It is not a foolish question to ask what happens to those who never hear the gospel. A common answer to this question is this:
If the heathen (those ignorant of the word of God and the gospel) live up to the light they have from creation and conscience, and seek the Creator, then God will get the gospel and word of God to them.
Those who say such affirm their belief (whether they realize it or not) that
1) God can get the gospel to a person any time he pleases.
2) Those who don't have the gospel have it not because they rejected the revelation of nature
These are logical deductions from the premise believed.
Over the past few weeks I have listened to several videos where bible teachers have dealt with this theological problem.
In the video titled "Reacting to Reasonable Faith's "What About Those Who Never Hear" (here) Dr. James White is responding to a person who is contending that people can be saved apart from knowing Christ.
At about the 9: 30 mark on the video that person says: "They can be saved through Christ even though they never heard of Christ." Well, that is totally wrong although it is what most Hardshell Baptists affirm today. Dr. White was against that view.
In another video titled "What Happens to People Who Have Never Heard the Gospel?" (here), Dr. Michael Brown says:
"Only God knows what happens to those who do not hear the gospel but the presumption is that they are lost, guilty, and without excuse and therefore we go to the lost to bring them the message." (about the 2: 30 mark)
However, he says God is drawing them apart from the gospel, which is wrong. He says God "can reveal himself to them even on a very basic and fundamental level." But, who denies that? It is not a question of what God can do but of what he has chosen to do. God is able to make children of Abraham out of stones, but who would say that this is what he has chosen to do? (See Matt. 3: 9) In the video Dr. Brown also says:
"Well, how is that fair? Do they have an opportunity? Well, I do believe that God does draw people to himself, John 12: 32...he says he will draw all men unto me, so through the cross God is drawing people to himself even who have never heard the message. The Spirit is at work even where the gospel has not gone and there are people who turn to God without the message though these people are few and far between."
Again, that is wrong. He is hedging his answer.
In another video on YouTube titled "What About Those Who Have Never Heard the Gospel?" and sponsored by Liberty University (here) the apologist answers yes, and affirms that general revelation is sufficient to bring one to saving faith. Again, that is wrong. As we showed in a previous posting, it is what is denied by our brothers who published the 1689 London Confession of Faith. (See here)
What Says The Scriptures?
"Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands—that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world." (Eph. 2: 11-12)
In these words the apostle describes heathen people, or the condition of those who are ignorant of the word of God and Jesus Christ, the Messiah and Savior of the world. They are lost.
The Gospel is "the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes it" (Rom. 1: 16) and where there is no Gospel there is no salvation.
Notice this text from the Apocalypse that tells us how God can and will preach the gospel to everyone on the planet.
"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." (Rev. 14: 7)
If God can do this, why has he not been doing it since the world began? Paul spoke of the possibility of "an angel from heaven" preaching the gospel. (Gal. 1: 8) Obviously, God has his reasons for not doing so. What he has chosen is to send preachers with the glad tidings. (Rom. 10)
Are there certain people that the Lord has promised to get the word of salvation to? Yes, they are the elect. That is my view. Others affirm that they are the ones who made the best use of natural revelation, who were genuine seekers. They are the ones that God insures will hear the gospel. But, the bible says "there is none who seek after God." (Rom. 3: 11) Wrote Paul:
"Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory." (II Tim. 2: 10)
Just a few thoughts. First, the Liberty video didnt strike me as saying you could be saved apart from the gospel. The gentleman stated that general revelation caused them to seek God and then they had visions of Jesus and afterward converted (referring to the Muslims he was speaking of). Since Muslims already know what Christians believe about Jesus, it would make sense that they believed the gospel after having those visions, or started seeking further thru Christian channels whether it be radio, internet, churches etc. I am not saying I personally believe this, but that is what he said. I never felt he was implying that one could be saved and never hear about Christ. Just as there are verses that both Calvinists and Arminians use to defend their respective beliefs about the atonement, so too are there different verses about seeking God. For example, “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). The Apostle John stated that Jesus is “true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world” (John 1:9). For more on the non Calvinist view about seeking God, see this link for the blog by Tim Chaffey, (he has a Th.M in church history and theology) which covers the specific verses you mentioned. Bro. Stephen, I think you may also enjoy reading his writings about the Nephilim and sons of God. I have read his book about this subject. Here is the link to his article about seeking God.
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Dear Brother Mann:
ReplyDeleteI have listened again to the video and stand behind what I said. I transcribed what he said. Let me cite him.
"Can someone in a remote place in Africa look at the skies, look at their consciences, and say there must be a god I want to know who he is and receive salvation? Now, there's a dispute on that. I would venture to say yes and primarily because of the apostle Paul. We know that God spoke to the apostle Paul through a vision."
He then mentions Ravi Zacharias talking about Muslims who dreamed about Jesus and were converted.
"So in answer to your question I would say that people who have never heard the gospel can still access God through their consciences and through nature. Certainly if they seek God he will reveal himself to them."
He then says "It is up for us to take the initiative."
So, I did not misinterpret what he said. He believed that general revelation was sufficient to be saved.
His bringing up the case of Paul is comparing apples to oranges. Paul was not one in the remote of Africa who knew nothing of Christ! Also, the Muslims he mentioned were not ignorant of Christ.
I did read Challis on Rom. 3: 11. He is wrong. "No not one" means what it says. He also said that it was true that none could seek God unless God took the initiative by drawing first. That is true and goes against what the brother from the Liberty U video said.
I must be missing something. I still dont see it. I am not saying I completely agree with the video, I just dont see that he is saying you can be saved without the gospel. He seems to imply (at least as I see it) that general revelation is "enough" to be convinced of God's existence and that He is outside the pagan concept of God, and that God will reveal Himself (I presume thru the gospel) if we take the initiative to preach it to them, which in effect IS God's initiative, as it is His gospel. But again, the point where Calvinism, non Calvinism and Arminianism diverge is "how" God holds all persons responsible if they are incapable of response. I do believe general revelation is enough to "draw" because it is still God's revelation, He created it. However I deny that it is enough to save anyone without the preaching of the gospel. But of course the Calvinist will say "drawing" must necessarily always result in regeneration, so that is the difference between us. Agrippa was "almost persuaded" and I believe God did indeed send Paul to preach to him. Spurgeon actually called Agrippa "favored by God" because God sent Paul to preach to him. On a side note, read Challis' argument against KJV onlyism. I KNOW you will agree with him on that, and he gives some very good examples of errors in the KJV.
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