What Happens to Isolated People Who Never Heard the Gospel?

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Article #371

by Bill Nugent

 

Have you ever wondered about what happens to people who live in isolated parts of the world and who’ve never heard the Gospel and never even seen a Bible?

 

The Bible clearly teaches that such people are still responsible for their sins. God has put the truth in their consciences and in their natural surroundings. God has two books, the Bible and nature.

 

The Bible in Romans 1:19-20 explains how all people are responsible before God. “That which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse” (NASB).

 

Acts 17-27-28 gives the following insights: “That they should seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His offspring'” (NASB).

 

The evidence for God is all around us. The evidence is the world itself. Atheists are like a flea on a dog’s back who denies that there really is a dog.

 

Rural China, 300 AD

 

To understand this let me give an illustration. Imagine it’s the year 300 AD and you’re in an isolated part of China. Jesus died for your sins and rose from the dead nearly three centuries earlier. However, the missionaries have not yet reached that part of China.

 

What’s a person to do? Imagine a man, a farmer, in this remote part of China. He sets aside his plow and climbs up a hill overlooking his farm. He begins to ponder and he says: “there must be something more. What is the reason for my existence and my family’s existence?”

 

He begins to reflect on the fact that his body and the bodies of animals are utterly complex and wonderfully made. He says: “How could such marvelously complex things such as human bodies come into existence? What is the ultimate cause of the existence of human beings and animals?”

 

There Must Be a Creator

 

He begins a logical train of thoughts. First he comes to the realization that there must be a creator. He says: “Truly such a marvelous machine as a human body could not just happen by accident.” 

 

The Chinese man thinks deeply and makes a leap of logic and says: “The Creator, whoever He or it is, must be intelligent. No unintelligent cosmic force could create the complexity of living things. It takes intelligence to form a human body and give it life.” 

 

The next logical step is for him to say: “If the Creator is intelligent, He must be a person. Intelligence is the very central part of personhood.”

 

As he continues his ponderings, he wonders and says: “If this Creator has intelligence and is a person and created the world; He must have all knowledge about the world. If He created the world, surely He must know every part of the world, wouldn’t He?  The Creator God has all knowledge. God is omniscient!”

 

The next logical step is an easy one. The Chinese man says: “If God has enough power to create the world, He certainly has all power over the world. If He created the world, He can destroy it, He can rebuild it, He can expand it, He can shrink it, He can burn it up, He can flood it, He can do anything He wants with His creation. The Creator is all powerful!”

 

God Owns Planet Earth and All People

 

Again, in his musings the man comes to another logical step. In his deep thoughtful ponderings, the Chinese man says: “If God created the world, certainly He owns the world. Planet earth is His personal property. God is sovereign over the world. God has the right to give laws over the world. God is King of kings and Lord of lords!”

 

Again, the man says to himself: “If God owns planet earth it’s not too much to believe that He loves the earth and the people who dwell on it. He must have created humans for a purpose. He delights in His creation.” 

 

The man takes another logical step and says:  “If God delights in the earth and loves the people on it, He would certainly try to speak to people and give revelation. If God gives revelation to people, it’s logical that someone, somewhere, would write down what God has spoken to the people of planet Earth. God must have a book somewhere. I hope someone brings His book to me!

 

“It’s also logical to believe that if God speaks to people, He would put His signature on His revelation. It’s logical to believe that if God says something, God would confirm His written revelation with miracles, signs and wonders.”

 

Our Chinese friend goes on to say: “It’s also logical to believe that if God speaks to the people whom He created, that He would teach them right from wrong. It’s logical that He would give laws to the people who dwell in His creation.

 

God is a Law Enforcer But Also a Forgiver

 

“It’s also logical to believe that if God gives Revelation to the people in the form of laws and wisdom, it’s logical that He would enforce His laws in some way or fashion. God is a law enforcer. 

 

“It’s also logical to believe that if the Creator loves His creation and the people who dwell in it He would want them to be at peace with Him and in fellowship with Him and enjoy Him and love Him. 

 

“It’s logical that God would arrange a way in which people would be forgiven of their breaking of His laws. God is a redeemer of people whom He loves! 

 

God is a Rewarder of Those Who Diligently Seek Him

 

The Bible says God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). This is true even in an isolated part of China way back in the year 300 AD. This humble, diligent Chinese man who climbed up the hill overlooking his farm and diligently sought after God day after day would be rewarded by God and God would speak to the man’s heart by His Spirit.

 

I believe that such a man would receive revelation from God about Jesus Christ who came to planet earth and lived a perfect life and died for all people’s sins and was raised from the dead, conquering death. I believe that the Chinese man described above who diligently sought God would have received revelation about Christ directly from the Holy Spirit of God and be saved!

 

This does not absolve the Church of the responsibility to send missionaries. History tells us very few people diligently seek God and find Him without the aid of missionaries. The missionaries who teach from the Bible and proclaim the Christian Gospel win many souls to God.

 

The Creator Reveals Salvation Through His Son, the Messiah

 

Jesus Christ is unique in world history. Jesus came in fulfillment of hundreds of Old Testament prophecies which promised the coming of the Messiah, the Redeemer of all mankind. (“Christ” and “Messiah” mean the same.) The prophecies were spoken by Old Testament prophets who recorded their prophecies hundreds of years before the birth of Christ. Jesus Christ fulfilled the prophecies. No other person in all of world history can make this claim!

 

Jesus came and lived a sinless life. Jesus kept God’s law perfectly and never sinned. Jesus worked miracles of healing and brought revelation from God the Father. Jesus is the only begotten Son of God. Jesus Christ is one in essence with God the Father. Jesus said “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30).

 

When Christ suffered and died he took the punishment of our sins upon Himself. Christ paid the penalty for the sins of all people who ever lived or whoever will live. God the Father raised Christ from the dead, showing that Jesus Christ conquered death and brought life and immortality to light.

 

The Buddha did not die for your sins. Brahma did not die for your sins. Only Christ died for your sins.

 

God confirms the truth of the Christian Gospel by miracles. Throughout all of church history, even to our present day, those who preach the gospel of Christ are often accompanied by signs, wonders and miracles of healing. Pagan religions have deceptive magic. The Christian faith is backed by God’s miracles.

 

Through Christ we receive forgiveness of sins and entrance into heaven in the afterlife. I invite you to repent of your sins and turn to Jesus Christ today to receive forgiveness of sins!

Steps to salvation:

Jesus said “Ye must be born again” (John 3:7).

  • 1) Believe that God created you and loves you and sent the Messiah (Messiah is Hebrew for Christ) to redeem you.
  • 2) Believe that Jesus Christ came in fulfillment of over 300 Bible prophecies to die for you, to take upon Himself the penalty of your sins (Isaiah 53:5-6, John 6:29, Romans 4:5, First Peter 3:18).
  • 3) Turn from sin and call on the name of Jesus to receive forgiveness of sins (Romans 10:13).
  • 4) Receive Jesus as Savior and experience the new birth (John 1:12, Acts 2:38).
  • 5) Follow Jesus Christ as Lord (John 14:21).

Prayer to receive salvation:

“Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

To receive the salvation that Jesus purchased for us at the terrible cost of His suffering and death on our behalf I invite you to pray this simple prayer:

“Dear heavenly Father, I thank you for sending Jesus, the promised Messiah, to die for my sins. I admit that I am a sinner. I repent of my sins and I ask for your forgiveness on the basis of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I ask you to fill me with your Holy Spirit to empower me to serve you under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, Amen.”

If you prayed this prayer in the humble sincerity of your heart then you have received everlasting life, which includes power to live right in this life and entrance into heaven in the afterlife!



(C) 2016 William P. Nugent, permission granted to email or republish for Christian outreach.

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