This is a question I have been thinking about quite a bit lately. What if a person never hears about the Gospel and never knows there is a God who cares about them and does evil things but they don't know any better because they have never read the words of the Bible. Are they going to go to heaven or to hell?
Bad Question:
This question, which is often posed, always asks what happens to people who are innocent, or who don't know about God.
But most philosophical questions which are anti-theistic tend to be illogical questions.
They usually start with presuppositions which are never established, and which are incorrect... such as the presuppositions here, that there actually IS anyone who is innocent, or who doesn't know about God.
2 Theological Views:
There are two theological view on this issue.
The Calvinist view:
A. There is no one who is innocent, who lives their life without committing willful sin.
B. There is no one who is without knowledge of God... as it is clearly shown in creation.
The Armininan view:
Oops... it's exactly the same as the Calvinist view.
It seems most theologians agree on this.
Next Question:
Now, if instead of wanting to know what happens to "innocent" people, who are "without knowledge of God" (which don't exist) you want to know what happens to sinners, in some remote place, who are repentant.... here the 2 theological camps might have some different answers.
But I think both theological camps would agree God has no shortage of mercy and grace, and he is always just.
This question, which is often posed, always asks what happens to people who are innocent, or who don't know about God.
But most philosophical questions which are anti-theistic tend to be illogical questions.
They usually start with presuppositions which are never established, and which are incorrect... such as the presuppositions here, that there actually IS anyone who is innocent, or who doesn't know about God.
2 Theological Views:
There are two theological view on this issue.
The Calvinist view:
A. There is no one who is innocent, who lives their life without committing willful sin.
B. There is no one who is without knowledge of God... as it is clearly shown in creation.
The Armininan view:
Oops... it's exactly the same as the Calvinist view.
It seems most theologians agree on this.
Next Question:
Now, if instead of wanting to know what happens to "innocent" people, who are "without knowledge of God" (which don't exist) you want to know what happens to sinners, in some remote place, who are repentant.... here the 2 theological camps might have some different answers.
But I think both theological camps would agree God has no shortage of mercy and grace, and he is always just.
Romans 3:10-26
“There is none righteous, no, not one;11 there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God.12 They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one.”
13 “Their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they have practiced deceit”; “the poison of asps is under their lips”;14 “whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;16 destruction and misery are in their ways;17 and the way of peace they have not known.”
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
Then we look at what follows, what brings us toi the knowledge of sin.
3:19-20 “Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”
Now that we know sin we can be introduced to God's mercy and grace.
21-26 “But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”