To Christians: a question about eternal salvation?

Question

As a Christian, I've always wondered about this, and I want to know what you think:

A man lives on an isolated island in a tribe that's had little change in a thousand years.
He lives an incredible life- he's kind to EVRYBODY, helps any one in need, and always considers other people before considering himself.
Then... he dies. (naturally.....)

He never had an opportunity to hear about Christ... No missionaries were ever able to come and teach him! He only knew what was taught to him on the island.

Does he go to heaven?


This doesn't just apply to islanders... any one who hasn't even had the opportunity to be saved, but they still live completely wonderful, righteous lives.

Do they go to heaven?

Answer 1

Yes, because even though he never knew Christ or His Gospel, he was a follower of Christ. The life that you described is a life that is lived in response to the grace that God gives to all people.

I hope this answers your question. Please contact me if you have other questions.

May the grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.

Answer 2

"He lighteth every man," and The Book doesn't lie. Now I know a lot of us get all hung up when we realize that people down in the jungles of the Amazon valley, and in certain other spiritual dark places of the world have never heard the Gospel (Ref. I Corinthians 15:1-4). And we can't comprehend a Righteous God sending them to an eternal lake of fire. But listen, The Book says over and over that for some reason or other they have received the Light. They have a certain amount of knowledge. I can't explain it but that's what The Book says, and that's what it says right here, that when Christ came into the world, "His light lighteth every man that cometh into the world." Now that's a future tense verb, so it wasn't just speaking of those living at Christ's time, but rather it was also speaking of those coming on the scene even today. They have received somehow or other the Light. Let's go to Titus Chapter 2, and another verse that I've even struggled with myself, but I take it by faith. I believe it with all my heart, and mind because The Book says it. Here the Apostle Paul is at the end of his earthly ministry, he's going to be martyred before much longer. But look at this amazing statement, and remember it's Holy Spirit inspired. It's The Word of God.

Titus 2:11

"For the grace of God (That unmerited favor that God has poured out on the whole human race) that bringeth salvation hath (past tense) appeared to all men." Not just a favored few, but all men. Now let's back up to Romans that has thrown a curve at a lot of people, and it's hard for me to teach it because it just seems so impossible, but it isn't because The Book says it.



Revelation 20:12And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.

Romans 2.11 For there is no partiality with God. 12 For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law; 13 for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, 16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.

nfd♥
Lover of my Lord Jesus Christ

Answer 3

The Holy Spirit is on the Earth and has been for a Long Time.

The Holy Spirit Leads and Guides us into All Truth.
The Holy Spirit dosen't need a Bible to Teach Men (male,female) Truth.

The Earth is Filled with GOD's Glory.
The Heavens Declare the Glory of GOD.

The Original Peoples of the U.S.A. Land Mass knew the Holy Spirit as the Great Spirit.
As far as I Know, they did not have Bibles.

Answer 4

I remember a verse that says something like if no one else did, even the rocks would cry out. Creation itself should show there is Someone bigger than us.
There are also stories or is a story about people who dreamed about Jesus in a remote area and became saved. Once saved the person could then tell others.

Answer 5

Trust me, it will be impossible for anyone to not hear about Jesus Christ. He will make sure that everyone is able to hear the Word at least once in there lifetime. Christ is just and fair, He will not let it be said that a person "never" heard of Him. This is scripture.

Answer 6

Cheesey,

One of Jesus' favorite sayings was, "You will know them by their fruits." Being kind to everybody, helping anyone in need, considering others before himself, these are very, very good fruits.

Jesus taught that those you had witnessed his miracles and learned about his teachings would be judged more harshly than those who had not. For example, in Luke 10:

"Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths.

God will judge us by our hearts and by our deeds, and he will give the benefit of the doubt to good people who have not heard the Gospel.

Cheers,
Bruce

Answer 7

Well, even though this is only a hypothetical question, it still wouldn't be realistic to assume that this person has NEVER, not even once in his entire life, violated his own conscience and thus broken God's Laws written on his heart.

People don't go to hell for not knowing about Jesus. Jesus said "I came to give life" and "When God sent His Son into the world, it wasn't to condemn the world, but to save it. Whoever puts their trust in the Son of God will not be condemned. Whoever does NOT believe that God sent His Son has been condemned already ..." why? because "ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." "There is NONE righteous, no not one." "None seek after God." and "All we like sheep have gone astray. We have each turned to his own way."

Not knowing about Jesus doesn't send us to hell. Breaking His Laws that He built right inside us sends us to hell. Jesus gets us OUT of hell, because He paid the penalty for OUR sins (crimes against God). The Bible says "He who knew no sin became sin for us so that we could become the righteousness of God in Him."

And even though they may appear "righteous", yet the Bible says that "our righteousness is as filthy rags before God."

The first few chapters of Romans spells this out in great detail. Paul is talking like a lawyer who is presenting his case, adding fact upon fact, using the Old Testament Scriptures to base his "argument" on.

Answer 8

Is the SPIRIT everywhere?

Many missionaries did go to such islands in the Pacific. Even when told that thye would kill off half the islanders with all the diseases that were normal for the missionaries, but the islanders didn't have any immunity to them. A jesuit Missionary in the 19th was quoted as saying, 'It better from them to die knowing 'Jesus' then to live and then die."

oh, ya, sounds like a 'great guy' huh?

Another question for ya/ Ever ask yourself why ya don't see Jews out converting people? Why ya don't see jews out on street corners screaming that people are sinning and need to find god?

Basically, its cuz the Laws of God prevent them. Converting people is a major NO-NO. Since a convertor is basically saying that their god isn't everywhere--that's why they have to go out and show people THEIR god. See deuteronomy 13

Essentially, it would be giving people an OTHER god--defined as one that a person hasn't personally known or one unknown to their fathers. Isn't god supposed to be EVERYWHERE?

Secondly, sinning was condictional, depending upon what a person had vowed to their god to uphold. One of the reasons that a sinner was so BAD in the OT. They not one did something BAD, they also LIED to their OWN god in doing so.

Basically, when a person became an adult, they would have a ceremony where they would go through and make a contract with god--a personal covenant with their own god(s).

One of the reasons why its stated within scripture that a person cannot judge another guilty of sin, since you really cannot know what another has vowed to uphold.
Deut 23:21-23 If you make a vow to the LORD your God, do not be slow to pay it, for the LORD your God will certainly demand it of you and you will be guilty of sin. But if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty. Whatever your lips utter you must be sure to do, because you made your vow freely to the LORD your God with your own mouth.

Christians lost all sense of these concepts because they rely more on the teachings of 'Paul' or the teachings of 'Jesus'. According to Deuteronomy 13, 'Paul' would be a 'false prophet' since he preached that a person doesn't have to follow the covanent and advocated an OTHER god---'Jesus'. Only god can forgive sin, "jesus' being god would be a violation of the OT idoltry law.
Deut 4:15-16 Since you saw no form on the day the the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire. beware lest you act corruptly by making a graven image for yourselves, in the form of any figure, the likeness of man or female

'Jesus' taught according to the Laws of God...
Mat 19:17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.”
Mat 5:18-19 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven
Mat 15:24 Jesus answered, "I was sent ONLY for the lost sheep of Israel"
Mat 10:5-6 the Christ charges his disciples to NOT go and preach to the cities of the gentiles, but ONLY to the LOST SHEEP of Israel
Even 'Jesus' says that calling him LORD isn't a 'get out of hell free card"...Matthew 7:21-23

Christianity is just modern canaanite mythos and ritual practice. See Hosea and Habakuk in the OT, the 'sons of Ephraim' were canaanites.

They offered up human sacrifice as sin offerings, and offered them upon High Places-like Mt. Calvary---both of which were abominaitons to god.

They would eat the flesh and blood of their sacrifice, just as christians do. Communion is ritual cannibalism. Another abomination to god.

One should remind ya of the Tower of Babel story in Genesis 11. In the generation of the children of Noah, god came down scattered his people all over the world and confused the WORD. This is after the flood, so accoding to scripture, the ONLY people on earth were the children of Noah. All of the same family, all of the same god, just a confused WORD that separated them.

In the OT prophesy, Zeph 3:9 God will UNCONFUSE the WORD on the 'Day of Judgement' and ALL will praise the name of god.

Inspite of Christian Propaganda, no one is 'saved' until the Day of Judgement. Those that claim otherwise are just being false witness. A person can HOPE that they are doing 'right' but nothing is for sure until ya get your 'rubber stamp'. But as I have pointed out, Pretty much every christian tenent is listed in the bible as an abominaiton to god.

Hab 2:16 the cup from the Lord’s right hand is coming around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory.

Answer 9

Whoooo-boy!

Good Grief!

Answer 10

No, he does not. Romans 1:20--20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: