select from the following hyperlinks to explore the site

{ photo gallery }
{ events }
{ info }
{ truth notes }

direct all comments and questions to ebyouth@mindspring.com

TruthNotes
What About Those Who Never Hear the Gospel?

You have most likely heard this often-asked question from Christian and non-Christian alike regarding the fate of the “jungle native” who never hears about God’s plan of salvation. Whether it is brought up as an excuse not to believe, a “rabbit trail” to avoid a personal decision for Christ, or as a genuine concern, this question is important for two reasons: First, it concerns the eternal destiny of perhaps millions of people throughout history. If they never heard about salvation through Christ before their death, will they be eternally separated from God? Second, the goodness of God is being questioned, since it appears that He is allowing only those who happen to be in the right place at the right time to hear His message of salvation.

4 Preliminary Responses
1. To the skeptic: “What are you going to decide since you know the Truth?” (in other words, is this really a legitimate objection or just an excuse for unbelief?)
2. To the Christian: “Go tell them.”
Innocent people who never hear the Gospel go straight to heaven! *Problem: no one is innocent!
Most who haven’t heard the Gospel are no more interested in finding the true God than those who have (i.e. the heathen native isn’t looking for God any more than the heathen in America).


2 Very Specific Responses

THE BIG PICTURE, PART 1 – GOD’S GRACE

Because of The Fall, man is naturally sinful, separated from God, and generally ignorant and/or apathetic about seeking God.
God wants no one to perish (1 Tim 2:3,4; 2 Pet 3:9). Out of His loving grace, God aggressively seeks all men (Titus 2:11) and reveals Himself in three ways. . .

The first way is through the Person of the Holy Spirit sent to convict the world of sin and righteousness and judgment (Jn 16:8,9). The Holy Spirit is how God begins to draw men to Himself (Jn 6:44), gently “tugging” at the heart to prompt belief.
God’s second method is General Revelation, which is how He reveals Himself through His creation (beauty, design, order, etc.). It’s like a “book” that men everywhere can “read” to discover the FACT of God (He exists).
Unfortunately, even in light of “Book 1,” man suppresses this revealed truth (Rm 1:18-20) and refuses to accept it. Instead, he invents his own gods and follows his evil desires (Rm 1:21-25). What is God’s punishment? Rather than interfere, He “gives man over” to these foolish choices and allows him to continue in destructive behavior (Rm 1:26-32). But Book 1 obviously does its job well because people all over the world believe in a God. Missionaries have even arrived to find tribes waiting for further word about the True God. But this first book is actually limited. Suppose, for example, a native in the jungle looks around him (“reads” Book 1) and says to himself, “There must be a Creator behind all this! I will believe in Him!” Is he now saved? NO. While he must begin here (Heb 11:6), he still knows nothing of God or what He requires – and God is after more. He doesn’t want to just be acknowledged ; He wants men to seek Him and find Him as a Person. But one cannot know God personally until more is revealed. Thus more light is required.

The third and final way God reaches man is through Special Revelation, found in the Bible. As already discussed, people can believe in God, but the question is, “How can I get to Him?” The task of “Book 2” is to unfold the WAY to God. In it we discover what God is like, what He wants from us, and His rewards for those who love Him. But most important, the Book contains the solution to our problem of sin and how to personally enter into a family relationship with God. But once again, many who read this Book choose to disregard its message. A man can discover what God is like and still want nothing to do with Him. He can learn of the salvation that can be received through faith in Christ (and even believe it!), but still not act on it.


Roles and Responsibility

Although He didn’t have to, God has chosen to reveal Himself to all men. It is His role to see that each person gets the knowledge they need in order to come to Him. Man’s responsibility is equally clear – act on the revelation God has supplied. There is nothing unfair about this. God’s role is to reveal, man’s role is to respond. This remains fair as long as God gives each man the light he needs. Back to our man in the jungle of Africa who reads Book 1 and acknowledges a Creator, but is not saved – is he to be condemned forever for lack of knowledge? This is where the responsibility shifts. When one acts on the light given, it once again becomes God’s role to get more light to him. How does God do this? He uses believers! Romans 10:13-15 explains that while “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved,” it is impossible for someone to call on the name of Jesus if they haven’t heard of Him; and it’s impossible for them to hear of Him unless someone tells them. So God’s method for getting Book 2 to the world is through other Christians. Just as it was our responsibility to respond to God’s revelation, now it is our responsibility to be obedient and share it with others.

The third and final way God reaches man is through Special Revelation, found in the Bible. As already discussed, people can believe in God, but the question is, “How can I get to Him?” The task of “Book 2” is to unfold the WAY to God. In it we discover what God is like, what He wants from us, and His rewards for those who love Him. But most important, the Book contains the solution to our problem of sin and how to personally enter into a family relationship with God. But once again, many who read this Book choose to disregard its message. A man can discover what God is like and still want nothing to do with Him. He can learn of the salvation that can be received through faith in Christ (and even believe it!), but still not act on it.


In conclusion, if there is a seeking heart somewhere, Book 2 will get there. The Bible clearly demonstrates that anyone seeking God in truth will find Him. Cornelius was a God-fearing Roman centurion who did the best he knew how based on the light he had been given. God responded to this by sending Peter with the message of salvation through Christ (Acts 10). The Ethiopian eunuch was doing his best to understand Scripture but could not get any further. God responded by sending Philip to explain the good news of Jesus (Acts 8:26-40). God gave Paul a vision of a man begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” Paul left at once (Acts 16:9,10). God is faithful to respond to the seeking heart.


THE BIG PICTURE, PART 2 – GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY

But what about those who never had the chance to hear the Gospel because of their place in history? What of the multitudes that perished before the Gospel spread to that part of the world? Maybe they would have accepted “Book 2” if they had only heard it!


The Omniscience of God

First, God knows ahead of time who is going to freely choose to accept His revelation and who is going to choose to reject it. Second, He not only knows what will happen, but what could possibly ever happen (see 1 Sam 23:10-13). Applied to our topic, God not only knows who will accept/reject Him, but also who would accept/reject Him if given the opportunity. Again, there is nothing unfair about God foreknowing what someone will freely choose.

The Omnipotence of God

In His sovereignty, God determines both when a person appears in history and where (Acts 17:26). Applied to our topic, this means that God, on the basis of His foreknowledge, can collect into groups a whole population of “rejectors” by means of His control over where and when people appear in time. This is why civilizations can come and go without ever hearing the Gospel. If God knows people will not receive Book 1, there is no need to send Book 2. If people don’t like the fact of God, they won’t be interested in the way to Him. While our minds may struggle to grasp the concept of God foreknowing and determining where men appear in time, this is completely fair since we are free to choose.


However, God’s sovereignty still allows a tender heart to be born in the midst of a nation of rejectors. In these instances God may “call out” that person from their pagan surroundings to a life of following Him. Abram was called out from Ur of the Chaldees. Rahab lived in the pagan city of Jericho but was saved by her faith in what she knew of God. Ruth was from the godless nation of Moab and yet left her country to follow the true God. If a person anywhere turns their heart to God, He will send them more light. There is nothing to keep a tender heart and the Word of God apart. The same sovereignty that arranges people in the world, also guarantees His Word will reach those who want it.


Summing up our answer

It’s a false assumption to suppose that there are millions of people who want to know God but can’t. God lovingly draws and enables all men to come to Christ and be saved. That is, He has provided sufficient grace to all persons for salvation (Titus 2:11). Therefore, people are condemned to hell because of sin (they’re guilty) and because they do not want Christ (their only substitute). It is their own decision to go. People go to heaven because they do want Christ. The heathen cannot be judged for rejecting Jesus if they have never heard of Him. But they will be judged for rejecting God’s “voice” that is heard everywhere through general revelation (Ps 19:1-6). God’s sovereignty means that He foreknows who will receive / reject His revelation and that He ensures that anyone who would respond to the gospel if they heard it lives at a time and place in history where they will hear it. It also means He can place “foreknown rejectors” in groups or places where they will not hear the Gospel (since they would reject it if they heard it anyway). God always responds to the seeking heart. Those who respond to the light they are given will receive more light. God is just (Dt 32:4). Why is Jesus the only way to heaven? First of all, the Bible clearly says that JESUS is the only way to heaven: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” - Acts 4:12 But why is it that Jesus is the only way? “What about other people with sincere beliefs who try to be good?” you might ask. While the Bible’s claim may seem too exclusive, we need to realize that we all have a “sickness,” a spiritual disease called SIN. One’s sincerity or goodness is not the issue. Keep in mind the acrostic S.I.N. as we explain why Jesus is the only way to heaven . . . STANDARD OF PERFECTION “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48) *God’s standard is righteousness because He is holy and sin cannot exist in His presence. INABILITY TO SAVE OURSELVES “…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Isaiah 64:6) *We therefore have a serious problem because we are sinners who can’t save themselves. Furthermore, God, because He is holy, must punish our sin! So what is the solution to our problem? If sin separates us, who can connect us? What is the cure for our disease? The cure is Jesus! Why? Because . . . NO ONE ELSE SOLVED OUR PROBLEM “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Cor 5:21) *This means that Jesus (who is perfect) took upon Himself all of our sin and punishment and credited His righteousness to us. So saying that Jesus is the only way to heaven is not just a matter of believing the right thing - it’s a matter of necessity. The final question . . .Will YOU accept Jesus as the substitute for your sin and give your life to Him? All you have to do is ask! “And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Acts 2:21)