February 18, 2013
The Holy Spirit empowers the good news of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection with the spiritual energy necessary to save all who hear and believe in Christ. Without the gospel, no one can attain salvation. Jesus said, “He who believes in Him is not condemned but He who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18). “But,” many contest, “what about those who never heard the gospel?”
In God’s end-time courtroom scene, referred to in Revelation 20:11 as the Great White Throne, the court is filled with every unbeliever of every generation throughout all of human history. They all stand in awe before the all-powerful Judge, the Lord Jesus Christ. Many who stand there have never heard the gospel or even the name Jesus Christ. One could almost hear a defense attorney pleading their case. “There are many who stand who have never heard of you. How can you be just and fair and condemn them?”
In our previous blog, we listened to the convincing testimony from God’s witness of Creation. Creation gives adequate testimony to everyone that a living creator exists. It is not sufficient information to save, but it is sufficient to condemn those who reject it. Another witness is called to the stand. “Conscience, would you please come forward? What say you?”
Conscience responds:
“For when the Gentiles, who have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves; who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing them witness and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another” Romans 2:14-15
God gave His written law through Moses to the Jews, but they failed to keep it. As surprising as this may sound, God never intended His moral law to be the means of making a bad person good or a good person better. God’s law had a much higher use. His law was intended to make the Jews aware of right and wrong and conscience of the fact that they were not right before Him. They were sinners! God instructed that various sacrifices be offered when His law was broken. These sacrifices pointed to the ultimate sacrifice – the Lord Jesus Christ. Unbelieving Jews were all given the opportunity to know Jesus Christ through the written law. For this reason, they stand legitimately condemned before God.
What about unbelieving non-Jews (Gentiles)? The Mosaic Law was not given to them. Conscience testifies to them that even though the Gentiles did not have the written law, they did have the law. They had God’s law stamped in their minds. Every person comes equipped with a human conscience that recognizes this inner law, giving them an inherent knowledge of right and wrong. These moral thoughts that secretly either accuse or excuse actions lead unbelievers to ponder the possibility that somewhere there may exist an ultimate right – an invisible God.
The human race, rich and poor, educated and uneducated, knows inherently at varying degrees that it is wrong to kill, to steal, to lie, or to commit adultery. This knowledge does not come from a vat of lifeless chemicals. It comes from the image of God that has been breathed into us – all of us. Like creation, the conscience does not give information sufficient enough to save, but it is sufficient to condemn. God’s witness of conscience gives everyone a chance to know about Him.
The unbelieving human race will be judged by God’s creation and by this inner moral responsibility balanced against the righteousness of God made known in the gospel. Paul speaks of a time when God will judge the secrets of men. “On the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus” (Romans 2:16). Thank you, Conscience! You may be seated.” Next blog we will hear from a final witness.