we misrepresent another aspect of the truth. This often occurs when we consider matters of human responsibility, divine sovereignty, and the like.
● In discussing these matters, a number of related thoughts are relevant. These include but are not limited to the following: - Divine Sovereignty, - Free Will, - Epistemology (How do we know, and how do we know that we know? What is the basis for our knowledge?), - Hermeneutics (Interpretation), - The Hermeneutical Spiral, - Theology, - Cultural Assumptions (premodern, modern, postmodern, other tendencies and presuppositions). We should be willing to add to this list anything that is helpful to (and not a distraction from) the discussion. Want to add any?
● When it comes to our use of Scripture, we must take a number of things into consideration: (1) What a text says. (2) Whether our interpretation of the text is accurate or in need of revision. (3) Whether we are allowing certain texts greater priority than others. If we do this, why, on what basis? (4) Common sense and divine influence in our own lives. We are not inspired, to be sure, but neither are our interpretations of what the inspired text says. Thus, in thinking through these issues, I think it’s okay to ask one another (and God) how this works out. God’s working in our lives is not on par with Scripture, per se, but God Himself is. Thus, if God enables us to see something that throws a light on Scripture, it is potentially a good thing. (One example would be the age of the earth debate, etc. Some would argue that what God is saying in the world has given us “new eyes” for reading Genesis.)
● Where is God in all of this, and why has He designed things this way? If these discussions are important, and I think they are, why has God chosen such a round about way of leading us into the truth. We come to a Bible that requires our efforts to understand and apply it. Our interpretations are sometimes accurate and sometimes in error. There is no single text that gives us undeniable support for a single way of looking at these matters; instead, we have to grapple with various passages and ideas, seeking to pull the pieces together. God has taken a very indirect approach to these matters, requiring that we take time and make effort to unfold the truth, requiring that we interact with those who came before us, and leading us on a journey. If this is an accurate assessment, it would seem that God has “built into the system” of our journey a general sense that we can’t do this on our own. And, if that is the case, we clearly need Him. Thus, as we read, discuss, contemplate, and wonder, we are led, as well, to lean on Him for guidance, wisdom, strength, and a sense of His presence. As Psalm 119 says: Verse 18 - “Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Your law,” Verse 27 - “Make me understand the way of Your precepts, so I will meditate on Your wonders,” Verse 169 - “Let my cry come before You, O LORD; Give me understanding according to Your word.”
Okay, that’s enough for now. ☺
Of course there is some overlap between categories, and other writers have come up with their own schemes for delineating the different responses to the relevant subjects. We are not necessarily committed to Tiessen’s conclusions, though we do like the subjects he broaches and the way he handles at least some of these matters. What we are concerned about is thinking through some of the big issues that pertain to human salvation from a Christian and biblical perspective. To this end, I put some rather random thoughts on paper, which I hope will assist us in our discussions. These are not final thoughts or completely organized thoughts but rather general ideas that come to mind when approaching such matters. For what it’s worth, here they are:
Thoughts on Salvation
It is essential to realize that the thoughts I’m putting down here are not inspired, and that certain things I say are probably based more on gut feelings and assumptions than on some perfect understanding of what God is saying. While I hope these words are helpful and accurate, I do not assume, and neither should you, that they are somehow flawless representations of the truth. This being said, here are some off-the-cuff thoughts about the subject to which we now turn.
● It is important to ask what the practical implications of our choices are. If we are talking about human salvation, it is not enough to speculate about the spiritual status of so-and-so if we never weep over his lostness (if he is actually lost), celebrate his salvation (if this is the case), or are even likely to impact his life. E.g., How helpful is it to speculate about the fate of the ignorant in Africa if we are probably never going to visit Africa? It might, I suppose, affect our prayer lives or our missionary efforts. For most of us, however, (and whether or not this is good) it’s probably not a practical daily concern. Therefore, how much of our energy should be expended on such matters?
● What is the next question? If something is stated as necessary or likely for salvation, are we sure that we’ve asked enough questions about it? For instance, if we say a person must have faith to be saved, we are still left with a number of inquiries: What is faith? What does it mean to believe? If we say that true faith ushers in a holy lifestyle, which seems to be a biblical axiom, are we sure we are able to recognize holiness or fruit when we see it? (E.g., Holiness is obviously not “measured” by number of services attended or by our ability to use religious lingo). Please, do not misunderstand: We do not want to get tied down to an endless array of questions, rabbit trails that distract us from the real questions at hand. We do, however, want to stop and ask relevant questions when they have a direct bearing on the way we understand a given issue. For instance, if we say that the coming of Jesus has ushered in a new era, which it has, we should also ask ourselves in what sense (theologically and practically) this is so.
● What is salvation in the first place? By this, I am not trying to take a bare minimalist approach, reducing salvation to as few facts as possible. Rather, I’m seeking to understand what it is that unites any lost person with his Creator. As best as we can understand, what’s the essence of faith? From the human perspective, how does one come into a right relationship with God?
● What does it mean for God to save? If He saves, in what manner does He? Clearly, He uses human instrumentality in the conversion of others, which–for us–is both a responsibility and an honor. But, does He need to use us? Or, does He normally use us? Or, has He merely told us that He uses us, not in the sense to limiting His own ability to act apart from us but in order to call us to responsible action?
● It seems true that God can do whatever He wants with His creatures. Thus, if He chooses to allow us all to be condemned, that would be a biblically permissible thing for Him to do. In fact, it wouldn’t be unfair for Him to do a whole lot of things that we deem hard to swallow. On the other hand, He will not and cannot do that which contradicts His own nature and character. Nor, it would seem, does He act in ways that violate His own purposes.
● What is God like? From Scripture, it appears that a number of ideas come to the fore. God is holy, which entails His moral perfection, His separation from anything that is evil or wrong, His utter rightness and one-of-a-kind ness. Likewise, He is absolutely fair. Whatever He does is right, and any creature who could see things from His perspective would totally agree with His choices. As Scripture says, “Surely, the judge of all the earth will do right?” Also, and especially, God is love. What this entails is not always self-evident, and certainly God can be loving while simultaneously judging those who oppose Him. That much is clear. Beyond this, however, it appears that God is a community of perfect love, a being of incomprehensible mercy and grace, a Lord who has set as His primary agenda the mission of sharing His love with others. A being of perfect holiness (whatever that means, and I think we can know something [but not everything] about this), and absolute fairness (whatever that means, and I think we can know something [but not everything] about this, as well), has chosen to rescue us from ourselves and to envelop us in His immense love. Our assessment of salvation has to come to grips with the kind of being God is.
● In any Christian perspective, Jesus is the only Savior. Only He satisfied the demands of God’s justice. Only He is able to link heaven (since He’s God) and earth (since He’s a human). Only He can carry us into the presence of God, etc. Thus, if a person is saved, this salvation must come through the work and activity of Jesus. Still, there is another question: How does one come to benefit from Jesus’ activity? The normative answer is faith. But questions remain: What is faith, exactly? How much information is necessary to believe? How much error can be present where there is genuine faith? Can a person be united to God through Jesus without knowing about Jesus? In other words, is it possible to come to God through His Son without actually knowing anything about Him?
● In dealing with various biblical passages, it is important, I think, not to allow certain passages to be used in such a way that they crowd out or take precedence over other passages. When we do this, and it’s admittedly difficult to avoid such a mentality, we allow certain realities to shield us from other realities, or we allow one aspect of the truth (or our interpretation of it) to become the force by which we misrepresent another aspect of the truth. This often occurs when we consider matters of human responsibility, divine sovereignty, and the like.
● In discussing these matters, a number of related thoughts are relevant. These include but are not limited to the following: - Divine Sovereignty, - Free Will, - Epistemology (How do we know, and how do we know that we know? What is the basis for our knowledge?), - Hermeneutics (Interpretation), - The Hermeneutical Spiral, - Theology, - Cultural Assumptions (premodern, modern, postmodern, other tendencies and presuppositions). We should be willing to add to this list anything that is helpful to (and not a distraction from) the discussion. Want to add any?
● When it comes to our use of Scripture, we must take a number of things into consideration: (1) What a text says. (2) Whether our interpretation of the text is accurate or in need of revision. (3) Whether we are allowing certain texts greater priority than others. If we do this, why, on what basis? (4) Common sense and divine influence in our own lives. We are not inspired, to be sure, but neither are our interpretations of what the inspired text says. Thus, in thinking through these issues, I think it’s okay to ask one another (and God) how this works out. God’s working in our lives is not on par with Scripture, per se, but God Himself is. Thus, if God enables us to see something that throws a light on Scripture, it is potentially a good thing. (One example would be the age of the earth debate, etc. Some would argue that what God is saying in the world has given us “new eyes” for reading Genesis.)
● Where is God in all of this, and why has He designed things this way? If these discussions are important, and I think they are, why has God chosen such a round about way of leading us into the truth. We come to a Bible that requires our efforts to understand and apply it. Our interpretations are sometimes accurate and sometimes in error. There is no single text that gives us undeniable support for a single way of looking at these matters; instead, we have to grapple with various passages and ideas, seeking to pull the pieces together. God has taken a very indirect approach to these matters, requiring that we take time and make effort to unfold the truth, requiring that we interact with those who came before us, and leading us on a journey. If this is an accurate assessment, it would seem that God has “built into the system” of our journey a general sense that we can’t do this on our own. And, if that is the case, we clearly need Him. Thus, as we read, discuss, contemplate, and wonder, we are led, as well, to lean on Him for guidance, wisdom, strength, and a sense of His presence. As Psalm 119 says: Verse 18 - “Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Your law,” Verse 27 - “Make me understand the way of Your precepts, so I will meditate on Your wonders,” Verse 169 - “Let my cry come before You, O LORD; Give me understanding according to Your word.”
Okay, that’s enough for now. ☺
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