RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2020-10-23	What About Those Who Have Never Heard About Jesus
		This is a moral question, not an intellectual one, because it is questioning God's morality. Why would God not want to save people? Why doesn't He get them the word directly? It is important to begin by saying, Christ's sacrifice is necessary for salvation. Some argue, what about the people who lived before Jesus came? They had no chance to hear Jesus' name, nor know Him? Christ's sacrifice applies to those even before Jesus came. Even if they did not know what the sacrifice was it still applies to them. So Christ's death is retroactive. They may have only known about Yahweh or God in general. If they trusted in Yahweh for their salvation Christ's sacrifice covers them. Everyone knows God exists through nature (Creation) and conscience (Ro.1:19-20; 2:15). There is no one out there who does not know that God exists. They may not know who Jesus is by name, but they know there is a God. They may try to suppress that knowledge or deny it outwardly, but internally they know God is real. In the Old Testament people did not know Jesus' name. But they were still saved by His sacrifice. Paul even said the Gospel was preached to Abraham (Ga.3:8). Gal 3:8  And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed." Abraham believed God and it was credited to him for righteousness (Ro.4:3). He just trusted in Yahweh and he was saved. It was not by works (Ro.4:2). Biblically God will get true seekers the truth about Christ that they can be saved. For example in Acts chapter 10 we see Cornelius who was already a believer in Yahweh, but he is given the Gospel so he could be saved. So it appears you have to know the name of Jesus today to be saved. What about those today who do not know the name of Jesus. It could be that God has so ordered the world that those who never hear the Gospel would not have believed it anyway (Ac.17:26-27). That is possible. We know that a lot of people hear the Gospel but do not believe it. Act 17:26  And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, Act 17:27  so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. It could be that people who never hear of Jesus would not have believed Him anyway. That is possible. Thus God is not morally culpable because He knows they are not going to believe Him anyway. The bottom line is since God is just, and everyone will be treated fairly, everyone will end up where they ought to end up in eternity. If you are a believer, think about someone who is not a Christian that you would like to see them become a Christian. Is the person you are thinking of on a relentless pursuit of truth? They want to know if Christianity is true or not, or are the apathetic or even hostile? Few if any are on a relentless pursuit of the truth. Nearly everyone is apathetic or hostile to Christ. Most people are not on a truth quest. Most people are on a happiness quest. They are going to believe whatever makes them happy. If they think God is going to get in their way of happiness so much for God. Most people are not seeking God (Ro.3:11). God wants us to be saved more than we want people to be saved (2Pe.3:9). 2Pe 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. Do you think if God wants all people to be saved, all people who want to be saved will be saved? Yes. So we rest in God's justice and love that ultimately this will all work out. What we do know that saves people is the Gospel. That is why we are supposed to risk all to get the Gospel to them. Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

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