Except through Christ (4th Day 80)

Dear brothers and sisters,

I promised a couple days ago to write to you about C.S. Lewis, especially since The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe movie (the second book in the Chronicles of Narnia) opens on Friday in theaters.

Let me start by saying that if you have never read the entire Chronicles, I strongly encourage you to do so. Of course, I like fantasy and the Chronicles are fantasy at its best; they are not just children’s stories. I hope the movie is true to the story and does it justice, though no movie can ever capture the imagination like a good story read or told.

But what I want to talk about is C.S. Lewis’ view on a certain subject. I really don’t know how to describe what I’ve observed without the risk of being totally wrong, but I’ll try. I believe that Lewis believed in a God that is merciful beyond bounds and never gives up on His creatures. Lewis seems to be saying in several of his writings that God will go to almost any limit to forgive and reconcile us to Him, even beyond death. (That’s the tricky part!)

I noticed it first in one of the later books in the Narnia series. (I won’t provide too many details because I don’t want to spoil any part of the story.) It was when Aslan confronted a declared enemy and said (as well as I can remember), “Though you didn’t know me, you kept my commandments; you did my Will.” When I first read this, it made me think of God’s mercy extended toward non-Christians. Not non-believers or unbelievers, but those who have never been exposed to Christianity.

The second time I came across this notion was reading The Great Divorce where Lewis is more obvious that he believes God extends his mercy to the unconverted even after death. Unfortunately though, most of the non-believers still refuse God’s grace, even when confronted with it face-to-face.

Lastly, in Chapter 5 of Book Two of Mere Christianity, Lewis makes the statement, “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.”

I, too, have wondered about this. Jesus told us that God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. That’s the details of God’s plan for redemption.

Jesus also told us that He is the way and the truth and the life—no one comes to the Father except through Him. Surely, if we disbelieve Jesus and have no faith in Him, we are condemned. We have made a conscious decision to reject Jesus. But what of those who do not know Him, for whatever reason, but keep God’s law that is written on every person’s heart? I don’t know and it is not for me to know. However, when Jesus said, “no one comes to the Father except through me,” wasn’t He establishing Himself as the Judge of all mankind, and as Judge, He will ensure justice and mercy?

I don’t have the answers, but I do ponder the question. There are people I pray for almost every day that they will come to Christ. I know that I cannot bring them to Christ, only the Holy Spirit can do that. However, I am commanded to pray for others, and I do not need to know the logic or reasoning for that; I need only to obey.

Christ is the Judge. He is the perfect Judge! He will judge each and every person according to the condition of their heart. There are multitudes that have better, cleaner hearts than I do. But I know my salvation is secure because of God’s promise, His covenant with me through the Blood of Christ.

As you grow in your Faith, think on these things. You may not ever feel you know the answer. You may not ever find the answer. But consider what God has revealed about Himself to us and be content with knowing that God is Perfect! These unanswered questions are only for God to answer, but in searching for the answers, we discover Truth as God reveals it to us.

Blessings!

De Colores,
Bill
WV88