That's a Wrap, 2013

The year came and went in a WHOOSH! My mind is overflowing with memories that will last a lifetime. The love I have for my wife only grew, my daughter is walking, talking, riding a bike, and expressing the many young opinions she has formulated. The Ryan home grew in love, and feels more settled with pictures and things on the walls. Definitely feels like home.

Emily continues to be an incredible resource to her financial firm, specializing in a couple key areas that helps her to be an invaluable asset to them. Being the expert that she is, she even recently trained a class of newly hired coworkers.

Thankfully, my lovely wife is able to work part time allowing her to spend more time with Molly. We have both come to realize the immense responsibility of parenting in 2013. Our behavior and our attitudes have a direct impact on our little girl. One funny moment last year was when Emily and Molly were in the car, and someone rudely cut off Emily. Emily proclaimed, "Gosh, lady!"  Molly has since yelled this out from time to time - without any comprehension of what this means. While this is one of the more humorous moments of her imitating us, it has served as a lesson that other actions and words will likewise be watched very closely.

Two year olds have about as much energy as exists within a black hole, and my little girl is no exception. Rather than being amazed that she needs a nap during the day, what is more amazing is that she doesn't require significantly more sleep! Let me tell you - if I ran around ... everywhere ... always performing various crafts, reading, jumping, randomly yelling and squealing, and having emotional breakdowns - I'd need to go to bed at 7:30pm too! The Bible tells us that children are a blessing, and it is a blessing that my wife and I now understand. The joy that our daughter brings to our lives is immense, and increases my love for God and His goodness towards me. Molly is already riding her bike that she got for Christmas! On day 1 she needed help peddling and steering. By day 2 she was peddling and steering (almost) completely by herself! By day 3, she was making her daddy jog beside her just to keep up =). I find myself looking forward to each stage of her life, just not the part where she meets another boy.

Last year was also the start to my new job at my firm. While I can't discuss any specifics here, I can say that the Lord helped me to succeed, doubling my goal for the year. I very much enjoy the work that I do, I have an amazing boss (which, those of you who know me know that this wasn't the case a couple years back), and get along with my coworkers.

In fact, the Lord blessed me with opportunities to discuss the gospel numerous times with a few of my coworkers (all during appropriate times, not interrupting work). My drive home each evening typically included a recap to my wife of that day's conversation(s). We talked about history, morality, ethics, worldviews and presuppositions, logic, astronomy, macro-evolution, human sexuality, marriage, the family, and a host of other subjects. By God's grace, I did my best to offer my take on each of these issues from a Christian perspective, which was admittedly strange for them to hear. All of this culminated at the end of the year - I asked two of my coworkers for their permission to write them a full presentation of the Christian faith, hopefully to spur further dialogue. It was not my intention for the presentation to be as long as it was - 24 pages - but I couldn't bring myself to shorten it, for the sake of clarity. My continued hope is that the Lord might delight in showing these coworkers, now my friends, the same grace He freely bestowed on me.

Gotta tell you though, not in my wildest dreams did I expect to have to deal with a drunk driving accident. But one day, unexpectedly, Emily called me after getting hit by a drunk driver. It was the guy's turn to carpool for a couple of other kids, none of which were buckled. The arm of the Lord protected my wife and daughter, Emily having escaped with nothing but whiplash. Thankfully, everyone in the other vehicle escaped unscathed. Our first car was totaled, thus resulting in a used 2012 Mazda 6, which is the nicest car we've ever owned. Emily is still going through physical therapy, but has improved greatly.

One Saturday afternoon in September, I received a knock on the door from a man and a woman, who wanted to invite me to an upcoming event at their church. Yes, they were Jehovah's Witnesses. That first day, we spoke on my front porch for more than an hour, and starting that afternoon I began brushing up on Watchtower theology for a conversation I scheduled for the following Saturday. I decided to not only brush up on the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (Jehovah's Witnesses' organization), but also Koine Greek (New Testament Greek), the Trinity, and to work through the many relevant arguments that would likely come up in a conversation. I spent approximately 3 months studying and preparing during my meetings with them. I went through my first year Greek grammar for the second time, re-read James White's The Forgotten Trinity, also re-read Reasoning from the Scriptures with the Jehovah's Witnesses by Ron Rhodes, and worked through a host of issues with my good buddy, Gobbler (my professor in all things Greek). The final result of my studies was compiled in a spiral notebook, filled to the brim with my notes - if you're like me, it's enjoyable to look back over a project and see your progress and your thoughts along the way. There were three meetings that followed, and while I was unable to persuade them of the truth, my prayer is that the Spirit of Truth would convict them of the reality of God's triune existence.

Finally, I was able to get through some important books that have been on my list for years, many of which deserve a dedicated blog article, and you'll probably see these over the coming months: (1) Atlas Shrugged, (2) A Tale of Two Cities, (3) Great Expectations, (4) Rhetoric, Poetics and Logic by Aristotle, (5) Moby Dick, (6) The Three Musketeers, (7) The Panic of 1907, and (8) The Cosmos: Astronomy in the New Millennium.

There is so much more I could say, but will save more for later. For 2014, I have set some goals: working out, reading goals, Bible study goals, being more responsible with my time, being a better husband and father, and by God's free grace I hope to be a better Christian.

Thanks for reading,
Rusty

A Desert Island Dweller

I had the opportunity to answer a question via AOMin and thought it worthwhile to post my answer here. The question was essentially: can someone who has never heard the gospel be saved? My response is below...

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It is my pleasure to respond to your question. I will do my best to address all of your questions and concerns clearly and in a way that brings honor to our God.

To summarize your question: Can a person who has never heard the gospel, but only has a general belief in God, be saved from his sins?

The short answer is: no. Why do I say this? Because belief in the existence of God is something all human beings clearly know, and are condemned for it. The Apostle Paul argues in his letter to the Christians at Rome:

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. (Romans 1:18-23, NASB).

Taking a closer look at verses 19-21, we see that knowledge about God is “evident within them.” How is this knowledge made evident? Paul answers this: “for God made it evident to them.” Someone might then ask: what is it that they know about God, and how do they possess this knowledge? Paul answers this as well: God’s invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature - all clearly visible by looking at the created order.

All men have this general knowledge about God and His existence, but what is the unregenerate man’s natural reaction to this clearly revealed truth? To suppress it (vs 18), not to honor God or give Him thanks (vs 21), to become futile in their speculations (vs 21), claiming to have wisdom, yet in reality becoming fools (vs 22), and worshipping created things rather than the Creator (vs 23).

Furthermore, all men have God’s moral requirements written on their hearts, and know what is good and evil (Romans 2:14-15). But even having an understanding of what is right and wrong in the sight of God is not enough to deliver one from the consequences of sin. This moral understanding accuses them, pointing toward the final Day of Judgment in which the Lord will judge people by His perfect moral standard (Romans 2:15-16).

Up to this point, we have discussed 2 ways in which God has revealed Himself: the creation itself, and also His moral requirements given to all men. Theologians call this “General Revelation” because it is given to everyone generally.

Separate and distinct from general revelation is “Special Revelation,” which may basically be understood to mean the clear revelation found in the Bible, including the gospel. Only knowledge of special revelation, and specifically of the gospel can deliver sinners from the consequences of their sins. For example, Paul says earlier in his letter to the Romans:

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:16-17, NASB).

Let me ask the question: what is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes? Is it a general knowledge of God that has been revealed to all men? On the contrary; Paul is explicit, in that it is the gospel that contains the power of God for salvation. He continues in the next verse: “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed.” The righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and not by another means.

Our Lord put it this way:

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. (John 14:6, NASB).

The Lord Jesus was making a claim to exclusivity here. If one wants a right relationship with the Father, one must come through Jesus Christ. He is not one of many ways, not one of many truths, not one of many means to life. He is the exclusive way, the exclusive truth, and the exclusive means to life.

In one of his first sermons, Peter said this about Christ:

12 And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12, NASB).

Getting back to Paul’s letter to the Romans, he continues his argument in chapter 3, one of the great discussions about how sinful men may be justified in the sight of God:

21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:21-26, NASB).

While I won’t have time to fully interact with this remarkable text (one of my favorites, I might add), there is one point I wish to draw from it: Paul argues that the righteousness of God is made known “through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe.” Therefore, it is with the strongest convictions that Christians can rightly say that only those who have faith in Christ are justified in the sight of God. The righteousness of God is revealed through faith in Christ … not in some bland, generic, non-specific belief in the existence of God.

This brings me to your next question: what about the one who has never heard the gospel? Can such a one be saved apart from hearing the gospel?

I believe that the clear answer from Scripture is: no. Salvation is found only in Jesus Christ. One must not merely possess the general revelation of God’s existence and divine attributes. One must also have an understanding of the special revelation as revealed in the Bible, particularly of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This has been demonstrated in the above texts of Scripture.

I find that using exaggerated hypothetical examples can sometimes be helpful to make a point, so in the scenario where someone is born alone, lives alone, and dies alone, stranded on a desert island, and has never heard the gospel - what will become of this person? Unfortunately, this hypothetical person was clearly not one of God’s elect because he did not hear and believe in the gospel. I should add that the only reason we know with certainty that this desert island dweller was not chosen by God for salvation, is because it is a hypothetical example whereby we know he has never heard the gospel, and therefore, never believed the gospel.

Because we do not possess a knowledge of those whom God has predestined to save from their sins, we preach the gospel to all men everywhere. It is our desire to preach to everyone, for the sake of God’s elect (2 Timothy 2:10), recognizing that we are the means by which the gospel is preached (1 Corinthians 1:21), which alone has the power to save sinners. The Great Commission found in Matthew 28:18-20 reminds us of the principle that we are to preach the gospel to all the nations, and to all people’s everywhere - even those who might be stranded on a desert island. And we do this knowing that God will save whom He has decided to save, but we are to be faithful witnesses to the ends of the earth, as commanded by God.

Having said all of this, I would like to spend a few moments to respond to your friend’s argument: Since Jesus is God, if someone has a general knowledge of God and a belief in this general God, can they be saved? For many of the reasons mentioned above, I would say: no. One must have knowledge that exceeds the general revelation made known to all men; one must have knowledge of the gospel. This means that one must have a basic knowledge of the Trinity - even if they are not able to exhaustively define the Trinity, they need to know there is only one true God, and that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are God - yet distinct Persons from one another. 

We have covered a lot of ground in this email, and my hope and prayer is that this has been beneficial for you. Please let me know if you have further questions or concerns, or would like to talk about any of this further. It would be my privilege to do so.

Because of the finished work of Christ,

Rusty