Let’s begin this discussion with a parable by Antony Flew which goes something like this: A satellite phone washes ashore on a secluded island and natives find it. By pressing combinations of the numbers they are surprised to hear a voice. They believe the voice is coming from the phone, which to them is just some kind of box. To verify this they call their smartest people (we would call them scientists) to build one just like it. They do and get the same results. They conclude the voice is coming from the box. After some time one of their wisest persons comes along and says he has given much thought to this. What if the voice is someone like us who exists in a distant part of the world? What if there was some way we could make a return contact through this box. If we pursue that possibility, it may lead us to a whole new world out there, one that we may find better than our own. They laugh at him. They destroy one of the boxes. That can’t be true because when we destroy the box, the voices stop, which proves that they are confined to the box itself.
Antony Flew, a former atheist of over 50 years, used this parable to say to fellow atheists that they are like those natives who refuse to believe that there could be someone else existing outside of their own world. They believe all that exists is confined to this world. But what if it were true? (like was true in the case of the phone and the natives on the island) What if there is a God outside of the universe who is willing to communicate with us. If it were true, think of what that would mean if we were to pursue it and make contact.
The truth of the matter is: It might mean discovering more of the meaning of our existence, or it might lead to a better life, or to answers to many of our ultimate questions, such as what really happens when we die?
Something like this parable exists for every human being on planet earth. We have evidence pointing to a possible contact beyond us and must choose what to do with it. I agree with those who say that God has written two books. One is the Bible and the other is nature. Nature is like the satellite phone. When observed closely, it points to the possibility of someone existing beyond the world we know. If persons take this knowledge seriously, they could come to have a relationship with that being and discover a whole new existence for themselves.
How does the observation of nature point to a being outside of our world who is obviously greater than ourselves? Looking at nature's awesome beauty or endless starry skies often prompts the response, “There’s got to be a reason why all of this exists, what is the explanation, who made it? Why is there something rather than nothing? An ancient stoic philosopher, Seneca, in observing the structure of the universe and the motion of the heavenly bodies said that these do “not persist without some caretaker.” The design of the universe and the working of all its intricate parts certainly implies a designer. And that designer must have great power, wisdom, imagination, creativity, and intelligence to be able to put all of this together.
Another aspect of nature is to look within ourselves and there we recognize that we have an inborn sense of morality, of right and wrong. Where does that come from? From where comes the urge to sacrificially give up our lives to love and help others without expecting any returns? Is there a personal moral being who is responsible for us having this kind of a nature? The Bible reminds us in Romans 2:14-15 that we don’t need the Bible to know right from wrong. If we are honest to look at our imperfections, we find that in spite of them, we long to be accepted for who we are, but feel we don’t deserve it. Primitive peoples have figured this out. They know they do wrong things and deserve the wrath of the gods. That is why they invent ways to try and appease them to earn their favor. People are convicted by their own consciences of their wrongs. Evidence of this is that they often feel that when bad things happen to them, they are being punished by some god for what they have done or failed to do. This is God’s moral law of nature working to help them realize their need to seek God and get into a loving relationship with Him. This results in the hope of escape from all evil, and a life of peace, joy, satisfaction and fulfillment.
The Bible makes this point about nature in Romans 1:18-30. God has made His power and character known by what He has made so that persons are without excuse for coming into a right relationship and worshipping Him.
Many people who look at nature seem convinced in their own mind that there must be a supreme being out there to whom they are responsible. If persons want to know that being, would God, who wants to know them, and be known by them, fail to make it possible for them? I think not. There are plenty of stories told by people of how God reached them and revealed to them how they could find the better life they were seeking. (salvation through Christ Jesus)
For example, I remember reading about Mr. Singh who was on the verge of committing suicide and prayed that if there was a God, it would be revealed to him. As with the apostle Paul, Jesus Himself appeared to him, and as a result, Mr. Singh became a believer and was instrumental in many others becoming believers. Another story is told about a man raised in India by gurus where there were no Christians. He came to the conclusion that there were too many contradictions in Hinduism and its teachings did not satisfy his soul. He called out to God for answers. Through a remarkable series of events God brought people into his life who shared the message of Christ and he became a Christ-follower.
There are lots of stories in the Bible showing that God will go out of His way to reach people who are interested in wanting to know the truth about being saved from their present conditions. He sent Phillip to a man traveling in a chariot who needed to know the truth. He sent Peter to a man of another religion who was seeking for the truth. He cared about people of other cultures who had no opportunity to hear His message of salvation. God is not willing for anyone to die as He makes very clear in Ezekiel 18:23, 32. Also, 2 Peter 3:9. 3
Based on these stories and on the attitude of God that we find in Scripture, it is reasonable to believe that God can and does reach people with His message of salvation through Christ if they realize their need and truly want to have a new life.
The fact of the matter is that people are not lost because they have not heard of Christ. Look at all the people who have heard of him, but still reject Him. People are lost because they are unwilling to turn their lives over to the Creator God because they want to be in control of their own lives. Nature tells them that morality exists and that it is only right for justice to be done and that people pay for their wrongs. They know of their wrongs and their guilt, but they refuse to admit it and seek God’s solution. The greatest wrong is refusing to acknowledge God and submit to His Kingship and receive His help and give Him thanks for all things. If they wanted that, God would somehow get His Christ message to them.
It’s easy for someone to say that God is unfair to condemn people who have not had a chance to hear of His salvation in Christ. But such a statement assumes that there are people like that out there. Why can’t God reach anyone who wants to be reached? For all we know in our limited knowledge, He does.
I heard one answer given to a person who presented this problem. The person to whom he asked this question responded by saying, “If you are concerned about those people who have never heard, why don’t you become saved by God and go yourself and tell those who have not heard.” It turned out that the person was not really interested in an answer to this, but only was interested in finding an excuse for himself to not to have to submit his life to God. After all, who would want to believe in a God who is so unfair as to condemn innocent people.
I, for one, would not want to believe in an unfair God. That would truly not be a God worth believing in.
I want a God who loves, who cares, and who will do all He can to save persons who want to be saved. That is exactly the kind of God I find revealed in the Bible. I trust that He knows what He is doing and that people will not slip through the cracks just because they are in an area of the world where the gospel message has not yet reached. God has already done what He can to save us by sending His Son to make it possible for us. At some point, we must respond to the information we have and take it upon ourselves to seek Him. He responds to that, but he does not force anyone to believe who does not want it. In fact, He has the right to choose to remain hidden from them. How sad is that for people who choose to reject Him? In his love and respect for their free will, He allows them to go their own ways and they remain lost.
