10. Jahrgang exte MARTIN MBS T 173 BUCER 2013 SEMINAR

Thomas K. Johnson The First Step in Missions Training: How our Neigh- bors are Wrestling with God’s General Revelation (Part 1)

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TheologicalTheologische Accents Akzente TableInhaltsverzeichnis of Contents

The Human Condition...... 8 The Content of General Revelation...... 10 The Normal Human Response to God’s General Revelation...... 11 Internal Contradictions Resulting from Simultaneously Accepting and Rejecting God’s General Revelation...... 13 Religious Reversals...... 16 Missions Training...... 17 Annotation...... 18 The Author...... 21 Study Centers...... 22 Imprint...... 23

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2 The First Step in Missions Training … (Part 1)

The First Step in Missions Training: How our Neighbors are Wrestling with God’s General Revelation (Part 1)1

Thomas K. Johnson

If you very seriously want to fulfill What is truly astonishing is Paul’s your calling as a missionary, to bring first theme when he wrote a manual the biblical message to a needy world, on missionary training. In a very broad what is the very first thing you should sense, the book of Romans was writ- learn? Is it the language of the people ten by Paul as a missionary training you want to reach? Is it how to adjust to manual, one of the earlier text books in different cultures, where people really history, designed to equip the church think differently and do things differ- for its history changing task of bringing ently? Is it the history of the people you the gospel to the nations. He wrote it as want to reach? an organic part of his missionary work, If you read the life of the apostle Paul, to explain his mission efforts to the you might think the most important church in Rome, to gain support from thing for a missionary to learn is how the church, and especially to train the to swim very well, in case a few of the entire church in Rome to become a mis- ships on which you are riding sink. (See sionary church. Of course, Christians 2 Corinthians 11:25.) Or maybe, fol- have used the book of Romans for other lowing Paul, you will want to learn how purposes, perhaps as a source book for to walk distances that seem long to us. Christian doctrine or as a summary of (The distance mentioned in Acts 20:13 theology, and there is nothing particu- was 32 to 40 km, i. e., 20 to 25 miles.) larly wrong with these uses of the book. Or maybe you should learn how to sing However, the arguments are convinc- very joyfully, in case you are beaten ing that Paul wrote his great epistle to and thrown into prison for preaching the Romans to be a missions training the gospel. (See Acts 16:16–39.) I have manual, to help the church in Rome wondered if singing while being beaten become a missionary church. You see was standard operating procedure for this from the way the book starts, fin- Paul. ishes, and is organized around the topic

Theologische Akzente 3 Thomas K. Johnson of the spread of the gospel to the entire flict with God is the central theme of world. The overwhelming theologi- human existence. Understanding this cal, philosophical, and ethical content conflict, this wrestling match of the of the book does not stand alone; it is ages between God and humanity, is set within the framework of world mis- the first step toward serious mission- sion and is properly called a “Charter of ary courage and power. Understanding World Missions.”2 If this claim is true, this conflict also provides crucial intel- then the book of Romans should again lectual tools needed by all Christians become central for missionary training. as missionaries.5 The human race is lost We want all our missionaries (which and is continually suppressing their means all Christians!) to be able to say, God-given knowledge of God. Never- with Paul, “I am not ashamed of the theless, even when people suppress their gospel,” and to really know what they naturally given knowledge of God, the mean with these words, why they are created order of the universe continu- convinced this is true, how this relates ally impinges on human life and con- to human experience, and what kind of sciousness, so that human life is a con- life flows from this message.3 tinual wrestling match with God and What is truly astonishing is that the his created order, regardless of the belief very first theme of the apostle, after or unbelief of a person or culture his missionary framework (Romans A word of self-disclosure is in order. 1:1–15) and gospel summary (Romans As a young man, I studied religions 1:16–17), is not the gospel. Paul’s first and philosophies in a secular univer- theme is the divine-human conflict sity with a view to bring the gospel into which forms the background for all the secular universities. Soon I came to of human experience prior to faith in the very painful conclusion that some the gospel. This conflict has to do with of the evangelical apologetics I had God’s general revelation, the human learned did not stand up in light of the suppression of that revelation, God’s various cross currents which dominated wrath, and his common grace. Paul the university, ideas which advanced regarded understanding these truths students might call critical philosophy, about God and humanity as the first post-modernism, or deconstruction- step to prepare the Christians in Rome ism.6 If my previously learned weak to become effective missionaries who apologetics was all I had intellectually, were proud of the gospel in relation to then I had to become ashamed of the their multi-religious and multi-cultural gospel, the exact opposite of what Paul society; this understanding is also stra- experienced. This realization forced me tegically important for our time. Paul to ask how Paul could be so pointedly understood that the entire human race unashamed, really proud of the gospel, is wrestling with God prior to the time even though he was obviously aware of when anyone hears the gospel.4 Con- the various lines of secular and religious

4 MBS Texte 173 The First Step in Missions Training … (Part 1) thought in his day, some of which were wisely and boldly. This is a theory of naively religious, while others were knowledge, a philosophy of culture, a philosophically critical and skeptical. system of social criticism, an evaluative Learning from Romans 1 and 2 became philosophy of religion, a complex philo- a matter of personal spiritual survival as sophical anthropology, and a founda- well as a matter of regaining thought- tion for social ethics, all as a framework ful missionary zeal.7 But this experience for world missions. Paul’s complete was not only for me, since the philoso- worldview was unlike most philosophi- phies and theories I encountered in the cal theories we encounter, but this total university represented similar ideas in worldview gave him both courage and many cultures. My experience may be guidance to lead the nations to faith similar to that of many other Chris- in Jesus. Paul’s God was continually tians. Understanding Paul’s teaching speaking through creation in a man- on God’s speech through creation, with ner that no one can avoid and which is the complex human response, offers the foundation for all of human con- answers that can change us all from sciousness, life, and experience, even if being ashamed of the gospel to becom- people often want to avoid God’s pres- ing confident in the gospel.8 ence and speech. It seems like people To repeat: Paul’s pride in the gospel, cannot acknowledge it. For Paul, God’s his intellectual courage in the gospel, self-revelation through creation, even and his missionary audacity were based when denied and suppressed, is fun- on his understanding of the human damental for all that makes us human, condition before God. This is a condi- including our internal contradictions, tion of repressing God’s general rev- and especially our irrepressible reli- elation, even though the entire human gious drives and hard-to-deny ethical situation, including all of human expe- knowledge. Because Paul understood rience, is made possible by a continual the complex, continuous, and universal dialogue and conflict with God’s word divine-human encounter, he was proud in creation. God’s general revelation of the gospel, confident in the truth and forms the hidden theological assump- importance of the gospel, while living tion for all of life for all people regard- in a world of many religions, cultures, less of culture or religion, an assump- and philosophies. Paul’s missionary tion that is both used and denied at the intellectual courage was a gift of God same time by unbelievers as part of their which came by means of understand- conflict with God. Thoughtful mission- ing God’s general revelation and the aries (which we all should become) will self-contradictory response of people in make this otherwise hidden assumption conflict with God. explicit in their own understanding of It is my impression that even we life and the gospel; then we can use this Christians, not only atheists and adher- understanding to present the gospel ents of other religions, sometimes

Theologische Akzente 5 Thomas K. Johnson neglect or ignore God’s general word in throughout human history) in his cre- creation, the word which eternally and ation, even before people hear the gos- continually precedes his special Word pel, has become part of my worship to in Christ and in Holy Scripture; this my heavenly Father, into which I invite weakness left me ill-equipped for our you to join me. This study will be in missionary calling, the main theme of four major parts: 1) an original trans- Romans. This ill-equipped status can lation of Paul’s manifesto in Romans push us into either theological liberal- 1:16–2:5, which includes some matters ism (which often appropriates a limited of technical exegesis in the translation; set of Christian truth claims on the 2) “Wrestling with God: The Human basis of a philosophy of life, worldview, Condition,” which is a targeted exposi- or narrative that is not biblical in its tion of selected themes in this particular origin) or into extreme fundamental- text; 3) “Faith Seeking Understanding,” ism (which holds or presents Christian a multifaceted study inspired by Paul’s truth claims in an improper manner).9 method of thought, including reference We easily adopt a fight-or-flight rela- to other biblical texts, addressing mis- tion to culture, education, and poli- sionary questions related to philosophy, tics, unintentionally advocating either religions, and ethics; and 4) some aca- an ethics of holy withdrawal from the demic appendices. world or an ethics of domination over The goal is to take the first step to the world. Our evangelism, preaching, prepare believers to become missionar- and educational efforts are weakened ies: understanding the condition of the because we sound like there is no con- unbelieving world, which is continu- nection between the biblical message ally in self-conflict and in conflict with and the rest of human experience. The God: fighting with God’s general rev- gospel can begin to seem irrelevant or elation while also depending on God’s marginal in importance, even to Chris- general revelation and God’s common tians. Minimizing God’s general rev- grace, so that everyone is responding to elation dishonors God and implicitly that God in manifold ways. This can expresses ingratitude toward God. increase our intellectual and practical On the other hand, if we think more courage in communicating and apply- deeply, if we really meditate on God’s ing the biblical message in the midst of general revelation, we will begin to a world that is never really secular.10 receive God’s gift of missionary cour- age, including confidence in the truth Romans 1:16–2:5 (original translation) of the gospel and a renewed under- standing of the relevance of God’s (16) I am not ashamed of the gospel, twofold revelation to all of human for it is the power of God intended for experience. For me, meditating about salvation for each person who believes, what God is doing (and has been doing first for the Jew and then for the Greek.

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(17) In it the righteousness of God is the scheme of nature; and thereby they revealed by faith and unto faith, as it receive in themselves the repayment is written, ‘The righteous will live by which was necessary for their delusion. faith.’ (18) For the wrath of God is (28) And since they did not recognize being revealed from heaven against all the knowledge of God that they had, the godlessness and injustice of men God gave them over to a confused state who suppress the truth by means of of mind, to do those things which are injustice, (19) since the knowledge of inappropriate. (29) They are full of God is plain in them; for God has made envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. himself known to them. (20) His invis- They are gossips, (30) slanderers, God- ible characteristics are received into haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful; consciousness through the creation of they invent ways of doing evil; they dis- the world, namely his invisible power obey their parents; (31) they are sense- and divine nature, so that people are less, disloyal, lacking in normal affec- without an apology.11 (21) Although tions, and merciless. (32) They know they knew God, they did not glorify the requirement of God that those who him or give thanks to him, but became do such things are worthy of death, but worthless in their thoughts and their they not only do these things, they also senseless hearts were darkened. (22) approve of those who do them. Claiming to be wise, they became fool- (2:1) Therefore, you are without a ish and (23) exchanged the glory of the defense,12 O human, everyone who immortal God for the image of the like- evaluates any actions as inappropri- ness of mortal man, birds, animals, and ate; for whenever you evaluate, you reptiles. also condemn yourself, for you do the (24) Therefore God gave them over same type of things which you evalu- by means of the covetous desires of ate negatively. (2) And we know that their hearts unto uncleanness to dis- the judgment of God is based on truth honor their bodies among themselves, when it falls on those who take such (25) particularly the very people who inappropriate actions. (3) Are you really exchanged the truth of God for a lie and being logical, O human, to think you deified and worshipped the creation in will escape the judgment of God when place of the Creator, who is blessed for- you both give a negative evaluation of ever, amen. (26) Therefore, God gave the actions of others and also do similar them over unto dishonorable passions; actions yourself? (4) Do you despise the for example, the women exchanged riches of God’s kindness, indulgence, natural sexual relations for those which and patience, claiming not to know are contrary to nature, (27) as also the that this kindness of God should lead men left natural sexual relations with you to change your mind? (5) By means women and burned in their desires for of your hard and unrepentant heart each other, man for man, contrary to you are storing up additional wrath for

Theologische Akzente 7 Thomas K. Johnson yourself at the day of the revelation of 6. Who needs an “apology,” a defense of the wrath and just judgment of God. his/her beliefs? 7. In what ways is being a Christian an Questions for study and discussion: education in itself?

1. Compare the introduction to Romans The Human Condition (1:1–15) with the conclusion (15:14– 16:27). Why do you agree or disagree In Romans 1:16–2:5 Paul summa- with the claim that the whole epistle rizes his assessment of the human con- is designed for missions training? dition without the gospel, which we are 2. Compare this translation with the describing as wrestling with God’s gen- translation in your Bible. What fine eral revelation. Readers are encouraged nuances are different? How do these to repeatedly refer to this text, and to nuances influence your understand- the original translation of this text in ing of God and people? the previous chapter, in order to con- sider it deeply. 3. How do you know the gospel of What follows is a targeted exposition Christ is true? How do you know of selected themes in this text that may that God is real? Why should we not be occasionally forgotten but which will believe in many gods? enable believers to better grasp the con- 4. What will equip you to comfortably dition of the people who need the gos- explain the Christian message to: pel of Christ. Understanding the con- a. people who claim to be atheists? dition of people before God can equip b. people who think we cannot know Christians with missionary audacity. truth? c. people who think we all find or Chapter Thesis: All of human life outside create our own truth? of the gospel is filled with the terrible d. people who follow another reli- contradiction of both knowing and not gion? knowing God at the same time. e. people who substitute morality for To understand Paul’s conception faith? of life before God, one has to see the f. people who may be much more human condition as filled with truly educated than you? terrible spiritual, moral, and intellectual conflicts, contradictions, and tensions. g. people who are less educated than At the center of these contradictions you? stands the problem that all people have 5. Do you feel uncomfortable when you a significant and content-rich knowl- talk about your beliefs or your ethics edge of God, even though people with- with people who think entirely dif- out the Bible do not want to accept or ferently from you? Why?

8 MBS Texte 173 The First Step in Missions Training … (Part 1) acknowledge that they have this knowl- tion to God himself. God is unavoid- edge about God and from God. Every- able. This means the knowledge of God thing that people say, think, and feel in the gospel assumes the previously about God, morality, and other impor- rejected knowledge, but gospel-based tant topics arises out of their deep, knowledge of God does not build on primordial conflict with God. All that the rejected knowledge of God, as if people do in all the areas of life and cul- gospel-based knowledge is a second ture is involved in this wrestling match level that builds upon a lower level. of the ages. The two types of knowledge of God Even the common claim of religious are not like floors in a building, such “neutrality,” that one can talk about that one stands on top of the other.15 God in the same way one talks about The knowledge of God we receive in minor everyday matters, is itself a prod- the gospel radically changes and redi- uct the human conflict with God, really rects the rejected knowledge of God, as an attempt to hide from God.13 well as adding to it. Paul does not provide precise theoret- In the light of the gospel, we can ical terminology, but he assumes a fun- acknowledge that we previously did not damental contrast between two types of want to know God, even though he was knowledge of God. making himself known to us through This contrast is between a deficient all of creation.16 knowledge and a proper knowledge of Paul claims that God really is reveal- God, which is also a contrast between ing himself through creation to all a rejected knowledge and an accepted people on earth, and the language Paul knowledge of God. The first type of uses is in two verb tenses, including the knowledge is what all people have by completed past and also the ongoing virtue of creation and general rev- present. elation, whether it is called improper, God effectively and sufficiently deficient, or rejected. This first type of revealed himself through his initial knowledge of God is inseparable from work of creation at the beginning of conflict with God. time, and God is also actively continu- The second type of knowledge, ing to speak through his creation to whether it is called proper or accepted, humankind throughout all of history. comes only by the gospel. This second (In Romans 3:21 Paul uses similar type of knowledge of God has to do terminology to describe the revelation with peace with God by faith in Jesus.14 of righteousness from God received by All people have some type of knowledge faith in Christ, thereby showing that of God, whether improper or proper, there are two revelations from God with rejected or accepted. This distinction is different contents and purposes.) God at the center of human experience and did not merely create the world and go influences all of life, particularly in rela- into retirement (as some deists seem to

Theologische Akzente 9 Thomas K. Johnson think);17 he is currently speaking to all Short Definitions men, women, and children, whether or not they want to listen to God or 1. General revelation: God’s speech even claim to believe in God. And this to humankind through all of cre- speech of God to all of humankind, ation, which both renders all even when rejected, is crucial to under- accountable to God and simultane- standing ourselves and our neighbors. ously makes life and culture pos- To avoid misunderstanding, one sible. This is also called “natural rev- should notice that Paul sees this activ- elation” or “creational revelation.” ity of God as coming before any human 2. Special revelation: God’s speech interest in knowing God or asking to humankind in the Bible and in about God. Christ which has its center in the God has spoken through creation gospel of the death and resurrection and is now speaking through creation. of Jesus to provide salvation. This is the word by which God created the universe and by which he keeps the The Content universe in existence. It is the condition of General Revelation that made existence and life possible and which still makes existence and life As Paul describes God’s general rev- possible. Christians have used several elation, it has a massive amount of con- different terms to describe this work of tent. It is not only a feeling of depen- God through his creation: general rev- dence or an awareness of something elation, natural revelation, or creational higher and holy, though this is surely revelation. (We will usually use the included. Paul describes or alludes to at term “general revelation.”) least seven distinct and specific aspects Each of these terms has certain or dimensions of the content of God’s strengths, since this revelation of God is general revelation in this text, though general (to all people), coming through not all seven are described with equal nature (including human nature), clarity. These are the seven aspects or which is always understood to be God’s content areas which Paul teaches that creation. all people know in a rejected or deficient To repeat, Paul thinks this naturally manner prior to hearing the gospel: given knowledge of God is received 1. the invisible power of God (verse 20); into consciousness by all people prior 2. the invisible deity or divine nature of to the gospel as a primordial reality, God (verse 20), which may refer to not merely as a theoretical possibility, God’s moral nature or attributes; but this knowledge is rejected and sup- pressed, so that even unbelievers know 3. the moral demands of God’s law, the God, though they also do not know natural moral law (verse 32); God at the same time.

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4. the natural, created scheme or pat- God’s general revelation is the neces- tern for life (verse 27), which alludes sary condition for all of human life and back to the mandates given to Adam experience is ingratitude toward God. and Eve in the Garden of Eden; As a result of this general revelation, 5. the awareness that people deserve there is an important sense in which punishment for their sins (verse 32); all people in all times and in all places know God and make use of this knowl- 6. an awareness of human dignity and edge of God continuously. Paul says of that which is honorable about and the knowledge of God is plain in all for people, since the ability to rec- people and to all people (verse 19), and ognize actions which are inappro- this knowledge is taken into the con- priate for humans assumes a primal sciousness of all people (verse 20). This awareness, perhaps not articulated is what makes us human and distin- in words, of the dignity both of the guishes humans from anything else in people acting and of those receiving the world.19 Of course, there is also an the actions (verses 29–32); important sense in which many people 7. an awareness of God’s common do not know God; this is what makes grace, meaning that on a daily level the gospel important. We are here con- people often know they receive good sidering the deepest self-contradiction gifts from God while they also know and paradox of human experience: in that they deserve the wrath of God this most important area of knowledge, 18 (verses 2:1–5). a lack of knowledge is based on knowl- It can be truly astonishing for us to edge. People do not know God because begin to consider how much that we they do know God. How can this be? know, and that everyone knows, is known because of what God is con- The Normal Human tinually doing. This content is much Response to God’s General richer than what has been called “ethi- Revelation cal monotheism,” a term scholars use to refer the common content the histori- Without the gospel, people normally cal religions of Judaism, Christianity, do not like knowing God because God and Islam. According to the apostle is frightening; all people are aware that Paul, there is a rich pattern of truth they deserve God’s wrath because they proclaimed by God through creation have not obeyed his moral law. This pri- (as well as in the Scriptures). As pro- mordial knowledge of God is the basis claimed through creation, it forms the for the most primordial and ultimate of foundation and condition for all of human anxieties which influences all human life and experience even when that people say and do. For this reason, God and his general revelation are not this knowledge about God and from acknowledged. Not to recognize that God is suppressed or repressed (Think of

Theologische Akzente 11 Thomas K. Johnson a psychological/spiritual defense mech- tory of the human race, including Paul’s anism.), with the result that people can time and our own. (Romans 1:18–2:5 easily say they do not know God, while, can properly be seen as an applica- at the same time, they really do know tion of Genesis chapters two through God, while holding this knowledge nine, even if the book of Genesis is not in a rejected status. All people know directly quoted. There are numerous something about his power, his deity, allusions to Genesis.) From our per- his moral law, the created order for life, sonal experience, one could think of the and that people deserve punishment in way small children imagine that if they relation to God. People have a God- cover their eyes so they cannot see other given impression of human dignity and people, other people cannot see them; sense that they receive better than they if people say they do not know God, deserve. But without the gospel, people they imagine that God does not exist or “suppress the truth” (verse 18), driving that God does not know them. Without it into the murky underground of cul- knowing the gospel of Christ, it is too ture and subconsciousness, though it frightening to acknowledge that God continues to condition all we do and to knows us fully. Only when we grasp the repeatedly pop back into consciousness. gospel, that God is so gracious and for- Psychologists sometimes talk about giving that he sent his Son to purchase the suppression of memories or truths our redemption, can we then begin to that are frightening or deeply disturb- recover from this illness of mind and ing; sociologists of knowledge talk soul that leads us to claim that we do about the way in which even suppos- not know God, when, in fact, all of us edly objective scientific truth claims know God. It is terrifying to know we are heavily influenced by our fears and deserve the wrath of God; therefore, the expectations. The idea that what people default mode of consciousness of the think is true and claim to know is not human race is to pretend we do not or based on objective or pure reason is not cannot know God, often by means of a new idea; though not articulated in creating a vast array of idols and views theoretical language, this idea is already of God or the Ultimate which are not so present in the Bible. The general revela- terrifying or which can be appeased by tion that people deserve the wrath of our best efforts. God because of sin plays a decisive role • According to Paul’s description of the in what people think they know. People human condition, our predicament is pretend not to know truths they prefer epistemological sin or epistemological not to know. The truth is too frighten- injustice. This terminology requires ing. explanation. If a witness in a criminal One can take the account of Adam court trial does not tell the court all he and Eve hiding from God behind a or she knows about the crime under con- bush or tree as a metaphor for the his- sideration, that witness will be guilty of

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a crime in the realm of knowledge. The internal spiritual links among ingrati- witness does not publicly acknowledge tude, unbelief, and lying about God. all that he or she knows. Depending on • A sin of this magnitude has significant the country in which the crime occurs, it results in the entire life of those guilty may be defined legally as obstruction of of the sin. Some of the results that Paul justice or perverting the course of justice. mentions are closely related to the arena This is an act of distinctly epistemological in which the sin occurs, the internal life (related to knowledge) injustice. Some- of the mind and soul.21 He says, “… thing similar is happening continually they became worthless in their thoughts in relation to God, though before God and their senseless hearts were darkened. we do not have a right to remain silent Claiming to be wise, they became fool- to avoid incriminating ourselves. People ish …” (verses 21 and 22). One should say they do not know God, and they not confuse cause and effect. Worthless probably even say that to themselves, thoughts, darkened senseless hearts, and when they really do know God. This is claims of wisdom that cover up true lying, an act of injustice in relation to foolishness are the result, not the cause. truth, so that it is not wrong to say that The cause is the epistemological sin of lying about God is the fundamental sin. unbelief. People claim they do not know Unbelief always involves sin, is a result God when they really do know God. of sin, and is itself sin. One can say that Their knowledge of God includes the unbelief is the core of original sin, in such entire rich and complex content that a manner that the many sins of the flesh everyone receives into consciousness from and sins in relationships, which Paul God’s general revelation. describes at length, flow from unbelief.20 The center of the human problem is in Internal Contradictions the realm of what we claim to know Resulting from Simulta- or not to know; this is epistemological neously Accepting and sin and injustice. For many centuries Rejecting God’s General Christians have said that the sins of the Revelation spirit, such as pride and ingratitude to God, are deeper than the sins of the flesh Knowing God (in a rejected manner) and contribute to the sins of the flesh. when they claim not to know God is the What we learn from our renewed study reason that people often act as if they of Romans 1, that lying about God is do not really believe what they claim fundamental to sin, is complementary to believe. A person may claim to be a to this traditional observation. Paul complete moral relativist, saying that already noted the internal link among there is no universal moral standard or the sins of the spirit; the people who deny moral law, but then that person may that they know God also do not give shout that terrorism or racism is ter- thanks to him (verse 21), showing the ribly wrong and may also feel horrible

Theologische Akzente 13 Thomas K. Johnson guilt inside; such people, who are very nate beliefs.23 This is the origin of the common, deny their own worldview by conflict most people have between their applying a known moral law to others professed beliefs and their practiced and to themselves. beliefs.24 Paul’s courage and pride in A person may claim to be a complete the gospel are related to how the gospel skeptic with regard to all knowledge, allows people who have become believ- saying we cannot be sure of knowing ers (and those on the way to faith in anything, but then that person acts as the gospel) to both accept and explain if we all have a lot of shared true knowl- those truths which are in conflict with edge; whether we are crossing a traffic- their professed beliefs and keep them filled street or doing our banking, we all from fully affirming and practicing act on the basis of a lot of information their own professed beliefs. we think everyone knows to be true. It can be a significant step, both The anarchist may claim that all toward faith and toward intellectual laws and governments are unnecessary, integrity, when a person recognizes undesired, and harmful, but when his that he/she does not really believe his/ group is attacked by neo-Nazis on the her own philosophy of life and, in fact, street, the anarchist calls the police, lives on the basis of known truths that wanting his freedom of speech to be cannot be explained without reference protected by law. This step obviously to God and God’s general revelation. makes the anarchist philosophy of life Many fashionable religious and philo- look like a game, not a serious convic- sophical claims are in conflict with the tion.22 truths (learned by general revelation) Part of the time people act and talk we all presuppose in order to carry on according to their repressed knowledge, our lives. which they receive from God’s general Identifying this conflict, this status revelation, instead of acting accord- of being of two minds, can be painful ing to the beliefs they claim to accept. for a person, but we should attempt to (We can be grateful to God that many assist people through this process. This people do not practice the beliefs they internal contradiction is part of the claim to accept, since it leads to many common spiritual defense mechanism good results for all of us. people build against God’s general rev- It is a dimension of common grace.) elation. When a religion or ideology denies the The gospel of forgiveness in Christ is truths which God proclaims via gen- the way out of this internal conflict and eral revelation, its adherents do not contradiction; as Christians, we can be fully believe their own words. They of one mind within ourselves, with a are of two minds, needing to trust the real explanation of our experience; this truths of general revelation in order to is part of what we can tell people who live, while they claim to affirm alter- are interested in the gospel.

14 MBS Texte 173 The First Step in Missions Training … (Part 1)

A Personal Experience that she did not really believe the things she had written in her phi- Many years ago, when I was a nasty losophy essay. She really thought young lecturer in philosophy, I (contrary to everything she had played a philosophical trick on a written) that we all know a lot young woman in an ethics class I about right and wrong and there taught. are real standards of proper behav- She wrote a course essay in which ior that are different from matters she argued brilliantly that all ethi- of taste. cal concerns were a matter of taste; I gave her a good grade for what just as some people like ice cream she learned, but her whole relativ- while others like candy, some peo- istic philosophy of life was broken ple like one set of actions while oth- to pieces. Like most people, she not ers like another set of actions. only believed in a standard of right It clearly followed from her essay and wrong (in spite of what she said that it is equally good to like geno- she believed); she also knew that I cide or to like protecting human knew the same standard of right rights. My nasty trick was to write and wrong, God’s natural moral on her paper, “Excellent essay; fail- law. Her denial of a standard of ure.” right and wrong was only a fashion- She was quite angry when she came able game she was playing. By los- to see me a few days later. “How ing her game, she may have begun can you fail me if I wrote an excel- to recover her soul. lent essay?” she almost screamed. I wish I could claim that this philo- I calmly responded, “It tasted good. sophical trick was my own idea; Ethics is a matter of taste.” honesty requires that I say I learned it from C. S. Lewis and Romans 1. “But a good paper deserves a good This trick shows something impor- grade!!” she huffed. tant about our moral knowledge; With a bored glance, I responded, with Lewis, I would claim it also “You convinced me. Everything is shows something very important relative.” about ourselves and about the “BUT THERE ARE RULES!! nature of the universe. GOOD PAPERS GET GOOD And these truths about moral GRADES!! EVEN PROFES- knowledge, our selves, and the SORS HAVE TO FOLLOW THE nature of the universe are best RULES!!” explained by the biblical account And then the light went on in her of God, the moral law, and human mind. Her anger at me showed her fallenness.

Theologische Akzente 15 Thomas K. Johnson

Religious Reversals claims are an obvious echo of the invi- tation of the prophet Isaiah to compare The worthless thoughts, dark- God with idols, and God’s promises ened hearts, and general foolishness with the promises people hope are com- described by Paul lead to a profound ing from idols, leading to a discrediting and ironic exchange or substitution: of idolatry. (See Isaiah 44:9–20 and Isa- People try to replace the Creator God iah 46:5–9.)26 Isaiah expected people to with something he created, thereby also perceive the deception and foolishness reversing the human relation to the rest involved in idolatry and then to draw of creation. back to reaffirm their faith in the God In verse 23 he explains, “ … they of the Old Testament covenants. exchanged the glory of the immortal Of course, many of the ancient phi- God for the image of the likeness of losophers in Greece and Rome also mortal man, birds, animals, and rep- ridiculed the polytheism of their day, tiles, …” using words that echo Genesis regarding it as silly nonsense, but they 2, where humans were to name (from a lacked a compelling religious alterna- position of authority over nature) and tive and gospel.27 Similar to the proph- be responsible for the rest of creation. ets and philosophers, Paul expects This means that people create substitute people to perceive the foolishness and gods to try to replace the Creator, but lack of credibility of the many forms by this process they also reverse their of idolatry. His message explains both own relation to the rest of creation, idolatry and why people can become imagining something in creation to be serious critics of idolatry in a manner an authority over themselves.25 which makes Paul’s gospel worthy of Unbelief does not lead to people attention and consideration. becoming religionless; unbelief in the People are constantly creating new Creator/Redeemer leads to all sorts of gods, and Paul’s language suggests a religions, even atheist religions, though wide diversity of substitute religions. Paul’s description would lead us to Sometimes people imagine gods or god- expect to find the worship of some desses that are images of themselves, aspect or dimension of creation below perhaps idealized or tragic images of the surface of consciousness, even themselves, as seen in many types of among people who claim to be atheists. polytheism. People are unavoidably religious, even if Sometimes people imagine a god or they may claim not to be religious and gods that are similar to something else say they cannot or do not know God. in creation, as seen in various nature Paul’s analysis leads to saying that the religions and fertility cults. Sometimes many philosophies, worldviews, and people create a god from a falsified and religions of the world all involve a sub- absolutized dimension of social experi- stitute or replacement for God. Paul’s ence, such as race, history, nation, or

16 MBS Texte 173 The First Step in Missions Training … (Part 1) economic relations, leading to many Missions Training social/political ideologies. The history of western thought portrays a series of When the apostle Paul preached to “Gods of the Philosophers,” each of people without the Bible in Athens which has only a few characteristics of (Acts 17:22–34), he first mentioned the biblical God and is surely both less a reference to an “unknown God” in frightening than Paul’s God and not a their community, but then Paul imme- source of a real gospel of forgiveness of diately assumed that the people of Ath- sin. ens both knew a lot about this God and Whether the philosopher’s god is cre- also had a conflict with God at the cen- ated by a deist, a pantheist, or a repre- ter of their lives. sentative of some other philosophical His audacious preaching was empow- orientation, it, he, or she is not the God ered by knowing the truths we have just who exercises both wrath and grace in studied. Even before Paul arrived in both nature and history. Athens, the people of Athens were wres- The Gods of the Philosophers and tling with God. the gods of the religions are projec- The central internal conflict within tions arising from the divided minds of human life is that of both knowing God people who are suppressing the general and not knowing God at the same time revelation of the God of creation and because, without the gospel of Christ, redemption. people usually repress and attempt to Whatever the type of substitute reli- avoid God’s general revelation which gion people develop, unbelief in the is filled with rich, complex content. known but denied Creator drives peo- People are dreadfully afraid of God’s ple to replace him with something that general revelation because it includes attempts to explain the universe and the truth that we deserve God’s wrath also seems to promise the hope, com- for our sins, but this ongoing revelation fort, meaning, forgiveness, reconcilia- provides the necessary condition for all tion, and direction that only God can people to live as humans and to remain provide. human. Primal Angst in view of the known Therefore, people without the gos- but denied law and wrath of God makes pel are always of two minds, not really irreligion truly impossible. Paul sees believing all the things they claim to human life as filled with self-deception believe, while they create all sorts of on a scale that few other people have God-substitutes. imagined, and at the core of that self- Should we not be proud of the gos- deception is a wide-ranging set of sub- pel, which allows us to understand our stitute religions and a denial of the only experience of the world and also gives God to provide a real gospel. This makes us substantial hope? preaching that gospel truly urgent.

Theologische Akzente 17 Thomas K. Johnson

For study and discussion: 5. What are the advantages and dis- advantages of each term: general 1. What is the central self-contradic- revelation, natural revelation, and tion within human life? How do you creational revelation? experience this and also see it in the 6. Describe epistemological injustice. lives of others? Give examples from everyday life. 2. In what way does everyone know 7. What is the difference between pro- God? In what way do some not know fessed belief and practiced belief? God? Why are people commonly of two 3. What contents does everyone know minds, living and thinking in ten- because of general revelation? How sion with their professed beliefs? is this different from how you have 8. Describe religious reversals and sub- previously thought about general stitute religions in your experience revelation? or your community. 4. How does each of the seven con- 9. How do Isaiah chapters 44 and 46 tent areas of general revelation form form the background for Romans 1? or provide a needed condition for 10. Why is everyone religious? In what human life and experience? How is creator and redeemer might you culture dependent on general revela- believe if you were not a Christian? tion?

AnnotationAnmerkungen

1 Copyright 2013 Thomas K. Johnson, Ph.D. This sion of world missions is God’s very own plan.” text is the first in a series of connected chapters Schirrmacher continues that it is the framework excerpted from a forthcoming book and builds of Romans that confirms this missionary pur- on the themes in the previous text. Permission is pose of the letter. “The parallels between Romans hereby given to download, print, send, and copy 1:1–15 and 15:14–16:27 show that Paul does not this text for individual, educational or church lose sight of the practical missionary considera- use, provided the entire text is used. tions of his letter during the entire epistle.” Quo- 2 ’s observations bear tations from Thomas Schirrmacher, “The Book repeating: “Paul wants to proclaim the gospel of Romans as a Charter for World Missions: to all people without exception, regardless of Why mission and theology have to go together,” language, culture, and ethnicity (‘Greeks and a gift from the Theological Commission to the non-Greeks,’ Romans 1:14) as well as regardless Missions Commission of the World Evangelical of education or social class (’the wise and the Alliance, distributed at the meeting of the Mis- foolish,’ Romans 1:14). … It is for that reason sions Commission, November 7, 2011. For his that he comes to Rome. … Romans 1:15 is not accompanying chart, see Appendix I. a superfluous introduction. Rather, it gives us 3 In the first decade after the end of communism the actual reason for composing the book of in eastern Europe, I heard cruel jokes about mis- Romans, namely to demonstrate that the expan- sionaries, mostly related to the lack of training of

18 MBS Texte 173 The First Step in Missions Training … (Part 1) a few. One joke was that all a missionary needed point might exceed the patience of the reader to know was John 3:16 and The Four Spiritual and the writer. Some of this is in the appendices. Laws. Another, from the side of Christians who 11 Paul’s term in Greek which I have trans- survived generations of oppression, was that mis- lated as “without an apology” is a legal term, sionaries were the people the sending churches anapologetos, meaning “without a defense.” This could not endure in their own churches, so they term situates the human race as the accused in sent them out. Paul clearly set a much higher God’s courtroom. It has little similarity to our standard of missionary preparation. common apology, “sorry.” 4 I am borrowing the image of Jacob wrestling 12 Here Paul uses the same key word as in 1:20, with God, Genesis 32:22–30, to describe the anapologetos, showing that he is continuing to human condition. explain the same theme. 5 The currently used division into chapters in the 13 Neutrality toward God is a modern myth spun New Testament probably began in the thirteenth by the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve in an century; the place of the division between chap- attempt to cover up our status of being expelled ter 1 and chapter 2 of Romans might cause us from the Garden of Eden and in revolt against to miss the continuity of Paul’s teaching. In this God. book we are treating the first part of chapter 2 as 14 a continuing part of chapter 1. When a person comes to faith in Christ, that person has a status of peace with God, being 6 Paul’s description of humanity in Romans 1 legally justified before God, forgiven of sins, and and 2 is a type of deconstruction of thought and adopted as a child of God. In a decisive sense, consciousness but without a trace of the nihilism conflict with God has ended. But many believers often suspected in normal deconstructionism. do not fully appreciate their status of peace with Paul’s deconstruction is theologically based. God and do not yet live out their peace with God 7 My personal study of Romans 1 and 2 was in daily life. We have to appropriate and learn to prompted by reading multiple books by Francis enjoy our peace with God in a process of intel- A. Schaeffer (1912–1984). lectual, moral, and psychological growth. 8 A continuing study of Romans 1 provided a cru- 15 Occasionally Christians have talked as if the cial part of equipping me for 19 years of teach- two types of knowledge of God are layers or ing ethics, religion, and philosophy in six secular levels, so that the knowledge of God received by universities in four different countries. special revelation builds on top of knowledge of 9 In the several varieties of what I am calling God received by general revelation. This manner “theological liberalism,” the biblical message is of speaking underemphasizes the way in which appropriated and interpreted in light of a previ- unbelief means rejection of God’s general rev- ously accepted worldview or philosophy of life, elation. Therefore I do not recommend this two which generally rejects the idea of an objective floor way of understanding the relation between moral law, a central element in general revela- general revelation and special revelation. tion. Extreme fundamentalism treats the people 16 When, in Romans 12:2, Paul tells believers to to whom the biblical message is brought as if be “transformed by the renewing of your mind,” they have no previous encounter with God or this surely includes learning to acknowledge knowledge of God that will play a role in how their previously rejected knowledge as coming the gospel is accepted. from God in order to honor him properly. 10 No bibliography and very few footnotes are Obviously this must include giving thanks to included in this book, since that would unneces- God for his continuing preservation of human sarily extend its size and make it less accessible to life by means of general revelation, the very thing readers. Implicitly, this essay is a dialogue with which unbelievers, who do not glorify God or much of the history of theology and western give thanks to him (1:21), refuse to do. philosophy, but to make that explicit at every

Theologische Akzente 19 Thomas K. Johnson

17 One evening more than 30 years ago, I said 20 Unfortunately, coming to faith does not something very stupid to Leslie, my wife. I said immediately and completely bring our sins of the something like, “I don’t think God is very active flesh and sins in other relationships to an end. in our lives.” Moments later I was struck by Paul still has to address such sins among believers lightning while in our living room in Chester- in passages such as Romans 12:9 to 13:14. field, near St. Louis, USA. It did not take me very 21 Here, and throughout Romans 1, Paul is long to realize that though I was a Bible reading describing “the pattern of this world” (Romans Christian, the way I talked about God was truly 12:2), from which believers are to be continually blasphemous and was rooted in my personal con- turning away. flict with God. And slowly I came to the more 22 painful realization that even an honest person The anarchist described is a close friend before without the Bible should not say something so he came to faith; the other people described are stupid about God because God’s general revela- composites of many students I have taught in tion teaches us about some of the things God is various universities. continuing to do for all of us. See the following 23 The inner conflict of being of two minds section on the content of general revelation. Of explains much of the religious and ideological course, few people are honest about what they extremism we observe in society. Inner conflict know from either God’s general or special rev- or uncertainty easily leads to hostility toward elations. people who profess other beliefs. Real peace with 18 There are other aspects of the content of God’s God leads both to becoming peaceful people and general revelation, described in other biblical to courageous gospel proclamation. texts, that are assumed though not directly men- 24 Among people who are not Christians, their tioned in Romans 1 and 2; these include the way practiced beliefs are often better than their pro- in which God asks questions of humankind (seen fessed beliefs because of the influence of God’s in Genesis 3) and the way God has “set eternity general revelation. Among Christians, our prac- in the heart of man” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Some of ticed beliefs are often not as good as our pro- these will be discussed in a later part of this book. fessed beliefs because of the continuing influence 19 Surprisingly, this truth about humans is of sin and unbelief. sometimes even recognized by atheists. For 25 One can view many addictions as a current example the nineteenth century atheist phil- example of a reversed relation to some substance, osopher Ludwig von Feuerbach (1804–1872), practice, or instinct which was given in creation. who thought that God is a projection of man- Instead of people being in a position of authority kind’s ideal character with no existence out- over that substance, practice, or instinct (as was side of human consciousness, nevertheless said, described in the account of creation in Genesis), “Religion has its basis in the essential difference people place themselves below the authority of between man and the brute—the brutes have no that dimension of creation. religion.” In other words, the difference between 26 Using ridicule designed to make people think humans and animals is that humans are reli- more seriously, Isaiah mocked, “No one stops to gious. See Feuerbach. The Essence of Christi- think, no one has the knowledge or understand- anity. Translated into English by George Eliot, ing to say, ‘Half of it I used for fuel; I even baked as excerpted in: Forrest E. Baird and Walter bread over its coals, I roasted meat and I ate. Kaufmann (Ed.) Nineteenth-Century Philoso- Shall I make a detestable thing from what is left? phy. Philosophic Classics. Vol. IV. 2nd edition. Shall I bow down to a block of wood?’20 Such a Prentice Hall, 2000. p. 135. Feuerbach’s book person feeds on ashes, a deluded heart misleads was originally published in 1841 in German as him; he cannot save himself, or say, ‘Is not this Das Wesen des Christentums. Christians can thing in my right hand a lie?’” Isaiah 44: 19, 20. use Feuerbach’s critique of religious projection 27 Here I am thinking especially of Socrates and to describe the religions and ideologies created Plato. by various people and cultures as part of hiding from God.

20 MBS Texte 173 The First Step in Missions Training … (Part 1)

TheÜber Author den Autor

Thomas K. Johnson received his Ph.D. in ethics from the Uni- versity of Iowa (1987) after being a research scholar at Eberhard Karls Universität (Tübingen). He has an ACPE from Missouri Bap- tist Hospital (St. Louis, 1981), a Master of Divinity (Magna Cum Laude) from Covenant Theological Seminary (St. Louis, 1981), and a BA (Cum Laude) from Hope College (Michigan, 1977). He is a pastor of the Presbyterian Church in America. Since 1994 he has served the International Institute for Christian Studies and is now IICS Pro- fessor of Theology, Philosophy, and Public Policy. He was a visiting professor at the European Humanities University in Minsk, Belarus, 1994–1996. (UHU is a dissident, anti-Communist university, forced into exile by the Belarusian dicta- tor in 2004.) Since 1996 he and his wife have lived in , where he taught philosophy at Anglo-American University (4 years) and at Charles University (8 1⁄2 years). He is MBS Professor of Apologetics and Ethics (2003) and Vice President for Research (2007). He is also Academic Council for the Interna- tional Institute for Religious Freedom. His wife, Leslie P. Johnson, is director of the Christian International School of Prague.

Theologische Akzente 21 StudyStudienzentren Centers

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Publisher: Martin Bucer Seminary is not a university under German Thomas Schirrmacher, Prof. Dr. phil. law but only offers courses and lists those courses in a Dr. theol. DD. transcript. South African School of Theology (Tlhbane, North West Province), Olivet University (San Francisco) Editor: and Whitefield Theological Seminary (Florida, USA) and Ron Kubsch, M.Th. other schools outside of Europe accept those courses Editorial Committee: under their own legal responsibility for granting their de- Prof. Thomas K. Johnson, Ph.D.; grees to students. Much of the teaching is by means of Thomas Kinker, Th.D.; Titus Vogt Saturday seminars, evening courses, extension courses, independent study, and internships. Contact: [email protected] The work of the seminary is largely supported by the con- www.bucer.org tributions of donors. North American supporters may send contributions to our American partner organization, The International Institute for Christian Studies. Checks MBS-Texte (MBS-Texts) should be made out to IICS with a note mentioning MBS Theologische Akzente and sent to: (Theological Accents) Es erscheinen außerdem folgende Reihen: (The following series of The International Institute MBS Texts are also being for Christian Studies: P.O. Box 12147, Overland Park, KS 66282-2147, USA published:) EU: Reformiertes Forum IBAN DE52 3701 0050 0244 3705 07 (Reformed Forum) BIC PBNKDEFF Pro Mundis Geistliche Impulse (Spiritual Impulses) Hope for Europe Ergänzungen zur Ethik (Ethics) Philosophische Anstöße (Philosophical Initiatives) Vorarbeiten zur Dogmatik (Preliminaries for a Systematic Theology)