Not hearing about Jesus...

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Searching4somethinglost

Guest
#1
I'm just curious, in areas like Asia, South and North america, and other such places where the word was never heard at the time (or even today). Are they accountable for thier sins? Are they all going to hell just because they never heard about Jesus or his teachings? If biblical refrence is possible that would be great. Just curious.
 

superdave5221

Senior Member
Jul 28, 2009
1,409
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#2
I'm just curious, in areas like Asia, South and North america, and other such places where the word was never heard at the time (or even today). Are they accountable for thier sins? Are they all going to hell just because they never heard about Jesus or his teachings? If biblical refrence is possible that would be great. Just curious.
This is a GREAT question. When considering an answer, ask yourself the following questions.

Why do you think that Jesus considered it so important to spread the Gospel to everyone in the world?

If it were possible to go to heaven without hearing the Gospel, and believing in Jesus as our Savior, wouldn't Jesus have said to not tell anyone. That way everyone would go to heaven.

Then consider the following logic:

If someone hears the Gospel and rejects it, he is doomed to Hell. This much we know.

If someone does not hear the Gospel and goes to heaven, then he is profiting from having not heard the Gospel, while the person who has heard, and rejected it, has suffered loss from having heard it. How can that be?

In this case, the Gospel then becomes an instrument of condemnation, rather than one of saving.

Jesus said that He came to save the world, not to condemn it.

I hope this helps, and keep searching for answers. They can all be found in the Word of God.
 
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charisenexcelcis

Guest
#3
It is clear that God has chosen to spread the gospel through the church. That being said, there are two things that should be considered>
1. "Now the Lord said to Abram..." Gen. 12:1.
Abram, later Abraham, had no or almost no information regarding Jehovah. He lived in a polytheistic society with no Bible, but God spoke to him. It is possible, though probably extremely rare, for God to reveal Himself directly to an individual who has no previous contact with the faith.
2. "And a vision appeared to Paul in the night, a certain man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to him and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." And when he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them." Acts 16:9-10.
When people are hungry for God, God sends a missionary. God in his omniscience knows before hand, even, and can bring the call before the hunger.
 

superdave5221

Senior Member
Jul 28, 2009
1,409
31
48
#4
It is clear that God has chosen to spread the gospel through the church. That being said, there are two things that should be considered>
1. "Now the Lord said to Abram..." Gen. 12:1.
Abram, later Abraham, had no or almost no information regarding Jehovah. He lived in a polytheistic society with no Bible, but God spoke to him. It is possible, though probably extremely rare, for God to reveal Himself directly to an individual who has no previous contact with the faith.
2. "And a vision appeared to Paul in the night, a certain man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to him and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." And when he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them." Acts 16:9-10.
When people are hungry for God, God sends a missionary. God in his omniscience knows before hand, even, and can bring the call before the hunger.
I must wholeheartedly disagree with you. I don't have the chronology in front of me, but some of Noah's sons were still alive during the early life of Abram. They were certainly knowledgeable of Jehovah! God was very much involved in the lives of Abram and his father and grandfather. Even though there was no written record, all information necessary for worshiping God was passed down orally. Also, God chose, as you said, to directly communicate with his chosen tribe. Abraham and his fathers were intimately aware of God, throughout their lives.
 
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charisenexcelcis

Guest
#5
I must wholeheartedly disagree with you. I don't have the chronology in front of me, but some of Noah's sons were still alive during the early life of Abram. They were certainly knowledgeable of Jehovah! God was very much involved in the lives of Abram and his father and grandfather. Even though there was no written record, all information necessary for worshiping God was passed down orally. Also, God chose, as you said, to directly communicate with his chosen tribe. Abraham and his fathers were intimately aware of God, throughout their lives.
Sorry, I disagree. If there had been regulations given and remembered prior to Abraham, there would have been no use for the giving of the moral law at Mt. Sinai.
 

superdave5221

Senior Member
Jul 28, 2009
1,409
31
48
#6
Sorry, I disagree. If there had been regulations given and remembered prior to Abraham, there would have been no use for the giving of the moral law at Mt. Sinai.
Your argument makes no sense. According to your argument, then if there had been regulations given TO Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as there certainly was, then there would be no need for the moral law at Sinai. Obviously, God thought differently.
 
Jan 8, 2009
7,576
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#7
Are you talking about the so called Noahide laws superdave? There's certain sets of principles and moral laws that God gave to abraham etc before Moses, but that coming by faith through the Spirit not the written letter of the law...so I would say God did not give them a law, but rather He gave them a godly conscience.
 
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Cup-of-Ruin

Guest
#8
I'm just curious, in areas like Asia, South and North america, and other such places where the word was never heard at the time (or even today). Are they accountable for thier sins? Are they all going to hell just because they never heard about Jesus or his teachings? If biblical refrence is possible that would be great. Just curious.
The Lord said "Forgive them for they know not what they do"

This is a prayer for those who do not know who Jesus is, its not a prayer for those who sin in knowledge of God, remember the angels that sinned knew the Son of God, and yet they rebelled, there is a great difference, between one that rebels knowing the Lord and one that sins in ignorance, all the more reason for spreading the Gospel so sinner does not sin in ignorance, the light of the Gospel leads sinners out of ignorance and into truth and light, so they need not be slaves to their sin and the world order of Satan, but come out of that world into salvation. (Note, I don't believe in infinite Hell as a place of concious perpetual torture)
 
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LoverofGod79

Guest
#9
Romans 1:
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.

from reading this and many more verses through out Romans 1 and 2 no one is without excuse.. its in our human make-up to know right from wrong, and to evidence of God the creator is all around us...in every culture the people by nature have formed some kind of law because we are born knowing a right and wrong. ...over time people can learn to suppress their conscience and deny the maker tho so i believe its important to spread the gosple because they need to be made aware of the wrath of God and know that thro Jesus they may be made righteous.
Roman 2: 11 talks about how God is not partial to anyone.. then in verse 12 talks about those who are without the law (word) will be judged and perished without the law,and those with the law will be judged by the law.

I been doing a study on the book of romans lately and from my understanding everyone has it in them and the evidance around them to believe in God. and I believe if someone accepts God and chooses to live a right life and worship God, that God will honor that and do whatever it takes to get the truth of Jesus Christ to them. I have heard of many missionaries who have discovered different tribes who have never heard the gospel of Jesus Christ but they believe in a creator and they believe he sent his Son for them. They may not call Him Jesus cause they never heard the name but God was able to reach out to them.

So i do believe going out into the world and spreading the gospel is very important the word of God even tells us too. but from what im reading there is no excuse for anyone on judgment day. what kind of loving God would make it to where someone would have no chance of making it into the kingdom of God?
 
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worldlover

Guest
#10
to me i believe that whatever happens, GOD will find a way so that the gospel can be heard everywhere. I don't believe that people will go to hell if they don't hear anything about the gospel unless they heard it but they intentionally let it pass outside their ears. That sounds like they rejected God because they did not believe the gospel.
 
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jesus_be4_religion

Guest
#11
The bible says God places us wherever we are in the world, as well as puts everyone who we meet in their places of residence. So, if he controls who hears and who does not hear, and he knows from beginning to end what we will do in our lives who is to say that he does not choose his children before the foundation of the world who he will call out. Meaning that those who God has given the Son will hear the word and take it to heart, and those who dont hear it or deny it God knew forehand would not accept the Word regardless or combine it with other useless teachings making the word stale.Regardless, not one person who worships some other God of their making will make it through the narrow gate for they worship demons it says and noone comes to the Father but through the Son.It is also much better to be judged as a Son of God then to be judged by the Law because it proves us guilty, and Christ covers our sins.
 

superdave5221

Senior Member
Jul 28, 2009
1,409
31
48
#12
Romans 1:
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.

from reading this and many more verses through out Romans 1 and 2 no one is without excuse.. its in our human make-up to know right from wrong, and to evidence of God the creator is all around us...in every culture the people by nature have formed some kind of law because we are born knowing a right and wrong. ...over time people can learn to suppress their conscience and deny the maker tho so i believe its important to spread the gosple because they need to be made aware of the wrath of God and know that thro Jesus they may be made righteous.
Roman 2: 11 talks about how God is not partial to anyone.. then in verse 12 talks about those who are without the law (word) will be judged and perished without the law,and those with the law will be judged by the law.

I been doing a study on the book of romans lately and from my understanding everyone has it in them and the evidance around them to believe in God. and I believe if someone accepts God and chooses to live a right life and worship God, that God will honor that and do whatever it takes to get the truth of Jesus Christ to them. I have heard of many missionaries who have discovered different tribes who have never heard the gospel of Jesus Christ but they believe in a creator and they believe he sent his Son for them. They may not call Him Jesus cause they never heard the name but God was able to reach out to them.

So i do believe going out into the world and spreading the gospel is very important the word of God even tells us too. but from what im reading there is no excuse for anyone on judgment day. what kind of loving God would make it to where someone would have no chance of making it into the kingdom of God?
Excellent point! We don't need a law to know that murder is wrong. Or adultery, or stealing. We may justify these things in our minds, but we know that they are wrong. We were created in God's image and given a conscience to know the difference between right and wrong. In the time of Abraham, when God still communicated directly with man, our consciences must have been more acutely aware of right and wrong. As sin increased, and man's consciences became "seared with a hot iron", our ability to discern right and wrong became impaired. Especially during the Egyptian captivity, as the Hebrews began to follow the foreign gods, it became necessary to write the law, because it was no longer written on the hearts of man.

Another thing to consider. If we were following the Great Commission, as we were instructed, maybe there would be noone who had not heard of Jesus. It is not God's fault that people havn't heard of Christ. It is ours.
 
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charisenexcelcis

Guest
#13
Your argument makes no sense. According to your argument, then if there had been regulations given TO Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as there certainly was, then there would be no need for the moral law at Sinai. Obviously, God thought differently.
I think that anything that was passed on to Abraham would be minimal, otherwise it would have been outlined in detail. The moral instructions at Sinai are given as a new covenant. My point, that God is able to reveal Himself directly is what is important, not the degree of what Abraham was taught. I appreciate your point of view and respect you for your thought put into your post.