I’ve just finished reading the complete Chronicles of Narnia (thanks to Robin!) and finally made it to one of the parts I’ve been looking forward to since I began the seventh book, The Last Battle. This is the section I’m sure you’ve heard about even if you haven’t read the series. It is the bit where Aslan tells the young Calormene soldier, Emeth, that his service in the name of his god, Tash, counts as service to Aslan. Here is the section for those of you who are unfamiliar with it:
Aslan, “Child, all the service thou hast done to Tash, I account as service done to me...” Emeth, “Is it then true...that thou and Tash are one?” The Lion growled so that the earth shook (but his wrath was not against me) and said, “It is false. Not because he and I are one, but because we are opposites, I take to me the services which thou hast done to him. For he and I are of such different kinds that no service which is vile can be done to me, and none which is not vile can be done to him. Therefore, if any man swear by Tash and keep his oath for the oath’s sake, it is by me that he has truly sworn, though he know it not, and it is I who reward him. And if any man do a cruelty in my name, then, though he says the name Aslan, it is Tash whom he serves and by Tash his deed is accepted” (p205).
Let’s switch out the names Aslan and Tash with Christ and satan, respectively (as I believe Lewis intended), and I think we will find that there are certain parts of that dialogue that we as Christians can definitely agree with. Such as, “no service which is vile can be done to me” and “if any man do a cruelty in my name, then, though he says the name Aslan, it is Tash whom he serves and by Tash his deed is accepted.” This last calls to mind atrocities committed in the name of our Lord – those performing the deeds may claim to do them in the name of Christ, but they are really doing the devil’s work. I don’t think any Christian would have a problem with that. But what of the reverse (and here lies my true query)? Are deeds done in the name of other gods than Christ accepted by Christ as a service done in His name? Will we, upon entrance to Heaven, be rewarded for the good we did before we became Christ’s? Or does that tally only start when we become His? This is separate to the issue of salvation, as that is a gift gained through faith in Christ, and is wholly apart from works. This relates purely (it seems to me) to the issues of heavenly rewards and who is glorified by our works.
What do you think?
4 comments:
Here is something I think, to a large extent, we will never know this side of the Gates. The Bible does not tell us, and in fact, stays oddly silent on the subject. As Lewis himself pointed out, the truth is, the Bible does not tell us what happens to those who have never heard of Him.
No man has excuse, mind you. God has written His Word on our hearts (esp true for Christians) but each of us has a conscience and knows guilt when we break it.
God takes count of all good done - the real point is that we are really incapable of doing "good" apart from Him. It is He that worketh in us. Some, and those really blessed, choose willingly to be used by Him - for works set aside from before the foundations of the world. In other words, any good is God's and no one else's. Will God count that for us even before we know Him - or in the case that we never know him.... or worse yet, the image we have of Him is false?
It is fair to say Yes. 1, it is His work not ours. 2, any image we have of Christ that is false (e.g. we are born Buddhist and told that Jesus is a magician and demon, etc) will be reconciled when we meet Him... and if we didn't like Him because we thought Him evil, well we were making a judgment on what we thought "God should look like" - and who set that, even if it is in our own minds? Either our image of God is insufficient or its too great (ie perfect) and perhaps you have only heard bad things of Christ.
This was the case in Narnia with Emeth. He had only heard horrible things of Aslan but knew what good was and made a judgment call in favor of what he knew was good.
His was not a case of my judgment but judgment based on the word that God had written on his heart. It was not pridefully made, but honestly. God is truth and any such honesty must be attested to Him, not ourselves.
What of those chosen of God that did not know Christ - Moses, David and how about this one: Jesus is listed in the Order of Melchizedek yet Melchizedek himself honored the One True and Living God, but did not know the name "LORD" (Jehovah). He was not Jewish. But he honored God with his whole heart. And it is his name associated with Christ's priesthood!
Any misplaced judgment that Christ doesn't measure up means that we either don't have a proper view of Him, or we have an improper view of ourselves. God will judge justly. He is just. In fact, we only know real justice because we know Him.
Fascinating insight, as usual, James. I find Lewis' words via Aslan particularly memorable, esp. in The Last Battle.
I firmly believe that all things done for good, no matter who they are done for, can be and, in fact, will be used by God for His own purposes in the life of the believer. Now, if these instances don't ever have an influence on a follower of Christ? I don't know. But I think it's safe to assume that things that are done that are truly good (keeping in mind that all our righteousness is as filthy rags) - and even the things that are not good - can be used by God however he sees fit.
I need to clarify something. Fourth paragraph, I said that one's concept of God could be "too great (ie perfect)" - God IS perfect, what I meant was that we may fall prey to our own vision of perfection instead of His. Either way, even if our idea of God is spot on, its His doing, not ours. And if its spot on and by the tongues of men we hear that Christ is a demon and believe Him to be so, we will be very glad to find out that He is not when we meet Him. He will settle all disillusions.
Is that clearer? No? Hmmm...
The character Emeth, whose name comes from the Hebrew "emet" meaning "Truth" is Lewis' way of of explaining the theological concept of "individual soteriological inclusivism." The theory denies the concept of religious pluralism (that all gods - in this case Aslan and Tash - are all really the same, or similar) as a heresy (which it is) yet maintains that some individuals within "evil" cults can still be saved by Christ simply because they have followed, essentially, the only god they knew out of love, adoration, the hope of truth and selfless honor - all honest and good aspects, because any good and right truth must come from God.
A parable told by Christ, Himself, may shed a little light on this if we know a little Greek. The parable of the weeds among the wheat. Christ tells a story of a Farmer who sows wheat and while he sleeps at night his enemy comes and sows weeds in his field.
The farmer tells his hired hands to leave the weeds to grow lest they pull up some wheat in the meanwhile. The weed here is "darnel" which looks a lot like wheat. Its not good for much and some varieties of it are somewhat poisonous. The point is, sometimes it is only God who can tell the difference between the righteous and the wicked. God sees into the hearts of men and women, we cannot. Leave the judgment to God. (We aren't up to the job)
Post a Comment