I do not understand the singing language of the libretto, if that's what it is--or what it’s about--but I was very very moved by this stunning piece, and so was my spouse. As you will see if you click on the link. Three groups make it very moving, the passionate tenors, the chorus and the audience. As though the first were God, the second angels, the third people God made.
I'm gonna be in the minority here, as I do think Jesus is clear that he alone is the judge and he will judge by his own personal criteria. He reserves all rights to save whomever he chooses, and while he alone is the way, the truth and the life, I do not think Jesus teaches that only those who have heard of him will be saved by him. I think Lewis was wrong in saying that all that is given to Tash is accepted by Aslan, but I do think that there's very little point to have a throne of judgment if the whole exercise is to render one verdict over and over. That could be accomplished by general fiat and not a great white throne judgment. So in keeping with that, I tend to think that the throne of judgement will be an actual real judgment by the great judge himself. Perhaps this means those who were not able to see Jesus or understand the gospel will be given a gospel presentation and a choice to accept or deny it? Perhaps not.
I think we only know what we've been told, and we've been told to go spread the gospel in the great commission. That's our job. But I think we give ourselves way too much credit if we are telling the judge how to do his job and who he can and cannot save.
I think Paul in Romans 1 is not saying the gospel is evident, only that theism and perhaps the ten commandments are evident by creation, and conscience. After all Paul later says that people can't hear UNLESS we tell them, which would seem to suggest that Romans 1 doesn't mean that all of mankind is responsible for what they could not know.
I believe there is more we don't quite understand, and all the paticularities of the great judgment are only vaguely hinted at. The apostles through the NT tell us very specifically how to get saved, but we're not given a list of all of those who will and won't be saved. Therefore, I think God's got a plan for all the folks who didn't get a chance to hear the gospel.
However, neither I nor the apostles, nor the NT ever subscribe to the Vatican 2 Catholic view that the way to be saved by Jesus is to be a faithful member of your particular religion. That view is ruled out completely by what Jesus says, and I think Lewis was on the wrong track there with his Tash-Aslan false idea.
We do the great commission because we were commissioned to do so, and we are faithful servants... I do not think that we do so because we're the sole possible agents of God's grace. After all, in Revelation an angel is given a charge to preach the gospel in the skies.
Granted all of this is pretty much moot in a post-Christian society, as nearly all of us... we've all heard the gospel and rejected or accepted it. None of this actually applies to us. I don't believe you get infinite opportunities to reject God. The importance of this particular point, is that it has to do more with the character of the judge, and the inability of the first gospel bringers to get the gospel everywhere all at once. Many Christians traditions even believe that Jesus went down and preached the gospel in sheol to those in Abraham's bosom, and so apparently it is possible for Christ to preach the gospel outside of our time and space. Just a hint and a possibility. I think Christians ought to preach the gospel clearly and emphatically to those who can hear it, but fear to tread upon the topic of those who never got a chance. I do not think Romans 1 is addressing that, and many other hints in the bible suggest that Jesus cares more than we do, and is far more just than we are. Just look at the amazing amounts of miracles and dreams in the Muslim world where apparently Jesus himself is telling them the gospel in dreams and they're responding to it!
But again, this is mostly moot in the modern west as most of us can hear and have heard.
Like the words to the Billy Joel song - "I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints." The idea of heaven and being in the presence of God seems very undesirable to many people.
When you said they should’ve done Solomon…literally just came across this 😂😬 https://youtu.be/VbgYLiXhiCg
Responding to your creativity part:
I do not understand the singing language of the libretto, if that's what it is--or what it’s about--but I was very very moved by this stunning piece, and so was my spouse. As you will see if you click on the link. Three groups make it very moving, the passionate tenors, the chorus and the audience. As though the first were God, the second angels, the third people God made.
https://northeastcrackerbarrelnet.com/2026/05/17/if-you-never-cared-for-opera/
I'm gonna be in the minority here, as I do think Jesus is clear that he alone is the judge and he will judge by his own personal criteria. He reserves all rights to save whomever he chooses, and while he alone is the way, the truth and the life, I do not think Jesus teaches that only those who have heard of him will be saved by him. I think Lewis was wrong in saying that all that is given to Tash is accepted by Aslan, but I do think that there's very little point to have a throne of judgment if the whole exercise is to render one verdict over and over. That could be accomplished by general fiat and not a great white throne judgment. So in keeping with that, I tend to think that the throne of judgement will be an actual real judgment by the great judge himself. Perhaps this means those who were not able to see Jesus or understand the gospel will be given a gospel presentation and a choice to accept or deny it? Perhaps not.
I think we only know what we've been told, and we've been told to go spread the gospel in the great commission. That's our job. But I think we give ourselves way too much credit if we are telling the judge how to do his job and who he can and cannot save.
I think Paul in Romans 1 is not saying the gospel is evident, only that theism and perhaps the ten commandments are evident by creation, and conscience. After all Paul later says that people can't hear UNLESS we tell them, which would seem to suggest that Romans 1 doesn't mean that all of mankind is responsible for what they could not know.
I believe there is more we don't quite understand, and all the paticularities of the great judgment are only vaguely hinted at. The apostles through the NT tell us very specifically how to get saved, but we're not given a list of all of those who will and won't be saved. Therefore, I think God's got a plan for all the folks who didn't get a chance to hear the gospel.
However, neither I nor the apostles, nor the NT ever subscribe to the Vatican 2 Catholic view that the way to be saved by Jesus is to be a faithful member of your particular religion. That view is ruled out completely by what Jesus says, and I think Lewis was on the wrong track there with his Tash-Aslan false idea.
We do the great commission because we were commissioned to do so, and we are faithful servants... I do not think that we do so because we're the sole possible agents of God's grace. After all, in Revelation an angel is given a charge to preach the gospel in the skies.
Granted all of this is pretty much moot in a post-Christian society, as nearly all of us... we've all heard the gospel and rejected or accepted it. None of this actually applies to us. I don't believe you get infinite opportunities to reject God. The importance of this particular point, is that it has to do more with the character of the judge, and the inability of the first gospel bringers to get the gospel everywhere all at once. Many Christians traditions even believe that Jesus went down and preached the gospel in sheol to those in Abraham's bosom, and so apparently it is possible for Christ to preach the gospel outside of our time and space. Just a hint and a possibility. I think Christians ought to preach the gospel clearly and emphatically to those who can hear it, but fear to tread upon the topic of those who never got a chance. I do not think Romans 1 is addressing that, and many other hints in the bible suggest that Jesus cares more than we do, and is far more just than we are. Just look at the amazing amounts of miracles and dreams in the Muslim world where apparently Jesus himself is telling them the gospel in dreams and they're responding to it!
But again, this is mostly moot in the modern west as most of us can hear and have heard.
Also, "good" Muslims are those who follow the Koran to the letter and are jihadists.
Like the words to the Billy Joel song - "I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints." The idea of heaven and being in the presence of God seems very undesirable to many people.
Watching a day late…