Can people be accepted into heaven without hearing the gospel?

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
L

Lauren

Guest
#61
It might mess up our theology that God can save a person before they've even heard the gospel, but that's basically the extraordinary extent of God's grace - it doesn't begin and end with the Gospel.
I may have missed you covering this MS, forgive me if I did, but how do you get around John 14:6 .... no one come to the Father except through me? To allow for an exception would be saying that God lied in that scripture.
 
A

AJ52

Guest
#62
go out and preach and they will hear the gospel :)
 
Jan 8, 2009
7,576
23
0
#63
may have missed you covering this MS, forgive me if I did, but how do you get around John 14:6 .... no one come to the Father except through me? To allow for an exception would be saying that God lied in that scripture.
The point is, that Christ is not limited to work through the Gospel alone. It no where says "no one comes to the Father except through the Gospel".

I know of people who were saved by having a vision of a man dressed in white. NO one preached the gospel to them, but they still met Jesus and were saved. The interesting thing is that Jesus never preached the gospel to them either.
 

phil36

Senior Member
Feb 12, 2009
8,260
2,111
113
51
#64
The point is, that Christ is not limited to work through the Gospel alone. It no where says "no one comes to the Father except through the Gospel".

I know of people who were saved by having a vision of a man dressed in white. NO one preached the gospel to them, but they still met Jesus and were saved. The interesting thing is that Jesus never preached the gospel to them either.

Maybe they had heard about Jesus before hand???? just asking.

Phil
 
Jan 8, 2009
7,576
23
0
#65
They could have. Not all cases though. Because one of their questions is "who is the man I saw in the vision". It doesnt mean they dont need the gospel. But I think God has already accepted them the moment he called them.
 

jb

Senior Member
Feb 27, 2010
4,940
588
113
#66
When a little child dies (and not having heard the Gospel) it certainly goes straight into the arms of Lord Jesus in Heaven (Matt 19v14 ):

But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
 

phil36

Senior Member
Feb 12, 2009
8,260
2,111
113
51
#67
When a little child dies (and not having heard the Gospel) it certainly goes straight into the arms of Lord Jesus in Heaven (Matt 19v14 ):

But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
Hi jb

The verse you give is not about children going to heaven. it is a metaphor of the humility needed to enter into the Kingdom of heaven.

read Matthew 18:2-3

Kind regards

Phil
 

DinoDillinger

Senior Member
Jul 28, 2009
839
19
18
#68
John 12:32 "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”

Snail, I suppose you know why the word "men" or "peoples" is in italics/grey I think. Who is the all that is spoken of?

I believe these verses explain who it is refering to, demonstrating the power of God.

John 6: 36 But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.

For your stories about people who had visions to give credibility to your claim you would need to give examples of people who had these visions and NEVER heard the gospel.

Also, I believe this exact attitude is what drove the apostles to spread the gospel, not depending on sinful man to choose what he by nature hates but that God would open the eyes and ears of His elect to hear the gospel call.

Your idea that some men are naturally righteous is not biblical. Actual righteousness is imputed by God, not earned or displayed by man.

Not of ourselves, lest any man should boast.

In the entire bible it has been God who justifies, forgiveness is not something earned but freely given.

If it was something earned, then it would not be GRACE.
 
Jan 8, 2009
7,576
23
0
#69
I think your narrow interpretation doesn't account for many old testament figures like Abraham. Whose righteousness was Abraham justifed by? God's? No, his own. I mis-wrote. Abraham was not justified by his own righteousness but BY FAITH. A person in some jungle who never hears the gospel but is still saved is not justified by their own righteousness but BY FAITH.

The bible says Cornelius was ACCEPTED by God BEFORE He heard the Gospel. If God ACCEPTS a person then they ARE SAVED.
 
Last edited:
L

Lauren

Guest
#70
The point is, that Christ is not limited to work through the Gospel alone. It no where says "no one comes to the Father except through the Gospel".

I know of people who were saved by having a vision of a man dressed in white. NO one preached the gospel to them, but they still met Jesus and were saved. The interesting thing is that Jesus never preached the gospel to them either.
I misread what you said and so I mispoke. My apologies. My mind saw "Jesus" where you had written "Gospel".
 
Jan 8, 2009
7,576
23
0
#71
you have nothing to apologise about Lauren you raised a very good point.
 
W

worldlover

Guest
#72
for as long as those people did what is right in the eyes of God imo. :]
 
Last edited by a moderator: