Can people be accepted into heaven without hearing the gospel?
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Acts 10: 1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 3 One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, "Cornelius!" 4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked. The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter
Cornelius and his family were devout and God-fearing. They were living the best that they could to follow God. But they were NOT saved. Only by sending for Peter and hearing and accepting the Gospel news about Jesus and His atoning sacrifice for them, and accepting Jesus as their Savior and Lord, were they THEN saved.
Cornelius and his family were devout and God-fearing. They were living the best that they could to follow God. But they were NOT saved. Only by sending for Peter and hearing and accepting the Gospel news about Jesus and His atoning sacrifice for them, and accepting Jesus as their Savior and Lord, were they THEN saved.
Also, 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, (i.e. not had the opportunity to reject it), 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.
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, (i.e. not had the opportunity to reject it), 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.
C
I must agree and say this, that God has not changed. The same God who revealed Himself to Abraham and Moses can reveal Himself to whosoever will. And the same God who sent Paul and Hudson Taylor, and Mark Buntain to preach the gospel in the dark places, continues to send us to all the world to preach to every nation.
I have heard of cases and seen video testimonies of Muslims who are having visions and dreams where Jesus is speaking to them. As you know, in many Muslim countries, if a Muslim converts to Christianity, they can be killed for it. It is very difficult in these cases for missionaries to convert them. Perhaps in these cases, God has chosen to take a more direct approach.
It must be remembered though, that it is not after seeing the visions that they are converted. The visions get their attention! They are then led by the Holy Spirit to seek out the Gospels, and study them, learning who Jesus was, and why He died on the cross for them. It is then that they become converted. It was the same for Saul (Paul). He was not converted on the road to Damascus as many claim. Jesus definitely got his attention! He was converted when Ananias was sent to him, who taught him the Gospel, and he was able to understand who Jesus was, and thus was able to accept Him as Lord and Savior. So even in those cases where people are seeing visions and miracles, they still need the missionaries to bring them bibles and teach them about Jesus.
It must be remembered though, that it is not after seeing the visions that they are converted. The visions get their attention! They are then led by the Holy Spirit to seek out the Gospels, and study them, learning who Jesus was, and why He died on the cross for them. It is then that they become converted. It was the same for Saul (Paul). He was not converted on the road to Damascus as many claim. Jesus definitely got his attention! He was converted when Ananias was sent to him, who taught him the Gospel, and he was able to understand who Jesus was, and thus was able to accept Him as Lord and Savior. So even in those cases where people are seeing visions and miracles, they still need the missionaries to bring them bibles and teach them about Jesus.
S
If you truly believe in your heart what you have just spoken, then you must go and preach the gospel to those that have been called by grace. Moses had to go to Pharaoh on several occasions and plead for the people before God would harden Pharaoh's heart and then give mercy to let the people go. People will not hear unless we go. The call is for us to go and preach in the uttermost parts of the earth and to every creature. We don't worry but we plan and have urgency to go so we won't be complacent.
Will you be trained up and go? We are to pray also to the Lord of the harvest because the laborers are few / Mt 9:37,38. Are you going to obey God and present your body as a living sacrifice and go? You are young and if you have your health then you have no reason not to go. Do you know what a given day is going to bring forth in your life? Our life is like a vapour, here one minute and gone the next. That is why we have urgency but not anxiety. By faith we trust His word and go and do what he has commanded us to do by grace with a promise that He will go with us / Mt 28:20. Jesus Christ could come at anytime. Isn't that enough of an urgency to get us to take up our cross and go?
Will you be trained up and go? We are to pray also to the Lord of the harvest because the laborers are few / Mt 9:37,38. Are you going to obey God and present your body as a living sacrifice and go? You are young and if you have your health then you have no reason not to go. Do you know what a given day is going to bring forth in your life? Our life is like a vapour, here one minute and gone the next. That is why we have urgency but not anxiety. By faith we trust His word and go and do what he has commanded us to do by grace with a promise that He will go with us / Mt 28:20. Jesus Christ could come at anytime. Isn't that enough of an urgency to get us to take up our cross and go?
Wasn't very long ago they were making a bible for some people they never knew even existed. There was no such thing as written word for their language. They were making printed word for the language and making bibles for these new found people they never knew of. God knows what he is doing. He will not leave one single person out. All will have a chance.
All are given a chance, read Romans 1. It explains that God's nature is made known by His creation. It also says that all turn away, all sin, all seek their own way. I believe that the gentiles being a law unto themselves is talking about is talking about those who are saved by the hearing of the gospel. It is the spirit of God that is put in them that teaches their heart and mind the law of God. I believe all the saints in the Old testement were also saved by grace and not works of the law, they also sinned, but God had mercy on them.
S
Very good question Lets see what Jesus says:
Rom 10:17So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Rom 14:11
For it is written, [As] I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
Mar 13:10 And the gospel must first be published among all nations.
Rev 1:7
Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they [also] which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
Everyone on earth will have heard the gospel ministred one way or another so there will be no excuse when we get to the judgment throne.
Rom 10:17So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Rom 14:11
For it is written, [As] I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
Mar 13:10 And the gospel must first be published among all nations.
Rev 1:7
Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they [also] which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
Everyone on earth will have heard the gospel ministred one way or another so there will be no excuse when we get to the judgment throne.
S
Father Jesus also says: Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I [am] the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way [that] thou shouldest go. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Acts 14: 16 In the past, he let all nations go their own way. 17 Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy."
Romans 1: 18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
Those of good conscience will look around and see the natural order of created things, and know that there is a God. Then they will seek Him with their hearts.
Jesus speaking:
Luke 11: 9 "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
There are many out there who are seeking God. It is up to us, to allow God to use us, to open the door of the Gospel message of Jesus to them.
Romans 1: 18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
Those of good conscience will look around and see the natural order of created things, and know that there is a God. Then they will seek Him with their hearts.
Jesus speaking:
Luke 11: 9 "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
There are many out there who are seeking God. It is up to us, to allow God to use us, to open the door of the Gospel message of Jesus to them.