I live in North East India, a part of the world people hardly know of, and yet the Gospel reached us and most of us are Christians. Our ancestors were tribals and nature worshippers. So I truly believe that God has his ways of reaching everyone that will be receptive to being saved :).
Namaste and love from a Hindu from India! I think that there can be greater unity in the world based upon a shared desire to transcend the superficial material world. I hope that love and peace prevail in the world! 🙏🇮🇳☮️☮️
Here’s the scripture on this topic for anyone who is wondering. Romans 2:13 “For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.”
So you mean man can be save with out knowledge of Christ as long as they have knowledge that God exist and comply to the moral law? With this you are elimanating the doctrine of Solus Kristus ( Christ Alone).
John Fritz Bangrain The Word doesn’t contradict itself. Don’t get it twisted, those people are saved by Christ and “Christ alone”. Gods law (Word) is written on Man’s hearts why? So that on the day of judgement God can be blameless in the fact that the world actually does know the concept of Christ’s teachings but chooses to live according to the evil knowledge from the tree, thus being judged accordingly. The Bible is a big puzzle you have to tie together. Try looking at it that way to avoid confusion.
John Fritz Bangrain no but rather that with this knowledge they began to seek God out . The Bible says in Matthew 7:7 “ seek and you shall find , knock and the door shall be open .” with the knowledge already given to us by nature and moral law we should want to seek God .
@@algernontheabsurd4450 I still don't see how this pertains to people who lived before Christ. Did none of them go to heaven? Even people who came after Christ but lived in far off places. Even if they sought out God how would they come to Christ when there is no way they would have heard of his teaching?
reading the comments here makes me understand why most of these types of videos have the comment section disabled. all the trolls and ''experts'' come out the woodwork, causing strife.
My goodness this is very well executed! Glory to the Most High!!! Edit 2021: Didn't expect all these comments but let me clarify. There's only one Most High. YAWEH forever.
He is speaking from his mind the Bible gave no alternative. Hence people are making up for what God forgot to say. The Bible clearly states, I am the way the truth and the life NO one gets to the father EXCEPT through me...... there is no alternative left out it's a clear statement so this video goes against the Bible.. THOSE WHO CAME UP WITH THE BIBLE DID A VERY POOR JOB AT LEAST islam COVERED ALL its STEPS
@@muhdweb1 You should read the story of Cornelius in the bible. He didn't know Jesus but he was a good man, doing good job. Jesus sent peter to him and Cornelius accepted Jesus as the holy spirit spoke through them. Holy spirit is still working to save mankind. but people don't want to accept God because they love living in sin.
@@muhdweb1 1) If Jesus is only salvation, then God is unfair, because Americas, South Africa, Far East, North Europe, Oceania were kept in dark, never heard about Jesus for 1500 years. 2) If people can be saved without Jesus, then Bible is unnecessary. 3) If Bible is necessary to make people better beings and increase their chance of heaven, then God is again unfair for providing such book to some and not to others.
@@kr8962 1) If Jesus is only salvation, then God is unfair, because Americas, South Africa, Far East, North Europe, Oceania were kept in dark, never heard about Jesus for 1500 years. 2) If people can be saved without Jesus, then Bible is unnecessary. 3) If Bible is necessary to make people better beings and increase their chance of heaven, then God is again unfair for providing such book to some and not to others.
the key is that they should be aware that they're sinners and seek for forgiveness, and if they truly seek him, then God shall surely reveal him! They may or may not get a revelation of Jesus, like Isaiah did (in Isaiah ch 53) but it doesn't matter you know the name/person of Jesus, all that Matters is whether they repented of their sins and trusted in God or not. God bless!
I've been searching for a video to send to someone who had exactly that question. This is by far the best video! It's easily understandable, vivid and compact. Thank you!💖
There where testimonies of people from people who had never heard of Jesus and unbelievers experiencing dreams and visions. I believe that God also make himself known through miracles, signs, wonders, dreams and visions. It is up to people to accept or reject Him and their experience with Him.
My friend asked me this question, and it stumped me: "If people are judged by what they know, and not what they don't know, why do ministry? Why put the option in front of them for them to potentially reject it, if they might be better off not knowing?"
First, we don't know what will happen, but most importantly, because God is glorified, both in their salvation and destruction, and he has commanded us to proclaim the Gospel and call men everywhere to repent
Also, regardless of knowing or not knowing, if you have the opportunity to share the Gospel, do so. For one is not saved based on knowledge of nature & the law, which leads to one being condemned but, the gospel is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes... Romans 1, particularly verse 16.
Well it definitely pushes the affirmation of whether they are or are not. And moreso, how can one uneducated in these matters be a light unto this world if all they know is a vague sense of a creator and a right and wrong? If God reveals that to them and everyone else already- then there is little benefit for them to go forth and proclaim a message that is known. But those in Christ are called to make disciples of all nations, and if we are told to put on the whole armor of God- how mortifying is it to not assist those with the means of understanding this armor if we leave them as they are?
Shadow king 12 How does that relate to my comment? Anyways, I am my own god, you are your own god, and a dog is their own god. Self worship is not narcissism or selfishness.
I believe that us humans should not deny ourselves in any way. A better religion would teach us to be humans, that we should focus on this life as if it is the only one we have, and to respect the lives of other people.
1 Timothy 4:9-11 KJVS [9] This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. [10] For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. [11] These things command and teach.
The Christian God is basically telling them... I created you with personalities that would have caused you to reject me anyway... so rather than allowing your free will to accept or reject me... you just don't need to hear about me at all... you're already a lost cause... I will humiliate you in this life with colonization... and in the next life with hell... because of the personality that I gave you... without any choice of your own... But don't worry!! I still love you unconditionally!!! I just gave you the worst possible existence anyone could ask for... not because you've done anything wrong yet... but you would have done something wrong... because I created you this way... But I still love you
Your response heavily misunderstands the video's answer to the "problem of those who have never heard of Christ" Thus, I'll attempt at trying to clear up any confusion 1. you seem to be muddling up free will working in conjunction with personality traits. - Personality traits are the characteristics that make each person unique and are defined as relatively stable patterns of thoughts, feelings, and actions - Free will is the freedom of humans to make choices that are not determined by prior causes. now we have the definitions down you can maybe start figuring out, how even if God made certain individuals with personalities that favour doing actions that reject God, the individual is also born with free will which as we now know is to have the freedom to make choices that are not determined by prior causes, which in this particular case, the prior causes will be the subjects personality traits and preferences. So all in all God has given each person unique traits as well as the ability to choose if the person wants to act upon that unique traits. 2. you seem to be thinking that even if someone rejects God they are now automatically a "lost cause" This is misunderstanding the first argument within the video which is that: those who have never heard of Christ will not be forsaken instead they will be judged upon the natural revelation that has been given to them. This will make sense if you presume theism which is that a personal, *good* and maximally great God exists and if he exists we can logically follow that moral laws exist within human cognitive faculties as well as that God would make himself present to those who search him dearly within the natural worldly functions. So all in all now knowing the basic theistic logical follow-ups this response may make sense now. 3. near the end of your rebuttal you are now presuming that God has given the person the worst possible existence askable because God knows they would have done something wrong. God wouldn't give them the worst possible existence instead using logical conclusions of God's character and the use of scripture we know that God would give them an existence that matches best with their actions as well as how their choices affect others around them and their path to salvation. So all in all a persons existence is within their own hands as they decide their own fate and path by deciding if they want to use their free will to the utmost. Hope this cleared any dissonance.
John 6:44 "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day." Don't this verse explain this question?
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. 2 Chronicles 16:9 KJV
Wooow! Such a beautiful, creative video discussing a difficult topic with Scripture-based arguments and respectul answers to possible questions is not that easy to find. Congratulations!
I love your video, and I am going to use it to answer this question in Hation Creole, do I have your blessing? I will make sure I give credit to your channel!
You know, some of my buddies who originate on a continent other than mine, like to share with me the perspective, 'It seems you Americans only believe what you see, what you read.' My friends are providing testimony to the power of the scientific method here; if it can be discerned with the (5) senses, it may be ‘real’ and testable for repeatability. Love the scientific method. Love the senses. Love Thomas. Yet, any of us that deal with the question of what sorts of stimuli to the human being, produce an impetus to ‘think’ (or feel, for that matter)every day - deal with this all the time! (People such as neuroscientists, psychologists, linguists, marketers, information scientists, etc.) Must we see or hear to ‘take in’ data? Must we use either sense to begin to comprehend? Must we hear to believe? The nature of information is also invisible. It seems to many of us problematic, to insist we take in data from the physical realm, with sense organs which have mass, & are physical in their form - in order to use an invisible tool, namely, comprehension, to understand the Invisible. I think we all comprehend/sense this.
The Christian God is basically telling them... I created you with personalities that would have caused you to reject me anyway... so rather than allowing your free will to accept or reject me... you just don't need to hear about me at all... you're already a lost cause... I will humiliate you in this life with colonization... and in the next life with hell... because of the personality that I gave you... without any choice of your own... But don't worry!! I still love you unconditionally!!! I just gave you the worst possible existence anyone could ask for... not because you've done anything wrong yet... but you would have done something wrong... because I created you this way... But I still love you😂😂😂
These videos are so visually stunning! It’s like a textbook that has come to life. Absolutely beautiful! And of course I’m enjoying the content of the videos also.
This is perfect! If one may be saved solely on their awareness of God's existence through nothing more than the observation of the physical world as well as possessing a strong moral center based on nothing more than one's own conscience... Or even just be saved because "they would have wanted to be saved ..".. then Chtist and Christianity are completely unnecessary and even best forgotten. 😉👃
//.. then Chtist and Christianity are completely unnecessary and even best forgotten.// Perhaps you missed the part where Christ's atoning death is still necessary for salvation, even for those who never had a conscious knowledge of him. - RF Admin
OOPS! Romans 2:12 (KJV) For as many as have sinned without law shall also PERISH without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; there is different between the sinner who is judged and the one who is not judged,because God will not say "Hey! why did you break this law?" to those who dont know law,but they are still perish,burned in hell, basically because there is no need for God to ask (judge) people about what they dont know CHRIST ALONE! NO WORKS SALVATION! WHOEVER BELIEVE IN SALVATION BY WORKS OF THE LAW WILL BE BURNED AND FALLEN FROM GRACE TO GRAVE GALATIANS 5:4 ❤️
What Dr Craig believes, and makes sense to me as well, is Molonism. The main thing about the view, is that God has middle knowledge. He knows what people would choose in specific circumstances, because he is God. Applied to the question of this video, Dr Craig says it is possible that the people who wouldn't believe it, even if they've heard the gospel, were placed in a time were they actually didn't hear the gospel. In other words, if these people would live let's say, nowadays in a Christian country, they wouldn't believe either. If that's true, it doesn't matter that they are born in a time where they couldn't hear the gospel. God doesn't set people up for failure. God is a just God. He wants everybody to be saved. It's a literal text in the Bible. The Bible also has texts about God hardening Farao heart. Sounds unfair. But if you looks carefully. Farao has been hardening his own heart many times. After a long time, God apparently hardens it further. But it's not like Farao was a puppet before that. At some point time is over to accept God's saving grace. The same when someone dies, without accepting it. In the case of Farao he got to live a little longer to serve as an example of God's power over earthly power. Calvanism is the view were God decides what person believes. People are therefore puppets in my opinion. And it also sounds unfair to me. I don't believe it, and I don't think the Bible teaches it. Even though some verses can imply it.
You have the power to humble yourself and pray and ask God to speak to you and answer your questions. He will answer your questions if you ask and wait patiently.
Those who lived and died before the messaih, Jesus Christ looked forward to him, now we look back at what he has done for us. The messaih has always been the point of reference for salvation
0:15 - There're some people in third world country, when being forced to abandon their faith in the LORD by the dictator government, rather die (literally) than deny the LORD. And there's in America, which prospers because of the LORD, some feel "deeply offensive" because of the LORD - Is it because Christian in the USA failed to defend the LORD? They rather choose to please the human instead of please GOD? Just like Moses failed to defend the LORD at Meribah and thus couldn't set his feet into the promised land.
I know especially the blacks. They came out of slavery after their revelation in Christ and their gospel songs went throughout the world and sang by everyone. Now they mock God too.
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” The first amendment is literally the Freedom of Speech,Religion, and Press. America isn’t going to defend Christianity or any other of these other religions because everyone’s aloud to believe what they want and that’s what I love about my country. The only reason why Christianity is so present here is because that’s the religion all of the white settlers that first came and took over this land believed in and it mostly stayed that way. As any American should know “Church is Separate from State”. So the government isn’t allowed to do such things as defend any type of god/gods. To be honest I think it’s much better that America supports that anyone can practice their own religion rather than just promote pure Christianity.
The not so amazing grace Tnsag I don't agree. Don't you see how bias is "free speech" in the USA right now? When you speak the truth that they don't like, they ban it as "hate speech", they force you to like Islam by label you as Islamophobia if you don't like. They insult Christianity and tell everybody that's cool. You're living too comfortable in the country under God, protected by God, so you take it for granted. Remember the USA's foundation is the LORD: "In God We Trust" on the dollar bill. Lose this foundation then USA is no more. "Church separation from state", ok, but the LORD is above the state. The state should be your servant, but when your servant anti your King - the LORD, you should defend the LORD by speak out against them & voting them out of power.
@@HDNShare they ban it as hate speech just as you banned my religion in your world and burned my kin at stakes as heretics and demon worshippers, they make fun of and bias to you just as you belittle and mock my gods and ideals for bieng simply different than yours, we hate and despise you like you hate and despise us for simply wanting to live our own lives, we work like anyman but when we put on our pendants we are shamed for bieng different and expelled from jobs for no other reason than bieng open to show a different faith that we do not even force you to join. There is your bias
Without my repentance of a large number of sins and the forgiveness of Jesus Christ, my soul would have been lost. Thank God for His Grace, in finally leading me to Jesus Christ. I’m 72 y/o before accepting Jesus I was a Buddhist and thought that I had it all figured out, though Nirvana can’t be figured out. Now faith is the only prerequisite. Faith is acquired by Grace
No mention of original sin, federal headship? Or even man's deadness in sin? This question/problem stems from the presupposition that everyone somehow "deserves" salvation, when in reality, all that we as fallen sons and daughters of Adam deserve is the wrath of God. If we truly understand what grace means, as being totally undeserved, we see that it is a remarkable thing that God would grant any of us salvation at all!
no one deserves salvation, but God offers it to all. We are all dead in our sin yes but not dead like Lazarus but separated by unattainable chasm caused by our own sin that we can never cross on our own. The Grace of God has appeared to all men... the sins of the World was upon him and he draws all men to himself at the crucifixion. Salvation is available to all
@@jasonmason6909 Certainly you must be able to differentiate between God's redeeming grace he has for his elect and the common grace he shows towards all? The suggestion that God gives grace and shows favor equally towards all is not a biblical concept.
@@tvthecat You are right The Christian God is basically telling them... I created you with personalities that would have caused you to reject me anyway... so rather than allowing your free will to accept or reject me... you just don't need to hear about me at all... you're already a lost cause... I will humiliate you in this life with colonization... and in the next life with hell... because of the personality that I gave you... without any choice of your own... But don't worry!! I still love you unconditionally!!! I just gave you the worst possible existence anyone could ask for... not because you've done anything wrong yet... but you would have done something wrong... because I created you this way... But I still love you😂😂😂
@@IMPACTPodcasterAcademy 1) If Jesus is only salvation, then God is unfair, because Americas, South Africa, Far East, North Europe, Oceania were kept in dark, never heard about Jesus for 1500 years. 2) If people can be saved without Jesus, then Bible is unnecessary. 3) If Bible is necessary to make people better beings and increase their chance of heaven, then God is again unfair for providing such book to some and not to others.
Glad to see this and know about our God. Thank you that your presentation is in sync with words written on screen, it helps us to share, in my case in India . Thanks and Blessings
@itsasin1969 God gives us free will. It is us who chooses whether to serve sin or serve God, and most people rebel against God by choosing sin. You wish hell on me ? That's a cruel sentiment, because I hope you don't go to hell. I hope you make the right choice and choose God. God Bless you
He is speaking from his mind the Bible gave no alternative. Hence people are making up for what God forgot to say. The Bible clearly states, I am the way the truth and the life NO one gets to the father EXCEPT through me...... there is no alternative left out it's a clear statement so this video goes against the Bible.. THOSE WHO CAME UP WITH THE BIBLE DID A VERY POOR JOB AT LEAST islam COVERED ALL its STEPS
I think there is a plausibility problem with Dr. Craig's claim that all people who reject, or never hear and understand the Gospel (necessarily including people who are killed before they are born and people who are mentally disabled) suffer from a condition according to which there simply is no feasible world in which they would freely accept it during their lifetime and be saved. When I think about this, is seems to me to be massively implausible. I just cannot get myself to seriously believe the suggestion that someone who never heard and understood the gospel before they died would positively never have freely responded to it in any circumstances- any circumstance. Any? Really? The vast majority of people who have ever lived on earth have never heard and understood the Gospel. Also, we all know some people grow up being horribly abused by their own parents or brainwashed from childhood to become child killers/warriors. Very sad. Maybe they grow up with a distorted view of God. Are they too, people who would never have believed under any circumstance? To be fair, Dr. Craig does mention it is a "possible" answer. I think Dr. Craig should stick to his belief which he mentioned in a debate in the 90's that after death, presumably on Judgement day, if someone repented and believed honestly in Christ as their risen Savior, they would be saved then- yes post- mortem. From what I understand, Craig does affirm this on God's part but he also thinks nobody would repent after they die. I happen to think that, of course, many people would. I can imagine many of the people I have known who were right on the "fence" so to speak before they passed away. They were becoming more and more open to Christianity but then were suddenly killed in an accident. I'm sure many viewers can imagine people like this who they've known.
“He was despised and rejected- a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all. He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people. He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave. But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.” Isaiah 53:3-12 NLT "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 God loves you so much and showed that by sending His Son to die for us so that we may inherit eternal life. We deserve hell but He gave us heaven through faith in Jesus. He took the punishment we deserved and by putting our faith in Him we can be saved. The Key To Eternal Life: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-uZdv-TtiMkg.html For evidence for Christianity check out ru-vid.com and ru-vid.com because if Jesus really rose from the dead it is the most important fact ever! God bless y’all!
Dr Craig, I have watched many of your videos, they are so simple and nicely explained yet they are according to what God's word says. Keep doing a good job 👍. This is very encouraging to all believers and implores unbelievers to reason logically
What part in this video was logical? It made a claim we all know God. But I don't know God. I don't see God in nature. So who's lying here? Me telling you about what I know about my experiences? Why would I lie in the face of an all powerful God? OR is it the Bible lying about me?
Not sure about the last part, Dr. Craig. I admire your work, but the last part sounds really like Calvin's radical predestination. I prefer to thing about the parable of the workers. Some God calls at daybreak, others at noon, others still at dusk... If God comes and called us through Christ, we should respond, the worker never knows what time of his life he truly is... Perhaps it is dusk already. Moreover, workers are waiting to be called and to work, who wants to be let forgotten? It is an honor to be called.
He Shows them how to Live a Life Pleasing to Him, the Lord is Very Merciful, The Lord Yeshua Jesus Saves in any Time Line, Look at the Old Testimont and You will See Meny Examples of People Walking with Him in His Ways and Now They are with Him in Heaven,
God wants personal relationship with all nations, God is longsuffering that none should perish but all come to repents and believe in him. God Bless you and your ministry!
And God Said 'I set this day Life and death before you, therefore choose life that you may live' Deuteronomy 30:19. Therefore it shows here we have a choice and freewill. I dont need to explain much.
No, not at all. First free will in the garden is not justified today, there was a event calle the FALL, let's stop ignoring it. Man after the fall can not please God naturally, that is why man must be born again. How our destiny will be in our hands without destroying the attribute of God, because if he don't do all in our salvation, then he does nothing, but thank be to God that is written: THE SALVATION IS OF THE LORD.
Well the way I understood that last phrase was in the context of choosing Jesus of Nazareth or not. As in, my destiny is in my hands meaning its up to me whether I choose Jesus of Nazareth as my saviour or not. (I could have misunderstood the phrase in its context)
If you're holding a Bible, it sure is. . . . Regarding the question of predetermination vs free will, just finding the right words is sticky. Volumes have been written about the subject, but I believe I read it from A.W. Tozer like this: light is both a particle and a wave. It is not a paradox. Both flow certainly from known principles. In the same way, the destiny of man is both predetermined and leaving him with free will. Both proceed from various verses and passages of Scripture. They do not contradict. It is just difficult to wrap our heads around how we can exhibit both properties.
I wished the statements were accompanied by the passages from the Bible on which they are founded. Or that there is a reference to an article in the description that explains that.
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. Lk 12.48 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,[7] in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. Romans 1,20
He is speaking from his mind the Bible gave no alternative. Hence people are making up for what God forgot to say. The Bible clearly states, I am the way the truth and the life NO one gets to the father EXCEPT through me...... there is no alternative left out it's a clear statement so this video goes against the Bible.. THOSE WHO CAME UP WITH THE BIBLE DID A VERY POOR JOB AT LEAST islam COVERED ALL its STEPS
He is speaking from his mind the Bible gave no alternative. Hence people are making up for what God forgot to say. The Bible clearly states, I am the way the truth and the life NO one gets to the father EXCEPT through me...... there is no alternative left out it's a clear statement so this video goes against the Bible.. THOSE WHO CAME UP WITH THE BIBLE DID A VERY POOR JOB AT LEAST islam COVERED ALL its STEPS
Well I love Dr. Craig I always look forward to him for most of my biblical questions. But to the above topic and his response to it. I am not very much satisfied, hence I got few questions: A. just by observing nature and conscience.How will a person know the true God to whom he/she would want ask forgiveness, Will a person be saved if the person asks forgiveness to the stones or trees or moon? Or the spirit of rivers etc. B. Why preach gospel to the unreached people group if they can be judged according to their conscience.
A. I think the idea of observing nature is that the person sees that there is an order to the world, and therefore an "orderer" or Designer (i.e., God). As for conscience, most sane people know that there are certain things that are truly wrong (e.g., murder, theft, rape, killing babies for fun, etc.). The biblical support for these two ideas are Romans 1:20 and Romans 2:14-15. So, the person will sense that there is a true God from their observation, and, because of their guilty conscience, will feel the urge to ask this God for forgiveness. Since every culture ever discovered has some sort of god(s)/goddess(s) theory/religion and some sort of standards of right and wrong, we know this to be the case. We've yet to discover a culture that was always atheistic. Unfortunately, people end up mistaking the true God for a false god (e.g., the sun, the moon, stars, demons, etc.) and take the wrong path. So, I think (and I think WLC has stated somewhere) that people coming to God this way is very rare. Which leads us to... B. As stated above, people rarely come to God via observing nature and conscience and therefore need to be taught a more "foolproof" way to God -- through Jesus (John 14:6).
All right this is starting to get absurd. Why is it that I can’t go anywhere without someone trying to get me to have faith in their all-powerful prophet or lord? Because I couldn’t say anything on other videos (as comments were turned off) I’m going to need to come here to rant about how silly all of this is. Let’s go from the beginning, shall we? What makes your religion any more valid than anyone else’s? A common trend I’ve observed my whole life is that all religions tend to claim that their god/prophet is superior to all others. The question is, who is right? Are we to assume that they all believe in the same god by a different name? Or Say that one version of the story is correct and deny any claims of everyone else? What makes one persons faith more valid than anyone’s else’s? The answer is nothing. Nobody’s religion is any more valid than somebody else’s because no matter what the religion is if you ask them to prove it they will all find a way to do so. They will all be wrong. And that’s because they always point to things such as moral values or their sacred text. The thing is, who is to say those sacred texts are accurate? For all we know these religions could have been nothing but the mad ramblings of a deluded man who managed to say the right things and form a entourage of followers who would spread it like the truth. And eventually, some would take it as such. To put it another way, the roots of religion are so muddled that any claims to prove it cannot be either proven or disproven because there simply isn’t enough evidence there to support either claim. Why do I care? Because I was raised Agnostic. Not worshiping anything or praising a book about a deity but instead keeping an open mind to the possibility of a god without putting my complete trust into one version. Thanks to that, I believe that If there is a god/gods than everyone got something right and nobody is objectively correct. That’s why I’m here. Because I don’t want to be told I’m wrong for the reason of “because I said so”. Or “because I read it in my holy book”. I want to be told that “it’s ok if you don’t share my faith, and I won’t try and validate it to make you join it”. So please, if you have your faith I’m not trying to say that it’s fake or that you should stop believing it. I just want you to understand that some of us disagree and that we would rather live with you without being told we are evil and immoral for having our own belief.
The light of nature does not inform us of the gospel but informs us that there is a creator. The moral law shows us that we are imperfect people. You can know there is a God from the light of nature but that is not sufficient to know the gospel and be saved. The Scripture tells us, how will they hear unless someone preaches? (Romans 10)
Question what do you guys make of this scenario : Imagine a person named John (who has never heard the name of Jesus) comes to believe in God through the moral law and natural revelation. However, due to his geographical position, someone introduces him to Hinduism or Islam. So in this situation the God of the Bible obviously showed John natural revelations (& john believes in them) but John has mistakenly identified God through another god(s) from a different religion. Do you guys think the God of the Bible would still accept John as he is?
The Watchmaker hey! I’m sorry, can you explain a little better with what you mean when you say the question is inconsistent? I didn’t quite understand. Are you saying that John should have first asked questions about these other religions’ morality before accepting them?
The Watchmaker I have the same thought pattern as you. I believe that God would try and help john out by questioning the religion he’s currently in. hopefully John would respond by leaving that specific religion. Even if John never gets to hear about the name of Jesus during his life, I think it’d be best if he listen to that voice (which I believe to be the triune God) rather than stay where he’s at. Kind of how Abraham knew who God was and choose to obey Him , yet Abraham didn’t know which religion to identify God with. Do you get me?
@itsasin1969 Hey! that is a pretty disturbing thought, I agree with you. However, I just wanted to ask if you could lead me to the scripture where God created Hell before he created man. I'm genuinely interested in this. I was taught that the concept of Hell wasn't really a thing according to the Torah and that instead Hell wasn't brought up until the New Testament arose. (check out the book of Ecclesiastes, you might get a different perspective of what the afterlife is). As for the afterlife, unfortunately I can't speak on that. I don't what is yet to come and I don't know if Hell is a literal lake of fire or a metaphor that depicts isolation from God. Or if it's just complete cease of existence. But thank you for that thought experiment, it humbles me to know that I don't know it all. God bless you family.
Thanks, Dr. Craig. You made the missional task a whole lot easier. Silly, Jesus. When you said go to all nations and preach the Gospel you really meant to stay away, lest you tell them, reject the Gospel, and cannot now be saved by their inner light.
Those who follow and practice love love God. Hell and heaven does not need be literal but also describe someone’s mental state and living situation. People addicted to drugs and in depression are basically living in hell. What they need to do is to use their God given conscience and practice love for themselves and others. Then can they reach heaven. This is why Jesus simplified the Jewish law as loving God(making your body a temple for doing good works) and loving your neighbor.
one doesnt go to hell for not believing in Jesus, one goes to hell because of their own sins. Jesus is the free gift of salvation offered by God that they rejected.
@lordssideministries4062 you misunderstand my point. It is like sin is poison and Jesus is the antidote. You don't die because you didn't drink the antidote. You die because you drank the poison (which caused the need for the antidote). Let's put it this way, say a person was sinless and died but never believed in Jesus. Would God send them to hell? No. Because they didn't sin, not for not believing in Jesus. Now, it is IMPOSSIBLE for us NOT to sin, but that should illustrate my point better.
Most probably Adobe After Effects was used to create this. It’s not too east to pick up, but once you do, it’s super fun! I’ve worked in the field of Motion Graphics for 5 years now.
There is no question about the existence of God. If God decides where and when we would be born, why would He let others be born in the family of Christians who has all the necessity to know Him, and why would He let others be born in atheistic families or in remote areas with no access to knowing Him? Is God playing favoritism? Isn't that unfairness? So, if those people who have never heard of Jesus can be saved, why is the need for them to know him? Yes, to be saved is in our hands, and that is following Jesus' first and foremost teaching - Love God with all that we have. Loving our neighbors alone will not develop our love for God. The first commandment was not first and foremost for no reason. The question that many Christians couldn't agree with is who is God? What is His nature? How to love Him? Surely, we can't possibly love someone we don't know.
God has so ordered the world that He creates every person for who they are, and knowing what they'll become. Which is to say were the Christian God real, I would've been created by Him to not believe. Regardless of "free will" He knew the outcome and created me not to be with Him eternally, but suffer eternal damnation. Thank you so much God. 🙏🏻
I am a Christian but this is an answer I have never found. Let’s before Christ, here in America were clearly people & South America. Many regions of the world 3,000 years ago never herd no God even of the Old Testament. No one seems to be able to adequately answer this. The geographical prove there definitely people in the America’s. Most all had a religion, like the Inca, Mayans, & others native Tribes. Middle East wasn’t the only place people lived. Even though we all started from there.
I respect Craig and much of his work. But this is an excellent example of how he often employs philosophical categories and reasoning where theological ones are necessary.
That's why it is better to use apologetics as a supplement to the Bible. It's easy to get tangled in apologetics and study that more than a person would study the Bible. It happened to me and I noticed it and stopped apologetics for a while.
Andrew Petty such a good point. Most people are far more likely to be convinced by genuine love than they are by a clever argument. It’s important that we have the clever sounding arguments though! The ability to logically defend our position is what makes us different from a cult!
I agree with something J. P. Moreland said (in _the Case for Faith_, as I recall): God simply knows what the unreached would have decided had they been properly exposed to Jesus, and he goes by that. (People who have rejected Jesus knowingly have made their choice.)
Yea, but if you already know your Bible you wouldn't be asking that, some scriptures will pop into your mind, such as Luke12, Romans chapter 1 to chapter 3, Act 17...and God's foreknowledge. My recommendation to you is that, before watching any RU-vid video about God better know your Bible and if you haven't cover the topic, then don't make any conclusion yet, go back to the scriptures and make sure the verses that were quoted weren't quoted out of context. God bless you.
My view on this is that, the scriptures is very clear that the only way is through Jesus Christ. We have to be concerned about the command to preach the gospel to all nations. As for those who never had a chance to hear, God will have the final word.
@@Sirach144 I think I made my point clear about the necessity of Jesus Christ and my stand on this issue. My comment wasn't to affirm or to disagree with them. I was pulling out verses that I think they used to make their point. The question that they are trying to answer, the more you think about it, the more profound it becomes. Since you saying that this video is false, can you please suggest an alternative answer that you think is true.
The borderline racism of this is astounding. The concept utterly revolting and it’s not even biblical but based on “god isn’t unfair” so surely these people had a chance. It’s gross.
@@drcraigvideosThat it is possible that god ordered that the people who would believe were placed in an area where they would hear the gospel and receive it. This is suggesting that for literally thousands of years Native Americans both in North and South America,for example, did not receive the gospel perhaps because they wouldn’t have been receptive to it like Europeans apparently were. Why is that? See how repugnant and stupid that sounds. It’s gross to even suggest such a thing. No doubt it’s part of the justification that Puritans and Anglicans alike, used when thousands of natives were “given over to destruction”
Some say that after someone who never heard about Jesus and the N.T. dies, God wil present him the Gospels and everything and he could choose whether to believe or not to.
1. If a person can be saved without hearing gospel, why bother spreading it? 2. What about people with mental illness? Babies? People who born in a tribes who worship sun/stone/animals/etc? 3. What about people who born on other religion? Eg a child taken to buddhist tempele to serve for their entire lifes? They sure worship buddha. 4. What about people who are in doubt, seeking, confused, lost, converting into this and that, trying to learn, understand. Cause all religion has god who claim to be the creator and the TRUE 1..not only christians, EVERY religion claim that.
Exactly.. everyone has different genetics/biology/brain development with different upbringings and experiences. I would say everyone is completely justified in believing what ever they believe. Why is God creating all these people the way they are if he knows it’s not going to lead them being saved.. Why is he creating humans in the first place if he knows he is going to have make some or most of them suffer for ever.. I see it as all pretty absurd…
Our eternal destiny lies in Christ's hands, not our own. Thank God for that! I am a fallible mortal incapable of doing what I ought, and bent on doing what I ought not do. If my destiny were in my own hands, I'd surely give it away for a pot of beans like Esau. "While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled." John 17:12
I have no clue why people struggle with this. What you are assuming is that being able to “hear about Christ” is the thing that is holding them back. Mankind is naturally wicked and does not love God. We are born spiritually dead and at odds with God. God, through the Holy Spirit-has chosen to save some and allow others to live the life apart from Him that they want. God has chosen the Elect before the beginning of time.
@@jeffspearman7359 1 who cares what the Bible says? 2 that's because that religion is so corrupt that A child molester can repent and go to heaven and the child who was molested can grow up not believing and go to hell. That is horrible. . Hitler who was a Catholic went to heaven but Anne Frank who was a Jew went to hell? Some great religion that is
So some people are predestined to burn in hell? Wow, what a garbage, "merciful" god you believe in. Because you know what I would do, with my superior atheist morality? Offer second chances, to re-evaluate with more information and proof given, AFTER death, when we are capable of making better, REASONABLE decisions. Because what we have today, is just some people like the videomakers, needing to defend a garbage book, with garbage morality, written by garbage men. If you think that a woman being raped, should be not be put to death, if she doesn't scream out for help, you are in disagreement with the bible. If you think that slavery, in all cases, is wrong, you are in disagreement with the bible. If you think that there is nothing wrong with eating shellfish, you are in disagreement with the bible. If you think women are not subservient to men, you are in disagreement with the bible. If you think that children being put to death for being disrespectful is wrong, you are in disagreement with the bible. And if you want verses to back these sentences up, let me know, it is not hard to find them.
Well all is in God's hand 😁 my whole family is Hindu And I'm Christian I pray for them that Jesus may open thier hearts and also the hearts of many unbeliever cause he opened mine too this vid is accurate everything happens acc to God's plan even our birth and the place we live and we can accept Jesus if we believe in him cause I did where ppl are 80% Hindu yet Jesus Found me!
No, the wicked won't be tortured for eternity. The devil, his angels and the wicked will go into everlasting punishment. The punishment will be everlasting, not the punishing. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 6:23.
Its kinda tough love, God may have spoke to the rest of us but no one listened. The Jewish people listened and GOD was with them, and helped them, like " let my people go " from the bible. He even sent his only son to them but for some reason they kinda missed that one. I assume there must have been an intense conversation in heaven where the end of the earth was discussed and the result of it was Jesus coming to be amongst us in the flesh to set us on the right path.
This is not good news. If salvation is in my hands then I will certainly be damned. I know my heart and it is very wicked. I need a perfect savior, one who intercede for me and be an advocate to the Father on my behalf. A savior who keep me by his power. A savior who can raise the dead and change evil hearts. Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our lord! Read Ephesians chapter 1!
This doesn’t make any sense, if you can get to heaven based on your own sense of morality without ever hearing about Jesus then what’s the point of hearing about Jesus? You’ve just negated what the Bible says, that a person must accept the gift of Jesus’ sacrifice to be saved. If you say that just believing a god exists and follow you inherent sense of right and wrong then what’s the point of Christianity? There is no point. You’re getting to heaven regardless if you accept Christ or not in that scenario. You’ve just walked right into the problem in the joke about a missionary who tells the native tribe about Jesus. When they ask “would we have gotten into heaven if you had never come?” And he says “yes” they then ask, “well then why did you even come here? “ willian lane craig has once again tied himself into a philosophical conundrum by out-thinking himself .
It isn't only about the Hereafter, not only about making it to Heaven. Jesus also saves you as you still live, giving you inner peace and stability in this life.
@@bonsaitomato8290 Im sorry to bring this to you but if your understanding of Jesus/Christianity consist of self hatred, or hatred in the first place, you've either been completely mislead, or have never dealt with Christianity in depth to actually understand its teachings. I do not write this in an attempt to offend you, but what you just said sound like the typical uninformed atheist prejudice
@@forgivethem04 I’m sorry to break this to you but I studied theology in college. When I say “self hatred” I am pulling this directly from the theological precept of atonement through the cross. Basically humanity is so terrible and wretched that according to Christian theology you are unworthy to be in the presence of god without the death of “perfect sacrifice “ .that’s basic to all Christian belief. Think about that, you are so unworthy and decrepit that a person had to be tortured and killed to make you worthy. That’s the definition of low self esteem and depression based around this mindset and it’s rampant in the Christian religious community.
@@forgivethem04 what is the basic reason for Jesus and his sacrifice? Doesn’t Christianity teach that you are a “sinner” and unworthy of god’s grace and only through the shedding of Jesus’ blood are you “redeemed “? That is the foundation of Christianity full stop. Doesn’t that message convey an indictment of you as a person? That’s self hatred.
nice presentation... take note also of: Rom. 2:14-16 ESV For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus. also better if you don't use a human image for Jesus. 1 Corinthians 11:14 ESV Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him Thank you & God bless you.
I accepted Jesus as my Savior at 18. The Lord reached me, I listened and obeyed WILLINGLY. I KNOW and am CERTAIN that I made the right decision. Thank you Jesus Christ of Nazareth!
Nina, my friend: to accept Jesus as your Savior is not the Gospel. Some people will say it is, but such is not Biblical. Look at those who go by a false Gospel (heretics): they might accept Jesus as their Savior as well, but yet they are lost, according to the Bible. The question is thus: what is the Gospel you follow? If all you can reply is "to accept Jesus as your Savior", then you go by a gospel message alien to Scripture, my friend. If you want to know the Gospel of Jesus, read the Early Church, Nina! What you do is not from God, my friend!
Pierre: my friend: Let me elaborate, on my comment. When I said... “I accepted”, I meant to say that I received, I believed in. Believed and received WHO exactly?? not WHAT or just ANYONE but “JESUS (the anointed) as my Savior” the LIGHT of the world (John 8:12) the Son of God (Matthew 3:17) who saved me from the everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:46) I was to receive if not for His divine Love & MERCY demonstrated at the cross of Calvary (John 3:16 John 4:16) because of my sins, the sins of the world in order to make me and anyone who chooses to believe, truly free (Mark 16:16). “At the age of 18” meaning that I came to realize in my teenage years that the life I was living was leading me nowhere and nowhere fast. A life promised with only temporary pleasures but with no TRUE everlasting and filling satisfaction, in other words..no enduring peace (Philippians 4:7). “The Lord reached me” ...the Gospel, The Good News proclaiming the “kingdom of heaven is near” was preached to me by obedient, faithful and believing men and woman of God who went out to DO exactly what we as children of God are chosen & called to do (Mark 16:15) “I listened and OBEYED” in other words.. I knew it wasn’t enough to just LISTEN...what does it matter to be filled with much knowledge if I don’t apply the teachings to my LIFE as an example to many. ”WILLINGLY” I was NOT forced to follow Jesus merely because of fear of hell fire 🔥 but because I knew that God would always fight for me. “I KNOW” I’ve experienced HIS presence while speaking and worshiping Him. “and am CERTAIN” because HE has responded to my prayers when no one else knew what I had mentioned in my private living quarters. And finally... “that I made the RIGHT decision”..I am now 25 years old, newly married with a small, affordable fantastic apartment, a new car and a great job. God promised me that if I obeyed him and tried my best to live a life pleasing to him that he would always take care of me and my needs as a TRUE father would. Rather I have much or not too much in life.. “Thank you Jesus of Nazareth! Note: I did not accept Jesus to then continue to live the life I wanted to live, to have God adhere to my choice of comfort but came to recognize and understand these words.. “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” Galatians 2:20. In other words not MY will but HIS will be done. If you care... Please don’t comment like this again when you see someone share their faith in Christ because you can lead new believers into confusion those who have begun to walk the path with Jesus. And you were right to call me “friend” because only a true believer after reading my comment.. Would call me “Sister” God Bless.
@@ninaacosta7081 Thank you, Nina, for your response. You talk about God gave you a great house and great car: do you subscribe to the so-called prosperity gospel, possibly? If not, what Gospel do you follow? For example, what do you teach regarding justification and baptism and the Lord's supper? Do you go by your own interpretations of Scripture or do you follow specific teachers, possibly? What Gospel do you follow and why, Nina? From the way you write I tend to believe that you are part of a sect, but I cannot be sure. From the testimony you give I indeed do not believe that you are a follower of Jesus Christ, I admit. You were right to call me your friend, for only a true believer would call me "brother" ;) You write: "If you care... Please don’t comment like this again when you see someone share their faith in Christ because you can lead new believers into confusion those who have begun to walk the path with Jesus." Well, my friend: I do respond like this, whether you like it or not. There is only one Lord and one Gospel and I believe that you are not part of His body. Are you indeed open to the possibility that you go by a false gospel or do you deem yourself infallible, like so many, Nina?
The problem is, why would god require this kind of belief? Why would god not give us a Bible without contradictions? Why would god favor those who ignorantly believe in the religion that they were raised in, as opposed to those who question and come to their own conclusions? Does god want us to be ignorant? What about me who doesn't believe in the Christian god anymore? I'm going to hell, right? That's such an absurd conclusion. If I grew up in medevil Europe, I know for a certainty that I would believe in the Christian god. I wouldn't have a choice. Everyone believed in him. I only have been able to question god because of philosophy and the free time that I've had. It's easy to imagine the possible world where I do believe in god. So why did god put me in this situation where it feels like disbelief is the only rational thing that I can do? It seems like an evil thing to condemn a morally "good" person because they came to the wrong conclusion. "You put a 'F' instead of a 'T' on the last question. God damn. You must be damned by god." What kind of justice is this? Why could god not have made a world that allows those who reason to come to the conclusion that god exists? Why does hell have to exist at all? Why do many of the moral principles that Christianity teaches change? Why would god present himself as unchanging, and then change? Why did present and then discard the law of moses? For the benefit of the people at the time, right? But would it not have been better to have a perfect theology that doesn't need constant revision? Oh, the civilization wouldn't have accepted it, and god's religion wouldn't have persisted. Why didn't god just give his prophets the instructions for making weapons that ensured their survival? Oh that would've messed with agency? Then why did he send plagues in Moses' time? Why did he strike the man who touched the arc dead? Why does he at time, exercise instantaneous judgment contrary to agency? Oh, his ways are higher than ours? Oh, I think I found a defeater for theism Craig. Christians must fall onto the idea that god knows something that they don't, and therefore how can they know that such a god even exists? God requires faith, and hasn't made us as perfect truth detecting machines. The very fact that god made people like me that can reason to the point that god doesn't exist (I'm not justifying my belief for sinning. I'm married, and love Christian principles and all that jazz) is a kind of defeater for god's existence. (Don't just pick on that one statement, that's probably stupid. The rest is pretty good though.)
My friends, the makers of this video; you have to understand one thing - and one thing only - so very well. The question that you pose here is a huge one, and the amount of different answers given is immense. Every self-proclaimed teacher of the Gospel has his answer ready and might make a video out of it and present it as it simply were the simple Biblical truth. Don't you see this?? You are only one of the very many, and your answer is not any better or worse than any of the other answers! Your answer does not have any meaning; not any more than anyone else's answer! Yours is a human understanding of Divine things, just like all others: it is all subjective opinions and interpretations and ideas! This goes not only for the subject presented in this video, but for any Scriptural subject: the understanding and explanation you - or anyone - give has no meaning. Only in case if you are somehow better than others; if you are infallible, then: yes. If not: no meaning whatsoever. William Lane Craig, my friend: don't you see this? I saw you on some television program in the US and you explained - for example - that the Bible teaches that we are justified by faith alone. My good friend, with all respect: for you ten thousand others who give another doctrine on justification! How is this truth, my friend? We are talking Gospel here, that is: revealed divine truth! How is revelation a matter of interpretation and opinion?? The Gospel - Jesus' message regarding our salvation - is for us to ACCEPT: not to COMPOSE our own! My good friend: you must see this. What you do is meaningless: a human interpretation of a divine text remains utterly human - and thus fallible opinion - at all times. You will readily admit that you are fallible: well, this means that you admit that your understanding of Scripture can be FALSE and that you admit that it is possible that you preach a false gospel! Statistically you always loose - eternally - unless you deem yourself somehow Superior...
@@reasonandsciencecatsboardcom Thank you, my friend, for your response. Here is what Google gave me: apologetics: "reasoned arguments or writings in justification of something, typically a theory or religious doctrine." To me that sounds like right on the nose. Now what is your point, Otangelo? For my point if quite clear, I think: your - or Craig's or mine or anyone's - reasoned arguments in justification of this or that religious doctrine do not mean anything, for all come up with their own opinions and interpretations. Everybody comes with their own reasoned arguments and all doctrines on the same subject are different for each person. Do you understand that? Again: everybody comes up with their own interpretations and opinions regarding the Biblical texts, which is thus all man-made and thus subjective and fallible and thus meaningless. Do you understand what I write, Otangelo?
@@pierreschiffer3180 God gave us brains to use them. That doesn't mean we can totally fathom God or the works He does. But what is revealed by Him in scripture is a valid bases for reasoning, up to a certain point/boundary. Or are you going to argue that Paul went too far in what he wrote in his epistles? Romans and Hebrew contain a lot of reasoning based on scripture and revelation.
@@reasonandsciencecatsboardcom Thank you, my friend. The need for apologetics, you write? Most certainly: do you think I deny such? What point do you try to make? Especially when I see how everyone comes up with their own truth and gospel, I realize that the need for apologetics is very high in our days...
I don't think you're dodging the actual question the video title suggests, but it still remains unanswered. Yes, people have *1* Creation *2* Conscience that tells them that God exists, who gave them all their eyes behold, and what's inside their conscience, *BUT* .....how would a person "RESPOIND" in a way that would grant them eternal life? Is there a responsibility left up to them?
If pagans can be saved through their understanding of "god" and sense of morality, then why send your "only begotten son" to die by crucifixion? And if this god already knows who is and who ain't going to be saved and places them in space and time accordingly, what's the point of making loopholes? Seems to me WLC is just desperate not to let his god look like the jerk he evidently is. Which is why they call it apologetics, I guess.
[14] How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? [15] And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” [16] But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” [17] So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:14-17) The philosophical system of Molinism that is required for this video’s answer to make sense cannot account for the above quoted simple fact of Scripture: that faith comes from hearing through the word of Christ. This question has an intrinsic assumption, which is that “it wouldn’t be fair,” for someone to be condemned without hearing the Gospel. However, the Bible teaches us that God has made Himself known in such a way, through His creation, that they are “without excuse” (Rom. 1:20) and that although mankind does know God they do not give thanks or honor Him (Rom. 1:21). Also, the natural man is an enemy of God, utterly incapable of pleasing God (Rom. 8:7-8). This video, despite it’s very eye catching and well done production value, does not provide a thoroughly Biblical answer to this question.
This video rests on the assumption that there is some basic goodness in man which allows him to respond to God's clear revelation. However, Scripture is very clear that all people are born in a state of sin, and unresponsive to the truth about God because of their sinful ("dead") condition. No one, knowing God clearly, willingly submits to Him. Without a work of the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the Gospel, no one is able to trust in Christ for their salvation. A person, in his natural state, is free only to continue living in sin and rebellion against God. True freedom comes once the unregenerate person is awakened to his condition by a supernatural work of God and given a new heart, a new birth.
You're assuming that in order to accept something good, like salvation, that the person must have something innately good inside of them or it has to be placed there by God. This isn't in the scripture. Salvation is a free gift offered to all, there is no requirement to be good in order to accept a good gift. Can an inmate sentenced to death accept a last meal?
I don't think I'm assuming anything. The Scriptures teach in plain language that all people are dead in sin and at enmity with God (Ephesians 2:1, Romans 8:7, etc.). A dead person cannot respond to anything. He must be made alive first. I take "dead" to mean precisely that. People cannot respond to the Gospel apart from a supernatural awakening work of God's Holy Spirit. To the sinner, in his/her natural condition, the gospel is not glorious or beautiful, but foolish. It cannot be understood and therefore cannot be believed (1 Corinthians 2:14). All of this is quite consistent with the thrust of the Scriptures. God doesn't "put something" inside a person before they believe, He opens their eyes to the truth of who they are in sin and who Jesus is as their savior. The inmate sentenced to death can accept a last meal of course. The question is not "can" but "want." That is, does the inmate want a last meal. Sinners, as the Scriptures clearly teach, do not want the 'meal' of the gospel, they prefer in accordance with their nature, to continue dining on that which cannot satisfy.
@Why I Left The Baptist Church The context of that particular verse in Ephesians is really important. The Apostle Paul is writing about the immorality of the pagan world, not about conversion. This is clear from verses 11-14. There's no mention of conversion, but the darkness of pagan unbelief. Christ is the light that shines on this darkness, exposing it. Verses 16 and onward elucidate this, where Paul describes the kind of life that a Christian is to live, namely, a life lived out in the light. That verse doesn't relate immediately to the question of how one is saved. Hope this helps. And yes, I would say that a person who is DEAD in sin, cannot respond to the Gospel of life without a supernatural work of God.
Well at our young church they told us that people will get to decide if they want to believe in Christ after their dead... While their souls rest in the "realm of death" the sheol...
No that is incorrect... The writer of Hebrews tells us that it is appointed for man to die once, then comes judgemnt. Look at the rich man and Lazarus.... Once he died, his fate wad sealed.... Cant decide then. If it was so, God would know it is not because they love Him, but because they dont want to get punished
If people are live based on their own moral standards knowing from their own experience of what is good or bad without the laws then we are all full of crazy conscience. How long shall we continue to experience life based on our own ordeals rather than from following the law that has already dictates for us that which is good or bad. Believing in some spirits that promises life when you are have not seen it, is falsehood. It's much better to see the luminance of the clouds as the presence of God rather than a ghost.
@@dinxpe6592 I am "accountable" to the society I live in. If I decide you have something shiny I want, and I take it, you will work with other members of society to show me the errors of my ways. No god required and perfectly consistent.
You don't want God to be unfair, do you? Fairness doesn't = justice. You don't want fairness, under which all would be fairly condemned, you want grace & mercy. Grace is not a chance! Grace is a saving power! Romans 1:16. You will be judged by what you do know? Nature and the moral law? God judges according to His standards. Our eternity truely lies in our own hands? No, the bible teaches that it is God who saves, a gift NOT of ourselves but, from God! He saves us & He is the sovereign, holy, just,gracious creator of the Universe! He has all rights, authority & power to do according to His will, not ours! This video starts with an obvious synergistic Armenian view, then it mixes with a molinist view, middle knowledge and ends in one of the most pelagianistic statements that can be made. This is not a biblical representation of the one true gospel.
@@IMPACTPodcasterAcademy Thank you for that. However, just to note. William Lane Craig frames his understanding of this in the mindset of, molinism (the idea of providence of God in light of human free will) and of, middle knowledge (God’s prevolitional knowledge of all true counterfactuals of creaturely freedom) and of, pelagianism (original sin did not taint human nature and that mortal will is still capable of choosing good or evil without special divine aid or assistance). Thus, Craig's presupposition leads to God not knowing everything or having power over everything, man having free autonomous will beyond God's power and complete control of the human purson to enter Heaven at his own choice, God not having authority over it, at all. This video is clear evidence of that and the implications are immense...
@@IMPACTPodcasterAcademy The answer to your statement is inferred by the statement in the vid, "our eternal destiny truely lies in our own hands" Minute 2:42 The DL episode on this... (starting at minute 50:50...) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-XWs7rz6GqVw.html