Christian Believers Only, Please!?

Question

I would like to know your opinion on what happens to all of the unreached people of the world, those who have not heard Christ's name, when they die? Anything you can use to support your answer is welcome!

Answer 1

He hasn't given up on them yet, He is going to try very hard to make His Presence known to them. Those who don't recognize Him right now, will call on Him by the millions before the end.

Answer 2

The Catholic Church says that everyone gets the opportunity to make an informed choice upon the momemt of death. Apparently, Jesus gives you a crash course, and you get to choose.
I'm not sure I buy that. Who could refuse the Gospel as given by Jesus Himself?
That's why I go along with the early Christians who believed in reincarnation. I think you keep coming back until you have the opportunity to make an informed choice regarding Jesus. Only then are you free to end the cycle and stay in Heaven. The only Scripture I can give for this, however, is the conversation with Jesus, where he says that Isaiah DID return, as John the Baptist. Taken literally, that is a confirmation of reincarnation. Aren't we SUPPOSED to take Scripture literally?

Answer 3

First off, Christians believe that this is the reason why we are told to go out and witness to people. Jesus told us that all things would not come to pass until the gospel had been preached in all the world.

I was always told that God ministers to people in different ways. He uses missionaries, sure, but if there is a lack of them around, God has other means of communicating with humans. Whether through dreams, supernatural happenings, or any way He can, I believe God gets everyone's attention at least once in their lives.

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Answer 4

Catholic tradition teaches that Jesus descended into Hell after His death and before His resurrection.

I like to think of it as Him standing at the end of that tunnel the near-deathers talk about. You barrel along it, come out the end and there He is, standing fetchingly in all His glory and He holds out His hand and says, "Come. Follow me." And if you say yes, then you're in like Flynn whether you ever heard of Him or not. After all, that's what I'd do if I were a loving God. And I expect being God, He's a lot more loving than I'll ever be!

Remember, eternity doesn't work like time. There's no past, no future, just NOW, for always and ever.

Answer 5

Judge for yourself:
Romans 1:18-20
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the golessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their widkedness, since what may be known about God is palin to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

Romans 2:12 & 14-16
All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. (12) Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them. (14-16)

John 14:6 - Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

John 3:18 - Whoever believes in him (the Son of God) stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.

John 3:36 - Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him.

Answer 6

Okay...that's what the resurrection will take care of. One of the things it will take care of anyway! We know that God is fair and just and wouldn't destroy someone for something that was not their fault. And it's not their fault if they didn't get a chance to hear the truth about him and his son. So, after Armageddon, where the wicked are all destroyed (that is their final judgment), a resurrection will take place. First, will be those who were servants of God, then those who did not have an opportunity to hear the truth about God and his son, Jesus, will be resurrected and taught. After a thousand years (with Satan abyssed), Satan will be let loose to tempt those who were taught...and allow them to prove their faith under test - though, sadly, some will fail and be destroyed. BUT...that destruction is AFTER they have been taught...so they made an informed decsion. And it was their choice. Then, of course, Satan will be destroyed once and for all. And then we all live happily ever after!! Yay!! Here are some scriptures:

John 5:24-29 - Most truly I say to you, He that hears my word and believes him that sent me has everlasting life, and he does not come into judgment but has passed over from death to life.
“Most truly I say to you, The hour is coming, and it is now, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who have given heed will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted also to the Son to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to do judging, because Son of man he is. Do not marvel at this, because the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment.

The term "judgment" doesn't necessarily mean death, or condemnation. As seen in this verse:
2 Cor. 5:10 - For we must all be made manifest before the judgment seat of the Christ, that each one may get his award for the things done through the body, according to the things he has practiced, whether it is good or vile.

(Christ is judging, or determining good or bad)

Also, Rev. 20:13 - And the sea gave up those dead in it, and death and Ha´des gave up those dead in them, and they were judged individually according to their deeds.
(those who were resurrected and taught are being judged based on their actions/decision when Satan is let loose.

And the scripture to support the wicked being destroyed: we have Ps. 37:9-11 For evildoers themselves will be cut off, But those hoping in Jehovah are the ones that will possess the earth. And just a little while longer, and the wicked one will be no more; And you will certainly give attention to his place, and he will not be. But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, And they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace

And for Satan being abyssed and let loose: Rev. 20:1-3 - And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven with the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he seized the dragon, the original serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. And he hurled him into the abyss and shut [it] and sealed [it] over him, that he might not mislead the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After these things he must be let loose for a little while.

Rev. 20:7,8 - Now as soon as the thousand years have been ended, Satan will be let loose out of his prison, and he will go out to mislead those nations in the four corners of the earth

Hope that helped.

Answer 7

God speaks in the Bible of the age of understanding and those that have not reached the age or have the ability to retain the Knowledge of God. Babies, young children, mentally handicapped will not be judged, but allowed into the Kingdom of Heaven. I believe this would include those that live in a remote jungle village in Brazil or Africa and have never heard. His judgment is for those that do have the knowledge and chose not to anyway.

Answer 8

In Romans, Paul said that they are a Law unto themselves. He also points out that God is not silent, He speaks through His Creation. I take that to mean that even if The Gospel is not Preached, His Truth will reach them somehow. Whoever calls upon Him in Honest Hunger will receive His Answer.

Remember, Jesus said,"If these don't Praise Me, The Rocks will shout !"

Answer 9

All people are accountable to God whether they have “heard about Him” or not. The Bible tells us that God has clearly revealed Himself in nature (Romans 1:20) and in the hearts of people (Ecclesiastes 3:11). The problem is that the human race is sinful; we all reject this knowledge of God and rebel against Him (Romans 1:21-23). Apart from God's grace, God would give us over to the sinful desires of our hearts, allowing us to discover how useless and miserable life is apart from Him. This He does for those who reject Him (Romans 1:24-32).
In reality, it is not that some people have not heard about God. Rather, the problem is that they have rejected what they have heard and what is readily seen in nature. Deuteronomy 4:29 proclaims, “But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.” This verse teaches an important principle: everyone who truly seeks after God will find Him. If a person truly desires to know God, God will make Himself known.
The problem is, “there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God” (Romans 3:11). People reject the knowledge of God that is present in nature and in their own heart, and instead decide to worship a “god” of their own creation. It is foolish to debate the fairness of God sending someone to hell who never had the opportunity to hear the Gospel of Christ. People are responsible to God for what God has already revealed to them. The Bible says that people reject this knowledge, and therefore God is just in condemning them to hell.
Instead of debating the fate of those who have never heard, we, as Christians, should be doing our best to make sure that they hear. We are called to spread the Gospel throughout the nations (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8). The fact that we know people reject the knowledge of God revealed in nature must motivate us to proclaim the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. Only through accepting the Gospel of God’s grace through the Lord Jesus Christ can people be saved from their sins and rescued from an eternity apart from God in hell.
If we assume that those who never hear the Gospel are granted mercy from God, we will run into a terrible problem. If people who never hear the Gospel are saved…we should make sure that no one ever hears the Gospel. The worst thing we could do would be share the Gospel with a person and have him or her reject it. If that were to happen, he or she would be condemned. People who do not hear the Gospel must be condemned, or else there is no motive for evangelism. Why run the risk of people possibly rejecting the Gospel and condemning themselves – when they were previously saved because they had never heard the Gospel?

Answer 10

This question is asked over and over and I wonder why? Is it because the answer is so simple people miss it? If God is so big that He can make blind men see and the deaf hear don't you think that if someone honestly never had the opportunity to hear the Gospel God would make provisions for that? It is those that do hear with their ears but refuse to hear with their heart that God says, "Go away, I knew you not"