What happens...
FREED Jesus is LORD♥
2011/11/17 14:16:08
"What happens to those who have never heard about Jesus?"
All people are accountable to God whether or not they have “heard about Him.” The Bible tells us that God has clearly revealed Himself in nature (Romans 1:20) and in the hearts of people (Ecclesiastes 3:11). The problem is that the human race is sinful; we all reject this knowledge of God and rebel against Him (Romans 1:21-23). If it were not for God's grace, we would be given over to the sinful desires of our hearts, allowing us to discover how useless and miserable life is apart from Him. He does this for those who continually reject Him (Romans 1:24-32).
In reality, it is not that some people have not heard about God. Rather, the problem is that they have rejected what they have heard and what is readily seen in nature. Deuteronomy 4:29 proclaims, “But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.” This verse teaches an important principle—everyone who truly seeks after God will find Him. If a person truly desires to know God, God will make Himself known.
The problem is “there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God” (Romans 3:11). People reject the knowledge of God that is present in nature and in their own hearts, and instead decide to worship a “god” of their own creation. It is foolish to debate the fairness of God sending someone to hell who never had the opportunity to hear the gospel of Christ. People are responsible to God for what God has already revealed to them. The Bible says that people reject this knowledge, and therefore God is just in condemning them to hell.
Instead of debating the fate of those who have never heard, we, as Christians, should be doing our best to make sure they do hear. We are called to spread the gospel throughout the nations (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8). We know people reject the knowledge of God revealed in nature, and that must motivate us to proclaim the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. Only by accepting God’s grace through the Lord Jesus Christ can people be saved from their sins and rescued from an eternity apart from God.
If we assume that those who never hear the gospel are granted mercy from God, we will run into a terrible problem. If people who never hear the gospel are saved, it is logical that we should make sure no one ever hears the gospel. The worst thing we could do would be to share the gospel with a person and have him or her reject it. If that were to happen, he or she would be condemned. People who do not hear the gospel must be condemned, or else there is no motivation for evangelism. Why run the risk of people possibly rejecting the gospel and condemning themselves when they were previously saved because they had never heard the gospel?
All people are accountable to God whether or not they have “heard about Him.” The Bible tells us that God has clearly revealed Himself in nature (Romans 1:20) and in the hearts of people (Ecclesiastes 3:11). The problem is that the human race is sinful; we all reject this knowledge of God and rebel against Him (Romans 1:21-23). If it were not for God's grace, we would be given over to the sinful desires of our hearts, allowing us to discover how useless and miserable life is apart from Him. He does this for those who continually reject Him (Romans 1:24-32).
In reality, it is not that some people have not heard about God. Rather, the problem is that they have rejected what they have heard and what is readily seen in nature. Deuteronomy 4:29 proclaims, “But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.” This verse teaches an important principle—everyone who truly seeks after God will find Him. If a person truly desires to know God, God will make Himself known.
The problem is “there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God” (Romans 3:11). People reject the knowledge of God that is present in nature and in their own hearts, and instead decide to worship a “god” of their own creation. It is foolish to debate the fairness of God sending someone to hell who never had the opportunity to hear the gospel of Christ. People are responsible to God for what God has already revealed to them. The Bible says that people reject this knowledge, and therefore God is just in condemning them to hell.
Instead of debating the fate of those who have never heard, we, as Christians, should be doing our best to make sure they do hear. We are called to spread the gospel throughout the nations (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8). We know people reject the knowledge of God revealed in nature, and that must motivate us to proclaim the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. Only by accepting God’s grace through the Lord Jesus Christ can people be saved from their sins and rescued from an eternity apart from God.
If we assume that those who never hear the gospel are granted mercy from God, we will run into a terrible problem. If people who never hear the gospel are saved, it is logical that we should make sure no one ever hears the gospel. The worst thing we could do would be to share the gospel with a person and have him or her reject it. If that were to happen, he or she would be condemned. People who do not hear the gospel must be condemned, or else there is no motivation for evangelism. Why run the risk of people possibly rejecting the gospel and condemning themselves when they were previously saved because they had never heard the gospel?
I really would like to believe in God. But here, in a nutshell, is my dilemma:
1) Why did God have such a change of heart for the New Testament - transforming from an angry, vengeful God into a more kind and forgiving one - does it mean he wasn't perfect in the first place? Is God evolving too ... if so, the whole "perfection" thing is a HUGE fallacy.
2) The New Testament asks humanity to believe that a perfect God A) created a flawed creature and then B) demanded of the flawed creature that he achieve perfection or be damned FOR ALL ETERNITY. Sounds like a sick joke to me.
3) Then this God gives us a moronic, circuitous route to salvation, by believing that ONE MAN was the one and only device by which all men may...
I really would like to believe in God. But here, in a nutshell, is my dilemma:
1) Why did God have such a change of heart for the New Testament - transforming from an angry, vengeful God into a more kind and forgiving one - does it mean he wasn't perfect in the first place? Is God evolving too ... if so, the whole "perfection" thing is a HUGE fallacy.
2) The New Testament asks humanity to believe that a perfect God A) created a flawed creature and then B) demanded of the flawed creature that he achieve perfection or be damned FOR ALL ETERNITY. Sounds like a sick joke to me.
3) Then this God gives us a moronic, circuitous route to salvation, by believing that ONE MAN was the one and only device by which all men may achieve redemption - regardless of deeds or goodness. You could be a wonderful person - but sadly a Jew, and off to hell you go, TO BURN AND SUFFER FOR ALL TIME. Or you could be a murderous Christian, with Christ as your savior, and off to Heaven you go.
4) Judging by this scheme, the Christian God is a moron. The rest is just rules, and made up concepts like purgatory, venial sins, mortal sins, degrees of forgiveness, and it makes a mockery of God. I would very much like to believe in God, but I'm afraid his religion makes it nigh impossible. I'm trying here, I really am.
The specific passage is:
14“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall ...
The specific passage is:
14“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
17The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
DON'T WANT HIM - OR his old man.
Happily Pagan!
Her has no access to civilization, electricity or any media.
Will he be saved?
Blessings†
The main reason to keep witnessing to others and spread the faith is because Christ will not return until the last person is saved and, frankly, with the way things are going, I'm ready for His return!
Act 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
Rom 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
Rom 2:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and [their] thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)