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Juster Article From Kesher 22
Juster Article From Kesher 22
By Daniel C. Juster
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The Narrow Wider Hope Daniel C. Juster
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Kesher: A Journal of Messianic Judaism
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“Yeshua answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of
God unless he is born again.” (John 3:3)
“Yeshua answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom
of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.”. (John 3:5)
“Do not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ ” (John 3: 7).
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that
whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”
(John 3:16)
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the
Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” (John 3:36)
“I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent
me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from
death to life.” John 5:24
“Yeshua said to them, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and
drink his blood, you have no life in you.” John 6:53.
“I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I
am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins.” John 8:24
“I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father, but
through me.” (John 14:12).
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“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in
Messiah Yeshua your Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
“That if you confess with your mouth that Yeshua is Lord and believe in
your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it
is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your
mouth that you confess and are saved. For there is no difference between
Jew and Gentile . . . for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will
be saved.” (Romans 10:9,10).
These verses above do not exhaust the entire corpus of supporting
texts, but are sufficient to give us evidence claimed for the Narrow
Hope/Evangelical understanding which is also held by many Messianic
Jews—a view which has been massively influential in our movement.
The import of these texts seem very clear to a proponent of Narrow
Hope. Those who believe and embrace Yeshua are “saved,” that is
they have the certain prospect of a fulfilling and everlasting life after
death. This embrace of Yeshua includes trusting in his atonement for
our sins and his resurrection. The opposite is also true; if one does
not confess, believe in, or embrace Yeshua, one is lost and has only
the prospect of eternal death, loss, or Hell. The texts say that to not
believe in Yeshua is to die in one’s sins and this implies being lost
(John 8:24). To not believe means that the wrath of God rests upon
them. Only those who are born again through believing in Yeshua are
saved, only those who confess with their mouth and believe with their
heart, have everlasting life (Romans 10:9,10). Since all have sinned,
the only way out of the dilemma is to be born again through Yeshua
in an explicit embrace of the Good News. Only in doing so, can one
see the Kingdom of God, and have a positive afterlife.
The late Francis Schaeffer was a very forceful proponent of the
Narrow Hope view. His book Death in the City details his view.2
2 Schaeffer, Francis, Death in the City: Downers Grove, Illinois: Intervarsity Press, 1969
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“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but
to save the world through him.” (John 3:18)
“May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent
me.” (John 17:21)
“Everyone who loves has been born of God, and knows God.” (I John 4:17)
From Acts we read the following:
“Then Peter began to speak, ‘I now realize how true it is that God does
not show favoritism, but accepts men from every nation who fear him
and do what is right.’ ” (Acts 10:34)
“Yet he has not left himself without testimony; he has shown kindness
by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides
you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.” (Acts 14:17)
“From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit
the whole earth, and he determined the times set for them and the exact
places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him
and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from
each one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being. As
some of your own poets have said, ‘ We are his offspring.’”
Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the
divine being is like gold or silver, or stone—an image made by man’s
design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he
commands all people every where to repent. For he has set a day when
he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed.” (Acts
17:24-31).
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“Since what can be known about God is plain to them because God has
made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world, God’s invis-
ible qualities, his eternal power and divine nature—having been clearly
seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are with-
out excuse.” (Romans 1:18,19)
“For as in Adam all die, so in Messiah all will be made alive.” (I Cor. 15:22)
“For by grace you have been saved through faith (genitive), it is the gift
of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Eph. 2:8)
“This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved
and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one
mediator between God and men, the man Messiah Yeshua, who gave
himself as a ransom for all men, the testimony given in its proper time.”
I Timothy 2:3-6)
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3 Van Til, Cornelius, Karl Barth and Evangelism: Nutley, New Jersey; Presdy7terian and Reformed
Publishing, 1964.
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at the end of days. This is my view as well based on Isaiah 2, 11, 45,
and 61 and many other texts. I do not know, however, if this great
number is greater than the number of those who will be lost.
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Yeshua. Rather it is telling us that all who are ultimately saved will
be saved by Yeshua’s atonement, for all will eventually realized that
their salvation is in Him. Furthermore, the Hebraic sense of “Name”
means the essence of the person’s meaning. One can respond to that
essence of truth without yet knowing the historical Yeshua since He
is that “light who lights every man.” Finally, his name is the one to
be proclaimed as the only name given to maximize the opportunity
for salvation through the preaching of the Gospel. This verse does
not preclude the Wider Hope understanding.
This is then applied to Jewish people. Though there was a spe-
cial responsibility that brought condemnation to the Jewish nation
in the first century, and the experience of the terrible destruction
of Israel and Jerusalem by the Romans, we can not say that all Jews
necessarily are outside of the grace of God from that time forward.
There is no biblical statement to that effect that all Jews thereafter
who have not explicitly embraced Yeshua are on their way to Hell.
Instead, anti-Semitism and an entrenched anti-Judaistic theol-
ogy among Christians has made the true hearing of the Gospel
impossible for many Jews. There is no logical or biblical reason
why a proper response to the covenants with Israel, especially the
Abrahamic Covenant, would not place Jews within a grace context
in a relationship with God. The time of Jewish responsibility for
embracing Yeshua is, and continues to be kairos time and not a
specific post-chronos (ordinary, chronological) time. The truth in
the Hebrew Scriptures which is reflected in Judaism, in spite of
what some would see as aberrations, is sufficient to lead one to God.
...If [truth] was sufficient in pre-Yeshua days, it is sufficient now.
Indeed, one can not draw any line in chronos
time where a person would be condemned
and lost; ten minutes after the resurrection ...If [truth]
or after Shavuot (Acts 2) or 100 years later. was sufficient
The time of responsibility for the Gospel is in pre-Yeshua
when it is presented with Holy Spirit power days, it is
bringing conviction. sufficient now.
However, whether for Jews or Gentiles,
the maximum opportunity for salvation is
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through the Good News presented in the power of the Spirit which
brings conviction. Most conservative Wider Hope proponents are
clear about this.
4 Maritain, Jacque, The Range of Reason: New York, Charles Scribner’s Sons, pp. 66-85.
5 Harrink, Douglas, Paul Among the Post Liberals: Grand Rapids, Michigan; Brazos Press, 2003 see
especially 25-45.
6 Novak, Michael, Belief and Unbelief
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one comes into a place in God’s grace. Such a person knows Yeshua
in an intuitive but indefinite way. They do not know him as the his-
torical Yeshua, but know the reality of the truth which is ultimately
Yeshua Himself. Maritain called this knowledge by connaturality.
(Some have called these ”beneficiaries” “Christians unawares” or
“unconscious Christians.” This last phrase is unfortunate and not
used by most since the person is not unconscious of the reality of
the choice. One sees more than hints of this in those special people
who live for others. One example is Ramanuja’s idea of depending on
the grace of God for everlasting life or, for instance, the goodness of
Socrates. Optimists think that the percentages of such people who
respond without yet receiving the Gospel are large, while pessimists
hold the numbers to be small and skeptics simply say they do not
know. However, anyone who really turns in heart to the Truth is
included within the salvation of Yeshua.
Kenneth Kantzer taught that anyone who sincerely sought the
truth and sought to live by it would be saved. Such a person was not
in the same category of those who have not embraced the journey to
know and live by the truth. However, Kantzer believed that all such
people would be led on to the explicit confession of Yeshua before
their death.
John Sanders in No Other Name has given a very comprehen-
sive summary of Wider Hope.7 This is perhaps the most important
book yet written on the Wider Hope.
7 Sanders, John, No Other Name: Grand Rapids, Michigan; Eerdmans, 1992. Sanders provides and
amazing list of Wider Hope proponents from the early Church Fathers, to the Middle Ages, to
Reformation and Post Reformation theologians up until and including the 20th century. The list
is not short!. The numbers of famous leaders and theologians who held to some level of the Wider
Hope should cause to realize that this is not a heresy, but was put forth by many well received lead-
ers and thinkers who were clearly within the orthodox tradition of their denominations.
8 Lewis, C. S., Mere Christianity
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9 Sanders, John, No Other Name presents a summary of Wesley’s view on this to my knowledge.
See pages 249-251, and for more complete information, in Wesley’s Works, Vol. 6, p. 286; Vol. 7;
197-199, :258, 353.
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knowing the Gospel story. Thus, for Wesley there are not just two
categories of human beings; the saved and the lost. There is a third
category, namely those who embrace the revelation that God has
given and are thereby on the road to Yeshua. Is it necessary that
they embrace Him before they die? It seems that this was left a mys-
tery in Wesley’s teaching.
Charles Augustus Hopkins Strong, the greatest 19th century
Baptist theologian came to similar conclusions as detailed in his
Systematic Theology. The 19th century witnessed the rise of
Protestant missions in a substantial way. Generally, missionar-
ies found what they were expecting. Most pagan cultures were
degraded. Darkness was profound. However, now and then mis-
sionaries would happen upon a tribe that had renounced their idols
and were seeking the one God above the gods. There are numerous
direct testimonies from missionaries from that period attesting to
cases where people responded to that which God had made known
through the natural order of things. Strong lists examples.10
The primary motive for Methodist evangelism was to see that
human beings did not end up eternally lost. This was not the only
motive. The motive of obedience in proclaiming the Good News,
pleasing God and the eschatological motive were also present. With
regard to this last motive, Methodists understood that the progress
of the Gospel moved history to the climax of the end of this age and
the full dawning of the Age to Come. Yet, “saving souls” for eternity
was the primary motive. I presented something of this viewpoint in
my book Jewish Roots in its first printing in 1986.11 I have made it
clear that I am most sympathetic to Wesley’s handling of Scripture
on this matter. He credits both sets of Biblical texts, whereas I find
that proponents of the Narrow Hope view and the wider Wider Hope
view do not acknowledge texts on the other side, opting instead
to try to explain them away. I think Wesley is better than Barth
because he does not leave us with a stark paradox but has a reason-
10 Strong, Charles Agustus Hopkins, Systematic Theology: Valley Forge, Pa; The Judson Press, 1967
reprint of 1906 edition, pp. 664, 666, 843,844. It is quite amazing to read his argument which has
amazing parallels to the argument in this book. Strong was a very forceful proponent of the narrow
Wider Hope.
11 Juster, Daniel, Jewish Roots, A Foundation of Biblical Theology: Shippensburg, Pa., Destiny Image:
200 3rd. edition, pp.
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ship. Therefore some have held that it is better that Gentiles be told
to not seek to lead Jews to Yeshua. I share the concern on the issue
of assimilation. However, I believe that in light of the error of the
wider Wider Hope view, this is not an option. The importance of
presenting the Gospel to our people is a superceding concern. The
answer is to see the Church as a whole embrace a commitment to
the truth that Jewish people are not to assimilate. Much better is to
lend ourselves to efforts such as The Road to Jerusalem where the
Church is mobilized to fully support Messianic Jews. In this there is
education for Gentile believers to call Jews to maintain Jewish life.
This should be part of the presentation of the Good News.
Moreover, the idea that Gentiles should not seek to encourage
Jews to make a decision for Yeshua, while yet hoping that we as
Messianic Jews will be able to accomplish the task of evangelism
is another ivory tower view. Why? Because the vast majority of
Messianic Jews in our movement came to know Yeshua through the
witness of Gentiles, and this continues to this day. To discourage
Gentile witness to Jews is a great mistake. We will find ourselves
sawing off the proverbial limb upon which we are sitting. Surely
many Jews have become members of Churches that have little
understanding of Jewish calling and identity. We all grieve over this.
However, we can pray that God will open eyes and call them to their
Jewish calling and identity. As the consensus of Christian leaders
continues to know that this is right, this becomes more and more
a possibility.
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accepted Yeshua, he made two statements. One was that Yeshua was
the way and that he was called to proclaim salvation through believ-
ing in him as that way of salvation. He made it clear that there was a
danger of being lost. Secondly, however, he also said that the destiny
of those who have not had opportunity to receive Him was a mystery
and that God was the judge, not Billy Graham. He trusted that God
was merciful and would save all that He could. He held out hope for
God’s mercy. This seemed to satisfy Larry. At least Billy Graham did
not look like a narrow minded bigot.
About a year previous, one of the leaders of a major Jewish out-
reach was also on Larry King’s show with a noted Rabbi. The Rabbi
accused the leader of having an abhorrent and narrow view that all
those who have not explicitly embraced Yeshua were going to Hell.
He stated that the leader believed that the victims of the Holocaust
went from the ovens of Auschwitz to the eternal barbecue in Hell.
This was an emotional tactic that was not totally valid. However,
it had its effect. The leader had nothing to say and responded as
if this was his view. Jesus was presented as the only way, and this
meant explicit confession in this life every case. Instead, the leader
could have asserted that Yeshua was the way to salvation for Jew
and Gentile, and the way to assurance for one’s eternal destiny. At
the same time he could have said that God would mercifully judge
all who sought the truth and to live according to righteousness in
dependence on his grace. This is the basic teaching of the Judaism
of the Siddur.
Conclusions
In conclusion, I have put forth an argument for a view I call the
Narrow Wider Hope. It affirms the following:
1. That we are to act on the basis of the general “lost-ness” of
people, both Jew and Gentile. We are only to be at rest with regard
to their destiny when they have explicitly confessed and embraced
Yeshua and have given evidence that this embrace is sincere. This
evidence shows an authentic transformation and a growing ability to
bring forth good fruit. We may meet people who give evidence that
they know and walk with God, but have not yet embraced Yeshua.
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We need not condemn them as lost and judge their hearts, but we
are not to have confidence in their destiny unless they embrace
Yeshua. They may be on the road to him.
2. We are also to hold open the possibility of a wider mercy or
hope on the basis of the many Scriptures quoted here. This hope
should be held in a way that does not blunt our zeal to see people
embrace Yeshua. At the same time, this hope enables us to give a
more powerful theodicy arguing for the justice of God in the face of
evil—and giving answers to those who ask, like Larry King, concern-
ing the destiny of those who have not explicitly embraced Yeshua.
Indeed, many who claim to hold to no Wider Hope view show that
this is not so when they are asked concerning their departed loving
grandmothers. Somehow they hope there was some transaction
whereby they were received into heaven.
We might feel better were we to hold to a wider Wider Hope
view. We would be lulled into a greater sense of false peace. Yet
what is to be gained by holding to such a view. If it blunts our zeal,
it may lead to fewer being brought into everlasting life. If the wider
Wider Hope turns out to be so, and that would be wonderful—we
will have lost nothing by not holding it today. I believe the reason
against holding to it, is that the evidence of Scripture is against it.
Practically, I think we have shown that it is better to not hold to it.
As well, the Gospel is the way to maximize the opportunity for
salvation for all people. Francis Schaeffer is correct, in my view, with
regard to the God-deficiency of cultures as traced to the decisions
of ancestors. Most have rejected the revelation of God in nature and
culture. Gospel presentation when backed by intercession and a
godly life is the way to maximize the opportunity of salvation for all
peoples. It is truly Good News because it gives a new opportunity for
response for all those who responded wrongly in their ancestry and
in their present orientation in life.
I put forth the case for the importance of both Jew and Gentile
explicitly embracing Yeshua for assurance concerning their eternal
destiny after his life, yet holding to the possibility of God’s wider
mercy (which may in fact include others in his grace who have not
made an explicit confession of faith). I would agree with Kenneth
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Kantzer’s hope that in some way people would embrace Yeshua before
death or even in the transaction of dying. However, I do not know that
this will always be the case. I am willing to rest in the mystery of God.
Ultimately, as C. S. Lewis said, God has been clear on the destiny of
those who sincerely embrace Yeshua, but he has not clearly told us
concerning others. Therefore, we had better do our utmost to see all
people embrace Him. Our only clarity is in the destiny of those who
truly embrace the Gospel. This makes us “narrow.”
Dr. Daniel Juster is the Director of Tikkun International, a network of congrega-
tions and ministries in the United and abroad. He was a honors graduate in
Philosophy from Wheaton College, completed graduate course work for Philoso-
phy of Religion at Trinity Evangelical Seminary, and received an M. Div. from
McCormick Theological Seminary. He also received a Th.D. from New Covenant
International Seminary, New Zealand. Dr. Juster is an author of several books
on Messianic Jewish theology, theology and apologetics including Jewish Roots,
a Foundation of Biblical Theology, The Biblical World View, An Apologetic, and
Revelation, the Passover Key. Dr. Juster serves on numerous boards as part of
furthering the Messianic Jewish Movement and the progress of the Church.
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