Questions and Answers

What About People That Have Never Heard The Gospel?
By Adam Bartlett

There are many people all over the world and not just in remote areas that have honestly not heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Are they accountable for knowing something that we never explained to them? Can they be saved even if they never heard the Gospel? These are really hard questions and what we must keep in mind is that God is the Judge of all and regardless of how we may justify or condemn in our human understanding God will judge with true undefiled judgment. There are many scriptures that will help clarify this question.

In Genesis 18 God revealed to Abraham that He was about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah and Abraham begin interceding because he knew Lot was there with his family. He reasoned with God not to destroy the righteous along with the wicked. Abraham makes a statement that sums up all our human reasoning with the truth and righteousness of God.

Genesis 18
25: That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

If we cannot rely on the fact that the Judge of all the earth will do what is right then mankind is doomed. We have no hope and there is nothing to live for beyond this physical life. But we thank God that He assured us that is not the case and that He will Judge all the earth and do so in a Righteous and Just manner that only He can do.

Psalm 50
6: And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself.

2 Timothy 4
8: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Hebrews 12
23: To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

Psalm 58
11: So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.

Deuteronomy 1
17: Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's:

Proverbs 29
26: Many seek the ruler's favour; but every man's judgment cometh from the LORD.

Romans 14
10: But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

All of the scriptures above clearly show us that any and all "Judgment" regarding man will come from God alone. He will make the right judgment and we must rely on His righteousness. We must also understand that God does not desire than any man perish but that all come to know Him just as Peter declared.

2 Peter 3
9: The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

In fact hell was not intended for man but for the devil and his angels. Man chooses to go there by rejecting the free gift of Jesus. The Bible confirms this:

Matthew 25 41: Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

2 Peter 2 4: For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

Jude 6: And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

Even though there may be some that have not heard the Gospel in direct manner God makes it clear that there is no excuse for not acknowledging that there is a God Almighty over the heavens and earth.

Romans 1
18: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19: Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20: For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22: Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23: And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24: Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.


I believe God makes it clear that He gave "all" men the ability to recognize that He is God and they can see that through nature itself. However, there are many of those that will reject the idea of God being the creator and worship created images instead. In these situations it is impossible for anyone other than God to be able to judge these people. When a person worships an image or idol it is proof within them that they were created to worship something and they do so out of that impulsive design within them. So when they choose an idol or image over God they are rejecting Him as Creator.

Summary

We have no way to know if a person acknowledges that or not, only God does and that is how He will judge them. They will be judged on what they did know and how they reacted to that knowledge. We know that God is a Righteous and Just God therefore we know that His judgment is true. We also know from the scriptures given above that hell was not a place intended for man. We also know that it is not God's desire that "ANY" person perish but that He wants all to be saved.

Actually this question even though it implies those of an age to acknowledge the truth it would also encompass those of younger age also. Those under an age of understanding would have to be judged on the same scale. Thus, in finality we must concede that all things that are beyond our understanding are reserved for the One that does know all and will Judge all.

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