More About Open Theism
Posted by Cory Tucholski on October 17, 2006
An article about John Sanders, former professor of religion and philosophy at Huntington University and author of The God Who Risks, recently came to my attention as I was studying some of James White’s debates. Sanders is the most vocal proponent of open theism. Sanders was removed from the staff of Huntington University in 2003 for promoting “probablistic prophecy,” the veiw that biblical prophecy is not certain since God doesn’t know with certainty what free beings will choose to do. Sanders’s views on what happens to the unevangelized is as follows:
According to Sanders, God reaches out to all people “via general revelation, conscience and human culture.” People are saved if they “respond in trusting faith to the revelation they have.”[53] To claim that salvation comes only to those who know Christ’s name or who understand certain doctrines is akin to Gnosticism, in which salvation comes only to those who possess special knowledge.[54] In fact, he notes, if salvation comes only to those who know the name of Jesus then the patriarchs of the Old Testament are doomed to hell![55] Rather, he says, citing C.S. Lewis, “every prayer which is sincerely made even to a false god…is accepted by the true God,” and “Christ saves many who do not think they know him.”[56] In the end it is only those who decline God’s grace that will be damned. [emphasis added]
In other words, Jesus Christ isn’t the only way to God. What makes this man scary is the fact that he doesn’t deny that Jesus is the Son of God and that He came to save humanity. This means that Sanders doesn’t fit the biblical definition of an antichrist, but I think this statement gets him close.
December 13, 2006 at 6:31 am
I am unfamiliar with Sanders, but agree with the views about the unevangelized. You summarize the paragraph as “In other words, Jesus Christ isn’t the only way to God.” As you surely agree, Jesus is in fact the only way, and I believe that, too. Yet, I agree with the views quoted in that paragraph! How so?
Consider the patriarchs. They had saving faith, and they will be in Heaven. They did not know Jesus’ name, but they knew God, and so Jesus died for their sins.
Consider the thief on the cross. He never asked Jesus into His heart, and never repented of His sins. He knew nothing of theology, and wasn’t baptized, but He went to be with Jesus in paradise.
Satan on the other hand, knows theology better than any of us, knows Jesus’ name, and believes Him to be God’s son… and He’ll spend eternity in Hell.
So, who will go to Heaven, and who will go to Hell? Someone who knows Jesus and rejects Him will go to Hell; someone who never heard of Jesus, but realizes there is a God, and worships Him in faith and truth, will go to Heaven.
Someone who serves in church his entire life without ever dying to himself will go to hell. Someone who rejects the church because of the hypocrites he grew up with, then converted to Judaism and lived it as faithfully as possible out of genuine love for God will go to heaven, and find that Jesus died for His sins.
Don’t get wrong. I agree that Sanders’ “probabilistic prophecy” theory is completely wrong, but sending someone to Hell who loves God with all his heart, soul, and, mind, and loves His neighbor as Himself, just because he doesn’t realize that Jesus is the very God he is living for, just doesn’t make sense to me.
March 18, 2007 at 12:29 pm
Jesus Christ is the only way, the only truth and the only life. No one gets to the Father (Heaven) except through him.
The argument that ignorance will protect from hell holds absolutely no water. Otherwise the best protection from hell would be to never hear about Jesus. But Jesus himself said “go tell.”
Why? Because he is the only way–and he must be known (John 17:3)
The Old Testament Patriarchs are in Heaven because the Law revealed Jesus. They believed in the coming Messiah, and every time they participated in a Feast of the Lord they acknowledge that (Galatians 3:24, Hebrews 10:1&7). The revealed Christ–the only way, truth and life.
The thief on the cross is in Heaven, because he did repent and ask Jesus to save him. He did this when he acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah and said, “Remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”
There are no second chances. This life is it. Those who wait until they stand before the throne of judgment to find out Jesus is their savior will have waited too long. They will not inherit eternal life.
Every man is without excuse before God, because the creation itself reveals the entire Godhead–Father, “The Son” and Holy Spirit (Romans 1:20).
Those who cause souls to spend an eternity in hell by telling people they don’t have to enter at the narrow gate by accepting Christ in order to have eternal life may find themselves in hell one day.
No one gets saved by accident. Jesus said those who choose the broad road are choosing destruction.
I don’t see how anyone can be saved without knowing the only way to salvation themselves.
March 18, 2007 at 2:52 pm
Here is what a friend of mine, Frank Gonzalez has to say about open theism:
Re: No Second Chances after We Die
From Frank Gonzalez http://www.RevelationOfTheChrist.com
I want to mention that in these last days there are many people teaching
that you don’t have to believe in Jesus Christ as your savior; “you only
have to be good and that will be enough to go to Heaven, because God
does not care that you don’t believe in His Son whom He sent to the
earth to die”.
I want everyone to know that this teaching is very insulting to God, because if someone can go to Heaven without believing in Jesus, then Christ died in vain.
But we see that Jesus left His high
position in Heaven because it was necessary in order to save us, Christ
came from Heaven as we see in: John 3:31 He who comes from above is
above all; he who is from the earth is earthly and speaks from the
earth. He who comes from Heaven is above all.
Christ left His high position to die for us and if you don’t believe in Him, you will die in your sins: John 8:24 Therefore I said to you that you shall die in your sins, for if you do not believe that I AM, you shall die in your sins.
Jesus made it clear, you have to believe in Him and believe that He is
God, or you will die in your sins, therefore you can’t go to live in
Heaven without believing in Him.
March 19, 2007 at 10:52 pm
Thank you everyone for the comments!
Check the Debates tab for the complete text of the debate began here by Geocreationism. I summarize the Biblical view of Jesus being the Way, the Truth, and the Light very well I think.