Christian Apologetics Final Exam
Who are the unevangelized (traditional example) - ANS- 1. People who lie in a
time/place isolated from the Gospel
2. Infants who die before they hear the Gospel
3. People who never develop the ability to understand the Gospel
Who are the unevangelized (Non-traditionalized) - ANS- 1. Those who hear a
bastardized version of the Gospel
2. Those who have been so damaged by life as to be unable to trust
3. Those whose life trajectory at death seems incomplete
Why is the destiny of the unevangelized an issue? (2 answers) - ANS- - typical answer
"contrary to God's fairness"
- better answer "contrary to what scripture says about God's love for us"
The problem of the unevangelized (statements) - ANS- 1. God desires all to have an
opportunity to be saved
2. Hearing the gospel and responding with explicit faith is necessary for salvation
3. Some die without hearing the Gospel
3 Traditional responses to the Destiny of the Unevangelized - ANS- - Deny (1):
Restrictivism
- Deny (2): Inclusivism
- Deny (3): Universal Opportunity (in this life)
Restrectivism (definition) - ANS- Definition: God does not (ultimately) desire to provide
all people with access to salvation
2 Versions:
- Calvinist Restrictivism: God chooses not to elect all
- Arminianism Restrictivism: God chooses a plan of salvation and means to salvation
that he knows will result in some not hearing the gospel
Restrictivism (Arguments) - ANS- For:
- Romans 1:18-20 - "without excuse"
- Salvation "only through Jesus Christ" (John 14:6)
- Salvation requires "hearing the gospel of Christ" (Romans 10:9-16)
, Against:
- universal salvific will passages
- Old Testement Patriarchs?
- Babies / cognitively disabled?
Exclusivism - ANS- Salvation only through Jesus Christ (John 14:6)
Inclusivism (definition) - ANS- - Explicit Faith in Jesus Christ is not necessary for
salvation
- The unevangelized can be saved by their faithful response to God's general revelation
- Jesus is ontological buy not epistemologically necessary for salvation (All who are
saved are saved by Jesus, but they might not know it is Jesus who is saving them
- Assumes a "degree of access principle" (God holds us accountable to the degree of
revelation that we have recieved)
Inclusivism (arguments) - ANS- For:
- Old testement Patriarchs
- Cornelius (Acts 10)
- Definition of saving faith in Hebrews 11:6
Against
- The required object for faith in God is Jesus Christ, not a generic creator
- Those who refused explicit faith in Jesus never had implicit faith in God
- How does implicit faith help the pseudo-evangelized
A common (but invalid) argument against inclusivism (and the Fallacy involved): - ANS-
Argument:
- If you Confess Christ, you will be saved
- You do not confess Christ
- Therefore, you will not be saved
Fallacy: Denying the Antecedent
Example:
- If it is raining, the grass will be wet
- It is not raining
Who are the unevangelized (traditional example) - ANS- 1. People who lie in a
time/place isolated from the Gospel
2. Infants who die before they hear the Gospel
3. People who never develop the ability to understand the Gospel
Who are the unevangelized (Non-traditionalized) - ANS- 1. Those who hear a
bastardized version of the Gospel
2. Those who have been so damaged by life as to be unable to trust
3. Those whose life trajectory at death seems incomplete
Why is the destiny of the unevangelized an issue? (2 answers) - ANS- - typical answer
"contrary to God's fairness"
- better answer "contrary to what scripture says about God's love for us"
The problem of the unevangelized (statements) - ANS- 1. God desires all to have an
opportunity to be saved
2. Hearing the gospel and responding with explicit faith is necessary for salvation
3. Some die without hearing the Gospel
3 Traditional responses to the Destiny of the Unevangelized - ANS- - Deny (1):
Restrictivism
- Deny (2): Inclusivism
- Deny (3): Universal Opportunity (in this life)
Restrectivism (definition) - ANS- Definition: God does not (ultimately) desire to provide
all people with access to salvation
2 Versions:
- Calvinist Restrictivism: God chooses not to elect all
- Arminianism Restrictivism: God chooses a plan of salvation and means to salvation
that he knows will result in some not hearing the gospel
Restrictivism (Arguments) - ANS- For:
- Romans 1:18-20 - "without excuse"
- Salvation "only through Jesus Christ" (John 14:6)
- Salvation requires "hearing the gospel of Christ" (Romans 10:9-16)
, Against:
- universal salvific will passages
- Old Testement Patriarchs?
- Babies / cognitively disabled?
Exclusivism - ANS- Salvation only through Jesus Christ (John 14:6)
Inclusivism (definition) - ANS- - Explicit Faith in Jesus Christ is not necessary for
salvation
- The unevangelized can be saved by their faithful response to God's general revelation
- Jesus is ontological buy not epistemologically necessary for salvation (All who are
saved are saved by Jesus, but they might not know it is Jesus who is saving them
- Assumes a "degree of access principle" (God holds us accountable to the degree of
revelation that we have recieved)
Inclusivism (arguments) - ANS- For:
- Old testement Patriarchs
- Cornelius (Acts 10)
- Definition of saving faith in Hebrews 11:6
Against
- The required object for faith in God is Jesus Christ, not a generic creator
- Those who refused explicit faith in Jesus never had implicit faith in God
- How does implicit faith help the pseudo-evangelized
A common (but invalid) argument against inclusivism (and the Fallacy involved): - ANS-
Argument:
- If you Confess Christ, you will be saved
- You do not confess Christ
- Therefore, you will not be saved
Fallacy: Denying the Antecedent
Example:
- If it is raining, the grass will be wet
- It is not raining
