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What About Those Who Never Heard?
letusreason.org
To answer these
questions we need to understand the nature of man and the Basic character and
nature of God.
The bible says man
is already in a state of condemnation we are separated from our maker and we are
not actively looking for him to repair this.
God is Fair toward
mankind, He has bestowed common grace extending to the believer and unbeliever
alike. Jesus said: He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends
rain on the just and on the unjust (Matthew 5:45).The Psalmist writes, Gracious
is the Lord and righteous; yes, our God is merciful (Psalm 116:5). In this life
Gods grace affects all. After this life only the believer will be the recipient
of his grace and goodness.
Paul stated to the
pagans in Acts 14: to turn from useless things to the living God who made heaven
and earth and all things that are in them, who in bygone generations allowed all
nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without
witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons,
filling our hearts with food and gladness.” Nature is living testimony to a God
who cares for his creation and people.
The deist position
has God as a master “clockmaker.” He made the clock, wound it, then left it to
continue to work on its alone. As the progressive creationist says that God
created the world and started the process called evolution. But the Bible
portrays God as much more than a great “clockmaker” who is now on vacation He is
called a loving Father and a comforter, a helper who is personally interested in
His children. God desires that humanity would call to Him when they have a need.
The psalmist records, Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you and
you shall glorify Me (Psalm 50:15). He is an ever present help in the time of
our need.
Paul states, Or do
you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not
knowing the goodness of God leads to repentance (Romans 2:4).
Jer. 9:24: “But let
him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the
LORD, exercising loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For
in these I delight,” says the LORD.
B.B. Warfeild said
“It is not difficult to understand why a just God does not save sinners. but how
a just God saves any sinners.”
But God
demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ
died for us (Romans 5:8). What kind of love is this that is demonstrated, to die
in the place of your enemies? It is a love that has purpose.
God “wills that all
men should be saved,” he is not willing that any should perish. There is no one
that he does not want to be saved, he does not want to see anyone reject his
salvation. Whether they are of nobility or peasants; of all professions. The
learned and unlearned; the healthy and the sick; the intelligent the not so
intelligent; the rich or the poor, males or female, children or adolescent, from
the young to the very old; of every tongue and nation.
God also cares for
the people who have not heard the gospel. But he has made a certain way to be
saved and not just any way and mankind needs to come the way he has asked. No
omni-benevolent God is going to ignore or reject someone who is trying to
understand. Did God create those who He knew would not be saved? Of course, but
Its better to offer salvation to all knowing that some will refuse, than to not
offer it at all. He has demonstrated this by sending His Son to die in their
place. “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Titus says
the grace of God has appeared to all men, not some but ALL.
The Bible teaches
we all have inherited the sin of Adam. Romans 5:12 states that “Through one man
sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all
men, because all sinned.” Although we all share in the same fallen nature, each
of us are held individually guilty of transgressing Gods requirements. We are
all personally guilty of falling short, whether we are aware of it or not. But
we do know it, because all have guilt for one thing or another. And that guilt
is universal, so that we can honestly say the Holy spirit who was sent into the
world does this. He was sent to convict the world, (the same world Jesus died
for) of sin righteousness and judgment. Sin that we are not living up to the
standard of God, and not even our own. Righteousness, that we have no inherent
righteousness of our own. Judgment, that we are going to have to answer to
somebody about our lives.
How can people be
judged for never hearing the gospel. It is the same as people being held
accountable for breaking laws which they’re unaware of? The answer is simply
that God requires perfection and holiness, and whether we know or not know we’re
violating His standards, the fact is that we’ve transgressed his law. God cannot
violate His nature and ignore the sin that we do. He must punish iniquity, for
that is what composes righteousness and justice. He cannot deny his nature which
demands perfect justice. But he has done all for mankind to advert this
judgment.
The bible teaches
consistently that no man sins not (1 Kings 8:46) no one is living righteous
(Ps.143:2) no one is pure (Prov.20:9). In Romans 3 Paul quotes the Psalm, “There
is none righteous, no not one; There is none who understands. There is none who
seeks after God. They have all gone out of the way; They have together become
unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.” The Scriptures relates
that man is not seeking after God but actually running from Him. “There is none
that seeketh after God.” Ever since Adam and Eve hid themselves from the
presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden (Genesis 3:8). all of
mankind has doing the same since. However, man is not looking for God.
But God is actively
searching for us, that by his grace to draw us to himself, he is longsuffering
with us in our predicament of sin. So no one is out of reach of his mercy.
Therefore, it is not a case of God refusing to get His message to someone who is
desperately searching for the truth.
It would be like a
doctor saying to someone who is not eating or drinking, if you don't take food
or water soon you will die. If they refuse, is it his responsibility? We are
dealing with the essence of truth. There is no prejudice on Gods part, God does
not pick out any culture or people group to perish, neither does he do this with
individuals. The bible makes it clear Christ is the only way to God. That no one
is born a Christian, but must be reborn to be one. This gives everyone a level
playing field. The Bible is emphatic in the exclusive statement by Jesus that no
one can come to God except through Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “No one comes to
the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).
Acts 4:12 tells us
there is only one name to be called upon for salvation. The only basis for
forgiveness of sin and life everlasting is the way made by Jesus. The Scripture
teaches we are all under condemnation. This fact is proposed as the very reason
that Jesus died for everyone in the world. There can be no universal preaching,
offering the Gospel, if there is no universal provision. In other words if God
offers it to all then he must have the resources for all. So he has made the
opportunity for all to be saved. Jesus was introduced by John as (Jn.1:29) “the
lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who
was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with
glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for
everyone.
Romans 1 states
that no one has any excuse. “For what can be known about God is manifest plain
to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world
his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly
perceived in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse” (Romans
1:19–20). The sense of one not measuring up to a standard is universal. There is
no culture where people feel they have never failed or transgressed. It is
evident within them. Every person of the human race from all time periods, has
had the testimony of the creation and the testimony of their own shortcomings to
inform them that they do not meet God's requirements. God testifies of Himself
through His creation we are expected to understand that there are absolutes
which we violate. This self revelation as well as nature renders all
inexcusable. Its not they have not heard, they have!
There is what is
called general revelation that comes from nature, Gods creation. One can learn
about God by observing the world around us. This is why there are so many
different religions. Because many stop in nature and say it is nature that is
God. But the bible teaches God is transcendent he is beyond nature as its
creator. So they rebel against the evidential truths and they go not further in
there pursuit.
In Romans 2:12-15
it states, “For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the
Law; and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law; for not
the hearers of the Law are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be
justified. For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things
of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law unto themselves, in that they
show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing
witness, and their thoughts ultimately accusing or defending them. In the day
when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.”
Scripture explains
how God has given each man a “natural law”; a general understanding of right and
wrong. This is evident in the fact that all men are endowed with a conscience.
Every society, culture and person develops some type of a moral code that they
judge others and themselves by. The remains of the conscience is marred but not
destroyed, it still operates in us. We can know even by instinct what are the
standards of truth coming from God. The gentiles or unbeliever is able to keep
the moral law because they are made in the image of God. If they do not sear
their conscience it continues to be a moral umpire.
Theissen in his
Systematic theology writes “Just as the mirror and the smooth surface of the
lake reflect the sun and reveal not only its existence but also to some extent
its nature, so conscience In man reveals both the existence of God. That is, it
reveals to us not only that he is, but also that he sharply distinguishes
between the right and the wrong. He always does what is right and that he
holds the rational creature responsible for always doing the right and
abstaining from the wrong. It also implies that every transgression will be
punished. (p.35)
Romans 1 addresses
his eternal power and Godhead (deity). His power is seen as eternal, because it
neither began to exist nor will end, it accompanies God himself. The present
condition of the world proves His eternal existence. The heavens and the earth
prove the deity of their originator. His power, is evident, having neither a
beginning nor an end. By His word all things are held together. Even scientists
have admitted there is something, some unseen power holding the fabric of the
universe together. What kind of power does it take to hold the whole universe
together? When we reflect on ourselves and think about how we cannot hold our
own lives together that we have direct influence over. Yet there is someone who
placed everything in order and keeps it in order.
So how do we
reconcile the grace of God which comes from His love and the justice of God
which demands punishment for not living up to his commands. Sin cannot go
unpunished it would contradict Gods character of righteousness. Would it be fair
if a judge said to someone who murdered a loved one, since he has never done
this crime before, I will let him go free! You would cry out injustice. It is
not loving to allow a murderer to go free, neither is it love to arrest and
punish an innocent person. Love protects the innocent and punishes the guilty.
There is a law and a standard to uphold within humanity, how much more so with
God.
What happens to be
who never heard the gospel. Romans teaches that God will judge people on what
they know and are capable of knowing. We can know right and wrong and know
there is one true God. Job did, Jethro did and many others. All can
instinctively know His moral code and know they have sinned, As Paul writes they
are without excuse.
Paul establishes
the fact that from nature one can know that creation has a creator. He opposes
the Atheist, who he mocks in 1 Cor.1 as the wise which God has made foolish
their wisdom. That, from the beginning of the world, there are sufficient
proofs of the existence of God. Further, Paul says that man should realize the
creator of the universe would be greater than the created objects that we find
in the world (“birds, and four-footed animals, and crawling creatures”), but
mankind chooses to worship them rather than God, so “man is without excuse.” Man
has an innate desire to worship. In ancient Egypt they worshipped all kinds of
creatures even insects and bugs like a scarab beetle. Imagine worshipping a
cockroach. No matter what creature or portion of nature you worship the creator
calls you foolish. But man goes further then this thinking he has wisdom he
becomes a fool when he denies that there is a God.
Atheism is the
ultimate corruption of mans nature. It is a disowning of God contrary to
all reason. For it is not a denial of His existence as much as it is a
replacement by one self-governing their own life being answerable to no one. Yet
the very air we breathe and the food supplied, is by His generous
donation. For even an atheist in his darkest hour will call out to God
hoping He hears him, or will curse the one he convinced himself does not exist.
All men have a fear of God, this is not the fear that is the beginning of wisdom
that would have one repent. It is the fear that he can judge so they convince
themselves there is no punishment, excusing themselves for every guilty thing
they have done to their fellow man. Rom.2:6 “God will render each according to
our deeds. And to those self seeking and do not obey the truth.”
The Apostle Paul
said God is being understood by the
things that are made Paul states “From the creation of the world his invisible
attributes are clearly seen,” quoting Psalm
147:19. But God being made known by the works of creation, He has not concealed
from men. As Psalm 19:1 declares, “The heavens declare the glory of God and the
firmament shows His handiwork.”We can know there is a God from his
accomplishments in nature. Paul includes with the works of creation as those of
providence, in the governing of the universe. Psalms 147:4-5, “He counts the
number of the stars; He gives names to all of them. Great is our Lord, and
abundant in strength; His understanding is infinite.” For man, it is beyond our
capability to count the number of the stars. Which is harder? Counting them or
creating them? The Scripture stated long before man knew how many stars there
could be, God said the stars are like the sand of the sea. He placed each one
its place and named them.
It is a fact that
all of mankind can tell that a creator does exist, because His creation
testifies to this fact. This testimony is universal for all races and all people
throughout all time. It's not that the people do not have enough information
that God does exist, Scripture says they become willfully ignorant of the things
of God because their hearts are evil. That the unbelieving individual is
“holding down the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18).
That mankind
Suppresses the truth in unrighteousness. The heathens did not hold fast to the
truth, but they suppressed or restrained what they knew about God. The
expression is that they retained it as in a prison, under the weight. That they
use it to hold themselves in a prison of falsehood being oppressed by their own
iniquities. This is done by the way they live. They instinctively know on the
inside but suppress this truth by their lifestyle.
His almighty power,
wisdom, and goodness, and other Divine attributes, are sufficiently displayed,
in the works of creation, which renders anyone without excuse. The unbeliever,
the heathen will not be judged because they did not hear of Christ, but because
they have refused the knowledge that was given to them about God and did not
pursue it. For God worked in many ways to make this evident if they
pursued it would have led them to a saving knowledge of Christ. If someone truly
wants to know God he will be revealed to him. In Romans Paul teaches God will
judge people on what they know and what they are capable of knowing. Not on what
they do not know.
The Scriptures
never teach that those who have not heard will be automatically saved, after all
they believed in some kind of God. Which is a type of universalism. As much as
this offends us, where God is silent we cannot speak. Sincerity is not enough
for being accepted. If I took an exam in college to get my degree and
failed would it be fair to have the professor pass me because I said I studied
and was sincere? Even though I did not display the required skill and
knowledge. So we can see there must be a standard of justice to be fair. We have
this standard in our world through education and government, how much greater is
God's?
The Bible teaches
that God is going to judge the world fairly and righteously. “Because he hath
appointed a day, in which he will judge the world in righteousness” (Acts
17:31). This means that when all the facts are in, God’s name will be
vindicated and no one will be able to accuse Him of being unfair.
It just may be best
not to know everything. God has not revealed how exactly he is going to deal
with people who have never heard of Jesus Christ. Even though we may not
know how He is going to deal with these people specifically, we do know that His
judgment is going absolutely just.
The Scriptures
contain examples of individuals who were accepted by God, even though their
knowledge of Him was limited. He is not a respecter of persons, but
accepts all that come to him. Rahab, the prostitute, had only a small amount of
knowledge of God as she heard what he had done, It was enough knowledge to act
on it. The Bible refers to her as a woman of faith, and her actions were
commended (Joshua 2:9; Hebrews 11:31). Naaman, the Syrian, was granted peace
with God because he exercised faith, even though he was living in the midst of a
pagan culture (II Kings 5:15–19). Jonah a prophet, was only one man sent to
Nineveh, a ruthless pagan society, and they repented at his preaching of
judgment (Jonah 3:5).
There is an example
of a man who was in a situation much like the scenario we are discussing. His
name was Cornelius. He was a very religious man who was constantly praying to
God. He was gentile who had not heard of Jesus Christ, but he was honestly
asking God to reveal Himself to him.
God answered the
prayer of Cornelius, and sent the apostle Peter to him to give him the
gospel. He did it then and he will do it today. This example
demonstrates that anyone who is sincerely desiring to know God will hear about
Jesus.
There are people
today, like Cornelius, who are praying the same prayer to know the true and
living God, and they are being reached no matter where they might live. Simon
Peter stated, “I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every
nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him”
(Acts 10:34–35). God says if you seek me with all your heart you will find
me. Paul stated God is not hidden but is as close to you as your
breath.
Many have testified
of missionaries going into remote parts of the world and God was already
preparing a person or people to receive the message. They would recognize the
story of the bible as they had fragments of it or it was put into their culture
for them to understand.
For example the
Isaiah 1:18 Scripture “though your sins be a scarlet they will be as white as
snow.” In one tribe they never saw snow, so the missionary used another
substitute. We need to be careful not to too integrate Christ's commands to
repent and call on him only with other beliefs in the culture or other
religions. We can change the method to reach a certain culture, but it is
disastrous to change the message. Scripture does teach that every person has an
opportunity to repent, and God does not exclude anyone because he happened to be
born at the wrong place and at the wrong time. He is not a respecter of
persons. If we propose that people will be saved by not hearing the
gospel, because they are too far away than we need to cease all evangelistic
efforts. Instead not preach to them so that they can be saved. The
bible says there is salvation in no other so how can anyone be saved apart from
Christ? This is why it is imperative that we go and tell them.
God will judge
according to the light they have been given. The Scriptural principle if someone
lives up to the revealed truth God has already given, no matter how small, he
will give them more to pursue until they come to a saving knowledge of him.
Light obeyed increases more light. Obey what you know and he will give you
understanding of what you don't know. Gods grace is great and he does use a
supernatural means to rescue people. Whether it is an angel or by a missionary
sent or directly by Himself. The purpose is to bring people to a saving
faith for their sins to be forgiven
Mt.13:12 “For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he
will have abundance; but to whoever does not have, even what he has will betaken
away.” If we are teachable ,it is profitable, “more will be given.” The
condition of increase is by our hearts openness.
What you think
might happen or might not happen to someone else does not relieve your
responsibility on Judgment Day. Although we might not be able to answer the
question about those who haven’t heard to the satisfaction of everyone, there
are certain things that the Bible has made clear. It can be seen that God will
fairly judge all mankind and that no one can claim that he or she received an
unfair hearing. Therefore, the people who ask this question should be very
careful not to use this as an excuse for themselves not coming to Christ. It is
a fact people willfully blind
themselves
One person put it
this way, “Many things in the Bible I cannot understand; many things in the
Bible I only think I understand; but there are many things in the Bible I cannot
misunderstand” (Anonymous). Mark Twain said Its not the things that I don't
understand in the bible that concerns me, but the things I do understand. We
will not be judged on what we do not know as much as we will be judged on what
we do know. Jm.4:17: “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it,
to him it is sin.” We are held accountable for what we do know by what we have
seen in nature, His creation.
So What of the
question, of those who have not heard? Are they any less responsible than
those who have heard? This cannot be used to relieve the individual of any
personal responsibility to God and place it on someone else. There is no excuse
to say what if. Most of the people who say what of the other people have already
heard the message of the gospel and rejected it' so they want to find a flaw in
the character of God. When one understands there own true position, then
the objection falls beyond debate. The writer to the Hebrews remarks, “How can
we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” (Heb. 2:3) Rom
10:17-21: “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God
But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: “Their sound has gone out to all the
earth, and their words to the ends of the world.”
But I say, did
Israel not know? First Moses says: “I will provoke you to jealousy by those who
are not a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.” But Isaiah is
very bold and says: “I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made
manifest to those who did not ask for Me.” But to Israel he says: “All day long
I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”
Israel who was given the oracles, the prophets will be held to a higher standard
than those on a remote island. To whom much is given much is required.
Deut.29:29 says,
“The secret things belong to God but those things revealed belong to us and our
children.” 2 Cor.2:10-11: “But God has revealed them to us by his spirit,
for the spirit searches all things, yes the deep things of God…Even so no one
knows the things of God except the Spirit of
God.”