The Kerygma - God's Requirement for Salvation

I have different view of coercion and think God does coerce depending upon whose definition we use for "coerce".

30 "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 "because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead." (Acts 17:30-31 NKJ)

Paraphrase: You're commanded to stop and turn from your ignorance regarding God. Times of such ignorance are over, and God has resurrected His righteous judge and set a day when He will judge the world.

There is a demand and a warning - a threat - here that is a form of coercion, just as is the threat of eternal death.

That is quite a skip of meaning in the same sentence, reaching a stage of development in order to receive His imparting?

But I see evidence of your insistence for development elsewhere, a qualifying that must be met rather than Him revealing things? If you recall, His nature is not removed from confounding wisdom OR rationale. Though the Apostle is seen returning some back to the instruction of “babes”, but for those babes who rose out of that, that is the only development I recall, and I wouldn’t bet on a required young adult as the minimum candidate.

I think it corresponds also with the development of a normal human soul from a simple understanding of the essential Gospel/kerygma to better understanding of more complex (usually didachaic) doctrines, such as perseverance, election and how to harmonize divine love with justice or wrath and hell.

I would draw the line between persuasion and coercion between 1. the warning of the just consequence at some indefinite point in the future and 2. immediate slap on the hand, sending to prison, and execution.

Well, I believe that the kerygma/Gospel fulfills and supersedes OT revelation but does not contradict its correct interpretation (HB 8:6-13).

However, the NT revelation of GRFS will never become obsolete (PHP 2:9-11, RV 22:12-13). Thus, new revelations from God’s Holy Spirit will not contradict the Gospel, although they may express its truth in a different way or form, or else God would be inconsistent or tricky.

There may be new wine skins, but no new wine (MT 19:17). Post-NT inspiration must be didachaic information regarding contemporary moral or political issues. (I think I have had some such insights using God-given logic :^)

God only shows His EXISTENCE and attributes to everyone through His creation. They cannot learn “the gospel”. Through just seeing HIS creation. ROMANS 10:17 says that the way people learn about the gospel —His will for mankind and about salvation and HOW TO BE SAVED, is by HEARING THE WORD OF GOD. So God says in Roman’s 10:17. “Faith comes by HEARING ( not seeing) and hearing by the word of God.” Before that, God says, “How can they “hear” without a preacher?”

In EVERY example of salvation in the gospel dispensation, people were “taught” the gospel before they were saved. Acts 2- Peter preached a sermon about The Christ before they asked “What must we do?” In verse 37. In Acts 8—the disciples went everywhere PREACHING THE WORD. Phillip went to Samaria and “PREACHED CHRIST to them. And they “heeded” the things spoken by Phillip. (5) They believed what Phillip preached and as a result, “both men and women were baptized”. Verse 12. They are putting into action what Jesus said in Mark 16:16- “He that believes and is baptized shall be saved.” Phillip then went to the Ethiopian eunuch and “PREACHED JESUS TO HIM”. (Verse 35) and he ASKED to be baptized in verse 36. In Acts 9 Saul of Tarsus believes because he sees Jesus and talks to him but God sent Ananias (a man) to him to tell him what to do. Which by the way is what Jesus told him on the road to Damascus. Jesus said, “Go into the city and there it will be TOLD YOU WHAT YOU MUST DO.” When Ananias came to Saul, what did he say? He said, “ What are you waiting on? Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins.” He was TOLD what he MUST do.

Acts 10- Cornelius had a vision telling him to send for Peter “who will tell you WORDS by which you and all your house will be saved.” (11:14). Then it says that Peter “OPENED HIS MOUTH” and preached to him. (10:34) After receiving the Holy Spirit, which was a sign that they had been accepted to receive the gospel—just like the Jews—Peter commanded them to be baptised.

Acts 16- Lydia was baptized because she “heeded” the things spoken by Paul. (14)

May people think the jailer was saved only by faith, but the jailer was a pagan Roman. He didn’t even know WHO or WHAT he was suppose to believe. He couldn’t believe in Jesus before he even had a chance to find out who Jesus was. Read the next verse—“THEN THEY SPOKE THE WORD OF THE LORD TO HIM.” He had to find out who to believe in. And that didn’t happen until Paul and Silas taught him the WORD OF THE LORD.” Then look at what he IMMEDIATELY did!! Verse 33- “ …he and all hus family were baptized.”

Do you see a pattern here? Mark 16:16–they ALL did the same thing to be saved. They ALL did what Jesus commanded in Mark 16:16- they ALL BELIEVED AND WERE BAPTIZED and they ALL WERE TOLD THE SAME THING TO DO.

The scriptures (God) do not lie. But Satan does. He is the father of lies. Don’t be deceived.

Water baptism as part of salvation is heresy.

You cited the verse before RM 10:17 but omitted/deleted/ignored what comes after: "But I ask, Did they not hear? Of course they did:
Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world."

This passage (RM 10:13-18) along with a couple of others (CL 1:23 & GL 3:8) indicate that a provisional or proto-gospel has been proclaimed to everyone under heaven implicitly or by OT foreshadowings.

This proto-gospel revealed via creation of natural revelation combined with the inner conscience or natural moral sense (RM 2:14-16), which manifests morality or a moral Authority in every culture, serves as the basis for divine judgment of those who had no opportunity to learn the NT Gospel.

As we have noted in the KISSed HOB thread, this was most of the world up until recent times. It is possible to view or interpret the Parable of the Talents (MT 25:14-30) as signifying this truth, that souls are saved via faith in God/ Christ as revealed (cf. 1CR 10:1-5). Truthseekers around the world in all times are pilgrims at various places along the road of life, and all true roads eventually lead to the Way to eternal life in heaven (JN 14:6, ACTS 24:14, PHP 2:10-11). All truth leads to One Way.

The quest for greater Christian unity might be furthered by noting the following logical progression:

1. Formerly/at first we are without hope of salvation from meaninglessness and death. (EPH 3:12b)

2. So we sought salvation and found God. (MT 7:7, HB 11:6b)

3. The loving God who wants all souls to learn the truth about how to be saved. (1TM 2:3-4, JN 3:16)

4. Which is to believe that Jesus is Christ, whose death atoned for humanity’s sins. (1TM 2:5-6)

5. As taught in all inspired Scripture interpreted in light of this Gospel of salvation. (2TM 3:15)

6. Such interpretation of GW also teaches how to be godly after being saved. (2TM 3:16-17)

7. Which doctrine Jesus summarized as loving God, oneself and everyone else. (MT 22:37-40)

8. And which moral maturity Paul termed as the fruit of the Holy Spirit. (GL 5:13-23)

9. That requires persevering in saving faith and learning God’s Word. (MT 4:4, 10:22)

10. So that we will grant the prayer of Jesus for us to be one in our witness. (JN 17:20-23)

Unfortunately, because Scripture does not differentiate between God's intentional and permissive will with regard to the doctrine of election and predestination, there is confusion and debate about whether everyone may satisfy GRFS. The need is to harmonize the Scriptures sounding as though God determines who will be elect with Scriptures indicating that souls have moral free will, but in order to do this it is first necessary to harmonize Scriptures stressing the sovereignty of God with those focusing on His love for humanity.

Scriptures stressing sovereignty may be represented by the following:

1. Matt 11:27, “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

2. Luke 8:10, To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’”

God’s Word stressing love for humanity may be represented by the following:

3. JN 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

4. 1TM 2:3b-4, “God our Savior wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”

How can these two themes be harmonized and unified? The way is as follows:

Jesus does not say in #1 that he wants to reveal the Father only to a few and condemn the majority to hell, and Paul does say in #4 that God wants all to be saved, so the Son chooses to reveal the Father to all who exercise their God-given volition (moral free will) by choosing to seek Him per MT 7:7.

Although #2 by itself may be understood as indicating that God withholds the understanding of His Word regarding how to be saved and enter the kingdom of God from those He hates, both Jesus and Paul quote Isaiah 9:6 (in MT 13:14-15 & ACTS 28:26-27) in a way that puts the responsibility for not receiving God’s Word on those who exercise their God-given volition (moral free will) by choosing
NOT to seek Him but instead to harden their hearts (in agreement with #3).

Understanding that God loves and wants to save everyone, we are ready to consider Scripture concerning election/predestination.

GW stressing God’s role in election may be represented by the following:

5. JN 15:16, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you to bear fruit that will last.”

6. RM 9:11&16, “In order that God’s purpose in election might stand… It does not depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.”

GW stressing the role of human agency in election may be represented by the following:

7. DT 30:19, “This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.”

8. MT 23:37, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.”

How can these two themes be harmonized and unified?

My suggestion is as follows:

Jesus does not say in #5 that his disciples could not have chosen to refuse to follow him, and God does say in #7 that He provides the opportunity to choose life or death, so Jesus saying that he chose his disciples means that God urges souls to choose life.

Although #6 may be understood as indicating human volition has no role in salvation, #8 reveals Jesus lamenting the fact that although God offers salvation to souls, those unwilling to cooperate are not saved.

This interpretation/harmonization affirms BOTH God’s sovereignty and love for humanity as well as His elective will and credit for salvation AND humanity’s God-given volition and accountability for cooperating with God’s will that souls accept salvation via non-meritorious faith in The Elect, who is Christ Jesus.

Additional ways to harmonize these two categories of Scripture are as follows:

1. Paul viewed the elect as those who receive God’s grace through faith instead of trying to merit salvation by obeying moral laws (RM 11:5-6, EPH 2:4-10). God initiates; souls cooperate–or not.

2. RM 11:7 says, “What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did”, which seems to speak of both corporate Israel and elect individuals including those from corporate “Gentiledom” (who comprise corporate Christendom aka the spiritual church/kingdom of God). An all-loving God would have elected to give everyone a new heart, and on what just basis would He elect some sinners rather than others? Thus we conclude that some Jews cooperated with God, but others did not and shut their ears and eyes to GW (RM 11:7-10, ACTS 28:25-28)

3. The Jews as a whole did not fall completely beyond recovery or from the possibility of being saved, because the possibility of Gentiles receiving salvation may make some of them envious and prompt them also to accept God’s grace (RM 11:11-14, 1TM 2:3-4, JN 3:16).

4. Gentiles should not feel superior to Jews, because all are broken off the tree of life because of unbelief or grafted into the tree of life by non-meritorious faith or accepting God's grace/Gospel (RM 11:15-21, DT 30:19, MT 23:37).

5. God is stern toward those who reject His POS and kind to all (1TM 2:3-4, JN 3:16) who accept grace, if they continue to cooperate rather than persist in unbelief/unwillingness (RM 11:22-24, DT 30:19, MT 23:37).

6. God allows Jews to be hardened and become ungodly enemies just as the Gentiles were (cf. ACTS 28:26-27), so that He may have mercy on them all–that is, on all He chooses to elect, which is all (1TM 2:3-4, JN 3:16) who reflect His love by accepting Messiah/Christ (DT 30:19, MT 23:37). In this way His POS is just (2TH 1:6).

BTW, I realize that the topic of election is being discussed on other threads, but I am posting this because I added it to my website as a subtopic of the Kerygma due to discussions on CC, so I just wanted to run it by y'all with my thanks to those from whom I learned something before it probably sinks into the CC netherworld. (HAND :^)

The doctrine of election can also be harmonized with the doctrine of an all-loving God by understanding the meaning of “in Christ” in Ephesians 1:3-14.

1:3, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will, to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.

In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”

In the EPH passage we can see that what the all-loving God predestined was NOT that some souls would be damned, but rather the plan of salvation to elect potentially all humanity, whom He loves and atoned for (1TM 2:3-5), if they exercise their God-given grace of volition to accept His offer of grace IN Christ (2THS 2:10).

God has had 3 different laws since the beginning of time. In Genesis, you have what scholars call “the patriarchal law”, which just means “law of the fathers”. It was named that because God spoke directly to the fathers of the household and revealed His will and then the fathers taught it and carried it out. For example, God spoke to Adam directly, to Noah, to Abraham, to Isaac, Jacob, There was no written law for them to follow.

But, in the book of Exodus we find God giving the people a WRITTEN LAW. It was not only a RELIGIOUS LAW , it was also a CIVIL law because by this time they were a “nation” of people. Moses was God’s lawgiver. It came from God but was delivered by Moses. For this reason it was called “the law of Moses.” It was not a law for the whole world. It was only a law for the Jews. Deuteronomy

If people who lived and died under either one of these two laws, were faithful followers of God, if they kept the law of God that was in effect while they lived, then when Christ died on the cross, His blood “reached back” and saved them just like it “reaches forward” and saves people today. Christ died for ALL the world, for all people of all time.

If you remember the Hebrew writer said that the blood of bulls and goats could not remove sin. Only the blood of Christ can do that. So under the old Jewish law given by Moses they offered their animal sacrifices but there was a “remembering” of their sins every year. The blood of those animals did not remove their sins so they had to keep offering animal sacrifices s. Year by year. Until Christ came…

That’s how people who lived before Christ were saved. As far as people who do not know God—all I know about that is in 2 Thess. 1 where the Spirit says that God will come back in flaming fire, taking vengeance on those WHO KNOW NOT GOD and those who do no obey the gospel. God saw to it that the gospel was preached to the whole world and his law is in printed form in probably every country in the world. If people today don’t know God it’s not His fault. That’s why we have missionaries giving out Bibles and teaching about God; so everyone has a “Chance” to know God.

We obey the gospel by choosing to believe the gospel. Romans 10:16 - But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report? We do this by choosing to trust in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the ALL-sufficient means of our salvation. Romans 1:16 - For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

I agree, although I would call the patriarchal law "general revelation" (GR) based on GW revealed by creation and moral conscience (TOP #10&23). Also, I would call the laws of Moses "moral law" and "sacrificial law", the purpose of the latter being to keep the Jewish culture separate until it served the purpose of providing Messiah for all of humanity.

I like the concept of Christ's atonement "reaching back to save", which indicates that GR & the OT served as a proto-Gospel (CL 1:23, RM 10:13-18, GL 3:8), which serves as the basis of divine judgment for people who did not have the opportunity to know God via either the OT or NT. I suspect that even today there may be corners of the world where the Gospel has not reached, despite the efforts of missionaries.

I am glad you cited 2THS 1:8, "He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus", because it gives me the opportunity to point out an important fact that "and" in Scripture often means "=/equals". IOW, those who do not know God ARE those who do not obey the Gospel. Also, we should note that "obey" connotes or implies the good works "AND/=" fruit of the Spirit that should follow saving faith.

Some Kerygmatic Details

Salvation involves being reckoned as righteous by God via being imputed the righteousness of Christ. Relevant Scriptures include the following:

RM 4:3, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness” (cf. v.5,9,11,22-24).
1CR 1:30, “…you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God–that is, our righteousness…” (cf. 2CR 5:21).

Some people talk as though it is necessary to “know” one is saved. However, salvation is not dependent upon working up enough faith until it becomes certainty. Most folks “know”–meaning that they are aware of/have learned–that in addition to this normal usage biblical knowing means:

1. OT – having sexual intercourse, as in Adam knowing Eve and producing Cain ion GN 4:1 (KJV), or
2. NT – having confidence or rational/evidence-based faith, as in EPH 3:12, HB 3:14, 10:35, JN 3:11&16, RM 8:22-28, 1CR 6:2-19, etc.
3. Paul wrote 1CR 13:9 & 2CR 5:7, which speak of partial knowledge and walking by faith, even after the Damascus road miracle.
4. GW – “know” does not mean humans are capable of absolute certainty, which would require omniscience and infallibility
With this understanding, we can say that we know we are saved/born-again/spiritually circumcised/Spirit-baptized, etc.

Paul warned Christians to beware of Judaizers, who revert to teaching justification by observing the law (GL 4:8-5:12). In PHP 3:1-9 Paul said, “Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord!… Watch out for those… mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision [cf. RM 2:29]… If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more:… in regard to the law, a Pharisee… as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ… I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ–that comes from God and is by faith.”

Jesus taught that his righteousness (MT 5:10&20) surpassed and superseded that of those who obeyed and taught the law (cf. MT 12:5-12, 19:3-9, HB 7:18-10:1). The law is represented by John the Baptist in MT 3:11, “I baptize you with water for repentance [forgiveness of sins indicated in the Torah, cf, RM 7:4-8:17], but after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”

Accepting Jesus as Christ and Lord implies the reason that the kerygma is stated in terms of believing right and behaving right. We can harmonize these two categories of teachings by understanding that right or saving faith precedes and produces good works or working faith that loves. The priority of faith is indicated by James 2:17, which says that “faith by itself, if it is not accompanied [manifested] by action, is dead.” And Paul (in GL 5:6) states, “the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” Ephesians 2:8-9, which emphasizes salvation by grace through faith, is followed in verse 10 by: “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works.”

In other words, right faith in God/Christ is the horse that pulls a cartload of good works. Good or loving works are significant as the sign of saving faith, but we should never put the cart before the horse. A person who claims to be a Christian, but who seems selfish and unloving, may be making a false profession; but no particular work—even including outward confession and water baptism—is necessary in order to be saved and to become a Christian. Saving faith motivates good works.

Of course, the gift of salvation may be rejected because of faith in lies or their father (JN 8:44-47). The latter decision is called “the spirit of the antichrist” (1JN 4:2-3), and Jesus said (in MT 12:30), “He who is not with me is against me.” It should be understood that although God’s love is universal and unconditional, receiving His gift of salvation is conditional upon repentance or choosing to accept it by means of non-meritorious faith or cooperating with GRFS.

The purpose of evangelism or teaching everyone on earth the full Gospel (MT 28:18-20) is to fulfill God’s desire for those truthseekers who are saved either on the basis of belief in natural or general revelation and obedience to conscience (moralism) or on the basis of belief in God as Lord (theism) to learn the whole truth and be one spiritual body or church united by faith in Christ (CL 1:15-23).

Someone might wonder whether souls may be good or have good “hearts” and merit heaven without accepting Christ’s atonement. The NT says no but does not consider whether a person might have a psychological excuse (such as being abused as a child by an unloving “Christian” father). Regardless of how a person behaved while alive, the fact they did not believe the Gospel of Jesus (assuming they had the opportunity) would make them evil for rejecting the only One who is good (MT 19:17), the source and Spirit of good, and its Rationale.

God initiates; we may choose to cooperate--or not. IOW, “good” is not an objective natural entity that exists independently from God or prior to Him, determining His morality, but rather goodness is God’s creation/decision and determined by Him. The corollary of this truth is that apart from God all accountable humans are sinners in need of God’s salvation from selfishness (RM 3:23, 6:23).

The command of Jesus to be perfect (MT 5:48) means to become like God morally, or as Paul says, to be imitators of God and “live a life of love, just as Christ loved us.” (EPH 5:1-2) Paul calls this goal the “fullness” of God/Christ (EPH 3:19, 4:13). It signifies the reason for creation, the purpose of salvation and Believers’ blessings in heaven. Although God views believers in Christ as sharing His perfect righteousness (sometimes called imputed righteousness or positional perfection), practical perfection or continual loving behavior will begin when life’s test on earth is finished (PHP 3:12, 1JN 1:8, 1CR 15:42-50). Again, Christ’s command to be perfect/complete/full essentially means to become more like Him morally or in loving attitudes and actions (PHP 3:7-9, EPH 5:1-3).

Apparently, achieving this goal is aided by an earthly experience or sojourn of learning lessons that prepare us for eternal life and of teaching what we learn to others (1JN 1:3-4), which might be why Believers are not immediately translated to heaven when they become Christians. How long this earthly history will continue only God knows, but some scriptures (MT 24:14, 2PT 3:9-15 RM 11:25) indicate that it will be until everyone living in the world at the time of the end has the opportunity to hear the Gospel, while others stress the need to be ready for it to occur at any moment (MT 24:44, 1THS 5:2, RV 3:3). May we all pass God's test!