What happens to those who haven't heard the Gospel?

I am sure this topic has been dealt with many times here.

It was the passover and I was thinking about how Jesus rose again and how the New Testament began, how it all started from Jerusalem.
But the people in Americas didn't hear the Gospel until centuries after the Church started (and even when they did hear it, it was from catholic missionaries)

People all over the world for centuries and even today have not heard the Gospel.

Does the Bible give us any clues as to what happens to these people? Do they get a chance to hear the Gospel at the second resurrection? Are they judged based on their conscience? Are they just automatically damned due to unlucky time of being born?

I welcome everyone to give their 2 cents. Perhaps someone has something new to add.

The Lord can grant His Grace and Mercy to anyone He so chooses. If he can give His Grace to Saul, later to be named Paul . . . don't be surprised by who you might "see" in Heaven.

Exodus 33:19 KJV - "And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy."

My two cents:

The fruit of knowledge of good and evil is GUILT. Knowing right from wrong then choosing wrong causes guilt and shame. It is guilt, the anxious emotion vexing our conscience, that separates us from the Our Creator. Creation is like one organism all in balance, like a homeostasis of the universe. A multicellular organism has many cells that briefly live and die, doing their part to serve the organism, in obedience to the body, a physical expression of the DNA code, in harmony with the soul. When a cell goes rogue, it serves itself. It consumes sustenance (glucose) greedily and reproduces uncontrollably creating imbalance and devastation to the organism. This is the fall of man. The flood was like chemotherapy. However the cancer, returned inevitably. Christ is the cure. It is forgiveness that removes guilt (the separator) and causes our souls to regain connection to the Holy Spirit, to serve the organism, the branch regrafting into the vine. This is rebirth. We become part of the Body. Because Christ is resurrected and we are in Christ, His Body, we are resurrected, sharing His inheritance as co rulers. We receive crowns, a sign of authority. Who will we be ruling? Those who were not cancer. They who did not murder and steal and war against their conscience. They who chose the harder path to be kind and forgive and be a blessing. These are the meek who will inherit the world. Those who were cancer, who did evil selfishly consuming and causing destruction, they will be cast into eternal darkness. Their souls will not be downloaded into new bodies where the brain causes us to see, hear and feel. It will be endless nothingness.

The Bible plainly says that from creation, people can know God exists and justifies anyone who lives by faith in him.

You always thumbs down everything that says something about Roman Catholicism, as was seen in the who is the beast thread. Which means you are either completely ignorant on the subject, or are in your feelings because you have catholics family members or friends, or are a closet catholic yourself.

The Gospel of catholicism is quite different from the biblical Gospel.

True. Thank you for the response.
Interesting symbolism you used there, thank you for the response.

Hi, Kolistus.

The Bible indicates that there are several different ways in which God reveals himself to us.

One way would be the following:

Psalm 19

[1] The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
[2] Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
[3] There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
[4] Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
[5] Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
[6] His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

The heavens declare the glory of God, and they do so day unto day, and night unto night. There is no speech nor language where there voice is not heard, and their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.

In fact, the Apostle Paul alluded to verse 4 when he wrote:

Romans chapter 10

[17] So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
[18] But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

Along these same lines in which the creation itself points to our Creator, Paul wrote:

Romans chapter 1

[18] For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
[19] Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
[20] For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
[21] Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Creation dictates the need for a creator in the same manner in which a painting dictates the need for a painter, but, sad to say, many hold or suppress this truth in unrighteousness to their own peril.

God also reveals himself via our God-given consciences. The word "conscience" literally means "with (con-) knowledge (science)", so, once again, men will be without excuse before God on Judgment Day.

To this end, Paul wrote:

Romans chapter 2

[13] (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
[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:
[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)
[16] In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

God also regularly speaks to people in dreams or visions of the night:

Job chapter 33

[14] For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.
[15] In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;
[16] Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,
[17] That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.
[18] He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.

I can honestly say, without the slightest bit of hesitation before either God or man, that God has spoken to me (mostly in a corrective manner) via dreams at least hundreds of times. In fact, I long ago came to the place where I pray for him to "open my ears and seal my instruction" every night before I go to bed.

God also strives with us constantly by his Spirit, even as he did with the people in the days of Noah:

Genesis chapter 6

[3] And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

I was an EXCEEDINGLY EVIL MAN before I got saved, yet the last thing that I did every night before going to bed was to kneel down and pray. Nobody was sharing the gospel with me at that time. Instead, God was constantly convicting me by his Spirit that what I was doing was evil. When someone finally shared the gospel with me, I immediately responded to it, and I truly became born again.

God can also communicate the gospel to us simply by observing the lifestyles of those who truly walk with him.

Jesus said:

Matthew chapter 5

[14] Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
[15] Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
[16] Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

There's a lot of truth to the saying that "You're the only Bible that some people will ever read", and we'd be wise to be mindful of the same.

Of course, God also regularly speaks to people through the preaching of the gospel as well.

Whatever means God employs to reveal himself to people, Jesus said:

"It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me." (John 6:45)

One such place where "it is written in the prophets" is right here:

"And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children." (Isaiah 54:13)

I hope this helps to at least partially answer your questions.

"All" does always mean literally "all" in the Bible, does it?

The gospel went into all the world from the death of Christ. It has been suppressed by evil men all over the world.

Romans 1:19 ¶ Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

Now what would a catholic missionary possibly have to share with men as lost as they?

For the cause of Christ
Roger

What are your thoughts on this issue? You never said....

In answering this question, I think we have think deeply about God's nature and character. I believe the following.

1. For those who do not know Jesus but admitted God as the Creator and lived according to their good conscience, they might be judged by what they have believed and followed since they didn't have the law of Moses nor the name of Jesus.

2. The Gospel may be preached to the dead. "For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit. (1 Peter 4:6)"

3. Only God knows the last moment of a person's life and the person may have accepted Jesus Christ somehow. Nobody knows but only God knows the heart of a man even right before their death.

No it does not.

Similar to yours, especially 2. was in my mind already as I was typing the OP.

it boils down to: We are told to give the Gospel to every creature, and God will sort out the rest.

WE are to leave them in God's hands and put our hands to the plow and not look back.

Well, if people who have never heard the gospel are saved, then silence is the answer. Why should we spread the gospel if ignorance is a way out as well?

God is able to reach those where man is limited is the point. We are to do all we can and trust God to do the rest.

7Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
8And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
9Of sin, because they believe not on me;
John 16

kjv
If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
Col 1 .

Then we see God respond to Cornelius. Bringing the message to him .
More light is given. Evidence of God is ' self evident ' .But some people hold the truth in unrighteousness ( Rom 1)
ALL MEN ARE DRAWN by Jesus . John 12.32 .
John 1:9
King James Version
9 That was the true Light, which lighteth EVERY MAN that cometh into the world.

Romans 1 says everyone is without excuse .

Acts 17 .27

27That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be NOT FAR from EVERY ONE of us:

I believe if a man is searching for God and answers, God will send that man the truth through a missionary or some other means, radio, etc..

Ever heard of postmortem evangelism theology? I haven't heard many people give this a consideration.

What happened to all of the people around the world who weren't in close enough proximity to Noah to hear that God was going to flood the world? The vast majority of people on the planet died in their sins and had no idea what hit them or why.

What was the response of Jesus to this? He went and preached the gospel to them in prison:

1 Peter 3:19-20
19By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
20Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

So there is a precedent established here. Does God preach to spirits in the afterlife who didn't receive the Gospel of Christ?

How can someone believe in the name of the only begotten Son of God if they haven't heard the gospel? Jesus puts it like this:

John 3:18
18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.