The Destiny of the Unevangelized: Universal Opportunity

THE DESTINY OF THE UNEVANGELIZED: A DEFENSE OF UNIVERSAL OPPORTUNITY

Justin Steckbauer

LUO THEO350

December 10, 2014

Introduction

The scenario has commonly been suggested: What if there is a native in a tribe somewhere in the jungles of Africa who has a heart to hear and believe the gospel, but never is evangelized? Is that person damned to eternal disconnection from God for simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time? This area of theology relates to eschatology, and is sometimes called the problem of the destiny of the unevangelized (Boyd, 2009, p. 198). It is also sometimes called “the fate of the unlearned” by skeptics and is used as an argument against the existence of God (Altstadt & Wan, 2005). The question is a very profound one. The great majority of man kind fall into the category of the unevangelized (Boyd, 2009, p. 197). The question of their fate relates to family, friends, cultures, and societies all over the world, past, present, and future. The question raises a great deal of emotion, and controversy (Altstadt & Wan, 2005). The issue is difficult, but there are several views that seek to answer this complicated question.

Views on the Fate of the Unevangelized

The prominent view is commonly considered “the restrictivist view” (Blowers). For the restrictivist the answer is that anyone who did not come to know Jesus Christ as personal savior in their life is damned to hell (Boyd, 2009, p. 199). This causes a problem regarding the question of the goodness of God. How can a good God arbitrarily allow someone with a heart to receive the gospel to miss that opportunity and burn in hell? The restrictivist justifies this position by claiming that the individual did not go to hell because of anything God did or did not do, but went to hell because of his or her sins (Blowers). A second view is called the Post-Mortem Evangelism view (Boyd, 2009, p. 205). For those of the post-mortem evangelism view, the answer would be that the person in question may have the chance to accept Jesus as their savior after they have died (Boyd, 2009, p. 199). Unfortunately there is little scripture to back up this position, aside from the descent of Jesus into the lower parts of the Earth mentioned in Ephesians 4:8-9 and Romans 10:7 (Boyd, 2009, p. 206). A third view is called the Inclusivist view (Boyd, 2009, p. 209). For those holding to the inclusivist view, it would be suggested that the individual may have a faith in Jesus, though he or she does not know his name (Boyd, 2009, p. 209). This is also referred to as the faith principle, indicating that if one has a faith in God, they can be saved through faith, by Jesus Christ, without actually knowing the name of Jesus (Altstadt & Wan, 2005, p. 4). This view edges very closely to pluralism, or the idea that all will be saved regardless of what they specifically believe. The inclusivist view also fails to show adequate support in scripture and is quite nebulous in it's description of the faith principle (Altstadt & Wan, 2005, p. 3-5). Of course it remains a reasonable possibility. However, all these views are incorrect theologically and either omit the loving character of God (the restrictivist view) or lapse too far into speculation (the post mortem and inclusivist views). 

The correct understanding of the destiny of the unevangelized is the Universal Opportunity view (Boyd, 2009, p. 198). The universal opportunity view is that anyone who can receive the gospel will have it presented to them at some time (Blowers). And those who never hear the gospel, never would have received it anyway. The restrictivist view has paradoxically a high level of support in the scriptures, yet also the most offensive to both the character of God and the worth of man. If a man exists somewhere who would have received the gospel but God ignores him and tosses him into the burning pit, the character of God is diminished (1 John 4:8). In addition, the value of man is snuffed out. If God could treat one man with such little regard, there would be no reason to conclude that another is worth anything but garbage. God the Father gave up his son Jesus Christ, the sinless God-man for the sake of the redemption of his image-bearers (2 Corinthians 3:17-18). Therefore man is of value to God (Matthew 6:26). Therefore the exclusivist view is theologically contradictory in it's depiction of the character of God and the value of man. The restrictivist view fails. The post-mortem evangelism view has some merits. After all, all of those who were justified by faith in God before the coming of the messiah waited eagerly for his coming, so they could be freed from their sins (John 8:56, Hebrews 11:13). Would it be so strange to assume certain little ones, children, or even those outside the scope of the great commission's range might be evangelized after death? It's certainly at least possible, though not highly supported by scripture. It's important to remember that the scriptures are not exhaustive (Towns, 2008, p. 21). God has not revealed everything to his people, he only reveals what they directly need to know, namely, Jesus (John 21:25, John 6:29). The inclusivist view is quite interesting, also known as the faith-principle position (Richards, 1994, p. 89). The notion that one could believe in Christ without knowing his name is intriguing, but hardly supported in the scriptures (Richard, 1994, p. 86). It also tends to step too close to pluralism (Altstadt & Wan, 2005, p. 3). But once again it certainly is possible. However, given the blasphemy of the restrictivist view, and the highly speculative nature of the post-mortem evangelism view and inclusivist view, the universal opportunity view is the most correct theological position.

Universal Opportunity

Universal opportunity is the idea that anyone who has a heart to receive the gospel will indeed come to receive the gospel by the power of God (Boyd, 2009, p. 202). Very simply, no matter where someone is in the world, God will bring a missionary or a book or a dream to them to inform them about Jesus Christ (Blowers). John 4:23 (ESV) says “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” Father God seeks out and finds those who whom he wants and those who will freely choose him and gives them salvation in Christ Jesus. At the same time, the gate is narrow that leads to salvation, and there are few who find it (Matthew 7:13-14). It's always been clear within the pages of the Bible that mankind is not particularly disposed to the message of salvation (Jeremiah 17:9). God the Father draws people to Jesus and that is the primary way that the lost come to salvation (John 6:44). Of course it's clear many will resist the calls of God to salvation if they choose to do so, evidenced by Acts 7:51 (ESV) which states “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit!” Never the less, nothing is too hard for God (Jeremiah 32:27). And God desires all to be saved (1 Timothy 2:3-4).

The Bible is replete with examples of God finding people where they are, people who are searching and wanting to know the truth about life. God uses his disciples to find those seeking him out and they then receive the truth. God has given every Christian a testimony to this very day, a message so important that believers are to forsake personal safety and comfort to deliver it, by the Holy Spirit and the manifestation of God's presence and power (Elwell, 2001, p. 1280). A clear example is that of the Ethiopian eunuch. In Acts 8:26-40 (ESV) Philip comes upon a man searching the scriptures and attempting to understand the prophecies of the Old Testament. Philip takes the opportunity to tell the man about Jesus Christ the savior. Another example is the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4). Jesus Christ came to a seemingly doomed person, a sexually immoral Samaritan and she is saved as a result. Another example would be the preacher called Apollos (Acts 18). Apollos had been taught about Jesus but only knew about the baptism of John. He preached regarding the baptism of John. God saw his heart and his actions and sent Paul and Barnabas to help complete his heart knowledge with the fullness of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, in Christ Jesus (Acts 19). There is a great deal of evidence to support the theological principle that God has not left himself without a witness. According to 1 Peter 3:15 (ESV) “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” God has commissioned every believer to witness to his son Jesus Christ, and as a result every one among the nations who might seek God would indeed find him by the power of witnesses, or by dreams, visions, or angels (Acts 22:15, Numbers 12:6, Acts 9:3-6, Hebrews 13:2, Acts 8:26).

Theological Support

There are four key theological arguments that support the Universal Opportunity view of the fate of the unevangelized (Blowers). The first argument is that the natural world is not sufficient for salvation, the natural world and the internal conscience of man is sufficient to communicate the moral law and the existence of a creator; but not sufficient for eternal life (Blowers). In other words, nature and internal knowledge do not equal an explicit knowledge of Jesus Christ. The second theological argument is that man needs a special revelation, a special knowledge of Jesus Christ to be saved, it is not sufficient to simply have knowledge of a loving creator (Blowers). The third theological argument is that no one responds to God aside from through his benevolent grace (Blowers). Those who respond to the little bit of light they have within, to search, to seek, and to knock, then God recognizes that response and gifts them Jesus Christ (Blowers). The fourth argument is that scripture mentions nothing of anything after death, aside from hell for those who go there, or eternal life, and no mention is made of any post-mortem evangelism (Blowers). In addition to those theological arguments, universal opportunity has had strong support in church tradition (Boyd, 2009, 204). Major supporters of universal opportunity have been Thomas Aquinas, Dante, Jacobus Arminius, John Henry Newman, Norman Geisler, Earl Radmacher, J. Oliver Buswell, Robert Lightner, and Robertson McQuilken (Blowers). Given strong theological support and weighty defenders of the universal opportunity view, the conclusion seems sound to consider God as loving and gracious to give eternal life through Jesus Christ all those who respond to the light they have (Boyd, 2009, p. 204).

Conclusion

In conclusion, 2 Peter 3:9 (ESV) says “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” God the Father wants all to know Jesus Christ. He desires none to perish. God the Father is the God of those whom he elects and predestines to salvation (Romans 8:29, Ephesians 1:11). God the Father is the God of the seekers, the ones who look for him do find him (Deuteronomy 4:29, Proverb 8:17, Matthew 7:7). Jeremiah 29:13 (ESV) says “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”

Returning to the question posed at the beginning of this paper: What about the tribal man in the jungles of Africa who never hears the gospel? The answer is, according to the theological underpinnings of universal opportunity, that as this man wanders through the jungle, staring up at the sky, wondering who made the earth, taking joy in the light within, the internal knowledge of God's existence; as he journeys he will encounter a missionary amongst the foliage who will tell him about his redeemer, Jesus Christ. Or the man may have a dream where Jesus speaks to him, and he is saved. Or he may have a vision or be visited by an angel. God will always provide a way to be saved to the one who delights in his presence and seeks him with a full heart (Psalm 27:8).

Bibliography

Altstadt, Robert A., and Enoch Wan. "The Salvation of the Unevangelized: What the Literature Suggests." Global Missiology, Contemporary Practices, 2005. Accessed December 10, 2014. http://www.globalmissiology.net/.

Blowers, Dr. LaVerne P. "Are They Really Lost? What Is the Status of the Unevangelized?" Christian Higher Education 7, no. 1. Accessed December 10, 2014. www.bethelcollege.edu/assets/content/mcarchives/pdfs/v7n1p127.pdf.

Boyd, Gregory A., and Paul R. Eddy. Across the Spectrum: Understanding Issues in Evangelical Theology. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2009.

Douglas, J. D., and Merrill C. Tenney. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2011.

ESV: Study Bible : English Standard Version. ESV Text ed. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Bibles, 2007.

Elwell, Walter A. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House, 2001.

Lutzer, Erwin W. The Doctrines That Divide: A Fresh Look at the Historic Doctrines That Separate Christians. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1998.

Richard, Ramesh P. "Soteriological Inclusivism and Dispensationalism." Bibliotheca Sacra 151 (1994): 85-108.

Sproul, R. C. The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version, Containing the Old and New Testaments. Orlando, Fla.: Ligonier Ministries, 2005.

Towns, Elmer L. Theology for Today. 3rd ed. Mason, Ohio: Cengage Learning, 2008.

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Living in the Suburban Sprawl (Mountains beyond Mountains)

Proverb 27:19 As water reflects the face,
so one’s life reflects the heart.

A spiritual journey begins in the oddest of all places.  In the confusion of a realization that true love in the sense of a perfect relationship is, understandably, impossible and unrequited.  And stomping off into the night.  Waiting at a street corner, trees on the sides, black as night, under the street lights.  Half awake in the surburbs, hoping for something indescribable.  

A construct all encompassing, detached and wondering, what is the purpose?  Knowing something isn't right, in the suburbs.  Growing up in the suburbs.  Taught the stories.  Given the instructions.  On the surface it all makes sense.  Punch the clock, take a drive, work some hours, wear the uniform, entertainment, television, and classes upon classes.  

I was a young man once, but then I was a young man in his twenties.  Feeling out of place wherever he went.  Always out of place.  Always pressure.  Pressure to be someone, employee, family member, brother, son, friend, citizen, faceless consumer.  Suffocating, starving, on the edge.  Couldn't quite breath the air, too thin to take in.  

Something wasn't right about it all.  The consuming society, the producing society.  The suburbs so formatted.  Flying along the highways and biways trying to understand it all.  Everything costs something, everything exacting a price.  Going from place to place, yet every place seems to be same.  Same restaurants, same intersections, same skyline.. 

Joy was fleeting.  On some sort of journey.  Wandering the streets at night.  Almost every night I would be out there.  It was a place of bareness.  I could see better in the dark than I could in the sprawl.  Day was too bright.  In the silence, tracking along quiet forest streets, meandering between street lights listening to indie rock.. wondering.  Why am I here? What is this for?  

Most will never slow down long enough to wonder.  The truth snuck in the back door, of night walks.  Hour after hour, 2 in the morning, 3 in the morning, 4 in the morning, 6 AM, 7 AM.  On and on.  Mile after mile.  Music playing, thoughts spinning, imagining scenarios in my mind.  Asking questions.  

Laughing out loud in the darkness.  Feeling the desperate relief of nothingness, nowhere, void winter nights.  

From my earliest memories I wanted to save the world.  Desperately wanted to fight for the truth.  Never knew the truth.  Caught up in the surburbs.  Caught up in the grind.  Daily go, go, go. Drive, drive, listen to radio, snap on the TV.  So fast, so fast.  

When we were kids we had nowhere to go.  Nowhere was safe.  On the bus, at school, in the bedroom, doing homework, in the hallway, at basketball practice, always told to be something.  Never feeling entirely myself wherever I was.  Nowhere was home.  Yet, being alone in the woods, with a group of friends meandering the streets, that was home.  

Asking others, what is happening here?  I don't like money!  Don't you want something more than sex!?  No one seemed to understand.  Clocks were always ticking, always assignments to turn in on biology, math, and scientism.  Nowhere to hide, brainwashing sinking in.  Materialism, and bang, go!  Chase the money at all costs.  Don't ask questions, don't dare wonder why!  Don't ask how you got here!  

But what was happening?  Is it spirit?  Can I change the world?  Can I stop the megamonsters from devouring the city, from destroying the suburbs?  Can I stop the mighty CEO from bankrupting the world?  Can I change anything?  If so, how?  And if I can, would it matter 200 years from now?  Where do I go when I die?  Why do I exist?  What is the purpose of life?  What is meaning?  How do I change this?  Why am I so addicted?  Why can't I breath?  Why can't I sleep!?

Spiritual journey.  Eyes open.  Light sneaking in through the night.  The moon, the stars.  Hope in the quiet.  Heart shining bright.  

Intersections upon intersections.  Mountains beyond mountains.  Problems and more problems.  Hope in the shadows.  Light in the alleys.  Comprehension in silence.  Mountains beyond mountains.  Ideas beyond ideas.  Spirit by spirit.  Eyes seeing something.  Threat of destruction.  Final ego crush, last moments, last gasps of breath..

Consumerism in the veins, desperation, hospitals upon hospitals.  Detox beyond detox.  Answers in the forest.. a tree shining brightly.  Jesus Christ, please save me.

Living in the suburban sprawl.  Saved from a consumerist nightmare in the veins.  Stuffed to the core with addiction, sex, entertainment.  Hope in the simplicity, God in the shadows of the night walks, stars above and trees to all sides, hope born in the repeating disasters of the past, eyes open, covered in red, cleared of distortion, finally, sight and eyes that see.

In the suburbs things are pretty straight.  You've got shrubs, paved roads, insights, jobs, benefits, family life, doorbells, classrooms, soccer fields, sunlight, laughter, and suburban disaster.  Maybe somewhere there is a twisted boy, running down the night roads screaming within, why is this happening?  Why am I here!?  Is he crazy?  Has he lost his mind?  Doesn't he understand about money and marriage?  Doesn't he have a job?  

But maybe if he wants to know the truth sincerely enough, maybe if he cries out loud enough, God might step out of the shadows and introduce him to hope.  A chance to save the world at last.  A new life beyond the suburbs, where the mouth can breath and the eyes can see clearly, and finally, unplugged from the total dream world.  Woken up.  Changing into who he actually is. 

Wake up.  Are you there?  Can you hear me?  There is a way out of the sprawl.  There is only one who can move the mountains beyond mountains.  He is Spirit.  He is truth.

2 Corinthians 3:18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

(This post inspired by a song by Arcade Fire called Sprawl II - Mountains beyond Mountains a song inspired by the book Mountains beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder) 

 

Gifts of the Spirit in the Church: And diagnostics of the Lost

I can't help but notice certain patterns in the people and groups around me.  Of course people are more complex than stereotypes, but there are certain observable patterns that do emerge, and tend to be at least somewhat accurate in describing people groups.

What do people think about Jesus?  There are a lot of words said.  Sometimes devout people say wonderful things about Jesus.  Sometimes depraved people make sharp contrasts between Jesus and his followers.  Sometimes great men make sharp claims regarding religion.  But what's really going on beneath the surface?  I thought describing what I notice in those who attend and don't attend church might be interesting, and fun.  So these are some "people groups" I notice emerging as I attend church, and simply talk with people about Jesus.  I'm not trying to be mean, just reporting what I notice.  

Twenty broad general people groups, 10 doing the right things, 10 doing the wrong things, enjoy!

The Not Interested Crowd - This is by far the large majority in the United States.  They don't have anything to say about Christianity.  It's all about entertainment for the people in this crowd.  Television, videogames, sports, raunchy humor, cars, anime, movies, big trucks, clubs, bars, alcohol, and sex.  During the week it's about working to survive and on weekends it's about drinking and getting laid.  The tavern is really the worship event for this group.  They go to the tavern and worship women, men, relationships, or sexual activity.  If asked, they have no interest, and not really any opinion on it either.  Christianity seems to have nothing to do with their lives.

Sleeper Professionals - This is the middle class and upper class crowd.  They're well educated, and their life is a balance of appearances, classy entertainment, and self importance.  This is the crowd that wears nice clothes, and does trendy things like "go to a local coffee shop" or "have a glass wine after a meal" or "have a dinner party with colleagues."  These men and women have clear pictures in their mind of what it means to be happy and satisfied.  They strive very hard for the perfect home, the perfect mate, the perfect job, and all the right opinions about them in the community.  Sometimes they achieve all of those balances only to find, there is still something missing.  Some in this crowd may also be cultural Christians, who recognize they need a belief in a higher power, but don't want it interfering in their picturesque lifestyle too much..  Sometimes these are the people driving the nice jet black cars with tinted windows with the "darwin" fish plate on the back.  These are the people who love to be thought of as "tolerant."  They also love the idea of all religions leading to the same place, and think spirituality is great, but religion is bad.

Dead Walking - These kinds of people you see around, and they tend to look like zombies.  They've lived as sleepers or not interested so long, eventually their souls have died internally.  But they still shamble about, working at the gas station, or shopping for groceries, maybe occasionally in a stressful fit, the rest of the time, jaw dropped, kind of shambling about in old age, dead on the inside, still walking on the outside.  You'll notice them staring at their phone, texting, or walking along with a blank look on their face.  Sometimes they'll be in a rush, upset.  Other times they'll be waiting in line with that blank frown on their face.  We've all seen them about I'm sure!

The Addict - This is the one I used to be.  The addict (alcoholic) was always in search of something that could fill the hole in their chest, that missing something in their lives.  That missing something was God all along, but they thought they had found it in a particular drug, like alcohol, adderall, prozac, painkillers, xanax, dextromethorphan or even harder stuff like cocaine, meth, or heroin, and before they knew it the drug had sucked them into a seemingly unbreakable addiction.  Most people who reach the addiction stage will eventually die in some complication related to that addiction, but some may be found, perhaps through a church, counseling, or a 12 step group where they realizing that missing piece is God.  But few have that chance, since the addiction changes the personality so drastically over years.  Change is tough.

The Passive Rebel - These are the people who are agnostic or atheist, but don't think about it a lot.  They generally look for satisfaction in other parts of life, like work, and mainly, in relationships and sexuality.  They don't necessarily have a vendetta against God, but they do actively evade and flee from any mention of God or any suggestion of accountability.  When cornered and asked about God, they may lash out, or simply sarcastically say something about "unicorns" or "leprechauns" and laugh in your face, or simply politely say that they don't believe in any sort of God. 

The Active Rebel - These are the warrior atheists, who are quite active in their hatred for God.  They are sometimes part of atheist groups, they love evolution and science, and they often attack Christians and their views.  This is the group in active and intense rebellion against God.  They don't flee God, they shout in his face and mock him.  They fight very hard against a God they say doesn't exist, ironically.  Perhaps even more ironically, is that they are probably closer to finding God than any of the previously mentioned groups, because of their interest in the topic.  These are the people that I love, and I try to form friendships with.  Scientism tends to be their religion, an all encompassing faith in the doctrines of science. 

The Seeker - the seeker is a sight to behold.  And despite what strict Calvinists will tell you, people do indeed seek out and find God (Deuteronomy 4:29, Proverb 8:17, Matthew 7:7).  The seeker is looking for the truth.  Of course the seeker will never find it without the help of the Holy Spirit.  I experienced it, when in my own sort of understanding of a vague spirituality, Jesus Christ intersected and found me where I was.  The seeker knows the answer is in spirituality, and the Spirit will often notice this person seeking out, and intersect with that person on their journey and point them to Jesus.  I love seekers.  

The Flashy CEO - This is the ministry leader in the Christian church who is good at appearing devout, but struggles with pride and does much of his or her work in the church for personal gain and a sense of importance.  These folks love to look good in suits, and like to be at the center of attention, important; high profile influencers.  Any Christian with a good eye can see through these types.  If you walk into a church and this person is the pastor.. walk back out.  False teachers the Bible calls them.

The Hard Christian - These are the strict Calvinists, theological bullies you might call them.  They come after people about sin.  They argue over minor theological issues.  They spend a lot of time judging others.  When they talk to you they tend to come off as pushy, intense, and somewhat phony.  They have excellent head knowledge and can rail off verses like nobodies business, but they don't have a lot of love or mercy to give anyone.  Some are outright pharisees, some are just misguided bullies who don't pray enough.  These are generally the Christians who creep you out and get into shouting matches with non-believers.  

The Soft Christian - The soft Christian goes to church every week, but doesn't really live the Christian life.  You could call them cultural Christians.  They come to church, they may even pray or study their Bible occasionally, but they are highly wrapped up in sin.  They sleep around, they smoke cigarettes, they drink, and they party.  They miss church sometimes, sometimes they stop coming all together.  They may be backsliding believers, believers who have lost their salvation due to constant sin, or they may be strong believers who simply haven't connected their internal beliefs with their outward actions.  This is generally the majority of people in most churches I've attended.  They're quiet, they believe, but they don't live it too well.

The Disciple Maker - Now let's get into some of the positive ones.  The disciple maker is an interpersonal master.  They tend to lead Bible studies or small groups, and they always seem to have someone underneath their wing that they're teaching and building up in the faith.  They're extroverted and love to celebrate the goodness of Jesus.  It's a real joy to see the disciplemaker at work.  They truly love Jesus with passion.

The Prayer Warrior - This is the Christian who never gets enough praise in this world for their actions.  They are in strong obedience to the call of the Bible to "pray continuously."  They often participate in prayer group, and they tend to be encouragers and unofficial counselors and supporters to those in the congregation.  They tend to do a lot of quiet things for the Lord that don't draw a lot of attention like donating to charity, volunteering, and praying for every single person they see or have seen.  What a wonderful, beautiful meekness in the prayer warrior.  Their connection to God is quite special, and so deep it's like a precious mystery to behold.  

The Devout Evangelist - this warrior for Christ has a need within his or her own heart, a conviction, that everyone can and should know Jesus Christ as Lord and savior.  They know deep down that Jesus is the answer to all the problems of the world and all the brokenness.  They desperately want others to know the peace of Christ.  They see every social gathering or conversation as a chance to bring up Jesus and mention how great the Lord is.  They genuinely love peace and take joy in showing mercy to those in need.

The Merciful Healer - This is the category that someone like Mother Teresa would fall into.  Their chief purpose is to show mercy to everyone they meet that might be in pain or in need of healing.  They don't have any room for judging or condemning.  It doesn't even occur to them, they simply show mercy and show love, again and again.  They are great listeners and comforters.  Healers are beautiful Christ-like servants who think of others before themselves.  Healers have hearts of gold.  They naturally focus on listening, healing, and meeting needs in communities. 

The Dedicated Missionary - These are the people who are either planning, on their way, or at work in a foreign mission field.  They have a deep belief that they must go to a certain place, region, or country.  They know it deep down because the Holy Spirit has placed it in their heart.  And they find a way to go, and arrive, and work tirelessly for the cause of Christ in broken parts of the world.  The missionary often seems mysterious to Christians, their intense dedication is shocking at times, but they know because the Spirit has told them to.. go.  So they go.

The Activist Powerhouse - aka the prophet role.  These people are on a divine mission to expose evil (Eph 5:11) and fight for the cause of Christ on Earth.  Some hard Christians think they are the prophet role, but are simply noisy gong condemners.  There is a fine line, and on the activist powerhouse side is a devout belief in Jesus, a gentle humility, and a love for the truth that is the engine of their change power, fueled by the Holy Spirit.  I love these guys and gals, they are the ones who can tell you right off what their mission is, and are simply dedicated.  You can see it in their eyes.  They may confront liberty issues, social problems, world hunger, political issues, or disease.  

The Theologian - the theologian is a Bible master.  He's studied, read, reread, and attempts to systematize and intuitively understand the culmination of all the books of the Bible.  The theologian is creative and loves to glean new realities from a succinct understanding of scripture.   His passion for the word of God is unparalleled.  These are the men and women who live the word, yet they also seem to exist in the word. They think of life as a biblical existence. They see the reality beyond the illusion of the physical world: they exist in a biblical reality and see truth where others see only lies and false constructs of sin.  They see God in beauty, in nature, in people, and in themselves.  They live out the reality of God in community and creation.

The Soldier Defender - These are the people who love Christian apologetics, the reasonable defense of the Christian faith.  They tend to fall into two subcategories, the analytical apologist and the intuitive apologist.  Prime examples would be William Lane Craig and Ravi Zacharias.  Dr. Craig focuses on the rational arguments more so while Dr. Zacharias focuses in on philosophy and beauty.  The defender loves the gospel and it tends to itch them when skeptics attack the Bible and the idea of God.  The defender loves to cross over into disciplines like science, history, archaeology, empiricism, and philosophy and prove the reliability of the Bible, the historicity of Jesus Christ, and the existence of God on the skeptics own terms.  At the end of the day, the defender is the vital cultural warrior who seeks to show that the gospel of Christ is alive and relevant today, tomorrow and always.  If Christianity in the United States is the city on the hill, the soldier defenders are the garrison of troops defending the city against a hostile culture.

The Peaceful Shepherd - Whenever this pastor, priest, deacon or leader speaks at services somewhere, the powerful peace and presence of Christ seems to descend like doves on the crowd.  These men and women are in deep personal contact with the Lord; in a way many of us can hardly understand.  When they speak it's like the scriptures come to life in the power of the Holy Spirit.  If your leader is one of these, stick around, great teaching always follows.  

The Reformer - If you're very lucky, in your life you may encounter one of these greats.  Reformers include people like Martin Luther, John Calvin, Jacob Arminius, Mother Teresa, Francis of Assisi, Erasmus, Justin Martyr, Ravi Zacharias, Francis Schaefer, Billy Graham, Augustine, the Apostle Paul, the Apostle Peter, and of course Jesus Christ himself.  They are game-changers.  When they arrive and begin to work, it's like a watershed, a nexus, everything changes.  These greats tend to be shockers in their pure devotion to God.  Many of them are flawed (aside from Jesus) yet they have a vital message that changes the world forever.  They inspire people.  They tend to be creative.  They also tend to be able to see through all the nonsense, to the purest teaching of the Bible.  Reformers are able to translate the truth into real world application seamlessly. 


Of course no one fits any one of these 'categories' perfectly.  But certain people do come to mind as we imagine each description of people groups.  I don't mean to judge or condemn, but only to point out certain observations that might be helpful to those wondering about where they are at, and what part they have to play in the kingdom.  Can you think of other groups you might've noticed inside or outside the church?  Leave a comment describing that group.  Just don't leave a comment saying you "don't like labels."  Everyone uses labels.  My name, Justin Steckbauer, is a label.  The name of the place where I work is a label.  The name of the food I'll eat for dinner is a label.  Everything has a label, and that's a good thing, otherwise we'd have nothing to talk about.  Thanks for reading, take care and God bless!

Related Posts:
Proverbs Chapter 20: Wisdom from God's Book
Connection in love, it's what Life is all about
Can you see through the illusion?
The Power of the Christian Soldier
The Adaptable and Versatile Church of the Ages

The Ultimate Balance: Resting Faith in Christ & Taking Dutiful Action

Blake's depiction of Jacob's ladder, I have a print of this painting mounted on the wall above the spot where I fell to my knees in my disaster and cried out to Jesus (two years ago)

Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works

In life there is often a balance we must seek after, finding good measures of various attitudes and actions to find a happy medium in life.  The struggle to find this difficult balance can best be summed in the shortened version of the serenity prayer:

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference. 

This is a difficult balance for anyone to maintain in this world.  I've struggled greatly with this dilemma myself.  How much do I rest in God and his plan?  Conversely, how much do I take action and do the necessary foot work?  

These two questions will determine the level of peace I have in my heart.  If I step too far into the side of resting faith in God, my actions and activism begin to drop off and eventually that damages my faith.  If I step too far into the realm of action and attempting change I run the risk of losing my peace in the hopelessness of changing situations outside my control.  

What is the healthy balance?   

We're asking the question of balance.  This is fundamental, but how little it seems to be discussed.  What can I change and what can't I change?  How does peace of mind and calling to action play into the equation of daily life?  

This is a very difficult one for me.  Because I'm very sensitive to this kind of thing.  

When I read a news story about Monsanto pouring millions of dollars into ads to prevent GMO labeling, it just slays me.  It slays me because I know it's so wrong, on so many levels.  When I read about the 20+ lobbyists in the Obama administration, I just want to lay down in a corner and collapse internally.  It's terrible.  And most people just don't know, and they don't care, and they don't want to know.  When I see Christian organizations praising what a great president George W. Bush was, I feel sick to my stomach.  I recall the Iraq war, the Patriot act, the financial industry bailout, and the constant corruption bubbling out of that administration and my spirit just cries out to the Lord: "How can it be?  How can it be this lost?"  

It breaks my heart you see.  The United States, the Christian nation, having been so plundered inside and out, so corrupted in politics, in banking, in media, and in business.  It slays me every time.

Even further, the slanted news reporting the mainstream media news, Fox, CNN, all the rest.  It's scary, how the truth never comes out.  How lies become truth!  Even further, to the hollywood industry, how stars like Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus are used to turn the kids who idolize them into drug addicted, sex crazy immoral monsters.  Monsters that will later be wielded against the former Christian majority.  I can hardly handle it day by day.  

And still, even further, before my very eyes, where I work at the shelter, watching people stuck in the same old patterns, same old addictions, they leave, they come back, they get sober, they relapse, it's enough to drive a man completely insane with the existential horror of it all.  This is a very ugly world!  And I haven't even mentioned war, disease, genocide, or world hunger yet.  Wild!

What is peace?  How can we have it?  I'm known to go too far into action, and not far enough into resting trust.  On the other end of the spectrum are those who take too little action in response to their faith in God.  The Bible says such faith is useless (James 2:26).

There are many dualities in this world, and in ourselves, and even in our God:

• Jesus came full of grace and truth.  
• God the Father is mercifully forgiving, and a just judge. 
• The Holy Spirit both comforts us and convicts us.
• There is a time to love people and show mercy, and another time to explain the truth and give justice.  

What can I change?  If I can change it, then I will champion it as my cause.

What can't I change?  If I can't change it, then I must accept it as it is.

John 16:33 says I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” 

And as it says in Mark 6:31 "And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat."

There is a time to act, and a time to rest.  

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (ESV) "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing"

Do you recall what Jesus said?  An often debated passage.  He said, "You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:13-16).  

Salt and light.  Preservation and hope.  Another interesting statement by Jesus is in Matthew 24:6 when he says "And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet."


I find myself challenged by the teachings of Jesus over and over again.  I'm to be a man of good conduct, loving those around me.  But what of the corruption?  The Bible says to expose the deeds of evil (Ephesians 5:11).  So God likes whistle-blowers!  Yet when I see the evil, the wars and rumors of war, do not be surprised.  These things must happen.  And also recall that the end must come, as described in the book of Revelation.  So I should just let evil things happen and trust that it's part of God's plan?  What if Europe and the United States had taken that attitude in 1939 when Nazi Germany, Italy, and Japan decided they wanted to conquer the world?  We'd be living under a Nazi government today.  And it could've easily looked that way to Christians in the 1930s.  Hitler would appear to be the anti-Christ, and the time had come for the end.  But that wasn't the case.  So it's difficult to understand the balance between action (James 3:13) and resting faith (Psalm 62:5).

Even more challenging are the words of Paul in Romans when he writes regarding the convening authorities being set up for your good, and to obey them (Romans 13:1-7).  That is one of the most challenging statements in the Bible to me.  Almost every authority figure in my life, since I was very young has not been out to protect me for my own good, but out to harm me for their own desires.  Paul himself suffered greatly at the hands of the convening authorities.  He would've known clearly in his own mind that they are not set up for the good of any Christian, but the good of the rich to the plundering of the poor.  But by that interpretation, the American Revolution was wrong?  That can't be the case, can it?  Were the British convening authorities working for the good of the colonists?  They weren't.  And the colonists rebelled, successfully.

I don't want to float too far from the topic of balance in faith and action, but it's an interesting question.  The point is there is a balance in scripture.  Some might jump to the conclusion that there are outright contradictions in scripture, but that is not the case.  The instructions and principles in scripture are multidimensional, and must be interpreted in the sense of looking at a 3-dimensional image, one side at a time.  While mercy and judgement may seem to be contradiction, they are not.  They are vitally linked.  Multifaceted.  Much like love and justice.  Everybody loves love.  At the same time, everybody loves justice.  They are both good things, but they are quite different.  Everyone wants mercy for themselves, and judgment for those that hurt them.  It's all about balancing the dualities in scripture.  

God, within his divine character has the perfect amount of mercy and the perfect amount of judgement.  He applies them in perfect amounts to fit every situation.  The unrepentant villain receives judgement, the sinner who comes to the cross receives mercy.  It's all contingent on our actions. 

Bearing that in mind, how can we choose resting faith, and also choose action?

James 3:18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. 

We must sow peace.  For you gen z kids, "sowing" is when you plant a seed in the ground.  That's where most food comes from.  Dirt.  We plant our good deeds in the dirt, and they grow over time into a harvest of righteousness, bringing peace to our hearts.  Blessed are the peacemakers.  

Peace in the storms of life.  Who could hope for such a rare thing?  Most people I see today look half crazy.  Running through life, hurrying along from this to that.  Seems crazy.  Like I woke up in a nightmare or something.  The further I get from the world and it's values, the more I'm disturbed by what it does.  Have you felt the same thing?  I certainly have.  It's come to the point that I find it generally disturbing to just go about my days.  It's all so antithetical to what God would want a society to look like.  I feel so powerless against it.  The media is so powerful.  The companies, the advertisers, the sex industry, all so powerful.  It sucks.  I wish I could flip a switch and make it all ok.  But God is letting this thing play out.  He's letting it get real ugly before Jesus returns.  Why?  I'm not sure really.  I wish it was over today.  I wish the kingdom would come.  I'm ready, my faith in Jesus is here and I know with that faith, I am clean before my maker.  

Life is a balancing act.  In the past I've lived by the misguided motto "All things to excess."  Some people live there lives that way and never find out there is another way.  I've found out.  I've gotta unplug myself from the world, while still remaining in the world, offering the way out to those who could want it.  There are so few that seem to.  Yet there are many.  The remainder of an unbalanced equation.  With God all things are possible.  When the world drives me nuts, I need to step back and realize that God is in charge.  Some things I can change, most of it, I can't change.  So then I will accept them as they are today, as I am today, and rest in the knowledge that I live in the extended grace of God, through faith in Christ Jesus.  

Romans 12:12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.