How old is the gospel? (iv)

"The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth." (Gen. 6: 11-12)

For "all flesh" that is "upon the earth" to have "corrupted" God's "way," they must have first known his way. What is denoted by God's "way"? Surely it includes God's word of revelation which instructs man in his behavior and his worship towards his God. But, it also includes his "way" of salvation, which way involves trusting in the promised Messiah. That "way" would have been the way of truth and righteousness and the way of salvation as had been preached by Adam, Abel, Seth, Enoch, and Noah. Of this corrupting of God's way, Paul had these words to say:

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things." (Rom. 1: 16-23 nkjv)

Two things deserve our focus as it relates to the question of how old is the gospel and how well known it has been by the nations of the world, as well as to the question of the fate of those who have died without ever hearing the gospel and word of God. 

First, what are the mediums of revelation? 

Second, what truth is revealed by those mediums?

In this opening chapter of Paul's epistle to the church at Rome, Paul speaks of certain truths about God that have been revealed to man. Some truth has been revealed through the gospel, the good news concerning salvation through Christ, the long prophesied "seed of the woman," and "seed of Abraham," and "seed of David," to whom all the prophets have born witness since the beginning of the world, and whose prophecies have been recorded in the old testament scriptures. 

Some truth has been revealed in other ways, such as by the created cosmos, which reveals certain things about the Creator (similar to the ways an artistic creation of humans reveals something about their creators). Some truth has been revealed in other ways too, such as through the original drawings of the constellations, along with their names and that of their leading stars. Some truth has been revealed through providential acts of God in the history of the world, such as by the Genesis flood, the destruction of certain cities, such as Jericho, Sodom, Gomorrah, etc., and by the plagues of Egypt and the Red Sea deliverance of the Hebrew slaves, and of such other miracles wrought by God's prophets, and by those miracles connected with the coming of Christ, such as the appearing of the star of Bethlehem, and by his many miracles, and by the earthquake and eclipse that occurred upon his crucifixion, etc. Some things have also been revealed to man's intuition, or to his inner sense of right and wrong, or to his conscience. 

The written revelation, or scriptures of the Hebrew prophets, is called "special revelation" by biblical teachers, in contradistinction to other revelation, such as enumerated above, and is called "general revelation." In the above words the apostle refers to both kinds. In those words we are informed as to what things about God the Creator are revealed through special revelation and what things are revealed through general revelation, through his works, either of creation or providence. 

The gospel and word of God, says Paul, reveals "the righteousness (and justice) of God." It also reveals the way of salvation. These particular truths are not revealed in creation and providence, nor in the moral conscience, as they are in the word of God, particularly in the gospel therein. 

He then speaks about "the wrath of God" being "revealed from heaven." What does he mean by this? He says the gospel reveals the righteousness of God but then speaks of "the wrath of God" being revealed, not in the gospel so much, as "from heaven." The physical creation itself does not bear witness to the wrath of God. This fact alone shows that Paul is not limited to discussing what truth about God is revealed from his work of creation. So, "revealed from heaven" is not equated with "revealed from creation." The former alludes to God's judgments, to his sending of disasters upon wicked peoples, such as we have already mentioned. It is God's witness against "all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men." There is a contrast made by the apostle. The righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel but the unrighteousness of men is revealed from heaven by demonstrations of God's wrath and displeasure against it. The gospel shows us that God is for us, but the displays of God's wrath shows that he is against us. How has "the wrath of God" been revealed to human beings? Does the physical cosmos reveal the wrath of God as it does his power and divinity?

The apostle speaks of "that which may be known of God." Again, we must insist that this is not limited to what may be known by the creation of the physical world. It includes what may be known by God's providence, or intuitively in the conscience. How does the physical creation reveal the wrath of God? We may say that the death and decay of the physical world reveals it. So Paul wrote, saying:

"For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now." (Rom. 8: 19-22)

But, it seems more likely that God's wrath is more clearly revealed in particular disasters sent upon man when his ungodliness has been unbridled. Of the deluge the apostle Peter says it was brought "upon the world of the ungodly." (II Peter 2: 5) He then mentions other disasters sent upon ungodly men in divine wrath, saying: "And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly." (II Peter 2: 6)

Something indeed may be known of God by such examples of his wrath and judgment upon ungodly communities. Of course, this is only true with those who know of such disasters and are given eyes to see God behind them, who are students of history. Jude likewise writes:

"But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." (Jude 1: 5-7)

Here are three historical examples that are sufficient to show men what God thinks of sin and ungodliness. He mentions the devastation that the Lord sent upon the land of Egypt in his righteous and just wrath. Moses also testified of it, saying:

"Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, has dashed in pieces the enemy. And in the greatness of Your excellence You have overthrown those who rose up against You: You sent forth Your wrath; it consumed them like stubble." (Exo. 15: 6-7)

Paul says "that which may be known of God" is "manifest in them." How manifest in them? When Paul says "for he has shown it to them," what does that mean? How has he shown it? Doubtless it is through the various mediums we have already observed. Notice another way. Paul says in this same chapter:

"For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting." (Rom. 1: 26-28)

The suffering of penalties for immorality bears witness to the wrath of God against such conduct. For instance, sexual immorality (fornication and adultery) often brings venereal diseases. Such consequences are testimonies to the anger of God against such immoral conduct. Of course man's depravity refuses to see how such consequences are testimonies to God's wrath against sin. Though sinners "receive in themselves the penalty for their immoral conduct," they do not always see it as such. They also, if they know about the Noahic flood, or about the destruction of the Egyptians, or Sodom and Gomorrah, and such things, will refuse to acknowledge that they are examples of the wrath of God against sin.

Paul says "since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead."

Notice Paul says that these truths about God have been "clearly seen" by all men "since the creation of the world." This is in keeping with those verses we have already mentioned as affirming that the gospel and prophets of God have been since the beginning. Certain facts about God the Creator are known "by the things that are made." Those facts concern God's "invisible attributes," his "eternal power and Godhead (or divinity)." Of course, included in this revelation is God's infinite wisdom and understanding. The cosmos reveals both God's infinite power and knowledge. But, what other attributes? Surely the goodness and omnibenevolence of God are evident from both creation and providence. Notice these words:

"But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, “who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. “Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.” (Acts 14: 14-17)

The fact that men do not naturally see God's goodness in giving rain and fruitful seasons, and giving them reasons to be happy, is no evidence that the witness is not present, for men, as Paul said, "suppress the truth," and "did not like to retain God in their knowledge." The evidences for God and his attributes are present everywhere, but men refuse to see them.

Notice the word "became" in Romans chapter one as in affirming that the Gentile nations "became futile in their thoughts" and "became fools." There was a time when the nations knew the truth, both from creation and providence, and from the gospel message. But, they "changed the truth into a lie." (vs. 25) Or, as the text at the head of this chapter says, all flesh "corrupted" God's way upon the earth. When that happened, did God immediately destroy them all? No, he was longsuffering and manifested forbearance. Even though he finally did destroy the nations for this corrupting of the revelation given to them, via the worldwide flood, it was only after giving the world plenty of warning and time to repent. (I Peter 3: 20) In the above text in Acts there is mention of how the Lord "allowed all nations to walk in their own ways." This allowance was not approval of what they were doing but was longsuffering and patient forbearance. In addition to the word "became," there is the statement "although they knew God, they glorified him not as God." 

Many of the attributes of God are known by God's creation and providence, but the gospel message of the Messiah is not revealed in nature. That revelation is available only by his prophets and recorded in the holy scriptures. It is also revealed in the ancient Zodiac or Mazzaroth. But, what happened to that revelation? It was corrupted and perverted. Over time the message was changed, and variations in the ancient or primal Zodiac began to be altered by the nations. However, there is still enough unaltered to reveal the gospel message if a person looks at it without bias. 

All ancient religions had promises of a coming Messiah or Savior. Each nation began to create portraits of their own ideas about such Messiahs, different from the one announced in the Garden of Eden and in the sign of Virgo. Myth began to be mixed with the original first gospel or protoevangelium. Each of the nations invented their own good news message about salvation and a coming utopia. 

It is because of this corruption of divine revelation, including the original gospel message, that many have lived and died in nations where they did not hear the truth and so died without any means of salvation. Think of the American Indians. They existed for centuries without any knowledge of the gospel or of true religion. What is their fate? Did they not have any chance to be saved? Some say that if any of them were true seekers of God, then God would have gotten the gospel to them. But, there are problems with that view of the matter. First, such a statement affirms that God can get the gospel to someone any time he wants. But, if that is so, then why does he not get it to everyone? Second, it leads to the conclusion that no American Indians were true seekers of the one true God and his way of salvation for centuries (until the time when the Pilgrims came to America). It must affirm that every heathen who died without the gospel was not a true seeker or else God would have gotten it to them.

Further, general revelation does not reveal the way of salvation through the Messiah. That knowledge can only come through hearing the gospel message. In the next concluding chapter we will see that this is what the Bible affirms.