My friend and former colleague, Ken Samples, posted an article on the Reasons To Believe website entitled, “What Happens to Those Who Never Hear the Gospel?” He identified the traditional Christian view as Exclusivism which asserts that the unevangelized are lost because they have sinned in Adam. However, he goes on to state that they will be judged by the general revelation God has given to all human beings. (1)
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. (Romans 1:20)
A question has been asked by countless generations, can the revelation of God in His creation prepare one for salvation in Jesus Christ? Is there no hope for people across the world in all of history who never heard the Gospel? After all, it was Jesus who said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) Let us examine this important question in the context of the covenant made by God with Abram and by the blessing of Abram by the Canaanite king and high priest of Salem, Melchizedek. He knew Yahweh, the God of Abram, by His general revelation. General revelation prepares one to receive the Gospel through the eternal priest in the order of Melchizedek, Jesus Christ. (2)
Abram of Ur was given a promise by Yahweh 4000 years ago if he would obey His command to leave his people and country and go to a foreign land. (Genesis 12:1) He would be blessed by his obedience, and all the peoples of the earth would be blessed through him since in his lineage was to be Jesus Christ the Messiah. (Genesis 12:3) Upon his arrival in Canaan Abram entered Salem and encountered the king who reigned over it, Melchizedek. He was the king of righteousness, the priest of El Elyon, the God most high. El Elyon was the Canaanite name for Yahweh. Melchizedek saw that Abram worshipped Yahweh/El Elyon and blessed him. Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything he had recovered in the rescue operation of Lot from Kedorlaomer and his allied kings. (Genesis 14:18-20) In this ancient culture the blessing by Melchizedek identified him as the greater of the two, and the lesser represented by Abram was obligated to give gifts to the greater. As was the custom in that time Melchizedek was also the high priest of Salem. When King David conquered Salem in later years he became its priest – as was Melchizedek before him – and renamed it Jerusalem. King David prophesied that the Messiah who was in the lineage of the House of David would be an eternal priest in the order of Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4) “in which membership is . . . not restricted to one particular lineage.” (Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 7:1-22) (3) The priestly tribe of Levi that was descended from Abram (renamed Abraham) was not to be a permanent priesthood. The prophecy by David foretold the change in the priesthood order that was to come with the New Covenant in Jesus Christ. (4)
And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. For it is declared: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 7:15-17) . . . and a better hope is introduced by which we draw near to God. (Hebrews 7:19)
It is unknown how Melchizedek received his knowledge of Yahweh, whom he called El Elyon. (5) God has the power to interact with people who have no access to the knowledge of Jesus Christ or of His special revelation in the Bible. (Romans 1:20) In Acts 10:34-35 Peter said, “I now realize how true it is that God . . . accepts men from every nation who fear Him and do what is right” as led by their conscience, itself a manifestation of God’s general revelation. General revelation is older and has influenced 100 percent of mankind in all of history. (Psalm 19) The Belgic Confession of 1566 makes the following statement:
We know Him (God) by . . . the creation, preservation, and government of the universe, since that universe is before our eyes like a beautiful book in which all creatures, great and small, are as letters to make us ponder the invisible things of God: His eternal power and His diversity, as the Apostle Paul says in Romans 1:20.
“. . . the Messiah who came among men in fulfillment of every spiritual reality foreshadowed by the Levitical priestly system was also at the same time ‘a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.’ (Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 5:4-10; 6:20; 7:15-22) Christ . . . is Lord of both general and special revelation . . . The true light (Jesus Christ) that gives light to every man (through general revelation) was coming into the world (to shine upon men in special revelation).” (John 1:9) (6)
The redeeming grace of God has been revealed to mankind in His dual revelation, giving all people hope for salvation through Jesus Christ the Messiah, eternal priest in the order of Melchizedek.