Create a paper that discusses the destiny of the unevangelized debate: the problem of the destiny of the unevangelized is a debate that concerns all thinking.
Create a 4 pages page paper that discusses the destiny of the unevangelized debate: the problem of the destiny of the unevangelized is a debate that concerns all thinking. It was a prevailing question regarding the destiny of the unevangelized for many years. It has put theologians to focus on this debate, whether a person born as unevangelized is saved to eternity or not. Many have differences of opinion regarding the destiny of people who are not evangelized. Taking the example of Cornelius in the Acts, it says, “Cornelius-even with all of his godly characteristics and even though an angel appeared to him –was not already saved. No, he had to hear the gospel and, as the result, believe in the Lord Jesus” (Penney 2001, 99). The book, Across the Spectrum: Understanding Issues in Evangelical Theology by Gregory A. Boyd and Paul R. Eddy has dealt with the issue on the destiny of unevangelized people very clearly. The research analyses the various aspects included in the debate and makes out the strengths and weaknesses of each point. The attitudes and opinions of theologians are considered to make out a solution for the debate. Thesis Statement: Problems of Unevangelized: the position of theologians and the church in the debate. The Bible says, “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.”(Acts 4:12) The wordings in bible make a person think that non Christians are denied of salvation. “Whether I am a Calvinist, Arminian, dispensationalist, covenant theologian, charismatic, high church may give a particular coloring to the model I choose, but these factors do not determine which model I favour regarding the destiny of those who have never heard the gospel” (Fackre et al. 1995, 17). When comes to the case of unevangelized, the salvation is denied for them and so this subject has led way for a hot debate in the Christendom. What will be the destiny of all unevangelized people who belong to Jews, Muslims, Hindus, etc? Are they not the sons of God? The book, Across the Spectrum, gives out three types of approach towards this debate, namely, ‘exclusivism’, ‘inclusivism’, and ‘pluralism’. The first term exclusivism considers Jesus as the only saviour and without him no salvation is possible. The second term regards Jesus as the only saviour but salvation is possible without the knowledge of him. According to the second one, the good faith in God is enough to attain salvation irrespective of religion. The term of the category, pluralism does not consider Jesus as the only saviour but one among many and salvation is possible for others (Boyd and Eddy 2009, 198). The theologians found pluralism completely against Christian ideology and so they rejected the term from the debate. This term, may be, later made way for neglecting the importance of Christ as the only saviour. The terms, exclusivism and inclusivism gave way for many contradictions in the church. Most of theologians support the aspects of these in their studies. They have found three ways of life that stood for exclusivism. They are restrictivism, universal opportunity, and post-mortem evangelism. According to the first one no one is attained salvation without Jesus Christ. In the Bible Jesus says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life .No one comes to the Father except through me.”(John14:6) These words affirm that Jesus Christ is the only saviour and many believers are attached to this point of view.