Christian Theology, Biblical Theology

"You are no longer under law but grace; therefore, sin shall not have dominion over you" "The grace of God has appeared teaching men to say no to sin"

Will Everyone Hear The Gospel

Will everyone hear the gospel? The bible clearly teaches in many places that all men are sinners. Romans 3:23 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God". The bible is teaches in many places that if man is searching for God, He will reveal Himself to him. John 9:31 "We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him." All men are born innocent and will not be held accountable for their sin until they reach an "age of accountability". Could you imagine a God who sentenced an infant to the eternal flames of hell for Adam's sin, especially after God had forgiven Adam and Eve of "the original sin"?

There are no innocent adults in the world, the bible declares that God has shut all men under sin through either His revealed law in the bible or the natural law of man's conscience, and it is out of God's mercy that He saves anyone at all. For anyone in the United States, they will stand before God without excuse because of the proliferation of the gospel - God also says that all men are without excuse because He has revealed Himself through nature and given all men a conscience that reveals Him in them. There are no true atheists, just men running from God.

What about the poor little bushman in the deep jungle of South America. Well let me tell you about these poor innocent people. Most of them sacrifice to demons. The Aztecs would go to war for the sole purpose of capturing human sacrifices only to have their high priest tear out their hearts and hold them up to the sun god. Many tribes in Africa sacrifice their infants to the gods of the Nile by feeding them to the crocodiles. There are still customs in Africa today whereby if a man dies, his widow has to have sex with 7 of his friends in order for his soul to go to eternal rest.

When God commanded the Israelites to destroy certain tribes and civilizations, He did so because of the sacrifices and cruelty of these groups - all done in the name of heathen gods. Many of these conquered peoples would hack off the limbs of prisoners and throw them into a kettle of hot oil for entertainment. God didn't have the armies of Israel conquer certain lands and tribes for no good reason. So I would say that there are no innocent natives that have never heard the gospel. However, God is good to His word. If someone of these people would observe nature and its design and ponder the true God, and search for Him with all of his heart; the bible promises that God will reveal Himself to that person. This revelation might not be as He has revealed Himself to us through the bible but God will get to the one who is truly searching; and if this one is obedient unto His voice, God in His sovereignty can apply the atonement of Christ to this person. Remember the saints of old; they had very little revelation. Noah was told to build an ark and because of this obedience it was reckoned to him as righteousness. Abraham didn't make an altar call and accept Jesus, he merely believed the promise that God would make him the father of many nations - and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.

God might send a missionary or He might use other means to convey His moral law; but one thing is sure, if that person is truly converted; they will begin to live according to the Spirit who will guide them in all truth. Their behavior would of necessity have to conform to the will of God. This person would cease to worship false gods such as Allah et al and begin to follow the true God. The Jews in order to be saved must accept Christ as the Messiah, if not they are living in disobedience to God. Jesus said "I am the way the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father but through Me". If the Jew who knows the Old Testament (which all of it pointed to Christ) and still denies Christ, they will die in their sins.

God has not revealed Himself through the Koran or any other religious books. The God of the bible has a distinct will for His people and this can only be found through the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, the prophetic voice of the Spirit, and His body on earth viz. the church.

No comments:

Post a Comment