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[Reconnoiter]

Weird question, I know. The idea was first introduced to me years ago when I read CS Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia series. I actually took a course in college exclusively studying Lewis, I digress. I know you enjoy Tolkien's work too, as do I, I digress again.

Long story short, in the final installment of Narnia (The Last Battle), Narnia goes through their end times (similar to the book of Revelation). During Judgement Day, Aslan (Jesus), comes across a man named Emeth. Emeth fought for the opposing false god, Tash, and followed the false god's teaching (or thought he was), seemingly his whole life. However, when he is judged, Aslan judges his heart and concludes that his actions spoke virtuously and Aslan accepted Emeth's devotion to Himself. I suppose, the false god, Tash, would never inspire someone to act virtuously, so really he was never worshiping Tash, but actually Aslan.

This view from Lewis has been in my thoughts for years. I believe that we are all created with our Creator's imprint. No matter where we are born in the world, what religion or culture we're born into, we still have the True Hand print on our soul. I believe that is why we all have a basic understanding of right and wrong in our heart of hearts. So, with the billions of people in the world, who, in my opinion, are given very less than favorable odds to find Christ and live for Him, is it feasible to think God will accept many of those into eternity? We know God judges our heart. Not our words or perhaps even who we think we're worshiping, but simply our heart.

Your thoughts?

[jimwalton]

Lewis is such an amazing mind. I wish he had lived longer. (He died at age 64; what a loss.)

I'm familiar with the section in The Last Battle to which you are referring. It makes me think every time I read it (which has been only 2 or 3, but that's enough). Lewis believed that

We do know that no person can be saved except through Christ; we do not know that only those who know Him can be saved by Him. Here is another thing that used to puzzle me. Is it not frightfully unfair that this should be confined to people who have heard of Christ and have been able to believe in him? But the truth is God has not told us what his arrangements about the other people are. We do know that no man can be saved except through Christ; we do not know that only those who know Him can be saved through Him. But in the meantime, if you are worried about the people outside, the most unreasonable thing you can do is to remain outside yourself. ... If you want to help those outside you must add your own little cell to the body of Christ who alone can help them. Cutting off a man's fingers would be an odd way of getting him to do more work. ...

Another possible objection is this. Why is God landing in this enemy-occupied world in disguise and starting a sort of secret society to undermine the devil? Why is He not landing in force, invading it? Is it that He is not strong enough? Well, Christians think He is going to land in force; we do not know when. But we can guess why He is delaying. He wants to give us the chance of joining his side freely. I do not suppose you and I would have thought much of a Frenchman who waited till the Allies were marching into Germany and then announced he was on our side...”

- Mere Christianity p. 65

It's an interesting idea, especially the lead sentence. I tend to agree with him: Someone, let's say, who is an animist, let's say, who is convinced by nature around him that there is a divine spirit. Let's also say that he disagrees with his tribal interpretations and knows there is more truth than he is being told. He has no mechanism to put a name (like YHWH or Yeshua) to the reality that he senses, and he has no Bible to explain, but he goes through life worshipping this "real" God, with never any further information.

I believe that is Lewis's concept, and I agree that I could easily see that God would be graceful and merciful to this man. When he got to heaven, God would introduce Himself and say, "I am the one you have been sensing and worshipping all these years. My name is 'I AM.' Welcome to the family." I have no problems with that.