There is
salvation in no one else!
For there is no other name under heaven given to
mankind by whom we must be saved!"
Acts 4:12
In a past article, [1]I
wrote about the three fold choice proposed by Lewis, to which I disagreed on
multiple points. Since then, I have found numerous other writers who have come
to a similar conclusion on this very matter. That does not change the respect I
have for him, and the multitudes of truths I have gleaned from his keen
insights.
In this article I would
like to examine a point of view Lewis mentioned, which caught my attention. I
have to give Lewis credit for illuminating what I have since found to be a key
in understanding a discrepancy that has caused much difficulty in Christianity.
In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis made this remark that sent me on a
thinking and study frenzy:
“Here is another
thing that used to puzzle me. Is it not frightfully unfair that this new life
should be confined to people who have heard of Christ and been able to believe
in Him? But the truth is God has not told us what His arrangements about the
other people are. We do know that no man can be saved except through Christ; we
do not know that only those who know Him can be saved through Him, but in the
meantime, if you are worried about the people outside, the most unreasonable
thing you can do is to remain outside yourself.”[2]
If the question was asked, “is there any other way to God/Father,
other than Jesus Christ”? Most of Christianity (or at least I would assume)
would reply, “no”. I believe the scripture is quite clear about this. Even
Jesus’ claims about being the only
way, the only method and God’s
appointed or “anointed” means of salvation is evident.
Now there is the short of the matter, and long of the
matter. This time I will choose the short, condensed version.
There are in my observation two differing views regarding
salvation in the Christian realm. I am sure there are others, but there are two
I wish to discuss. To define the last statement further, I don’t mean two ways
of salvation, but two differing views regarding the Messiah, the bringer of
God’s salvation.
The first view is this: Jesus came ushering in the New
Covenant[3], and
forever changed that which God was doing from the beginning. So much so, that
all prior covenants were fulfilled, or in actuality of Christian definition,
abolished. Fulfilled does not mean abolished, it actually is quite the
opposite.[4] So as
far as this view goes, there was the old way (under the “law” and old
covenants) which only atoned for man,
and then the Messiah came and inaugurated the era of grace. By following this mentality
all the way through, a person today who does not know the name of Jesus is
doomed. Knowing Jesus and believing on him as the Messiah is the only way.
The second view is much less popular and much simpler: there
was ever only one way. It’s all one
story. Redemption has been ongoing. Even before Jesus stepped foot on this
earth, he was still the way. All the covenants God made with the house of
Israel were pictures and shadows of things that were to come. Covenants are not
destroyed. They are building blocks on which to build, or expand. When a
builder begins a house, he starts by laying a foundation. When he is ready to erect
the walls, he does not destroy the foundation, but builds on it, and gives new
use (definition) to it. When the roof of the structure goes into place, the
walls are not disassembled; they are needed more than ever. Where else would
the support come from? In much the same way, God made a promise to Abraham.
Abraham did not know many details (according to the record we have). What we do
know, is that while the promise made to Abraham would be expanded and built
upon and eventually flourish into the Messiah, “Abraham had faith in God, and
it was credited to his account as righteousness."[5]
The new covenant while consummated with the Messiah in the 1st
century A.D., still included Adam, Noah, Abraham, King David, and all those to
follow, as the “Lamb slaughtered before the world was founded”.[6] Jesus
even quotes this very thing from Jeremiah 6 where it says “Stand at the
crossroads and look; ask about the ancient paths, 'Which one is the good way?'
Take it, and you will find rest for your souls.” Jesus then draws their
attention to this passage by throwing out alluding phrases such as, “I am the
way” and “you will find rest for your souls”.[7]
King David did not come to the Father through sacrifice,[8] or the
“old covenant”, but through the redemption promised through a coming messianic
figure[s].[9] The
instructions and ordinances God gave were never intended to save, but were
pictures of the salvation that would come. “Noah found grace [favor] in the
sight of the Lord.”[10] King
David died having received the promise and forgiveness through the Messiah, and
never even knew Jesus’ “name”. King David did not know that Jesus was the
Messiah, yet he had a relationship with God and was promised the hope of glory.
Believing on the “name” of Jesus, or the “name” of the Lord
is not contingent on spelling, pronunciation or language. It is not even bound
to knowing who the “anointed one” is, because that is not what “name” communicates
in the scriptures. Name denotes ones reputation, what they stand for, what they
represent. The Messiah is YHWH’s salvation (which what the name Yeshua/Jesus
means on both levels).
If you are trusting in the God of Israel for His appointed
means of atonement, that is only done through the one who was “anointed” to
bring the salvation. He is the “lamb” or “sacrifice” of God.
What God does is God’s business, and it is not my place to
judge who is in and who is out, but I do know that the exclusivism which modern
theology has perpetrated onto the world is wrong. I am not talking about
universalism, to where everyone is saved in the end, this I believe to be
equally disastrous.
I cannot tell you that there are no Jews who because of what
they have been taught, or because of the injustices wrought upon them by
Christians over the millennia, who reject the “Christian” Jesus as Messiah on
those terms will not spend eternity in the presence of the Father. I believe
there are Jews who love the God of Israel with all their heart, soul, mind and
strength, and trust Him. There has been much destruction caused by Christians,
over the name of “messiah”, and I do believe there are Jews and others, who see
this picture clearer than some Christians. Many Christian circles like to draw
a line long and hard on much speculation, proof texts or “layered
interpretations”.
I find it
double talk to think that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, the Prophets or
any other before the time of the Messiah came to the Father through another
means than the Messiah. He has always been the way; he was God’s plan from the
beginning, even though he had not yet “come in the flesh”.[11]
So today, to claim that it is impossible for someone to
trust God’s means (the Messiah), apart from knowing (intellectually, or
completely understanding) who the Messiah is (even in Christianity there is
much dispute between fact and tradition), is an ignorant, arrogant and double
standard. When I use the term “inclusive”, I mean that Messiah is the ONLY way,
but knowing that Jesus is the Messiah is not a prerequisite. To say the
opposite is to infer that salvation comes through the intellect, and is based as
such. Salvation is not attained by what we know in our head (although we may
very well be lead to truth by our head at times), nor our computations and
grasp about God. It is as simple as believing that God has provided a way, and
to trust His means, whatever that may be.
It is a heart story not a head story. Not having ones
doctrinal “ducks in a row”, does not “exclude” someone from the kingdom. If it
did, I am sure that would rule out the criminal that was hanging beside our
Lord.
We as believers need to stop trying to focus on who is in
and who is out, and leave that to God; "Child," said the Lion,
"I am telling you your story, not hers. No one is told any story but their
own."[12]
[1] C.S.
Lewis’ Forced Trilemma
[2] Mere
Christianity: A Revised and Amplified Edition, pg. 64
[3]
Jeremiah 31, Mark 14, Luke 22, Matthew 26
[4]
Matthew 5:17-19
[5]
James 2, Galatians 3, Romans 4
[6]
Revelation 13:8 CJB
[7]
John 14, Matthew 11
[8] Psalm
40, 51, Hebrews 10
[9]
It is easy to see the passages which tell about Jesus after the fact, but it
was not as clear before he came. There were some interpretations that suggested
more than one messiah (one priest and one king). In much the same way Elijah
was expected (from Mal 3) before the “coming one”, Jesus had to tell his
disciples that “Elijah had already come”. Was it exactly as they had expected?
[10]
Genesis 6
[11]
1 John 4:3, 2 John 1:7 (John probably refuting the prominent teaching of Gnosticism
that denied the humanity of Jesus)
[12]
C.S. Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia -
The Horse And His Boy pg. 158
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