In a message dated 7/14/02 9:55:41 AM, glenn.morton@btinternet.com writes:
<< This has always been a bit of a puzzle to me about Dick's God. God says
that he reaches out to mankind, that he doesn't want anyone to perish. Yet,
here, in this view, God makes no covenant with any man until 4004 BC when he
decides that maybe he should make contact with mankind and tell them the
true theological path. It is kind of like an afterthought-- as if God said,
"Oh, what are those funny creatures walking on two sticks and yabbering like
crows? Maybe I should speak with them." Of course it matters not that
nearly 10 billion people were left without any communication with God--not
even a communication they could reject. God didn't care enough to
communicate with them in any fashion--he left them to their own devices.
What a loving God! >>
Glenn,
I would like to add to this conversation, if I may. I'm amazed, Glenn, how
well you know the mind of God. You even know how he talks :-)
Seriously, though, no one knows the exact spiritual status of pre-adamic
human beings; but Gen. 1:27 and Paul, in Romans 1:18-23, give us some hints.
Being created in the image of God, human beings could know God because God
made himself known to them through nature. "Ever since the creation of the
world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have
been understood and seen through the things he has made" (vs. 20, NRSV
throughout). I take this to apply to earliest human beings. This
recognition of the divine is evident in the archeological evidence of
religious practices of early humans that you report to us from time to time.
Focusing next on Gentiles, Paul goes on to say, "When Gentiles who do not
possess the law do instinctively what the law requires. these, though not
having the law, are a law to themselves. They show that what the law
requires is written on their hearts, to which their own conscience also bears
witness; and their own conflicting thoughts will accuse or perhaps excuse
them ...." (Rom. 2:14, 15). What Paul wrote about Gentiles, I think applies
to pre-adamic humans as well. God's communication to them consisted of his
law, "written on their hearts" to which their consciences could respond.
Yet they did not respond "...for though they knew God, they did not honor him
as God, or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and
their senseless minds were darkened" Rom. 1:21. This is the long, tragic
story of humankind, from the first sentient human being to the latest person
born on earth, aside from being born anew in Christ.
What is the salvic history of such Pre-adamic people? Paul is not clear on
this, but it seems from Rom. 2:16 that, "God, through Jesus Christ, will
judge the secret thoughts of all." It seems to me that human beings were
given the chance to grow in their knowledge of God for a long time. But
they turned away from God, as they do today.
What was the role of the lineage fathered by Adam, specifically, the Jews?
Paul gives them a special role, "To begin with, the Jews are entrusted with
the oracles of God" (Rom. 3:2). I think Dick is right in assigning a special
role to Adam's lineage, developed historically in the Jews. It also becomes
clear that if was from the Jewish lineage that Christ came into the world
"...as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in
heaven and things on earth" (Eph. 1:10).
I hope this helps.
Regards,
Bob
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