Monday, May 11, 2015

During the 5 minutes while Jesus was interacting with Nicodemus.

Friends,

I am sure you are familiar with the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, recorded in the 3rd chapter of John's gospel. There are some vital pronouncements in that conversation:
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 
Joh 3:17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 
Joh 3:18  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God
We cannot know the exact duration of this conversation. It takes me more than 3½ minutes to read John 3:1-21. Allowing the Son of God to think and respond to Nicodemus, let us assume that the conversation should have lasted for at least 5 minutes. (300 seconds)

While this conversation was happening:

  • There were no telephones, radios, printing, internet or public transport. (So, no publishing, telecasting, broadcasting, webcasting, podcasting, YouTube...)
  • Jesus' message hadn't crossed the borders of Israel.
  • The world population should have been around 200 - 230 millions. 
  • Though mortality rate should have been much higher than it is today (1.8 deaths per second), let us assume that it stood at 0.25 deaths per second.
  • This means that during those 300 seconds, 75 people would have died.
So, even as Jesus was interacting with Nicodemus, 75 people died, without  believing in the Son of God - because they haven't got an opportunity to hear about Him. (Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.)

If God wanted the words uttered by Jesus to Nicodemus as the criteria for sealing the fate of these 75 people who died while those words were being uttered, why God did not give them a fair chance to hear those words?

Knowing that the words of Jesus did not cross the borders of Israel until some 3 years after His earthly ministry, 2.3 million people would have died without hearing about Jesus during those three 3 years.

If your soteriology insists that these people who were denied an opportunity to hear about Jesus are "already condemned" because they did not believe in the Son of God, it is just fine. What is not so commendable is your lack of discernment and common sense.


In Christ,
Tomsan Kattackal

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