What Happens To People Who Have Never Heard About Christ?

[etr2013]

What happens to people who have never heard the gospel of Jesus Christ preached in regards to salvation? More simply stated, if they have never heard the gospel presented how can they make a decision to accept or reject the gift of salvation?

How does God reveal Himself to these people if they've never had a chance to hear the gospel presented?

i.e. faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God

Also, say native indians or eskimos who died before a missionary came to preach to them or some remote tribe on another continent; how did they have a knowledge of God?

Scripture references are appreciated.

 

[brevis]

We know we are saved by Grace; we know that Grace comes by the merits of Christ; we also know that everyone has sinned and fallen short.

I do not think there is a definitive answer to your question, though. There are situations which we can only leave to God's mercy and justice.

 

[98cwitr]

I find this verse particularly interested when it comes to this topic

John 9:41
Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.

 

[Sav3dbygrac3]

One thing is for certain, God is a righteous judge and what ever happens to someone on judgment day will be fair and just.

 

[98cwitr]

One thing is for certain, God is a righteous judge and what ever happens to someone on judgment day will be fair and just.

Good first post

 

[Sav3dbygrac3]

Good first post

Thank you

 

[Nova Scotian Boy]

I think R.C. Sproul answers this question well.

Lecture 2, The Innocent Native from Objections Answered Teaching Series by Dr. R.C. Sproul from Ligonier Ministries

 

[chilehed]

God's creation is part of his revelation of himself.

Scripture says that everyone has some idea of God. It's undeniable that many non-Christians are seeking God - they may have false ideas about Him but they're seeking Him nonetheless, and NO ONE can seek God except on God's initiative. The fact that they're seeking God, however imperfectly, shows that He is working in their lives.

Romans 1:18-21 says "The wrath of God is indeed being revealed from heaven against every impiety and wickedness of those who suppress the truth by their wickedness. For what can be known about God is evident to them, because God made it evident to them. Ever since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made. As a result, they have no excuse; for although they knew God they did not accord him glory as God or give him thanks. Instead, they became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless minds were darkened."

So here scripture explicitly says that one can know God by natural revelation, right? Someone who does evil can’t legitimately claim that he never knew about God, because God made sure through creation that everyone knows him. The passage doesn’t say that they’re wicked because they don’t know God, what it says is that they’re wicked because they know God well enough and they reject him anyway!

A Protestant might say that that level of knowledge is not salvific, that you can’t be saved if that’s the limit of your knowledge of God. But there are two problems with that viewpoint. First, that would mean that people are lost because God requires them to know what they cannot know, and they cannot know it because God didn’t allow them to know it. That would violate God’s perfect justice. Second, it would mean that one can only be saved through the attainment of information which is hidden to all but a select few, which is at the core of the gnostic heresies.

If one has to have heard of Jesus in order to be saved, then never having had the opportunity to hear of him is a really good excuse for never having heard of him. But the bible specifically says that even these people have no excuse for rejecting God, because they did know about him and they rejected him anyway. What gets you into hell is rejecting God. If you don’t know about Jesus then you can’t very well be culpable for rejecting him, because you can only reject what you know about. God holds us accountable only for what we know, and not for what we cannot know.

And so the Church teaches that even these people may be saved (not that they will be saved, but only that they may be saved) through the merits of Christ, by means of which we do not know.

I like the way C. S. Lewis said it in Chapter 15 of The Last Battle. In it, Emeth tells of his meeting with Aslan:

Then I fell at his feet and thought, Surely this is the hour of death, for the Lion (who is worthy of all honor) will know that I have served Tash all my days and not him. Nevertheless, it is better to see the Lion and die than to be Tisroc of the world and live and not to have seen him. But the Glorious One bent down his golden head and touched my forehead with his tongue and said, "Son, thou art welcome." But I said, "Alas, Lord, I am no son of thine but the servant of Tash." He answered, "Child, all the service thou hast done to Tash, I account as service done to me." Then by reason of my great desire for wisdom and understanding, I overcame my fear and questioned the Glorious One and said "Lord, is it then true, as the Ape said, that thou and Tash are one"" The Lion growled so that the earth shook (but his wrath was not against me) and said, "It is false. Not because he and I are one, but because we are opposites - I take to me the services which thou hast done to him. For he and I are of such different kinds that no service which is vile can be done to me, and none which is not vile can be done to him. Therefore, if any man swear by Tash and keep his oath for the oath's sake, it is by me that he has truly sworn, though he know it not, and it is I who reward him. And if any man do cruelty in my name, then, though he says the name Aslan, it is Tash whom he serves and by Tash his deed is accepted. Dost thou understand, Child?" I said "Lord, thou knowest how much I understand." But I said also (for the truth constrained me), "Yet I have been seeking Tash all my days." "Beloved," said the Glorious One, "unless thy desire had been for me thou wouldst not have sought so long and so truly. For all find what they truly seek."​

Anyone who is saved, is saved through Christ.

 

[narnia59]

I think R.C. Sproul answers this question well.

Lecture 2, The Innocent Native from Objections Answered Teaching Series by Dr. R.C. Sproul from Ligonier Ministries

He basically says that if they've never heard the Gospel, they're damned to hell.

He seems to think the only alternative is they would automatically be admitted to heaven by their ignorance.

Those two extremes seem to limit what one thinks God is capable of doing, in my view.

However, there is one thing I find most puzzling about his position and his impassioned plea at the end for the Gospel to be preached across the world (which I can only agree would be a good thing).

In regards to his own salvation, Sproul would absolutely insist that his own works can play no part -- it's all Jesus alone, and to think otherwise would be to deny the sufficiency of Christ's work on the cross.

Yet he has no problem in determining that the salvation of someone else cannot be achieved at all by Christ without our help (i.e. if we don't preach the Gospel to them, they have no chance).

So Christ alone saves us, but Christ alone cannot save others without our help. Basically, our works can play no role in our own salvation, but can be absolutely necessary for someone else to be saved.

And that makes sense how?

 

[narnia59]

What happens to people who have never heard the gospel of Jesus Christ preached in regards to salvation? More simply stated, if they have never heard the gospel presented how can they make a decision to accept or reject the gift of salvation?

How does God reveal Himself to these people if they've never had a chance to hear the gospel presented?

i.e. faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God

Also, say native indians or eskimos who died before a missionary came to preach to them or some remote tribe on another continent; how did they have a knowledge of God?

Scripture references are appreciated.

One might also ask what happened to people in the OT -- they never heard the Gospel of Christ either.

Yet the "word of God" -- Christ -- came to the prophets.

We make an error when we assume the only way someone can hear the "word of God", i.e. Christ is through us.

That does not negate our command to preach the Gospel to all nations. It simply should remind us that while Christ chooses to use us to spead the good news, he is in no way dependent upon us to do so.

 

[Nova Scotian Boy]

He basically says that if they've never heard the Gospel, they're damned to hell.

He seems to think the only alternative is they would automatically be admitted to heaven by their ignorance.

Those two extremes seem to limit what one thinks God is capable of doing, in my view.

However, there is one thing I find most puzzling about his position and his impassioned plea at the end for the Gospel to be preached across the world (which I can only agree would be a good thing).

In regards to his own salvation, Sproul would absolutely insist that his own works can play no part -- it's all Jesus alone, and to think otherwise would be to deny the sufficiency of Christ's work on the cross.

Yet he has no problem in determining that the salvation of someone else cannot be achieved at all by Christ without our help (i.e. if we don't preach the Gospel to them, they have no chance).

So Christ alone saves us, but Christ alone cannot save others without our help. Basically, our works can play no role in our own salvation, but can be absolutely necessary for someone else to be saved.

And that makes sense how?

Our Help is not involved at all. I think we would all agree that the great commission is to preach repentance and forgiveness of sins. This is the mission statement of the church. Its through the church actively fulfilling this mission statement that the gospel is heard and people come to Christ. Not because God needs our help but because although he has predestined the outcome he has also predestine the means that this outcome comes about. And that means is the preaching of the gospel of the church. Now if tomorrow every church on the planets cease to preach the gospel, then God would not be heaven panicked wondering what is going to happen because he needs the help, the church has never functioned nor ever will function as help. People could still come to Christ. And i believe have throughout history.

One might also ask what happened to people in the OT -- they never heard the Gospel of Christ either.

Yet the "word of God" -- Christ -- came to the prophets.

We make an error when we assume the only way someone can hear the "word of God", i.e. Christ is through us.

That does not negate our command to preach the Gospel to all nations. It simply should remind us that while Christ chooses to use us to spead the good news, he is in no way dependent upon us to do so.

Just as we are saved by believing in and placing our trust in the promises of Christ in the Past the people of the OT were saved by there faith in the Promises of the future Messiah.

 

[narnia59]

Our Help is not involved at all. I think we would all agree that the great commission is to preach repentance and forgiveness of sins. This is the mission statement of the church. Its through the church actively fulfilling this mission statement that the gospel is heard and people come to Christ. Not because God needs our help but because although he has predestined the outcome he has also predestine the means that this outcome comes about. And that means is the preaching of the gospel of the church. Now if tomorrow every church on the planets cease to preach the gospel, then God would not be heaven panicked wondering what is going to happen because he needs the help, the church has never functioned nor ever will function as help. People could still come to Christ. And i believe have throughout history.

As God is outside of time, he has absolute knowledge of all that we will choose to do -- his "predestining" of the outcome is based upon the full knowledge of what our actions will be and taking those into account, not by causing what our actions will be.

If you believe that people can come to Christ without anyone preaching the Gospel to them, you've essentially disagreed with Sproul.

There is also a fundamental difference in believing our help is necessary, or believing that by God's design, our help is quite often involved in somebody coming to Christ. Hence St. Paul had no problem in professing that "he" might save some and certainly saw himself as being involved in the salvation of others.

Just as we are saved by believing in and placing our trust in the promises of Christ in the Past the people of the OT were saved by there faith in the Promises of the future Messiah.

And yet, apart from us, those OT saints are not made perfect.

Abraham's act of faith which was credited to him as righteousness was believing that he would father a son, and his descendants would be as numerous as the stars. This was the promise of the Word of God (the logos) to him -- right then and there, even though he had not yet been born in the flesh.

 

[narnia59]

Our Help is not involved at all.

Question about this -- do you think there is any benefit in praying for someone to be saved? Why or why not?

 

[Nova Scotian Boy]

As God is outside of time, he has absolute knowledge of all that we will choose to do -- his "predestining" of the outcome is based upon the full knowledge of what our actions will be and taking those into account, not by causing what our actions will be.

If you believe that people can come to Christ without anyone preaching the Gospel to them, you've essentially disagreed with Sproul.

I'm not saying that someone coming to faith without the gospel is the norm nor even regular, it abnormal. But God Is sovereign and needs no help from man. His will is that the church is the instrument from which the gospel comes forth, but it is God who is in control of who has faith. The church can preach till it is blue, but if the Father has not decreed that those who hear have faith than nothing they do will happen.

For clarification your view on predestination then is "He loves us, because we first loved him"?

 

[Nova Scotian Boy]

Question about this -- do you think there is any benefit in praying for someone to be saved? Why or why not?

Yes I do, Because my Father has already decided what is best for me doesn't mean I can't or shouldn't go to him in petition.

Jesus Himself prayed for relief in the garden, knowing all well what God's will was. Indeed that ought to be our model, "nevertheless, let thy will be done not mine."

We pray because we don't know what God's plans are.

Don't forget, petition and intercession, whilst important, are just a small part of the God given privilege of prayer.

 

[narnia59]

I'm not saying that someone coming to faith without the gospel is the norm nor even regular, it abnormal. But God Is sovereign and needs no help from man. His will is that the church is the instrument from which the gospel comes forth, but it is God who is in control of who has faith. The church can preach till it is blue, but if the Father has not decreed that those who hear have faith than nothing they do will happen.

As I said, your view differs from that of the Sproul clip that you posted. I agree with you that the norm in coming to faith is to hear the Gospel but that God is not bound to that. From what I could tell, Sproul's view is that if someone does not hear the Gospel, they're damned.

We preach; the Holy Spirit convicts. My assumption is our difference is that you believe the Holy Spirit only convicts some and when He does -- it is 'irresistable' for the person involved. I believe that God's grace is necessary before one can come to faith -- God must initiate -- but that a person can choose to reject that grace and the gift of faith. God factors that choice of the person (which he knew beforehand for all eternity) into his plan of predestination.

For clarification your view on predestination then is "He loves us, because we first loved him"?

Not sure where you came up with that. He loves us because He IS love -- it is His very nature.

It is only by God's iniative and movement towards us, i.e. grace, that we are enabled to respond to His love. Enabled, not made, to love Him. Love is only love if it's a choice after all.

 

[etr2013]

As I said, your view differs from that of the Sproul clip that you posted. I agree with you that the norm in coming to faith is to hear the Gospel but that God is not bound to that. From what I could tell, Sproul's view is that if someone does not hear the Gospel, they're damned.

We preach; the Holy Spirit convicts. My assumption is our difference is that you believe the Holy Spirit only convicts some and when He does -- it is 'irresistable' for the person involved. I believe that God's grace is necessary before one can come to faith -- God must initiate -- but that a person can choose to reject that grace and the gift of faith. God factors that choice of the person (which he knew beforehand for all eternity) into his plan of predestination.



Not sure where you came up with that. He loves us because He IS love -- it is His very nature.

It is only by God's iniative and movement towards us, i.e. grace, that we are enabled to respond to His love. Enabled, not made, to love Him. Love is only love if it's a choice after all.

You are obviously well versed in theology and I appreciate that. However, I am but a babe in Christ so much of what you said was hard for me to grasp. Are you able to give me everything you said in a nutshell? I know that may be asking a lot but TMI for a new babe in Christ is overwhelming. Thanks!

 

[narnia59]

Yes I do, Because my Father has already decided what is best for me doesn't mean I can't or shouldn't go to him in petition.

Jesus Himself prayed for relief in the garden, knowing all well what God's will was. Indeed that ought to be our model, "nevertheless, let thy will be done not mine."

We pray because we don't know what God's plans are.

Where in Scripture does it ever say the reason we pray is because we don't know what God's plans are??

Scripture does say that "if" we will pray and seek God's face and turn from our wicked ways, he will forgive us and heal our land.

It is certainly God's active will to forgive and heal us; it is his permitted will to allow us to remain in our sin "if" we will not pray and seek forgiveness.

As He knows beforehand "if" we will turn to Him in prayer, He certainly factors this into His perfect plan. And we are indeed called to pray in His perfect will, and must trust that our requests are subject to the larger picture that only He knows. Our prayers cannot bend God to our will. But Scripture is certainly clear that God's plan takes into account our prayers.
.

Don't forget, petition and intercession, whilst important, are just a small part of the God given privilege of prayer.

Prayers of petition and intercession are only important if they genuinely factor into God's predestined plan.

But you are most certainly correct in they should be a small part of our overall prayer life.

 

[narnia59]

You are obviously well versed in theology and I appreciate that. However, I am but a babe in Christ so much of what you said was hard for me to grasp. Are you able to give me everything you said in a nutshell? I know that may be asking a lot but TMI for a new babe in Christ is overwhelming. Thanks!

Thank you, and understand the overwhelming part, and that doesn't necessary get better.

We know that the only way men come to the Father is through Jesus Christ (John 14:6).

We know that the church has been given the mission to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19). However, we also know that there have been many individual people over the course of the centuries who were not accessible to the church to deliver the Gospel message, primarily due to geography, which is the heart of your question.

However, we also know that God desires all men to be saved (1 Tim 2:4). This desire of God cannot be totally dependent upon the church physically being able to reach every person. We don't know everything of God; we only know what He has revealed to us. He's revealed to us the way we are to cooperate in His plan of salvation. He's not revealed to us the ways he works beyond that.

So we know a way to bring people to Christ -- preaching the Gospel. That doesn't mean it is the only way God brings people to Christ.

Consider Cornelius for example in Acts 10. This is someone who has no knowledge of Christ, but Scripture describes him as "a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms liberally to the people, and prayed constantly to God." God sends an angel to him to tell him that "Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God."

It's not possible that Cornelius found favor with God apart from Christ. He responded to the grace of Christ -- that doesn't mean he would have the words to articulate it in that way or the knowledge of who Christ is.

Because of the favor Cornelius finds with God, He sends the church to him. The visible church is not who leads him to Christ, but it is who teaches him about Christ and baptizes him, bringing him into the body of Christ.

Another example -- Helen Keller. A young girl who before she ever learned language or even the concept of communication with language was left deaf, mute and blind -- totally isolated from the world around her. No different really than someone in a land with no exposure to the Gospel, because there was no way to reach her with the message.

But when her wonderful teacher was able to break through her natural barriers and teach her how to communicate, the world was opened up to her. She becomes a Christian but in one of her letters to her bishop she told him that "she had always known about God, even before she had any words. Even before she could call God anything, she knew God was there. She didn't know what it was. God had no name for her -- nothing had a name for her. She had no concept of a name. But in her darkness and isolation, she knew she was not alone. Someone was with her. She felt God's love. And when she received the gift of language and heard about God, she said she already knew.”

So to answer your question, while we're told to preach the Gospel and the normal way people come to faith is by hearing it from us -- don't discount that people can hear God and choose to respond to the Gospel in other ways, because God knows no boundaries and His mercy knows no limits.

 

[Nova Scotian Boy]

As I said, your view differs from that of the Sproul clip that you posted. I agree with you that the norm in coming to faith is to hear the Gospel but that God is not bound to that. From what I could tell, Sproul's view is that if someone does not hear the Gospel, they're damned.

We preach; the Holy Spirit convicts. My assumption is our difference is that you believe the Holy Spirit only convicts some and when He does -- it is 'irresistable' for the person involved. I believe that God's grace is necessary before one can come to faith -- God must initiate -- but that a person can choose to reject that grace and the gift of faith. God factors that choice of the person (which he knew beforehand for all eternity) into his plan of predestination.



Not sure where you came up with that. He loves us because He IS love -- it is His very nature.

It is only by God's iniative and movement towards us, i.e. grace, that we are enabled to respond to His love. Enabled, not made, to love Him. Love is only love if it's a choice after all.

My agreement is with Sproul, 99.9% but the other .1% I leave because I do not want to say that God Might not bring some person to faith in a abnormal way.