What does happen to those who never heard the Gospel? If Jesus is the only way to heaven, and someone has never heard about Jesus, how can they go to heaven when they die? If they don't go to heaven, then the only other alternative is hell? Is it fair to determine someone's eternity if they never had the chance to choose Jesus?
These are great questions. A few clarifying points are in order.
1. No one deserves to go to heaven. The prevalent opinion of today's culture is that heaven is the default destination for all people. Hell is only reserved for the really bad people. But that is not biblical. The Bible clearly states that no one is good. The Bible also clearly states that few will go to heaven and that many will go to hell.
2. God's fairness cannot be judged based on man's sense of fairness. We tend to be egocentric and we tend to put God in a box. Neither of these tendencies is biblical. In fact, God's way are not our ways. God's thoughts are not our thoughts. His ways are higher than our ways and beyond our full comprehension.
3. God is knowable. He has given everyone the ability to know Him because he has shown Himself to them. Every generation and every culture has sought after God and attempted to learn about Him. The one, true, invisible God has made Himself visible to all of us, if we will only seek after Him.
The person who wants to know God can know Him. "'You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,' declares the Lord." (Jeremiah 29:13-14)
We will delve more deeply into this topic this Sunday. See you then!
Randy
If people could see their sin in respect to a Holy G0D then there would be a much different opinion of who goes to heaven and who doesn't, site Isaiah 6... "I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of His robe filled the temple... 'Woe is me!' I cried, 'I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."
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