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| Q: | Acts, Romans, 1 Peter 3:19-20, Colossians, John In Acts 17, while speaking at the Areopagus, Paul states that "In the past God overlooked such ignorance [worshiping idols], but now he commands all people everywhere to repent." Does this open the door to the idea that God was not going to judge those before Christ who had not heard the promise of the Messiah? I had heard in a Russian Orthodox church that they believe that when Jesus descended into Hell he released all the souls who had never heard of Christ- the Hebrews in "Abraham's Bosom" and the Gentiles in "Limbo". Does this intimate at a possible salvation for those humans born BC (before Christ)? What of now? For example, Native Americans before Columbus? I ask because an LCMS pastor did not correct a member who made mention that he believed Native Americans who had never heard of Christ would not be condemned for their unbelief, whereas those who have been exposed to the Gospel and reject it can, and will, be condemned. He pointed me to Acts 17:16-32 and Romans 1:16-32 as texts which intimate an acknowledgement of people being able to be saved through what they have known- natural theology. He stated that many conservative Christians go beyond what is written to make a point, which is just as bad as liberals not taking into account what is written. Acts 4:12: "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved", right? | ||||||
| A: | According to Scripture salvation comes only through faith in Jesus. As our Savior said to Nicodemus, "God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. . .Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son" (John 3:16, 18). There is no salvation apart from faith and faith is produced only through the means of grace, the gospel in God's Word and the sacraments. Paul makes that clear in his letter to the Romans, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? . . .Consequently faith comes from hearing the message and the message is heard through the word of Christ" (Romans 10:13-15, 17). People in the Old Testament were saved through faith in the Savior God promised to send in the future. Today people are saved through faith in the Savior who fulfilled God's promises and suffered and died for the sins of the world and rose victorious on the third day. Although we may admit that our almighty God could have chosen to save people in another way, the Scriptures are clear that he chose to save through faith in Jesus who died for the sins of the world and that the Holy Spirit works such faith through God's promises in Word and sacrament. Romans 1:16-32 does not imply that people can be saved apart from the gospel--verse 16 calls the gospel the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes. Rather these verses demonstrate that human beings are without excuse before God--even those who have never heard the gospel. Every human being has a natural knowledge that God exists and God has given evidence of his wisdom and power in creation. But Paul says that sinful human beings have even perverted that knowledge by creating gods in images that look like mortal men and animals. In the same letter (Romans 3:9-28) Paul demonstrates that every human being is included under sin, is held accountable by God, and condemned for falling short of his standards. He writes, "There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him, as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in his blood" (Romans 3:22-25). Paul concludes his argument by saying, "Therefore we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law" (Romans 3:28). Acts 17:30 and Romans 3:25 simply mean that God did not immediately punish idolatry in the past. Ignorance of the true God does not imply innocence before him. He simply chose not to destroy idolaters at once. He gave them a time of grace. There is nothing in Scripture that teaches a limbo where those who died before Christ came remained until he released them. Christ's descent into hell was a proclamation of his victory over the spirits in prison, not a setting free of those spirits (1 Peter 3:19-20, Colossians 2:15). Since no one will be saved apart from the gospel we will want to make every effort to proclaim the good news of the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation through our crucified and risen Savior to all the world. That is the commission our Savior has given to every believer (Matthew 28:18-20). We want everyone to hear and be saved. So does our God (1 Timothy 2:4). As you have correctly pointed out. "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). | ||||||
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