If believers go to heaven, and non-believers go to hell...?

Question

...then where do all those children go that have not yet been told about Jesus Christ our Lord, before their time of departure?

And where do the inhabitants of those African tribes go, that have never even seen a Bible or heard of his name?

Answer 1

God makes it very clear, "He has appointed a day in which He will judge the world in Righteousness." (Acts 17:31) A baby hasn't had the opportunity to choose right from wrong yet, so they don't have an account with God. As for those in Africa, they will be judged on the 10 commandments. The Bible says that God has written them on our hearts, and our conscience also bearing witness. So they will be judged according to righteousness, and since God tells us that we all fall short, they will suffer the consequences of violating God's moral Laws. It doesn't' matter if they've heard of Jesus or not. We are damned because of our sins, not by what we've heard. This is why it is so important for us to GO AND PREACH THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE.

Answer 2

To answer your questions, we must first look at what the Bible says happens to us when we die. Many churches teach that when we die we will go to either heaven or hell. However, Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 says "For the living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all, neither do they anymore have wages, because the remembrance of them has been forgotten. 6 Also, their love and their hate and their jealousy have already perished, and they have no portion anymore to time indefinite in anything that has to be done under the sun." So therefore the dead do not exist either in heaven or hell. They are simply dead. Now consider this scripture in Psalms 37:11,29: "But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, And they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace 29 The righteous themselves will possess the earth, And they will reside forever upon it." So those inheriting the promises of God aren't said to have a specific religion. Those who have already died do have a hope of living again according to the scriptures. Notice how the Bible describes the coming resurrection at Acts 15:24: "and I have hope toward God, which hope these [men] themselves also entertain, that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous." So it mentions here that both the people 'that know what they should do and do it' and 'those who do not know what they should do' will be resurrected. It does not mention that the wicked 'who know what they should do and do not do it' will be resurrected. It is important to understand that not putting forth the effort to find out what God requires does not put us in the unrighteous group, but rather it puts us in the wicked group because we believe there is a God but are choosing to not find out what he requires of us. Believing that there is a God and that he has a standard for us to follow and choosing not to learn that standard is the same as knowing what's right and not doing it. In fact the scriptures comment on this condition at Romans 10:2-3 which says "For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God; but not according to accurate knowledge; 3 for, because of not knowing the righteousness of God but seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God." So you will note here that establishing our own standard of righteousness is not acceptable to God and that there is a accurate knowledge that we all must come to.

Answer 3

As to the first part of your question; Children who were too young to make an informed decision for Christ, and die are Saved by virtue of the fact they were too young to know, or understand Sin, and Salvation.

As to the second part, Paul makes it clear in Romans that everyone will receive an opportunity to know Christ, he even said that some would be "...a Law unto themselves" The evidence is all around for those who seek Him.
~OM~

Answer 4

The babies that die turn into cherubs. Kids go to heaven. The African tribes that haven't seen the bible is probably judged by their works, as it is said in the book of life.

Answer 5

Romans Chapter 1 says that God has revealed himself in creation so that mankind is without excuse.

As for the little children, Let me give you something to think about. When Adam and Eve were in the garden. They were under the Grace of God until they partook of the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil. It was not until after that, when it became clear to them that their nakedness was wrong and they tried to cover it up. Before that even though they were naked and it was wrong to be naked, they were not guilty because they were not aware that it was wrong. I think that the same thing is true in the case of children. Until they become aware that it is wrong then they are not accountable for what they do.

Answer 6

They will first go to Purgatory then for sure heaven

:
"Purgatory (Lat., "purgare", to make clean, to purify) in accordance with Catholic teaching is a place or condition of temporal punishment...." 1

Purgatory is believed by Roman Catholics, and very few other Christians, to be a location or state where the souls of most individuals go at the time of death. It has traditionally been viewed as a place of torment, where "nearly all of us shall...have to pass a period more or less long in the excruciating fires of Purgatory after death." 2 Gregory the Great wrote "that the pain be more intolerable than any one can suffer in this life" Augustine 3 and St. Bonaventure 4 agree. The purpose of this pain is to cleanse the individual from the temporal consequences of her or his sins while on earth. Eventually, the person will be eligible to be transferred to Heaven.

Answer 7

OK if you believe in the bible anyone who dies without the knowledge of god will not be judged for there actions the bible also says that the word of god will be preached throughout the world and when every knows then the end will come.
Or maybe there is no god and we all return to the ground weather we believe or don't the real question is what do you believe in.

Answer 8

There is a book that gives really good incite into this question. It's called "Letters from a skeptic" By Dr. Gregory Boyd and Edward K. Boyd. Also I am really sick of all the atheists who spout off about these matters accusing christians of saying " oh well. to bad for those people" when they have no idea what they are talking about. Maybe you atheists should read the book also before you judge what christains really believe on this matter.

Answer 9

Those children that have not yet been told about Christ, go to heaven- there is an age of accountability and if a baby or child dies before they reach it, in God's infinite wisdom He takes them to heaven. I cannot judge what God does with those african tribes however, I can say in Romans 1 it talks about everyone sees God in creation, however it is us that refuse to accept Him- Since you do know that there is a God, have you accepted Christ- you are accountable for yourself, not anyone else.

Answer 10

Children are void of this rule, and until they are mentally able to tell right from wrong and understand it, they are void. So if someone is born mentally handicapped, he/she automatically goes to heaven when they die.

As for capable people who die without accepting Jesus as their savior, they will be cast from God in the day of judgment. That is why Christians must reach out to these people and get out of their little bubble of comfort.