Views on the Destiny of the Unevangelised (all these views agree that Jesus is the only Saviour)

(1) Restrictivism

God does not provide salvation to those who fail to hear Jesus and come to faith in Him before they die.

John 14:6

Acts 4:12

1 John 5:11-12

 

Adherents:

Augustine

John Calvin

Jonathan Edwards

Carl Henry

R.C. Sproul

Ronald Nash

 

(2) Universal Opportunity before Death

All people are given opportunity to be saved by God’s sending the gospel (even by angels or dreams) or by middle knowledge (those whom God knows will believe in the gospel if they have heard it).

Daniel 2

Acts 8

 

Adherents:

Thomas Aquinas

James Arminus

John Henry Newman J.

Oliver Buswell Jr.

Norman Geisler

Robert Lightner

 

(3) Inclusivism

The unevangelised may be saved if they respond in faith to God based on the revelation they have.

John 12:32

Acts 10:43

1 Timothy 4:10

 

Adherents:

Justin Martyr

Abelard

Erasmus

Zwingli

John Wesley

C.S.Lewis

William Shedd

Karl Rahner

Clark Pinnock

Wolfhart Pannenberg

John Sanders

 

(4) Divine Perseverance or Postmortem Evangelism

The unevangelised receive an opportunity to believe in Jesus after death.

John 3:18

1 Peter 3:18-4:6

 

Adherents:

Clement of Alexandria

George MacDonald

Charles Hodge

Benjamin Warfield

Donald Bloesch

George Lindbeck

Stephen Davis

Gabriel Frackre

 

(5) Universalism

All people will in fact be saved by Jesus. No one is damned forever.

 

Romans 5:18 1

Corinthians 15:22-28

1 John 2:2

 

Adherents:

 Origen

F.E. Schleiermacher

 G.C. Berkouwer

William Barclay

 Jacques Ellul

 

|posted 8 August 2007|