God’s Ways Are Not Our Ways

So, if it is God’s will that all people will be saved and come to the knowledge of truth (1Tim 2:4), if Jesus died for all people (1Cor 5:14-15), and if Jesus’ death brought redemption to all of creation and thus to all people (Rom 8:19-22), does that mean that all people will be saved? It can certainly sound that way. If people misunderstand God’s love, such as thinking that ‘a loving God would never send anyone to hell’ or ‘a loving God would never let a child suffer’, we can see why some have wrongly concluded that everyone goes to heaven or, in light of all the evil in the world, why others wrongly conclude that there is no God. After all, they might reason that if all are redeemed then surely heaven is assured for all, except for perhaps a few really naughty people. Or, they might ask if all are redeemed, then why does evil persist and the redeemed continue to sin?

We must always remember that we are not God. After all, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa 55:8-9). For example, Jesus taught just before His ascension into heaven that “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mk 16:16) and yet many Christians say that baptism is unnecessary for salvation. They argue that since unbelief leads to condemnation then salvation must be by faith alone even though Jesus clearly states that both faith and baptism are required for salvation. A clear statement gets twisted and negated by human ‘wisdom.’ Likewise, after St Peter referenced how Noah’s ark saved the human race through the flood waters, he goes on to say “This prefigured baptism, which saves you now. It is not a removal of dirt from the body but an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1Pet 3:21). Still not a few people will say that baptism does not save but the faith leading someone to be baptized does save. Was Noah, his wife, his three sons, and his three daughters-in-law saved by faith alone? No, they were saved by Noah listening to God, believing God, obeying God, and trusting God through the construction of the ark. Had Noah’s wife or any of his sons or daughters-in-law refused to board the ark, would they have been saved? Nope. Had Noah or any of his family chosen to abandon the ark during the flood, would they have been saved? Nope. Did all of Noah’s family share his faith in God’s promise of salvation? We don’t know their faith, but they would not have been saved from perishing in the flood apart from boarding and remaining on Noah’s ark. St Peter teaches much the same regarding baptism.

Imposing the human teaching of justification or salvation by faith alone upon what God has accomplished and revealed through Jesus clearly perverts, weakens, or even negates the Gospel. Some object, saying that God doesn’t love everyone, that He actually hates some but loves others. Since we know that some people will be condemned, they reason that Jesus did not love them, that Jesus did not die for them, that He did not redeem everyone other than those who are saved. Yet, is it possible that God loves and has redeemed someone who will be condemned? Absolutely. Jesus calls Judas ‘friend’ even as Judas betrays Jesus at His arrest (Mt 26:50).

We were made in God’s image and likeness, meaning that we have been endowed with intellect and free will. We need intellect to know our Creator and therefore have faith in Him, and we need freewill to love our Creator. Granted, our intellect is darkened and our freewill is damaged such that we need God’s grace to have faith and to love God. But that grace can be squandered, it can be rejected. That all have been redeemed hardly means that all have a free ride to heaven. Jesus warns us, saying an unfaithful “servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful. That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely; and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more” (Lk 12:46-48).

—Fr Booth