Has Anybody Read....

[pinoybaptist]

Eternity in their Hearts by Don Richardson ?
I am reading it right now.
What is your impression of the book ?
Thanks.

 

[just-want-peace]

Eternity in their Hearts by Don Richardson ?
I am reading it right now.
What is your impression of the book ?
Thanks.

Read it quite some time ago, but am ready to read it again.

To me it just shows that our limited grasp of God is so finite that most discussions on this board are totally juvenile because of the avowed "knowledge" and/or arrogance of the poster.

I can more fully understand Paul's comment on God giving His "revelation to all beings" after reading this book.

And while I don't grasp the whole concept, I am more at ease that those who may have never heard the Gospel (as we know it anyway) MAY not be condemned to eternal hell, due to some provision for them by Him.

 

[Marcia]

And while I don't grasp the whole concept, I am more at ease that those who may have never heard the Gospel (as we know it anyway) MAY not be condemned to eternal hell, due to some provision for them by Him.

This is one reason I didn't like the book; I disagreed with some things he said or implied in it.

It is quite clear from the Bible that one must believe in the real historical Jesus to be saved not just some kind of so-called Christlike spirit found in other religions.

 

[Deacon]

Top Shelf!
It's among my favorite mission-related books.
I never got that impression, perhaps because I read his other book, Peace Child first.

IMHO, both books clearly teach that there are ways we can use a culture's own history to reach the people for Christ. We don't need to Westernize them.
Our Savior loves the world.

Rob

 

[pinoybaptist]

This is one reason I didn't like the book; I disagreed with some things he said or implied in it.

It is quite clear from the Bible that one must believe in the real historical Jesus to be saved not just some kind of so-called Christlike spirit found in other religions.

Marcia, I know you are a clear-thinking and reasonable person so I will ask you to consider what you said very well.
Think about it.
If belief in the historical Jesus is necessary for the eternal salvation of souls, then no one was saved or redeemed before the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.
In fact, no one was saved until after the apostles began preaching the gospel of Christ because there was no historical person to preach about and no historical Jesus to believe in.
I am sure you will not agree with this, would you ?
If you don't agree, then how were those who were saved apart from believing in a historical Jesus saved ?
There can be no two or three ways to it.
If you do agree, then how is the Holy Spirit able to write thru John that those who came out of great tribulation came from all tribes, all nations, all tongues, if they came out of that time when there were no preachers or teachers about the historical Jesus.

By reading that book we see the principle of timely, or gospel salvation.
Here were peoples whose heart has been prepared by the Lord long before Adoniram Judson came on the scene, whose hearts longed after the freedom which the One True God will bring, and who knew of a Book that was to be brought to them.

God is not a God of the Jews only, or of the Gentiles only, or of those who were born, lived, and died in Bible lands only.

He has people all over this world, and in all points of chronological times, and when Jesus Christ hung on that cross, He covered and atoned for the sins of each and every one of His people, and while not all of His people will eventually hear the gospel and believe on Him and thus be benefited by the blessings of knowing Him in this plane we call time because His messengers cannot be everywhere at all and any time like He can, all His people will eventually end up with Him in heaven because that is where He redeemed them to, and not one will be lost.

 

[Revmitchell]

This is one reason I didn't like the book; I disagreed with some things he said or implied in it.

It is quite clear from the Bible that one must believe in the real historical Jesus to be saved not just some kind of so-called Christlike spirit found in other religions.

No doubt. :thumbs:

 

[Marcia]

Marcia, I know you are a clear-thinking and reasonable person so I will ask you to consider what you said very well.
Think about it.
If belief in the historical Jesus is necessary for the eternal salvation of souls, then no one was saved or redeemed before the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.

They were saved by faith in the true living God. They did not have the revelation of the historical Christ, of course. We are not talking about pre-Christian revelation but post-Christian revelation.

In fact, no one was saved until after the apostles began preaching the gospel of Christ because there was no historical person to preach about and no historical Jesus to believe in.
I am sure you will not agree with this, would you ?

Jesus told people to believe in him or they would perish. So yes, people could be saved before the apostles went out preaching.

If you don't agree, then how were those who were saved apart from believing in a historical Jesus saved ?

I answered that.

By reading that book we see the principle of timely, or gospel salvation.
Here were peoples whose heart has been prepared by the Lord long before Adoniram Judson came on the scene, whose hearts longed after the freedom which the One True God will bring, and who knew of a Book that was to be brought to them.

I have no problem with the idea that God prepares people for faith in Christ, but they cannot be saved apart from belief in the historical Christ now that Jesus has come.

He has people all over this world, and in all points of chronological times, and when Jesus Christ hung on that cross, He covered and atoned for the sins of each and every one of His people, and while not all of His people will eventually hear the gospel and believe on Him and thus be benefited by the blessings of knowing Him in this plane we call time because His messengers cannot be everywhere at all and any time like He can, all His people will eventually end up with Him in heaven because that is where He redeemed them to, and not one will be lost.

So do you believe that a good Muslim/Buddhist/Hindu can be saved apart from faith in the historical Jesus?