Questions Campers Ask Part 9- What about those who have never heard?

Q: What happens to people who haven’t heard about Jesus when they die?

A: This one’s tough. It bothered me a lot when I was in junior high and high school. I wanted a clear heaven or hell answer, but I’ve since realized that isn’t possible. To be able to say that all people in remote parts of the world who have never heard of Jesus go to hell or heaven, I would have to be able to see every individual heart. Obviously, I can’t. Here’s what I know, though:

1-“For since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes have been clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and godhead, so that they are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20) In other words, God doesn’t let people off the hook for merely not hearing of Him. They “have no excuse” because of God’s attributes that are clearly visible in creation.

2-“For when Gentiles who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves. Who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves, their thoughts accusing or else excusing them on the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.” (Romans 2:14-15) Those who have not heard of Jesus have broken God’s law, and they know this because God has given them a conscience-the ability to know right and wrong. Their own thoughts will accuse them on judgment day.

3-“Nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37) If God wants (and I have heard stories of this happening) He can appear in a vision to anyone and make himself known to them. Remote regions of the world do not stop God from saving whomever He wishes to save. “Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.” (Romans 9:18)

4-“What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.” (Romans 9:14-16) God is not unjust or “unfair” in sending those who have never heard of Him to hell. God is, however, unfair in mercifully not sending some of us to hell. We all deserve hell. That’s what is fair for any of us because we all sin, and that is the fair punishment for our sin. We haven’t done anything to deserve heaven, and no desire or effort on our part can save us. It’s crazy to think that God would be unfair to some of us and grant us eternal life with Him. But He does.

5-“For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. One of you will say to me: Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?” But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use? (Romans 9:17-23) God is crazy about one thing-His own glory. He will use each of us in the best way possible to ensure His own glory. For some, this will include further hardening their hearts which they have already hardened. For others, this will mean crazy, undeservable mercy. God used Pharaoh’s already hardened heart by further hardening it to show His great power and make His great glory known to the children of Israel and every other nation on earth so all people knew that He was truly God. God made us, so He has the right to do with any of us as He pleases. Who are we to question what He does?

So how should we respond to all this? Jesus tells us: “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send our laborers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9:37-38) All sinners are guilty, deserving hell. Simply not hearing of Jesus does not change this fact. This should bother you. It bothers me. What are you going to do about it? There are three things you can do. 1- Pray for people to go tell them. 2- Give, providing for others to go tell them. 3- Go yourself and tell those who have never heard the good news of Jesus.