Video Game Addiction and the Gospel – Chapter 1: A Word of Clarification

There will be many people who read this book and assume that I am violently opposed to all video games. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is a book about video game addiction, not video games in themselves. Gaming can be an enjoyable pastime that brings friends and family together. Some of my greatest memories come from playing video games. Games have a great power for good, but also the potential for great harm. They can isolate people from one another and destroy relationships when gaming become an idol that consumes the life of those who worship them. The real world can easily be exchanged for a virtual one.

Distinguishing between video games and video game addiction can be difficult because many games are designed to be as addictive as possible. The failure to distinguish between the two ends up resulting in an all-or-nothing attitude where either video games are seen as inherently destructive or the crisis of video game addiction is ignored or dismissed since there are so many other addictions that are more dangerous.

The Mistakes of Video Game Critics

A large portion of the criticisms raised against video games come from people who have little or no experience actually playing them. The result is that the game becomes the object of criticism rather than the person who is addicted to them. This subtle move shifts the burden of responsibility from the addict to what he is addicted to. It is the same temptation that drives gun control legislation where the gun is seen at fault in the crime instead of all of the blame falling on the one who pulled the trigger. Just as guns do not fire themselves, games do not play themselves.

One of the more notorious critics of video games is Jack Thompson who compares violent video games to “murder simulators” that are training our children to kill. He argues that the vibrations of the controller when shooting are a form of behavior modification derived from the research of B. F. Skinner to condition us into thinking that shooting guns is pleasurable. But the reality is that controller vibration was invented as a gimmick to increase the immersiveness of games. The vast majority of gamers who are skilled at first-person shooter games turn off vibration because it interferes with their accuracy when aiming. You cannot maintain pinpoint thumbstick precision when the controller is constantly vibrating. The only people who keep vibration on are those who don’t know any better. The psychology of Skinner is at play in video game addiction, but not in the exact way he thinks.

But Thompson is correct in his realization that violent media can have a desensitizing effect, especially on children who have a difficult time distinguishing fantasy from reality. But if we are going to criticize violence in video games, we need to be equally critical of the fictional violence in movies and television. Railing against violence in video games is sometimes nothing more than an appeal to concerned parents to drum up political support before an election. Leland Yee was one such outspoken voice against violent video games until he went to prison for weapons trafficking.[1] While he claimed to be against violence in the virtual world, he apparently had no problem with violence in the real one. These voices are popular because they give added justification to parents who need to take away their children’s gaming collection because it is interfering with school: not only are these games addictive, but they also cause violence. Blaming the game also reinforces the belief that the problem is not with innocent little Johnny, but with the games that have corrupted him.

Another mistake that is made in critiquing video games is treating them as if they are mere toys for children. There was a time when this was true, but that day has long since passed. Video games have grown up with their player base and the average gamer is in his thirties. Games are designed to be as immersive as possible and every form of entertainment is a kind of escapism to flee from the pain and mundaneness of life. If we are going to criticize video games for promoting escapism, we need to be consistent and critique all digital entertainment and sporting events for this as well.[2] With the rise of virtual reality headsets, video games are becoming more immersive than ever. Games are captivating because they rely upon the suspension of disbelief which virtual reality does a better job of than traditional gaming. Virtual reality more easily allows you to pretend that you are entering a fantasy world where you are in control of your destiny. Many games are taking advantage of the increased graphical fidelity of modern game consoles by blurring the lines between pornography and video games and no Christian has any business playing these games.

Many of the criticisms raised against video game addiction do not understand the nature of this addiction. A large portion of video game addicts are in denial that they have any problem and many of those who admit they have a problem do not understand why they are addicted. I have discovered from my own experience that video game addiction revolves around four main components: community, identity, goal replacement, and pain numbing.

1.   Community: Video game addiction is not so much a power fantasy as it is about being part of an online community. The main reason why addicts of massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) continue to renew their subscription is because not doing so would alienate them from all of the friends they have made while playing it. To leave the game would be to leave the community of their friends. They may not have many close friendships outside of gaming and to stop playing online games would be to abandon the closest relationships they have. We all need friendship to be complete and healthy human beings. We are made for community.[3]

2.   Identity: Their identity as a person has become so closely associated with their online profile that to abandon online gaming would be to abandon part of who they are. Their value as a person is tied to the gaming achievements they have accomplished. This gives them a sense of self-worth and dignity because they have done what few others have. It is something that distinguishes them from everyone else and the record of their gaming achievements is uploaded to YouTube as proof of the great feats they have accomplished.

3.   Goal Replacement: Video games provide an easy way to feel accomplished and gain satisfaction by overcoming obstacles. Video games are a surefire way to secure the release of dopamine that brings pleasure and temporary contentment. Video game addiction can become a replacement for accomplishing goals in real life by exchanging them for ones in a virtual world. This is especially appealing for those who struggle to accomplish goals in real life because of the rejection of others and the desire to be in control of their own destiny.

4.   Pain Numbing: The easy release of dopamine through video games and other forms of entertainment numbs the pain of life by taking us out of this world and transporting us to another where we can forget about our problems. Rather than actually dealing with the root issues behind our misery, we run from them. The more time that the addict spends in this world of fantasy, the less time he has to be thinking about the miserable condition he finds himself in. For those who believe their condition is hopeless, video games may be the only way they can cope with the emotional pain they are experiencing.

The Mistakes of Video Game Addiction Therapists

In medicine, a wrong diagnosis can be fatal. If a disease is misdiagnosed, the prescribed cure can do more harm than good and the underlying cause of the disease is left untreated. The problem with secular video game addiction therapy is that it does not have the gospel. If the Christian message is true, then addiction is fundamentally a sin problem and the only solution for sin is the transforming power of the gospel. Only the gospel has the power to transform the heart of a rebel sinner into a worshiper of God. Video game addiction is not merely unhealthy and a poor use of time, but a sinful act of rebellion against God by turning something in creation into an idol and worshiping it instead of the one true God who alone is worthy of worship. The Apostle Paul writes:

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles (Romans 1:18-23).

All sin is an exchange where we choose to worship something in creation rather than God for whom we were made. But if we choose not to worship God, we will worship something else because we are by nature worshipers. Worship is an identity before it is an activity.[4] Addiction is fundamentally a worship disorder.[5] Addicts are looking to creation to find lasting satisfaction instead of the creator who made them. Secular addiction therapy cannot deal with the root problem of rebellion against God, but can only treat symptoms. That is why it is essential that we deal with the underlying issue behind the addiction, otherwise, we will just be treating symptoms instead of addressing the heart issue causing the addiction. If we do not, then the addict may just be exchanging one addictive behavior for another.

The only lasting cure for addiction is trusting in Jesus Christ and repentance from sin. We are in need of not only a new set of behaviors, we need a new heart and a new nature. It is our heart that determines our desires: “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander” (Matt 15:19). We must be born again. We need God to take out our heart of stone and give us a heart of flesh (Ezek 36:26-27). And this only happens through the proclamation of the good news about Jesus (Jas 1:18). What people ultimately need is for Jesus Christ to give them a new heart to conquer the cravings of sin. For those who are already Christians, they must cultivate a deeper love for Christ and a deeper lover for others. Addiction is inherently selfish because it flows from self-directed love rather than the other-centered love displayed in Christ’s giving of himself for sinners. The key for change is found in union and communion with Christ as we learn to find our joy in him instead of the fleeting pleasures of sin (Heb 11:25).

The Purpose of This Book

I write this book to serve as a warning and to share with you how the gospel liberates us from the bondage of addiction. It is written for those who know they need help and for friends and parents of those who are addicts. It is also designed to help Christian counselors understand how video game addiction works and how to apply the transforming power of the gospel to those who are held captive by it. While the main focus of this book is devoted to helping those who are addicted to gaming, the same biblical principles can be used to treat any addiction.

I admit that I am not an original thinker. This book is filled with many quotations from the Puritans which God used to help change my heart and rediscover the beauty of Christ. You should not have to read hundreds of books to glean the best sayings from the wisest Christians of the past. Because most gamers are not readers, the many quotations throughout this book are designed to help make up for the lost time not spent reading the best writings of Christians.

Video game addiction is alluring because it promises membership in a community, but the gospel gives us a family in the church with whom we will be forever. Gaming promises us an online identity in which we can boast, but Christians find their identity in Christ with whom they are inseparably united. Games can give us the illusion of accomplishing goals, but God has given to each Christian a vocation in which they are called to further advance the kingdom of Christ instead of building their own. Addiction promises to numb our pain, but this numbing sensation can only last for so long. One day you must wake up and face the consequences of your poor decisions. But in Christ, we find lasting satisfaction through the worship of him alone.

A Word to Video Game Developers

Please do not misinterpret this book to mean that you need to quit your job. You have an obligation to provide for your family and be salt and light in a dying world. We need more Christians in the video game industry, not less. How can there ever be a reformation of the entertainment industry if Christians flee it? You have an opportunity to speak truth to a large audience and build friendships with those in need of Christ. Video games can be an enjoyable social experience that brings people together.

While you may not be personally responsible for those who turn your products into idols, you have an obligation to avoid manipulative and exploitative game design decisions that prey on the addictive behaviors of certain gamers. Each of us is responsible before God for our own sins, but we should not do anything that causes someone else to sin. As Jesus said, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matt 18:6). Instead of designing games that glorify violence and sexual immorality, design games that capture the themes of Scripture and tell compelling stories.

Make more family-friendly games that are appropriate for all ages. Make games that create social experiences. Do not exploit your fan base and always treat your customers with respect. The Skinner box that takes advantage of them needs to stay dead and buried. The only hope for them and for us is the transforming power of God’s grace and I pray that this work will be used by God to help you see what is of eternal value and what is not. May God use this book to help you find hope in Christ instead of in games which are passing away.

[1]See the article “Former State Sen. Leland Yee Sent to Prison for 5 Years in Gun-Running, ‘Shrimp Boy’ Case” at http://www.polygon.com.

[2]Both of these are combined in the world of professional gaming which is becoming a billion-dollar industry. See the National Geographic documentary StarCraft: World Cyber Games 2005. For a list of some of the prize pools, see http://www.esportsearnings.com.

[3]See the video “Addiction” by Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell on YouTube.

[4]See the article “Worship Everyday” by Paul David Tripp at http://www.paultripp.com.

[5]See the article “Redeemed Rebels: A Biblical Approach to Addiction” by Jeff Durbin at http://chalcedon.edu.

The Salvation of Dying Infants in the Early Church

The predominant belief of the Western church after Augustine is that infants who die unbaptized would be condemned to hell. However, this was not the view of the earliest Christians:

“And when a child has been born to one of them, they give thanks to God; and if moreover it happen to die in childhood, they give thanks to God the more, as for one who has passed through the world without sins. And further if they see that any one of them dies in his ungodliness or in his sins, for him they grieve bitterly, and sorrow as for one who goes to meet his doom” (Aristides, Apology, Chapter 15).

“Yet not all who rise again are to be judged: for if only a just judgment were the cause of the resurrection, it would of course follow that those who had done neither evil nor good — namely, very young children — would not rise again; but seeing that all are to rise again, those who have died in infancy as well as others” (Athenagoras, On the Resurrection of the Dead, Chapter 14).

“And they who believed from the twelfth mountain, which was white, are the following: they are as infant children, in whose hearts no evil originates; nor did they know what wickedness is, but always remained as children. Such accordingly, without doubt, dwell in the kingdom of God, because they defiled in nothing the commandments of God; but they remained like children all the days of their life in the same mind. All of you, then, who shall remain steadfast, and be as children, without doing evil, will be more honored than all who have been previously mentioned; for all infants are honorable before God, and are the first persons with Him. Blessed, then, are ye who put away wickedness from yourselves, and put on innocence. As the first of all will you live unto God” (Shepherd of Hermas, Similitude 9 29:1-3).

“He, since He was Himself an infant, so arranging it that human infants should be martyrs, slain, according to the Scriptures, for the sake of Christ, who was born in Bethlehem of Judah, in the city of David” (Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book 3, Chapter 16, Section 4).

“And again, who are they that have been saved and received the inheritance? Those, doubtless, who do believe God, and who have continued in His love; as did Caleb [the son] of Jephunneh and Joshua [the son] of Nun, and innocent children, who have had no sense of evil” (Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book 4, Chapter 28, Section 3).

“I must compel you to determine (what you mean by Hades), which of its two regions, the region of the good or of the bad. If you mean the bad, (all I can say is, that) even now the souls of the wicked deserve to be consigned to those abodes; if you mean the good, why should you judge to be unworthy of such a resting-place the souls of infants and of virgins, and those which, by reason of their condition in life were pure and innocent” (Tertullian, A Treatise on the Soul, Chapter 56).

“The Creator, on the contrary, let loose bears against children, in order to avenge His prophet Elisha, who had been mocked by them. This antithesis is impudent enough, since it throws together things so different as infants and children, — an age still innocent, and one already capable of discretion — able to mock, if not to blaspheme. As therefore God is a just God, He spared not impious children, exacting as He does honor for every time of life, and especially, of course, from youth. And as God is good, He so loves infants as to have blessed the midwives in Egypt, when they protected the infants of the Hebrews which were in peril from Pharaoh’s command. Christ therefore shares this kindness with the Creator” (Tertullian, Against Marcion, Book 4, Chapter 23).

“Let them become Christians when they have become able to know Christ. Why does the innocent period of life hasten to the ‘remission of sins?’” (Tertullian, On Baptism, Chapter 18).

Problems with Theological Inclusivism

Here are the chapters for my work refuting theological inclusivism and defending the necessity of believing in the gospel of Jesus Christ for the salvation of sinners:

Part 1: Introduction

Part 2: The Positions in the Debate

Part 3: What Is the Gospel?

Part 4: The Emotional Pain this Question Brings

Part 5: The Necessity of the Gospel

Part 6: The Depravity of Fallen Man

Part 7: The First Gospel Message

Part 8: The Unevangelized Are Without God and Without Hope

Part 9: Those Who Do Not Know

Part 10: What Does It Mean to Be a Christian?

Part 11: Romans 1:18-25

Part 12: Romans 2:12

Part 13: Romans 10:13-18

Part 14: The Elect Do Not Remain in Ignorance

Part 15: Inclusivism Leads to Pluralism

Part 16: Do Jews Need to Believe the Gospel to Be Saved?

Part 17: A Common Objection

Part 18: Hell as Eternal Conscious Torment

Part 19: God’s Exhaustive Knowledge of the Future

Part 20: Our Response to the Necessity of the Gospel

Part 21: Moral Objections to the Necessity of the Gospel

Part 22: Holy Pagans?

Part 23: Dreams and Visions

Part 24: What about Infants and Unborn Children Who Die?

Part 25: Biblical Objections to the Necessity of the Gospel

Part 26: The Example of Job

Part 27: The Salvation of Old Testament Saints

Part 28: Deuteronomy 4:19

Part 29: Matthew

Part 30: John

Part 31: The Case of Cornelius

Part 32: Acts 17

Part 33: Romans

Part 34: 1 Peter 3:19-20 and Postmortem Evangelism

Part 35: The Love of God

Part 36: The Saving Will of God

Part 37: The Extent of the Atonement

Part 38: A Cumulative Case for the Necessity of the Gospel

Problems with Theological Inclusivism – Part 38: A Cumulative Case for the Necessity of the Gospel

1. All who believe in Christ will be saved but everyone who does not believe will be condemned for their sins: “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God” (John 3:18).

2. All of those who do not obey Christ will not see eternal life: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36).

3. Those who are unevangelized are without excuse because they have already rejected the one true God and turned to idols (Rom 1:18-23).

4. People go to hell because they are sinners in rebellion against God, not because they have rejected a presentation of the gospel (Matt 5:29-30; Rev 20:12-15).

5. Because of the fall of Adam into sin, we are all born into the world with no desire or moral ability to seek God, do good, please him, obey his law, or believe the gospel (John 6:44; Rom 1:18; 3:10-18; 5:10; 8:7-9; Eph 2:1-5)

6. Because of the depravity of fallen man, we must be born again through the message of the gospel in order to trust in Christ alone for salvation (John 3:3-8; Eph 1:13; Jas 1:18; 1 Pet 1:3, 23-25; 1 John 5:1).

7. The essence of eternal life is knowing God and his Messiah and therefore those who do not know the Messiah cannot have eternal life: “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3).

8. The Spirit’s work in salvation is to point people to Jesus Christ. Therefore, where Christ is not known or rejected, the Spirit is not savingly present (John 15:26; 16:14; 1 John 4:2-3).

9. It is only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God who overcome the world: “Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:5).

10. Those who are unevangelized have no hope and are without God: “Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world” (Eph 2:12).

11. Those who do not believe the gospel have no hope of salvation: “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope” (1 Thess 4:13).

12. All of the Galatians before their salvation were enslaved by false gods: “Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods” (Gal 4:8).

13. God must come to the nations through the gospel because the lost by their wisdom cannot know God: “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe” (1 Cor 1:21).

14. Those who are unevangelized will be punished at Christ’s return with a lesser degree of punishment in hell rather than being given an opportunity to be saved: “But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more” (Luke 12:48).

15. It is only those who believe in Christ who are children of God: “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

16. Those who do not believe in Jesus will die in their sins: “I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins” (John 8:24).

17. Only those who abide in the teachings of Christ are his disciples: “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples’” (John 8:31).

18. Those who do not obey the gospel are not part of the household of God: “For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:17).

19. Only those who feed on Christ by faith have eternal life: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you” (John 6:53).

20. Jesus only prayed for those who believe in him through the gospel message in his high priestly prayer. If the unevangelized are saved, then Jesus did not pray for them: “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word” (John 17:20).

21. All sinners who die without the special revelation of God’s Word will perish: “For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law” (Rom 2:12).

22. Preaching is essential for people to hear the gospel and be saved by calling on the name of the Lord. Every form of inclusivism must break this chain in some way (Rom 10:9-18).

23. God does not leave his elect in ignorance, but brings the gospel to them so that they might be saved: “But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thess 2:13-14).

24. All who reject the message of the cross are perishing in their sins: “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor 1:18).

25. Theological inclusivism is inherently inconsistent because it does not take into account that every member of an unreached people group who has not heard the gospel is a member of a false religion. Therefore, to say that the unevangelized can be saved apart from believing the gospel is to say that members of false religions can be saved. That is, they are saved as practicing members of a false religion believing in things that are directly contrary to the gospel.

26. If people are saved as practicing members of false religions, then they die believing in false doctrine and worshiping a false god or gods. To worship any God besides the Lord is idolatry and no idolater has eternal life: “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor 6:9-10).

27. To reject the presentation of the gospel is to reject Christ and to reject Christ is to reject God: “The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me” (Luke 10:16).

28. Those who are the sheep of Christ listen to his voice and follow him: “But you do not believe because you are not part of my flock. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:26-27).

29. The sheep of Christ do not listen to false teachers: “All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them” (John 10:8).

30. The religious worship of false religions is not their innocent seeking after God, but is a manifestation of their rejection of God and is demonic in nature: “No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons” (1 Cor 10:20).

31. If a person does not come to Christ, it shows that God did not give him to the Son: “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out” (John 6:37).

32. All who reject Christ will be condemned on the last day: “The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day” (John 12:48).

33. Those who reject the gospel message show themselves to be unworthy of eternal life: “And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, ‘It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles’” (Acts 13:46).

34. No one who rejects the message of salvation will escape the wrath of God: “For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard” (Heb 2:2-3).

35. All of “those who do not know God” and “those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus” will be condemned to hell when Christ returns (2 Thess 1:7-10).

36. Jesus is only “the source of eternal salvation” to those who obey him (Heb 5:9).

37. Only those who confess Jesus are from God: “And every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already” (1 John 4:3).

38. Only those who listen to the apostolic message know God: “We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error” (1 John 4:6).

39. Only those who have the Son have life: “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12).

40. Only those who abide in the teachings of Christ have God: “Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son” (2 John 1:9).

41. All of those who deny the Son do not have the Father: “No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also” (1 John 2:23).

42. Whoever does not believe in the gospel is calling God a liar: “Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son” (1 John 5:10).

43. Those who do not honor the Son equally with the Father do not honor the Father: “That all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him” (John 5:23).

44. Those who reject Christ do not have God’s word abiding in them: “You do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent” (John 5:38)

45. All of those who do not believe the truth will be condemned: “In order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thess 2:12).

46. All those who reject the message of Jesus will be condemned: “See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven” (Heb 12:25).

47. Only those who abide in Christ will have no reason to shrink from him in shame at his coming: “And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming” (1 John 2:28).

48. Those who do not abide in Christ will be cast into hell: “If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned” (John 15:6).

49. All those who go back to Judaism after professing faith in Christ will be condemned to hell: “If they then fall away, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned” (Heb 6:6-8).

50. Only those who endure to the end in the Christian faith demonstrate that they have come to share in Christ: “For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end” (Heb 3:14).

Problems with Theological Inclusivism – Part 37: The Extent of the Atonement

If Christ died on the cross for all men indiscriminately, then why are not all men given a chance to be saved? As Pinnock argues, “If Christ died for all, while yet sinners, the opportunity must be given for all to register a decision about what was done for them.”[1] Why would Christ die for someone if that person never has a chance to be saved? This is one reason why Moses Amyraut, who modified the theology of Calvinism to include universal atonement, believed in inclusivism with the Arminians.[2] The Puritan Richard Baxter, who was in agreement with Amyraut on the atonement, affirmed an agnostic position on the fate of the unevangelized in contrast to the Calvinistic Puritans.[3]

There are two different ways to answer this argument. The first is to point out that it does not logically follow that if Christ died for all men that all men must be given an opportunity to be saved. This is because if universal atonement is true, then it is also true that Christ died for those who were already in hell when he was on the cross. But because those in hell have no opportunity to be saved even though Christ died for them, it does not follow that all those Christ dies for must be given an opportunity to be saved.

The second solution is to affirm that the extent of the atonement is limited to those who are saved. This means that only the sins of the elect were imputed to Christ on the cross. By his death, Christ actually secured the salvation of those he died for rather than making their salvation possible.

In the debate over the extent of the atonement, the decisive text is Romans 8:32 where Paul says, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” Paul declares that God will give all things to those for whom he gave up his Son. If God has given us the greater, how will he not also give us the lesser? If he has given us his very own Son, how will he not also give us salvation? The great truth of Christ’s death on behalf of those who trust in him is the foundation for the believer’s assurance of salvation. Because Christ has died for me, I cannot be lost because Christ has paid the penalty for my sins.

But if there are some for whom the Father gave up his Son who will not be given all things, then Paul’s argument is invalid since, as John Gill argues, “it might be replied to him, that God might deliver up his Son for persons, and yet not freely give all things with him to them.”[4] If universal atonement is true, then the Holy Spirit had Paul write an argument that is logically invalid. But God, from whom logic comes, cannot make invalid arguments. A universal atonement undermines assurance of salvation because Christ’s death for me is the foundation for my assurance. Because Christ paid the penalty for my sins, I know I will never be punished for them. But if Christ died for those in hell just as much for me, how do I know that I will not have to pay for my sins one day as well?

Other arguments that could be given in favor of definite atonement include the death of Christ for his bride as a display of the unique love Christ has for the church alone (Eph 5:25-27), that the atonement perfects those it is made for in contrast to the imperfect sacrifices of the Old Testament (Heb 9:12; 10:1-4, 10-14), that those who died with Christ when he died will all live with him (2 Tim 2:11), that the redeemed are ransomed out of every people group on earth (Rev 5:9), and that not all men are redeemed by Christ from the earth (Rev 14:3-4).

But if Christ only died for those who are saved, how do we understand those passages which teach that Christ died for the whole world like John 1:29 and 1 John 2:2? Calvinists have never denied that Christ died for the world, but they understand the term qualitatively rather than quantitatively. The Bible does not just teach that Jesus died for the world, but that he is the savior of the world (John 4:42; 1 John 4:14). If “world” here means every single individual who has ever lived, then that would result in universalism. As the savior of the world, he is the savior of all without distinction (all people groups regardless of ethnicity, gender, age, or economic status) but not the savior of all without exception (universalism).

“World” is not a quantitative term meaning every single person who has ever lived, lives, or will live, but a qualitative one meaning every people group in the world. Christ takes away the sins of every people group because representatives from every nation will be among the redeemed (Rev 5:9). This is in contrast to the particularism of the Old Testament when God was primarily focused on the people of Israel. Now the scope of salvation is for all people groups, both Jews and Gentiles. Only those who are saved have their sins taken away because they alone are saved from the consequences of their sins. Christ is the savior of the world because he actually saves people from every tribe, language, people, and nation. He is the propitiation for all groups of people.

In 1 John 2:2, “Our sins” is specifically referring to the sins of John and his disciples whom he refers to as “my little children” (2:1). Christ is not only the propitiation for John and his disciples living in Asia Minor, but for every tribe, language, people, and nation. Christ’s death is not just for them, but for all people groups. Compare this verse to its parallel in John 11:50-52. The work of propitiation is the work of an advocate (2:1). Notice that “he is” is in the present tense. John is describing the present intercessory work of Christ in the Holy of Holies where propitiation takes place. He is now at the right hand of God presenting his finished sacrifice before the Father. To be the propitiation for their sins means that he is now interceding for them and turning away the wrath of God because he bore that wrath perfectly on the cross. Christ’s present work of propitiation is the ground for our assurance of salvation. The Father will not punish us for our sins because Christ was punished for them. The good news of the gospel assumes the impossibility of double jeopardy for those who trust in Christ.[5]

Part 38

[1]Pinnock, A Wideness in God’s Mercy, 157.

[2]Amar Djaballah, “A Historical Survey of Moïse Amyraut’s Brief Traitté de la Predestination,” in From Heaven He Came and Sought Her: Definite Atonement in Historical, Biblical, Theological, and Pastoral Perspective, ed. David Gibson and Jonathan Gibson (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2013), 181.

[3]William G. T. Shedd, Dogmatic Theology, 3rd ed., ed. Alan W. Gomes (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2003), 340.

[4]John Gill, The Cause of God and Truth (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1980), 102. For an exegetical defense of definite atonement, see Gary Long, Definite Atonement (Rochester, NY: Backus Book Publishers, 1977). See also J. I. Packer’s “Introductory Essay” to John Owen’s The Death of Death in the Death of Christ and Charles Spurgeon’s sermon “Particular Redemption” at https://www.monergism.com. For an overview of Calvinism, see Five Points: Towards a Deeper Experience of God’s Grace by John Piper at http://www.desiringgod.org.

[5]Sinclair B. Ferguson, “‘Blessèd Assurance, Jesus Is Mine’?,” in From Heaven He Came and Sought Her: Definite Atonement in Historical, Biblical, Theological, and Pastoral Perspective, ed. David Gibson and Jonathan Gibson (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2013), 628.

Problems with Theological Inclusivism – Part 36: The Saving Will of God

If God wants everyone to be saved, then why does he allow people to die having never heard the gospel if believing in it is the only way to be saved? Arminianism asserts that the ultimate reason why not all are saved is because of the free will of man. Not all are saved because not all exercise their free will to believe the gospel message. But the problem is that there are many who never have an opportunity to hear the gospel in this life. How can their free will response to the gospel be the determinative factor in whether they are saved or damned if they never have a chance to hear the gospel? This is why Arminians have historically believed in theological inclusivism.[i] The commitment to the supremacy of man’s free will in salvation is why those who are non-Calvinists have no consistent response to inclusivism.

This is also why Roman Catholicism, with its commitment to man’s free will and human merit, eventually embraced inclusivism forcing it to redefine what “No Salvation Outside the Church” means and undermining papal infallibility in the process. The doctrine of “No Salvation Outside the Church” as taught by the church fathers only makes sense within Reformed theology demonstrating who the real heirs of the early church are.

A similar shift took place in the theology of Clark Pinnock. At one time, he was a committed Calvinist. But once he embraced the belief that a true Christian can lose his salvation, the other four points of Calvinism had to go as well. And with Calvinism went exclusivism. Then to maintain man’s libertarian free will, he realized that God’s exhaustive knowledge of the future had to go too because if God knows the future, then the future is already determined and unchangeable from his perspective. And because a loving God would never allow those he loves to be tormented forever in hell, he redefined hell as a cessation of existence. His entire theological journey is the result of working out the implications of his departure from Calvinism.[ii]

But the solution to this argument for inclusivism is to recognize that just as God has degrees of love, he likewise has degrees of willing. God has two kinds of willing that we spoke of earlier: his revealed will of command and his secret will of decree. It is true that there is a sense in which God desires the salvation of all men indiscriminately because he commands all men to repent (Luke 7:30; John 5:34; Acts 17:30; Rom 2:4; 1 John 3:23). With respect to his love and mercy, he does not take delight in the death of sinners (Ezek 18:23; 33:11). God is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love because he does not bring judgment upon sinners right away (Exod 34:6). His desire to save all is with respect to his revealed will or will of command whereby he demands of all men faith and repentance (Isa 45:22). But God’s secret will or will of decree is that only the elect will be saved.

The distinctions that exist within the will of God can be illustrated by his decree to bring judgment upon Israel for their sins. God says that he “does not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men” because he is a God of love (Lam 3:33). Yet at the same time, the author says that all things good and bad come from the decree of God:

“Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come?” (Lam 3:37-38).

His will to punish Israel for their sin is in accordance with his eternal decree and rooted in his just character. Yet he takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked in accordance with his gracious character (Ezek 33:11). But at the same time, the Bible says that God does take pleasure in the judgment of sinners because it is in accordance with his righteous nature which must punish sin (Deut 28:63). These two passages appear to contradict each other. But the tension is resolved when we realize that they are speaking from the perspective of different attributes of God. He does not willingly bring affliction with respect to his mercy and grace but he does willingly bring them with respect to his justice and sovereignty.

The difference between God’s will of command and his will of decree is seen in the crucifixion of Christ. God forbids murder (Exod 20:13). Yet he ordained the death of the innocent Son of God while still holding those behind it responsible for their sins based on the evil desires of their heart (Acts 4:27-28). His will of command is that it is always wrong to kill an innocent person, but his will of decree is that Jesus would die for our sins. The same is true in the story of Joseph who was sold into slavery by his brothers. God’s will of command is that it is always wrong to kidnap another person and sell them into slavery (Deut 24:7; 1 Tim 1:10). But his will of decree is that Joseph would be sold into slavery so that the people of Israel would be saved (Gen 50:20). Yet God’s decree does not change the fact that what they did to Joseph was evil. So likewise, God’s will of command is that all repent and believe in Christ, but his will of decree is that only the elect will. That we cannot fully grasp the difference between the two does not change the Bible’s teaching on election.

Part 37

[i]See the article “Inclusivist Theologians” at https://wesleyanarminian.wordpress.com.

[ii]Clark H. Pinnock, “From Augustine to Arminius: A Pilgrimage in Theology,” in The Grace of God and the Will of Man, ed. Clark H. Pinnock (Bloomington, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 1995), 17.

Problems with Theological Inclusivism – Part 35: The Love of God

If God loves the unevangelized, then why does he allow them to live and die without hearing the gospel if that is their only hope for salvation? As Pinnock argues, “If God really loves the whole world and desires everyone to be saved, it follows logically that everyone must have access to salvation.”[i] His argument is that if exclusivism is true, then God is not all-loving. But because God is all-loving, Calvinism and exclusivism cannot be true.

But the mistake he is making is failing to grasp the distinctions that exist in the display of God’s love. Just as we have different kinds of love based on that person’s relationship to us, so God has different kinds of love based on the relationship of his creatures to him. God can display love in common grace to the lost even though they are under the sentence of his wrath while showing a greater kind of love to those who are saved. Common grace is the universal love of God as demonstrated in creation and providence. He is kind to all and shows mercy to his enemies who only deserve his justice (Ps 145:9; Matt 5:43-48).

Yet God’s love for the church is greater in degree and kind than his love of common grace. It is the love marriage was created to reflect (Eph 5:25). Husbands do not love their wives the same way they love all other women. There is a special kind of love God only has for believers (John 14:21; 15:9-10; Jude 1:21). John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was more loved by Jesus than the other disciples. God can show degrees of love to his saints while loving them equally in Christ. God’s love displayed in election is a unique and special love given only to his people (Eph 1:4-5). God loves the people of Israel more than any other people group because of his sovereign choice of them (Deut 10:15).

Those who are among the unevangelized are loved by God through common grace, but since those who die as sinners among them are not among his elect, they are not loved with the same kind of love that Christ has for his church. Arminianism refuses to allow any distinctions or degrees in God’s love: he must love all people equally or else he is not loving at all. But this is not how Scripture speaks of God’s love. It is also the same type of argument that universalists use: if God loves everyone, then there can be no hell of eternal conscious torment because a loving God would never send those he loves to hell. The mistake in the argument is failing to grasp that God is both loving and just. He must punish sinners for their sins because he is a holy and righteous God. Likewise, Arminians fail to grasp that God is both loving and sovereign. He has the freedom to display his love as he chooses and we as sinners do not deserve his love. If we did, then salvation would no longer be by grace alone.

Part 36

[i]Pinnock, A Wideness in God’s Mercy, 157.

Problems with Theological Inclusivism – Part 34: 1 Peter 3:19-20 and Postmortem Evangelism

Another take on inclusivism is the belief that people who die without hearing the gospel will have the opportunity to hear it and believe after death. As Pinnock says, “Scripture does not require us to hold that the window of opportunity is slammed shut at death.”[i] The most common passage of Scripture used in favor of postmortem evangelism is 1 Peter 3:19-20:

“In which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.”

Because Peter refers to Christ preaching or proclaiming to the spirits in prison, many argue that those in hell can still hear the gospel and be saved. Another closely related verse is 1 Peter 4:6: “For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.”

While this is a challenging passage of Scripture, there are several reasons why it cannot be a proof text for postmortem evangelism. The spirits in prison, whether they are angels or humans, are those who disobeyed in Noah’s day. If they are fallen angels, then this cannot be describing postmortem evangelism because angels cannot be saved. But if these are those who were alive during Noah’s day, then they disobeyed in spite of the preaching of Noah who was “a herald of righteousness” (2 Pet 2:5). If they disobeyed the warnings of Noah, then they are not among the unevangelized since a message of judgment was preached to them while they were still alive. In that case, this text would not only teach the postmortem evangelism of the unevangelized, but the postmortem evangelism of those who already have heard the message of God.

Based on the parallels between 1 Peter 3:19 and 4:6, I would interpret this preaching to be that which took place while they were still alive. Those who are in prison in 3:19 are the unbelievers who lived during Noah’s day. Christ preached the gospel to them in his immortal state through Noah when the ark was being built. Now that they are dead, they exist as spirits in hell without physical bodies until the resurrection of the dead (John 5:28-29; 2 Pet 2:9).

But in the case of 4:6, these are those who are dead who responded positively to the preaching of the gospel while they were still alive. This is the same kind of preaching as described in 3:19. Now that they are dead, they “live in the spirit” which is living incorruptibly and immortally in God’s presence as Christ does (1 Pet 3:18). For Christ to be “made alive in the spirit” in 3:18 is for him to be raised incorruptibly, not non-physically.

In contrast to post-mortem evangelism, the Bible teaches that “it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Heb 9:27). The door of opportunity was slammed shut at death for the rich man in Luke 16 who died and went to hell. Luke 16:26 teaches that no one can cross over from hell to heaven: “And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.” Postmortem evangelism also does not fit in with the many passages which teach that all unbelievers at the second coming of Christ will be damned rather than being given an opportunity to be saved (Luke 17:26-30). If they get no opportunity when Christ returns, why should those who die before then get one?

Another take on postmortem evangelism is what I would call “post-resurrection evangelism.” It teaches that when Christ returns at his second coming, the unevangelized will have an opportunity to hear the gospel and be saved after being raised from the dead.[ii] But the Bible teaches that there will be no more opportunity for salvation then. The paradigm Scripture uses to picture the second coming of Christ is Noah’s flood. Just as no one escaped when the flood came, no unbeliever will escape when Christ returns (Matt 24:38-39). When Christ comes, all sinners will be thrown into hell by the angels (Matt 13:41-42).

At the resurrection, some people will be raised to life and others to judgment (Dan 12:2; John 5:27-29). Jesus does not give us any third category of people who are raised to hear the gospel. Those who are unrighteous are kept under punishment until the day of judgment (2 Pet 2:9). And as we already saw in Luke 12:48, those who do not know their master’s will when Christ returns will be given a lesser punishment in hell rather than having an opportunity to repent. According to Paul, everyone who does not know God (pagans and the unevangelized) and those who do not obey the gospel (everyone who has rejected it) will be cast into hell at Christ’s coming:

“And to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might” (2 Thess 1:7-9).

Those who are ethnically Jewish will not get a second chance when Christ returns. Jesus said to the Jewish leaders, “I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins” (John 8:24). Jesus taught that whoever rejects him will be judged by his words on the day of judgment: “The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day” (John 12:48). Only those who abide in him will have no reason to shrink from him in shame at his coming (1 John 2:28). Those who do not obey the gospel in this life will not get any second chances when Christ returns (Matt 13:40-43; Luke 17:26-30; 1 Thess 5:1-5; 2 Thess 1:7-9; 2:11-12; Rev 3:9).

Revelation 5:9

Another argument for inclusivism is that since Revelation 5:9 says that members from “every tribe and language” will be among the redeemed, that means there must be a way for the unevangelized to be saved because some tribes and languages died out before missionaries arrived. But “every tribe” does not need to mean every possible classification of people throughout world history, only every ethnicity or people group in the world. And “every language” can refer to all the known languages of the world at the time John was writing. But even if the verse is referring to every possible classification of people and every possible language throughout world history, then this would be fulfilled through the salvation of dying infants.

Part 35

[i]Pinnock, A Wideness in God’s Mercy, 171.

[ii]For one example of this, see the video “Ben Witherington: The Destiny of the Unevangelized” by the channel Seedbed on YouTube.

Problems with Theological Inclusivism – Part 33: Romans

Romans 1:19-20

Romans 1 is a foundational passage for understanding how God is just to condemn Gentiles who have never heard the gospel for their sins. But inclusivists use it to argue that the unevangelized can be saved through the knowledge of God as displayed in creation. Paul writes:

“For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse” (Rom 1:19-20).

Richardson quips that exclusivists fail to take this passage into account in their theology: “In some Exclusivist-leaning commentaries and sermons, Paul’s ‘clearly seen’ and ‘being understood’ in Romans 1:20 end up sounding more like ‘dimly sensed’ and ‘barely perceived.’”[i]

But this argument completely misses the point Paul is making in this chapter and skips over verse 18: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” It is true that God’s existence is “clearly perceived” from the created order. The problem is not with creation, but with fallen man. Though God’s existence is clear, there are many atheists who deny his existence in spite of the overwhelming evidence. The same is true with the unevangelized. They should know from creation that there is only one God, but they universally turn to idols and superstitious religious practices.

Creation alone cannot be the instrument of salvation because man by nature suppresses or holds down the knowledge of God that already has been revealed to him. It is only through the gospel that the Holy Spirit works to bring about regeneration because the Spirit’s work is to glorify Christ (John 16:14; 1 Pet 1:23-25). The Spirit does not work where Christ is not known or rejected (1 John 4:2-6; 5:5).

The purpose of Romans 1 is to demonstrate that pagans are lost and worthy of condemnation even though they do not have access to the gospel because they have already rejected the one true God who has revealed himself in creation. Because they have willfully turned from God to idols, they are worthy of being condemned for their sins regardless if they have heard the gospel or not.

Romans 2:7-10

Another argument is that because Paul says in Romans 2:7 that “those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life” that the unevangelized can be saved by seeking after God apart from a knowledge of the gospel. The problem with this argument is that it proves too much. If Paul is teaching that a person can be saved “by patience in well-doing,” then he would be teaching salvation by works instead of through Christ’s righteousness alone.

Paul is speaking in this passage from the perspective of the law and what a person must do to gain eternal life on the basis of keeping it. Only those who are sinless could possibly be saved by keeping the law and there is no one like this except Jesus Christ. Paul has not yet contrasted the impossibility of meriting eternal life on the basis of the law in Romans 2 with salvation by grace alone in Christ in Romans 3.

Paul says the exact opposite of this in Romans 3:10-12 where he declares that there is no one who is righteous or seeks for God. Romans 2 must be read in light of Romans 3 where the gospel is set forth. Because there is no lost person who does good or seeks for God, salvation must be by faith and not on the basis of the law (Rom 3:20-21). Because we are all sinners, justification must be based on what Christ has done who alone lived in perfect obedience to the Father rather than good works.

Romans 2:14-15

Since all men have been given a conscience by God, which Paul calls the law written on the heart in Romans 2:15, some inclusivists argue that the unevangelized can be saved through the internal law of the heart even though they do not have the external law of Scripture. It is true that the conscience is a gift from God to show us our sin. But sinful man suppresses his conscience and that is why the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit in the gospel is essential for salvation (Rom 1:18; 8:7-9). Gentiles keep the law, but only inconsistently and never for God’s glory. They partially keep it by nature because they are made in God’s image and have a conscience which tells them when they have done something wrong. They then attempt to suppress their conscience and make excuses for their sin (Rom 2:15). Conscience and creation serve to condemn us for our sin and give us a foretaste of the day of judgment, but they can never save us. Even the external law apart from the gospel cannot save.

Romans 10:18

While the original context of Psalm 19:4 is creation, Paul is reappropriating the verse to now speak about the preaching of the gospel instead of creation. The message of the gospel had spread throughout the known Roman world at that time through the Great Commission. The same Greek word translated as “world” in this verse is also used in Luke 2:1 to refer to the Roman census of all the world. It is the known inhabited world, not the entire created world.

Paul does the same thing in Romans 10:6-7 when he reappropriates Deuteronomy 30:12. In its original context, the verse is talking about the law. But Paul reapplies it to the gospel instead of the law. The same reapplication of the Old Testament is seen in Paul’s quotation of Nahum 1:15 in Romans 10:15 to refer to the spread of the gospel. But in its original context, Nahum is talking about messengers who are bringing the message of the defeat of Israel’s enemies.

If Paul is teaching in verse 18 that people can be saved through the created order, then that would make him contradict himself since he just said before this that the lost cannot believe in the one whom they have never heard and they cannot hear about him without someone preaching to them (10:14).

Part 34

[i]Richardson, Heaven Wins, 84.

Problems with Theological Inclusivism – Part 32: Acts 17

Acts 17:23

A common verse used to argue that members of non-Christian religions worship the same God we do is Acts 17:23 where Paul says to the Gentiles at the Areopagus:

“For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.”

The argument then is that the Athenians truly worshiped God, but did so in ignorance of his real name.

But Paul recognizes that this “unknown god” is not the one true God, but an idol. In verse 16 we read: “Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.” When Paul makes reference to the unknown god, he does not say, “who therefore you worship,” but “what therefore you worship.” He uses a neuter pronoun in Greek, not a masculine one. This unknown god is an impersonal idol, not the true and living God of Scripture.

Paul uses this idol as a means to introduce the subject of the one true God they were ignorant of. If Paul believed that they already worshiped God, then why was he preaching the gospel to them telling them to believe in Jesus to be saved? The fact that they were worshiping idols as polytheists proves that they were lost because the “unknown god” was not the only God they worshiped (1 Cor 6:9). But some people were saved because of Paul’s message demonstrating that they were not saved before Paul brought the gospel to them (Acts 17:30-34).

Acts 17:26-27

Another popular argument for inclusivism is based on Paul’s words in Acts 17:26-27:

“And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us.”

Because God desires that all nations “might feel their way toward him and find him,” it is argued that those who do not know the gospel can seek God out right where they are and be saved.[i] Why would God desire that all nations seek him out and find him if they have no chance apart from the preaching of the gospel?

The key to answering this objection is to make a distinction between God’s revealed will of command and his secret will of decree. This verse reflects God’s will of command in desiring that all men come to salvation. God commands that all men without distinction repent and believe the gospel (Acts 17:30). This will in turn is reflected by our preaching of the gospel as we desire to see the lost turn from their sin to Christ. But God’s secret will of decree is that only the elect will be saved through the gospel.

The assumption that is being made by the inclusivist is that seeking after God to find him can be done without searching out for God’s special revelation. Verse 30 calls the period of time before the coming of Christ “the times of ignorance” because God generally left the pagan nations in ignorance of the coming Messiah. He chose Israel alone out of all the nations of the world to be his treasured possession. They were called to be a light for the nations. But Israel failed in her mission because of her repeated sinfulness and idolatry. Now that Christ has come, the gospel is to be sent to all nations rather than having all nations come to Israel. God is no longer overlooking the nations in his plan of salvation because he is sending missionaries to them.

An example of this seeking for God is seen in the Queen of Sheba who journeyed to Jerusalem to hear from Solomon. To seek God out, the nations around Israel had to come “from the ends of the earth” (Matt 12:42). Now the church goes to “the ends of the earth” to seek them out. It is exactly because no lost person “seeks for God” that the church must go to them (Rom 3:11). So how do we explain the Queen of Sheba’s seeking after God in light of Romans 3:11? In her case, she was not first seeking after God, but the wisdom of Solomon. But in seeking Solomon, she found God because she was one of his elect. As God says in Romans 10:20,“I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”

Another problem with this argument is that it assumes that a command to do something implies the ability to carry it out. How could God command the nations to seek him if they could not because of their sinful condition and lack of special revelation? But responsibility does not imply ability in Scripture because God’s perfect standard does not accommodate itself to our fallen estate. God calls us to circumcise our heart, yet he alone can bring about regeneration (Deut 10:6; 30:6; Jer 4:4; Col 2:11). God commands people to make for themselves a new heart, yet he alone can take out the heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh (Ezek 18:31; 36:26). He tells us to be sinlessly perfect as he is perfect, yet the Bible knows nothing of sinless perfection in this life (Matt 5:48; Jas 3:2).

We are called to love God with all our heart, yet our heart often condemns us (Matt 22:37; 1 John 3:20). He calls us to repent, yet he must grant repentance (Acts 17:30; 2 Tim 2:25). We are called to believe in Christ, yet our faith must be granted as well (Acts 16:31; Phil 1:29). Unbelievers are rebuked for their hard and impenitent hearts, yet God must open their heart (Acts 16:14; Rom 2:5). Jesus called upon the man with a withered hand to stretch it out even though he had no natural ability to do so (Matt 12:13).

Pagan Prophets

Some argue that because Paul quotes from pagan philosophers in Acts 17:28, they may have been Job-like prophets who spoke from God and were saved.[ii] But the reason Paul quotes from them is to create a reductio ad absurdum argument. He is exposing the inconsistency of the pagan worldview by demonstrating that it is inconsistent to believe that God is everywhere and that we are his offspring while at the same time worshiping idols. If God is everywhere and we are his offspring, then God cannot be worshiped through idols made of wood and stone. In Aratus’ poem Phaenomena, the one whose offspring we are is not God, but Zeus. Aratus was a polytheist, not a monotheist. The same is true of Epimenides of Crete who in his poem Cretica is addressing Zeus as well.

In Titus 1:12, when Paul quotes Epimenides a second time, he does call him a prophet, not because he is a prophet like those in the Old Testament, but in an ironic sense. He is a prophet in the sense that he, being a polytheistic pagan, knows better than the monotheistic false teachers who claim to be Christians. He is a prophet in comparison to them because even he knows the importance of honesty and self-control.

Part 33

[i]Richardson, Heaven Wins, 91.

[ii]Ibid.