Chili

He never left. He's a Catholic today and dwells among us. Jesus is supposed to come back and show us the way.

Chili

Would that be bushwacker George?

Johnny Skeptic

I never said that it could. Will you answer my question if I start a new thread? If so, I will start a new thread and ask my question. You are actually doing me a favor, since if I ask my question in a new thread, I will have the opportunity to try to influence a lot more readers than I can in this thread. Thanks very much.

WishboneDawn

*shrug*

Then I've got nothing to add. You go ahead and pick and choose which Christians you want to debate with, even if it's a narrow slice of the religion. Whatever makes it easier for you I guess.

JPD

George Segway Headbutter Bush. Runs on salty snacks.

achristianbeliever

It's a good question and I don't have a definite answer. After all does Jesus mean every single human has heard about Jesus? Or every country? Every continent? I don't know for sure. Its a honest answer at least.

Because I believe the people who hear it are the ones who need to hear it. Not everyone in all of history can have or understand their relationship with God in exactly the same way. I have family members who have mental problems. There is no way they can understand their connection to God in the same way I can. But I certainly don't believe they have any less of a relationship with God than I do. I honestly believe that different people in different parts of time needed to understand God's relationship with them differently. After all the people of the Old Testament didn't understand their relationship with God in the same way the New Testament people did. So why is it so wrong to believe the same thing can't happen after the New Testament.

So to answer the question why is it important anyone has heard the Gospel message? My answer is those who have heard it are the ones who needed to hear it. And if those who haven't heard it really needed to then God would have done it.

Sounds like a cop-out answer? Maybe it is. But my answer is God has and will only reveal his Gospel message to those who's salvation rests on hearing it.

CJD

Hold on, there. Do you always carry conversations with yourself? A new thread isn't necessary; it just seemed that in your opening post the two questions were somehow related. They are not. And I suppose my explanation of Matt. 24:14 answered your first question sufficiently?

Regarding your second question, I'm not even sure I understand it. I suppose it has something to do with: "What about the innocent native who never heard the Gospel"? Is this what you're getting at? Or are you simply wondering why preaching/living the good news of the kingdom is necessary for the Christian?

CJD

Terrible Heresy

It was in response to ISVFan's question of why atheists try to take everything Jesus says literally. I was simply answering him. I try not to lump Christians together.

I think some Christians are better about it then others, but yes, I think to be a Christian you can't avoid being much too liberal with the figurative stick.

achristianbeleiver: Not an easy position to debate. But, I don't see how your fine tuning of every single person who needs it, gets it gels with the idea of free will.

If the Gospels are only taught by people. And people have so much freedom in what they do with free will. How does God pinpoint so precisely with who these people teach the Gospel to...and who they don't?

Helpmabob

Hi JPD - I gave my own view (and reasons why) on the topic question. You obviously don't agree with mine, but please give us your answers to the topic questions.

JPD

I don't see any reason why it is important that anyone (who has not already done so and thus feels compelled in some way to embrace it) should hear the gospel message. I find the idea of God's tidings/good news rather amusing considering the rather haphazard and confused manner in which he is portrayed. Quite untrustworthy as a source I would say.