A question about Christianity?

Question

Do these people go to hell?

Here is the scenario: You have a group of people who have lived and died without ever even hearing about Christ (ie. they live on a completely isolated island). Their only sin is this (that they have not looked to Jesus for salvation). Otherwise, they live a perfectly peaceful and morally sound manner. Will they be condemned to hell because they have not followed the one true path to heaven? Of course, they have never had any exposure in their lives to the idea of Christ.

I am not talking about anyone that believers could have access to. Imagine that they have lived and died in the condition described (as did everyone who lived before Christ). There are definitely people living today, tucked away in remote areas of the world, who have never heard this story of Christ.

Answer 1

The Book of Romans Chapter 2:7-16 answers this question. God is to Pure & Righteous to put anyone in Hell that doesn't fully deserve it. "They that lived by the Law will be judged by it, and they who lived without the Law & did by nature the things contained in the Law, will be excused. For not the hearers of the Law shall be justified, but the doers of the Law shall be justified."

Answer 2

Most "mainstream" Christians would say "yes." But this isn't true.

THE LAST GREAT DAY pictures that God is not trying to save the world now. " It pictures the coming "Great White Throne Judgement" at which all of humanity not previously called will have the chance to hear the True Gospel and accept salvation."

Look what Jesus says JOHN 10:1,7.
ALSO LOOK AT ACTS 4:11-12.

Notice what 1Tim.2:3-4 says it's just a matter of timing. In God's time; all people who have lived will be given the true understanding of God's Master Plan and purpose; they all will accept God's Truth once their eyes are fully opened. No; It's not a second chance; this will be the first genuine opportunity for people to understand the true God and the true Jesus Christ and their great purpose.
To explain this better: look at 1Peter 4:17; judgement means a time of decision, a time of trial and testing.

Answer 3

I used to ask myself that question as well when I was a Chrsitain believer. What's ironic is I gave myself the chance to learn about christ and figured that the bible and the story of christ is not meant in a literal way for me. I can take the goods from the bible such as sacrificing your life for humanity(what christ did) and avoid all the fear the bible places on followers. No, the muslim, the jewish and all non-christian followers will not go to hell, because there is no hell. If God is everything (which I believe), then he is in charge of "placing" people. This would be an unfair god if he sent the good-hearted muslim follower who never "had a chance" to hell. Satan to adults is Santa to children. Do you really think there is an evil spirit continuously punishing God's people? Do you think Satan ever gets tired of punishing people? Doesn't he ever go on vacation? Maybe if he did, he wouldn't be so bitter with people. The only satan that exists is in the real world (human errors and sins). But without these evils, we would not know what is good and what is bad. Just like having several religions. We need several religions in order for us to be diverse and productive in our own ways. There is not one single cell in your body that lives the same exact life. Our body can only function by having complexity and individuality in its parts. Although conflicts between religions causes so much chaos in this world, this is God's way of teaching us to eventually live with an open mind and to believe that what works for one does not necessarily work for another. We need to accept and appreciate our differences rather than point the finger the other way everytime there is a problem in this world. Have we forgotten that the one true thing we all have in common is that we are humans? Therefore, my opinion is use christianity and other religions as a moral base for your life, because if you truly believe other groups of people go to hell, I say that the devil himself has fooled you with religion!!!

Answer 4

Your premise is false. “Their only sin is this (that they have not looked to Jesus for salvation). Otherwise, they live a perfectly peaceful and morally sound manner“. There has NEVER been, nor will there ever be a person (other than Messiah) let alone a group of people who are 'perfectly peaceful and moral', let alone without sin. So to try and fantasize your way out of redemption by inventing an utopian paradise is useless, impossible and disingenuous. But to cover that very possibility Paul says in Romans 2: “that if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? And shall not the uncircumcision IF it fulfill the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision transgress the law?” Big IF. For he goes on later to conclude that NO one is righteous, no not one. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Nice try, however, better to spend your limited time and limited wisdom in searching for ways to find and serve God, not chase Him away or make Him the Big Bad Wolf. He’s not. He’s the lamb.

Answer 5

In some denominations of Christianity they say yes, in others they say no. Most likely in my opinion no the are not condemned to hell.

Your question is similar to asking if a baby dies right after birth, will he or she go to heaven.

Every person regardless has to be judged before entering heaven. The bible calls this judgment day. A baby of course would not have had a chance to sin and would most likely be granted entrance into heaven immediately. People on an island who have lived a long life would have more to answer for.

In Christianity, all are sinners, and therefore even really good people on a deserted island who never had heard of god would have commited what god would call sins.

The fact that they did not know that they had sinned though you would think would get them some leave way, as opposed to a Christian knowingly committing sin's. As long as those sins were not in deep contrast to known goodness.

In other words, I don't' think a group of people who accepted savage rape and murder as a society norm would go to heaven, as they are instinctively evil to humans. One just knows that some things are wrong such as hurting someone for pleasure or selfish reasons.

Ultimately, the right to enter heaven is not a right. It's a reward. That reward is up to God. Weither he allows good people who have not heard of him to enter heaven is unknown, but I like to think that he does.

Answer 6

Even if people were not able to read scriptures, listen to Jesus - they still have a chance to be saved.

Everyone will see the Salvation GOD could give (Luke 3:16)

And anyone could be saved

Isaiah 51:8 For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be forever, and my salvation from generation to generation.

And this is true because God does what He promises.

Titus 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

Answer 7

Man is born with Sin. No man, no matter how 'good' is without sin. No man/woman will go to hell if they have not heard the Word of Christ. Everyone will have the opportunity (even those whom lived before Christ) to choose during the Millennium.

Answer 8

They have known Christ. That's the beauty of your question. It has an answer in it. If by no fault of one self you fail to receive the "grace" or gift of God to know Christ, but live a moral and honest life based on "the light" God has given to you from the time you were born, you will be saved. And that salvation will be by the same Jesus they may have never heard of. Why, because they followed His example. Look at the parable of the "Good Samaritan". Samaritans were considered godless gentiles and not even taught to be friends with yet Jesus raises the good samaritan to a high level of praise. Look at The Book of Revelations where Jesus separates the "Sheep from the Goats". He tells the sheep, "Come, inherit My Father's House, for you fed me when I was Hungry. You clothed me when I was naked, and you gave drink to me when I was thirsty." They answered saying, "Lord, when did we feed you or give you drink when you were thirsty? When did we clothe you when you were naked or visted you when you were sick". And then Jesus makes this remarkable statement, 'Whatever you did to the Least of my Brothers, you did it To Me". My answer to you is this. All Christians believe and are taught that when you do good things to others you do them to Jesus. Jesus lives in our neighbor. I'm a catholic Christian and so I believe that. It is biblical. But why didn't that crowd know that? Because they weren't raised Christian and "through no fault of their own did not know or have the opportunity to know Jesus, but because they lived a good and pure life because of the INDIRECT "Light of God" given to ALL people from time immemorial, they will be saved. Though it is always a great thing to witness to people about Jesus, so that they have the "Fullness of Faith" and live life "Abundantly" as true Christians in The True Faith.

Answer 9

Only God has the power to judge where would these people go, we do not have the right to judge. Therefore, I would say nobody here has the right to answer that question.

However, our job as a believer and follower of Christ should reach out to them and just share, and God's Spirit will do the rest and lead them to salvation.

Answer 10

God is no fool. If a person lives without ever hearing about Jesus, then how could they possibly accept or deny Him as savior? Since they were never given the option they are exempt from the laws concerning redemption by faith.