30. The Heathen World

THE HEATHEN WORLD Please explainJohn 1:9: “That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” The meaning is that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Light not only of those to whom the Gospel has come, and by whom it is believed, but He is the Light of the world in a universal sense. In John 8:12 He says: “I am the Light of the World: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the Light of life.” It is true that only those who have received Him come to realize that “the darkness is past, and the true Light now shineth” (1 John 2:8); but that does not alter the fact that in a world-wide sense “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” has been shed abroad, and the judgment under which the human race rests is that “light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). The first chapter of Romans gives testimony to the fact that even those who have not heard the Gospel have nevertheless had witness borne to them through the works of God in the material universe. “Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (verses 19,20). This is often called “the light of nature.” But what is meant by nature? The Word of God teaches us that it was the Son of God who created all things, and in whom all things hold together, and who upholdeth all things by the Word of His power (Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 1:3). The sun and the moon and the stars, then, are the work of His fingers (Psalms 8:3), and He set them in the heavens to “let them be for signs” (Genesis 1:14). The light proceeding from these “signs” has its origin in His own person. There is no light apart from Him. Thus it is that He is “the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.”

Please explain the words, “the judgment of this world,” inJohn 12:32.

There are two ways to transfer a word from one language to another (1) by translation, and (2) by transliteration. The Greek word for “Judgment” is crisis. By transliteration we would read, “Now is the crisis of this world.” It was surely a crisis, for again the Lord Jesus was deciding to the for us. Read the context, verses 20-33. Will you please explain the position of the heathen world where the Gospel has not been preached? Is there any possibility of salvation in such a case? Your question is answered in Romans 1, where it is declared that sufficient revelation is vouchsafed to the heathen, even the unevangelized heathen, to leave them without excuse before God (verse 20). No one can justly be held as “without excuse” unless there be a way out for him. Many millions of Gentiles were born and died during the days before the first Advent of Christ, and to these no missionary was ever sent except in such isolated instances as the mission of Jonah to Nineveh. When the Son of God died on Calvary He was a propitiation (an atonement) for “the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). No man is ever lost except through his own fault; the way of salvation is to follow the light given to him in the revelation of God. In Romans 2:6 it is declared that “every man” will be judged “according to his deeds.” These deeds certainly include his reception or rejection of God as He is revealed, whether by “the invisible things of him from the creation of the world” showing “his eternal power and Godhead” (Romans 1:20), or by the preaching of the Gospel through the mouth of a missionary. It is a good thing in connection with such a question as this to remember that “the Judge of all the earth,” who knows the hearts of all men and is able to measure every man’s responsibility, may be depended upon to “do right” (Genesis 18:26; Romans 3:6).

What is the future state of those who have died without an opportunity to accept Christ? When, and on what basis, will they be judged? The answers to these questions are found in Romans 1, 2. Even the unevangelized heathen are “without excuse,” for “that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.” Two things are revealed unto them, and by them “clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead” (1:19,20). It is their duty to worship God, even though the Gospel has not been reached to them. The principles of judgment are four, namely (1) “according to truth” (2:2); (2) “to every man according to his deeds” (2:6); (3) without “respect of persons” (2:11); and (4) “according to my (Paul’s) Gospel” (2:16).

Now, according to Paul’s Gospel, and all the aposdes agree with Paul’s Gospel, the Lord Jesus tasted death for every man, and is thus the Savior of all men (Hebrews 2:9; 1 Timothy 4:10). The failure of the unevangelized heathen to hear the Gospel does not alter the fact that they were included in the atonement wrought by Christ when on the cross. He died for all, the Lamb of God taking away the sin of the world (John 1:29). We may not know positively that any among the unevangelized heathen have really worshiped the true God according to the light given them, but neither can it be positively affirmed that such a thing is impossible. It is possible, else they would not be “without excuse.” And yet, even in such a case, salvation would not be apart from Christ, but rather through Christ, who “is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2).

Meanwhile let us remember that we are commissioned and commanded to preach the Gospel to the uttermost part of the earth. The practical question with us is not what will happen to the unevangelized heathen but what may happen to the Christian Church if it fails to evangelize them.