Journal: Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society
Volume: JOTGES 29:57 (Autumn 2016)
Article: The Promise Of Everlasting Life In Paul’s First Recorded Sermon (Acts 13:14–41)
Author: Zane C. Hodges

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JOTGES 29:57 (Autumn 2016) p. 63

The Promise Of Everlasting Life In Paul’s First Recorded Sermon (Acts 13:14–41)

Zane Hodges1

I. Introduction

In today’s world, it is commonly held that there are many different ways that a Christian can present the message of eternal salvation to an unbeliever. As a result, it is maintained that we cannot say that there is only one statement of truth in this regard. One way of expressing the message is not to be preferred over many other options. There can be no doubt that the postmodern view of reality supports such thinking.2

When one looks at how Jesus proclaimed the saving message, however, he finds that the Lord had a consistent content to what He offered the unbeliever. He made eternal life the very core and essence of that message.3 Many passages in the Gospel of John bear this fact out (3:15 16; 4:14; 5:24; 6:27, 40, 54; 10:28; 17:2–3). In other words, when Jesus told people how to be saved from hell, He offered them eternal life. That is what they were called to believe in Him for (cf. 1 Tim 1:16).

However, some Evangelicals maintain that the evangelist today need not be that consistent. What needs to be believed by the unbeliever can take many diverse forms, it is argued.

The Apostle Paul is sometimes pointed to as an example of such diversity. It is maintained that he did not preach an evangelistic message that necessarily included the offer of eternal life. Depending upon the circumstances and audience, he offered unbelievers other benefits if they

JOTGES 29:57 (Autumn 2016) p. 64

believed. These other benefits might be the forgiveness of sins, justification, or simply salvation in a very general sense.4

What this all means is that Paul did not necessarily preach the same evangelistic message that the Lord did. For Paul, an unbeliever did not have to understand that he had eternal life at the moment of faith. He would be eternally saved if he simply believed in Jesus for a number of different things. The unbeliever would have this salvation...

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