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Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp                 4/10/06         8:39 AM        Page 1




                                          WHAT ABOUT
                                          THOSE WHO
                                          HAVE NEVER
                                          HEARD?
                                          I
                                              t’s one thing to say that those
                                               who knowingly reject Christ
    CONTENTS                                   do so to their own loss. But
                                          what about those who have
    A Growing Argument                    never been told that Christ died
    In A Shrinking World . . . 2
                                          in their place? Is it possible that
    Is Christ The Only                    God would deny heaven to them
    Way To God? . . . . . . . . . 4       for not accepting a Savior they
    What Can We Know                      had never encountered? How
    For Sure?. . . . . . . . . . . . 13   could they be held accountable
    How Can We                            for what they didn’t know?
    Make A Difference?. . . . 22              These are hard questions that
    Have You                              need more than theoretical or
    Really Heard? . . . . . . . . 31      speculative answers. So with
                                          millions of unreached people in
                                          mind, we have attempted in the
                                          following pages to understand
                                          what the Bible itself says about
                                          those who have never heard.
                                                        Martin R. De Haan II



    Managing Editor: David Sper                                  Cover Photo: Digital Stock
    Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas
    Nelson, Inc. Used by permission.All rights reserved.
    © 2002 RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, Michigan                          Printed in USA

                       © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
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    A GROWING                        never heard that Christ died
    ARGUMENT IN                      for them.
                                         The unfinished mission
    A SHRINKING                      of reaching the world raises
    WORLD                            troubling questions for those
                                     who believe that Christ is


    T
           he global influence       the only way to God.
          of Christ is a fact of     What about those who die
          history. The impact        without knowing? Could
    of His life has gone far         God possibly say to them,
    beyond the streets and           “I’m sorry, but you have not
    neighborhoods of His             accepted My Son”? If so,
    homeland.                        will they cry, “But we never
        In The History Of The        knew that He did anything
    Expansion Of Christianity,       for us! How could we accept
    Yale scholar Kenneth Scott       what we never even heard?”
    Latourette traces the                These are important
    influence of Christ down         questions. They are so
    through the centuries into       significant that some who
    our current era. He shows        have heard about Christ say
    that vast distances have         that they could only reject
    been covered and cultural        a God who would judge
    barriers have been crossed.      people who didn’t believe
    Around the world, Christ’s       in a Savior they never
    followers organized first to     had a chance to accept.
    meet their own needs and             The debate over the
    then reached out to others       future of unreached people
    in the far reaches of the        has become more intense in
    earth. Yet despite these         the last couple of decades.
    enormous accomplishments,        Ironically, as the number
    there are many who have          of people who have never
    2
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    heard about Christ seems         Jesus, why can He not do
    to be shrinking, a growing       likewise for the unreached
    number of theologians are        person today who has no
    wondering whether it is          explicit knowledge of Christ
    possible to be saved by          but may believe in the One
    Christ without hearing His       who raised Jesus from the
    name or His gospel.              dead? (Rom. 4:23-24).”
                                         By similar reasoning,
                                     some appeal to the fact that
        Would a good                 many Christians already
       God hold people               believe that God will apply
                                     the death of Christ to infants
       accountable for               who die or to people with
       what they have                severe mental limitations.
        never heard?                 They go on to suggest
                                     that “evangelicals who
                                     are lenient toward these
        While believing that         ‘innocents’ should extend
    Christ is the only way to        their reasoning further and
    God, many think that it          embrace ‘the untold.’ ”
    might be possible to come            As we take a closer
    to God through Christ            look, we do so with this
    without ever hearing His         confidence: If at any point
    name. One advocate of this       we find ourselves doubting
    view says, “If the eternal       God’s goodness or losing
    God, who does not                concern for those who
    necessarily view time            have never heard, then
    sequentially, has applied        we have not understood
    Christ’s blood to people of      the Scriptures or the
    faith in the Old Testament       heart of the God who
    who have no knowledge of         inspired them.
                                                                   3
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    IS CHRIST                         similarities are only part
    THE ONLY                          of the picture. Buddhism
                                      claims enlightened thinking
    WAY TO GOD?                       without making an issue


    I
        n this age of global          of whether there is a God.
         culture and pluralism,       Hinduism teaches that
         few issues raise more        there are thousands of
    questions than the claim by       gods. Modern Judaism
    Jesus’ followers that He is       maintains that the long-
    the only way to God. So           awaited Messiah has not
    before we take a closer look      yet appeared.
    at “those who have never
    heard,” let’s look at the
    biblical evidence for why            “It is a stubborn
    many continue to believe                  fact that
    that personal faith in Christ          non-Christian
    is so important.
       What about the                       religions are
    similarities between                radically different
    Christ and other                    from Christianity.”
    religions? Some have                        J. I. Packer
    observed the parallels
    between the teachings
    of Christ and other world             In general, other major
    religions. His emphasis on        world religions emphasize
    treating others the way we        the importance of human
    want to be treated, while         efforts to purify the soul.
    seeking peace and purity          By contrast, the gospel of
    of soul, is not unique to         Christ says that we can’t
    the Bible.                        achieve cleanness of heart
        Yet the comparative           by our own works but only
    4
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    by relying on the forgiveness     that Jesus had a right to
    Christ bought for us when         make such amazing claims
    He paid for our sins on His       about Himself.
    cross.                                The uniqueness of Christ
       Where in the Bible             is carefully developed by
    does it say that Christ           another apostle in the first
    is the only way to                chapter of his letter to the
    God? The apostle Peter            Roman Christians living in
    said of Christ, “Nor is there     the pluralistic city of Rome.
    salvation in any other, for       Paul wrote:
    there is no other name                1
                                            Paul, a bondservant
    under heaven given among              of Jesus Christ, called to
    men by which we must be               be an apostle, separated
    saved” (Acts 4:12). Peter             to the gospel of God
    didn’t come up with such              2
                                            which He promised before
    a conclusion on his own.              through His prophets in
    According to the gospel               the Holy Scriptures,
    writer John, Peter was with           3
                                            concerning His Son Jesus
    others who all heard Jesus            Christ our Lord, who was
    Himself say, “I am the way,           born of the seed of David
    the truth, and the life. No           according to the flesh, 4 and
    one comes to the Father               declared to be the Son of
    except through Me” (Jn.               God with power according
    14:6).                                to the Spirit of holiness, by
       If it were not for the rest        the resurrection from the
    of His life, those few words          dead. 5 Through Him we
    would have been long                  have received grace and
    forgotten. The entirety of            apostleship for obedience
    Christ’s life, death, and             to the faith among all
    resurrection, however, show           nations for His name
    why His followers concluded           (Rom. 1:1-5).
                                                                     5
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        In these opening             educated in the doctrine
    words, Paul identified some      and theology of Moses, he
    distinctives that he believed    prayed daily with the rest of
    set Christ apart from all        his nation, “Hear, O Israel:
    other religious founders. The    The Lord our God, the Lord
    gospel of Christ was deeply      is one!” (Dt. 6:4). As a result
    rooted in the predictions of     of this training, Paul had
    Old Testament prophets           initially persecuted Jewish
    (v.2). Even though the           countrymen who followed
    Jewish prophets didn’t know      Jesus and declared that He
    how it would happen, they        was Lord and Messiah (Acts
    pointed to a Messiah who         9:1-2). Only through a life-
    would die a substitutionary      changing encounter with
    death for wrongs that were       the risen Christ on the
    not His own (Isa. 53:1-10;       road to Damascus did
    Dan. 9:24-26).                   Paul become convinced
        Verses 3 and 4 refer         that Jesus was both Savior
    to additional factors that       and God (vv.3-22).
    distinguish Christ from              In that moment, Paul
    all other religious leaders.     became one of the many
    According to Paul, Jesus         witnesses of Christ’s
    was “the Son of God,” who        resurrection—a resurrection
    possessed both a human           that distinguishes the gospel
    and a divine nature. This        of Christ from all other
    was something that the           faiths. If Jesus’ body had
    apostle had once found           remained in the grave
    impossible to admit. All of      after His death on a Roman
    his religious training had       cross, He would have come
    made him suspicious of any       to the same end as all other
    religious idea that even         religious teachers (see 1 Cor.
    hinted of idolatry. Well         15:12-19). Instead, the
    6
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    evidence of an empty tomb,        then to people of every
    personal appearances, and         other nation.
    witnesses who were willing          Could people be
    to die for their claim that       worshiping the true
    they had seen Christ alive        God but calling Him
    after His death all combine       by a different name?
    to lead many to believe in        Paul had so much
    Christ as the King of kings       confidence in Christ that
    and Lord of lords.                he told a group of Athenian
        It is on the basis of such    philosophers that the God he
    evidence that Paul wrote:         had come to know in Christ
        I am not ashamed of the       was the God they were
        gospel of Christ, for it is   worshiping in ignorance
        the power of God to           (Acts 17:16-33).
        salvation for everyone            This claim that people
        who believes, for the         all over the world have some
        Jew first and also for        knowledge of the one true
        the Greek (Rom. 1:16).        God (Rom. 1:18-21) has
        Paul’s enthusiasm was         been observed by others
    rooted in the conviction          who have brought the gospel
    that the God of his fathers       to previously unreached
    had revealed Himself in a         people. Don Richardson,
    manner that now needed to         author of Peace Child and
    be declared to all the world.     Lords Of The Earth, is
    The apostle did not interpret     known for finding ideas in
    his experience merely as part     other religions that can be
    of his Jewish heritage. He        used to introduce the God
    believed that Christ had          of the Bible. He tells of
    provided a salvation that         people living in an isolated
    needed to be offered first to     culture who, when told
    his Jewish countrymen and         about the life of Christ,
                                                                    7
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    quickly recognized the God        put their faith in the one
    of the Bible as the God they      true God could find
    had been waiting for. They        forgiveness even though
    told of traditions of a lost      they didn’t have the whole
    holy book and spoke of a          gospel message as we
    Creator from whom they            know it (Heb. 11:1-40).
    had been separated. When              An example of a
    the gospel was presented to       repentant person who
    such groups, the people           didn’t have the whole gospel
    responded warmly to the           is one of the two thieves
    message of Christ.                who was executed along
        Richardson’s                  with Jesus. The message of
    observations suggest              Christ’s death for sin and
    that people in unreached          His subsequent resurrection
    cultures may have remnants        had not yet been declared.
    of knowledge about the            But one of the thieves found
    one true God that have            mercy when he confessed
    been passed down from             his sins and asked Christ to
    generation to generation.         remember him when He
    But what about those              came into His kingdom. In
    ancestors who died before         response to the dying man’s
    hearing about Christ?             faith and his less-than-
      Can a person be                 complete understanding of
    saved without hearing             the gospel, Jesus said,
    the gospel? Here we must          “Today you will be with Me
    be careful. It’s important for    in Paradise” (Lk. 23:43).
    us to say as much as the              What we know from this
    Bible says without adding         passage is that Christ offered
    more. It’s clear that until       “deathbed assurance” to a
    the beginning of the church,      man who acknowledged his
    repentant individuals who         own sin and asked the right
    8
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    Person for help. What we              The problem with
    don’t know for sure is to         such a view is that it is
    what extent we can apply          not supported by some
    this example to others            of the most foundational
    who recognize their sin           biblical texts. Consider, for
    and appeal to the one true        instance, these well-known
    God for mercy, even though        words of Jesus:
    they’ve never heard the full          For God so loved the
    gospel of Christ. This raises         world that He gave His
    another question.                     only begotten Son, that
       Will God use the                   whoever believes in Him
    death of Christ to                    should not perish but
    forgive everyone? In a                have everlasting life. For
    desire to see everyone benefit        God did not send His Son
    from the salvation provided           into the world to condemn
    by Christ, some believe that          the world, but that the
    because of Christ’s death on          world through Him might
    the cross, God will eventually        be saved. He who believes
    forgive all people regardless         in Him is not condemned;
    of whether they have heard            but he who does not
    of Christ or whether they             believe is condemned
    have believed in the gospel.          already, because he has
    They go on to say that                not believed in the name
    because Jesus paid the price          of the only begotten Son
    for everyone’s sin, He could,         of God. And this is the
    on that basis, follow through         condemnation, that the
    on His own desire when                light has come into the
    He prayed from His cross,             world, and men loved
    “Father, forgive them, for            darkness rather than light,
    they do not know what they            because their deeds were
    do” (Lk. 23:34).                      evil (Jn. 3:16-19).
                                                                    9
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        Both Old and New             Bible shows that God
    Testaments follow this           sacrificed His own Son to
    pattern of offering spiritual    assure that the balance of
    forgiveness only to those        justice was met, but He
    who acknowledge their sin        offers His mercy only to
    and accept God’s terms           those who are willing to
    of forgiveness.                  come to terms with their
        Our own systems of           own wrongs.
    justice follow a similar           Why isn’t it enough
    path. Little mercy is            to be sincere? The
    extended to hardened             prophet Jeremiah, speaking
    criminals who show no            on behalf of God, wrote,
    apparent conscience,             “You will seek Me and find
    remorse, or even                 Me, when you search for
    acknowledgment of                Me with all your heart” (Jer.
    wrongdoing. Yet something        29:13). His words show
    different happens to those
    who come to terms with the
    harm and pain they have               “You will seek
    caused others. When
    justice allows, leniency            Me and find Me,
    can be extended within the          when you search
    boundaries of the law. Even          for Me with all
    when prison terms and
    death sentences are legally            your heart.”
    mandated, there is a level of           Jeremiah 29:13
    human reconciliation that is
    possible when individuals
    show a willingness to face       that an honest heart is
    the harm they’ve done.           important. Jeremiah clearly
        In a similar way, the        acknowledged that God
    10
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    honors those who seek Him            seeking such to worship
    with their whole heart.              Him. God is Spirit, and
       But honesty of heart is           those who worship Him
    only one part of the picture.        must worship in spirit
    From Genesis to Jesus, the           and truth (Jn. 4:22-24).
    Bible also shows that God
    wants sincere people to
    know the truth about Him.            “God is Spirit,
    The God of the Bible expects
    something all of us can             and those who
    relate to. Just as we don’t        worship Him must
    want others to believe false        worship in spirit
    and dishonoring rumors
    about us, so the God of the           and truth.”
    Bible insists that those who                John 4:24
    worship Him do so on the
    basis of what is true.
       Expressing His concern           Here Jesus spoke of
    that people worship God          worshiping “in spirit” in the
    in both sincerity and truth,     sense that God is looking for
    Jesus said to a skeptical,       those who will respond to
    non-Jewish woman:                Him from their heart. But
       You worship what you do       He also said that God is
       not know; we know what        looking for those who will
       we worship, for salvation     worship Him in truth. That
       is of the Jews. But the       one word adds profound
       hour is coming, and           implications.
       now is, when the true            The requirement of truth
       worshipers will worship       can be both comforting and
       the Father in spirit and      deeply troubling. On one
       truth; for the Father is      hand, believing reliable
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    information about God                 according to knowledge.
    brings great assurance to             For they being ignorant of
    those who accept Him as He            God’s righteousness, and
    is. But that same knowledge           seeking to establish their
    can also fill us with deep            own righteousness, have
    concern for those who still           not submitted to the
    don’t have an adequate                righteousness of God. For
    understanding of what they            Christ is the end of the
    need to know.                         law for righteousness to
        The apostle Paul’s letter         everyone who believes
    to the Romans shows that              (Rom. 10:1-4).
    he was heartbroken over               Paul’s words in verse 3,
    his countrymen who didn’t         “seeking to establish their
    understand that they needed       own righteousness,” remind
    to rely on God’s mercy            us why everyone needs to
    rather than on their own          hear the gospel of Christ.
    merits. Even though Jesus         The Jewish family, friends,
    Himself declared that             and neighbors Paul cared
    “salvation is of the Jews”        so much about were not
    (Jn. 4:22), Paul knew that        much different than the
    many zealous Jewish               rest of us. We are all
    worshipers were rejecting         inclined to rely on our
    the part of the truth they        own accomplishments.
    needed to be saved. So            There is something within
    the apostle wrote:                all of us that believes we
        Brethren, my heart’s desire   deserve not only the good
        and prayer to God for         things God gives us, but
        Israel is that they may be    also His forgiveness and
        saved. For I bear them        eternal life.
        witness that they have a
        zeal for God, but not
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    WHAT CAN                            Whom was Paul
    WE KNOW                           most concerned
                                      about? Instead of
    FOR SURE?                         answering such questions,


    I
        magine asking the             Paul showed that he was
          apostle Paul the            far more concerned about
          question we are             those who turn away from
    considering in this booklet.      what God has revealed
    “Paul, what about those           about Himself through both
    who have never heard?”            nature and His messengers.
    What if we followed up                The man who saw
    with a second question:           himself as “the apostle to the
    “Paul, do you think it’s          Gentiles” was concerned
    possible for someone to           about people of all nations
    respond to the light he’s         who, without intervention,
    been given and to be              would continue to run from
    saved by Christ without           the light of God. His letter to
    ever hearing His name?”           the Romans shows that he
        If we use Paul’s letters      saw all people, Jew and
    to try to guess how he would      Gentile alike, as entangled in
    answer, we might conclude         their own tendency to avoid,
    that he would encourage us        suppress, and deny the truth
    to leave those answers in         that was self-evident even in
    God’s hands. He wrote as          the natural world (Rom.
    one who believed that God         1:18-21; 3:10-23).
    would be a fair judge to all          This universal
    (Rom. 2:1-11), without            tendency to deny personal
    saying how God would deal         accountability and error is a
    with persons who respond in       human trait that Paul did
    faith to the light they’ve been   not underestimate. What he
    given.                            said about human nature
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    seems to parallel a story that    own choices (Gen. 3:12-13).
    showed up in our local            Thoughtful reflection shows
    newspaper. It described the       that we are all wrongdoers
    actions of a couple of men        who need the forgiveness of
    who tried an unorthodox           God.
    method of trimming a row              Paul saw all of
    of bushes. Since they didn’t      humanity in this category
    have hedge clippers, they         (Rom. 3:23). He was not
    tried lifting a lawn mower        content, however, to prove
    and using it like a trimmer.      the liability of guilty people.
    Unfortunately, one man was        Instead, the apostle was
    seriously injured when he         deeply concerned about
    lost his grip on the mower.       those who needed to
    Their misfortune became a         hear that Christ had died
    part of the daily news when       for their sins (Rom. 9:1-3;
    the injured man tried to sue      Phil. 1:12-18).
    the manufacturer for failing        Did Paul believe
    to label the machine with a       there was anyone who
    warning against using it as       had never heard? In
    a hedge trimmer.                  Romans 10:18, the apostle
        Blaming others for            asked this question and
    our own irresponsibility is       then answered in a way that
    something we all are inclined     might surprise us. Instead of
    to do—especially when it          acknowledging that there
    comes to our relationship         were many who had not yet
    to our Creator. Just as our       heard the gospel of Christ,
    first parents tried to shift      he continued a theme that
    blame after their first act of    he began in chapter 1.
    disobedience (Gen. 3:8), we       Asking and answering his
    are all prone to try to avoid     own question, he wrote:
    the consequences of our              I say, have they not
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        heard? Yes indeed:                The heavens declare the
        “Their sound has gone             glory of God; and the
        out to all the earth, and         firmament shows His
        their words to the ends           handiwork. Day unto
        of the world” (v.18).             day utters speech, and
        It’s important to see how         night unto night reveals
    Paul answered his own                 knowledge. There is
    question. He didn’t write as          no speech nor language
    if there were a fairness issue        where their voice is not
                                          heard. Their line has gone
                                          out through all the earth,
         People of all                    and their words to the end
                                          of the world (vv.1-4).
         nations are                      By quoting these words
       accountable not                of King David, the apostle
        for what they                 repeated here what he
                                      emphasized in 1:18-21.
         don’t know                   Once again he reminded his
       about Christ but               readers that the Creator has
        for what they                 revealed enough of Himself
                                      in the natural world to hold
      do know and yet                 all people everywhere
       turn away from.                accountable for their lack
                                      of heartfelt worship and
                                      gratefulness (1:21).
    at stake. Instead, he quoted          Yet Paul didn’t use
    from a Psalm that speaks of       the truth of Psalm 19
    the evidence God has left         as an excuse to stop
    of Himself in nature. In          caring. Instead, he went
    Romans 10:18, Paul referred       on to write about his
    to Psalm 19, which begins:        own Jewish countrymen:
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        Did Israel not know?          result, Paul spent his life
        First Moses says: “I will     doing what he could to
        provoke you to jealousy       make sure that as many
        by those who are not a        people as possible heard
        nation, I will move you to    what God had done for
        anger by a foolish nation.”   them through the life, death,
        But Isaiah is very bold       and resurrection of Christ.
        and says: “I was found by       What did Paul
        those who did not seek        see as the greatest
        Me; I was made manifest       danger? In Romans 1:18-
        to those who did not ask      25, the apostle wrote:
        for Me.” But to Israel he        The wrath of God is
        says: “All day long I have       revealed from heaven
        stretched out My hands to        against all ungodliness
        a disobedient and contrary       and unrighteousness of
        people” (Rom. 10:19-21).         men, who suppress the
        If Paul believed that            truth in unrighteousness,
    someone could have saving            because what may be
    faith in response to natural         known of God is manifest
    revelation, that’s not where         in them, for God has
    he focused his attention.            shown it to them. For
    Neither did he use a lot of          since the creation of
    ink expressing fear that God         the world His invisible
    would not be fair in                 attributes are clearly seen,
    judgment. Instead, the               being understood by the
    dominant emphasis of his             things that are made, even
    letters is on the tendency of        His eternal power and
    human nature to reject the           Godhead, so that they are
    God behind natural creation          without excuse, because,
    and to worship the creation          although they knew God,
    instead of the Creator. As a         they did not glorify Him
    16
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       as God, nor were thankful,     of spiritual independence,
       but became futile in their     their children have inherited
       thoughts, and their foolish    an aversion to the truth.
       hearts were darkened.          Like nocturnal animals who
       Professing to be wise,         naturally avoid the light, all
       they became fools, and         of Adam’s children are born
       changed the glory of the       with an uncomfortable
       incorruptible God into         sensitivity to light.
       an image made like
       corruptible man—and
       birds and four-footed              Ever since Adam
       animals and creeping
       things. . . . [They]
                                          and Eve started
       exchanged the truth of               down a path
       God for the lie, and                  of spiritual
       worshiped and served the
       creature rather than the
                                           independence,
       Creator, who is blessed              their children
       forever. Amen.                      have inherited
       Here Paul described a
    process that could be
                                           an aversion to
    called “the death spiral                  the truth.
    of human history.” By
    their own choices, morally
    responsible people end up            All who inherit the legacy
    worshiping creation rather        of such human nature find
    than the Creator.                 many ways to reject Christ.
       Paul’s explanation is          Not believing the gospel is
    based on the Old Testament        only one of them. The Lord
    record that ever since Adam       Jesus Christ is more than
    and Eve started down a path       the Messiah who died on
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    the cross for our sins. He       that in many different ways,
    is also the Creator who is       God has taken the initiative
    constantly revealing Himself     to reveal Himself and to
    through the natural world        receive those who respond
    (Jn. 1:1; Col. 1:16-17).         in faith to His messengers.
        Here, though, we need
    to consider an important
    question.                            The Scriptures
      Does the Bible say
    there is more than one                 plainly state
    way to accept Christ? If                that before
    Christ is not only the Savior       Christ’s death on
    who died for us but also our
    Creator and Sustainer (Jn.
                                        the cross, people
    1:1-3; Col. 1:16-17), is it        were accepted by
    possible to accept Christ by         God when they
    receiving Him in any one of
    the ways He reveals Himself?
                                          responded in
    Is bringing a repentant heart       faith to what He
    to our Creator the same as          revealed to them
    accepting Him as Savior if
    we have no knowledge of
                                       about Himself and
    the gospel?                          about their sin.
        The Scriptures plainly
    show that before Christ’s
    death on the cross, people          Abraham is an example
    were accepted by God when        of someone who was saved
    they responded in faith to       not by hearing the gospel as
    what He revealed to them         we know it today, but rather
    about Himself and about          by believing God when He
    their sin. Hebrews 11 shows      promised to give him a child
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    and a legacy in his old age      example of this unfolding
    (Gen. 15:5-6; Rom. 4:1-5;        story is seen in the life
    Heb. 11:8-19).                   of a Roman military officer
        The author of Hebrews        named Cornelius. In Acts
    began his New Testament          10, he is introduced to us as
    letter by saying that            a devout man of prayer who
    throughout history God           feared God and gave to the
    revealed Himself in many         needs of others (vv.1-2).
    times and in many ways              One of the reasons that
    (1:1-2). His point was that      Cornelius is important to
    all of this self-disclosure      this study is that he is an
    was moving toward the day        example of a Gentile who
    when His own Son would           had not heard about Christ
    step into history to reveal      and yet was known by God.
    the love of God and then         He was called “one who
    die for our sin (v.3).           feared God” (v.2), which
        At that point in time,       was a term used of Jewish
    the breaking news was that       proselytes. So it appears that
    the Creator Himself had          he was a Gentile who first
    personally visited our planet    responded in faith when he
    (Jn. 1:1-3,14). After Christ     came in contact with the
    died for our sin and rose        God of the Jews. Then
    from the dead to prove it,       sometime after the death
    He sent His followers out        and resurrection of Christ,
    into the whole world with        an angel from God appeared
    the message that God the         to Cornelius in a vision and
    Father had sent His Son          said, “Cornelius! . . . Your
    into the world, and that         prayers and your alms have
    all who believed in Him          come up for a memorial
    would be saved.                  before God” (vv.3-4).
        A New Testament                 In the events that
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    followed, the Scriptures         gospel of Christ, some things
    describe how God sent the        are clear. We’ve already
    apostle Peter to Cornelius       seen that people will not
    and his family. Peter            be condemned because they
    explained to the Roman           have not heard about the
    officer that the God he          life, death, and resurrection
    had been worshiping had          of Christ. Those who are
    revealed Himself in Christ.      condemned will be judged
    Cornelius and the rest of his    because they have not
    household heard Peter say,       responded to what God
    “To Him all the prophets         has revealed about Himself
    witness that, through His        through conscience and the
    name, whoever believes in        eloquent witness of nature
    Him will receive remission       (Rom. 1:18-21; 2:12-16).
    of sins” (Acts 10:43).               In addition, it’s important
        This is just one example     that we don’t make the
    of what is seen elsewhere in     mistake of thinking that
    Scripture. Cornelius shows       all lost people will suffer the
    God’s willingness to use         same punishment. The Bible
    supernatural means, if           shows that even though no
    necessary, to respond to         one can earn his way to
    those who want to know           heaven, the rewards of
    Him.                             believers (2 Cor. 5:10)
       How will those who            and the punishments of
    have never heard the             unbelievers (Rev. 20:13) will
    gospel of Christ be              be a matter of degree based
    judged? While the Bible          on works. Jesus Himself
    does not tell us everything      taught the principle of
    we would like to know about      judgment by degrees
    how God will judge those         when He said:
    who have never heard the             That servant who knew
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       his master’s will, and did        If this is our concern,
       not prepare himself or do      then we might also be
       according to his will, shall   troubled by the fact that
       be beaten with many            many people live with
       stripes. But he who did        profound mental retardation
       not know, yet committed        or disease that makes it
       things deserving of stripes,   impossible for them to hear
       shall be beaten with few.      and consider the good news
       For everyone to whom           of Christ. Others die at a
       much is given, from him        very early age. We all come
       much will be required;         into the world with differing
       and to whom much has           abilities and opportunities.
       been committed, of him
       they will ask the more
       (Lk. 12:47-48).                       God’s love
       Justice, by its very nature,         must be just
    calls for varying degrees of
    reward or punishment.                  and His justice
      What if we find                      must be loving.
    ourselves struggling
    with issues of fairness?
    Some of us will undoubtedly           Even among those who
    find ourselves struggling         do hear the gospel, there are
    with the thought that God         profound differences. Some
    has not given everyone an         hear clearly about the love
    equal opportunity to hear         of Christ from loving parents
    the message of Christ. We         or godly spiritual leaders.
    may be deeply troubled by         Others hear the message of
    the fact that not everyone        Christ from those who abuse
    has had a chance to hear          their power and exploit their
    the gospel.                       followers.
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        This is when, once again,    HOW CAN
    we must trust the Judge of
    all the earth to do what is
                                     WE MAKE A
    right (Gen. 18:25). We don’t
                                     DIFFERENCE?

                                     A
    have it within ourselves to            s we consider the
    resolve such problems. God                question “What
    alone knows how to deal                    About Those Who
    with people in a manner          Have Never Heard?” there is
    that allows for the choices      another important question:
    they had in light of what        What can we do to help
    they knew or didn’t know         others once we know what
    about Him.                       Christ has done for us?
                                        Thankfully, we are left
                                     with more than just the
      People desperately             statistics about those who
      need to hear that              have never heard. There is
        Christ died for              much that we can do. Let’s
                                     consider, for instance, four
        them, that He                practical ways we can
        rose from the                make a difference.
       dead to prove it,               By Praying For
                                     Unbelievers. The first way
      and that He offers             we can make a difference is
      forgiveness of sins            by praying for those who do
      and everlasting life           not yet believe in Christ.
                                     Once again we can learn
        to all who will              from the apostle Paul when
          believe and                he wrote:
          trust Him.                    Therefore I exhort first
                                        of all that supplications,
                                        prayers, intercessions, and
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       giving of thanks be made            brings honor to Him.
       for all men, for kings and        • “intercessions”—
       all who are in authority,           a word of involvement,
       that we may lead a quiet            sympathy, and
       and peaceable life in all           compassion for those
       godliness and reverence.            who do not know God.
       For this is good and              • “thanksgiving”—a spirit
       acceptable in the sight             of gratitude to God for
       of God our Savior, who              the saving gospel of
       desires all men to be               Christ that can be
       saved and to come to the            proclaimed to those
       knowledge of the truth              who do not know Him.
       (1 Tim. 2:1-4).                   The apostle understood
       Paul wrote this while          the influence of government
    giving counsel to a young         on the mission of Christ. As
    pastor named Timothy. In          a result, he urged Timothy to
    the process, the wise and         maintain well-balanced
    seasoned apostle described        prayers both for leaders and
    several kinds of evangelistic     those living under authority,
    prayers. We are to offer:         so that the people of God
       • “supplications”—             “may lead a quiet and
         prayers arising from         peaceable life in all
         a sense of need as we        godliness and reverence.”
         realize the desperate           Then, almost as a
         condition of the lost.       surprising afterthought, Paul
       • “prayers”—a general          made the statement that
         word for prayer that         God “desires all men to be
         conveys an attitude of       saved and to come to the
         awe and respect for          knowledge of the truth” (v.4).
         God, recognizing that           What did Paul mean
         the salvation of the lost    by this comment? Was he
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    saying that all people will be    compassionate desire will
    saved because that’s what         never override the human
    God desires—even if they          responsibility to respond.
    don’t believe in Christ?          God wants everyone to say
                                      “yes” to Him, but many will
                                      say “no” instead.
       “For this is good                  As we pray, God wants
                                      us to reflect His desire for
      and acceptable in               all people to be saved. He
       the sight of God               wants us to pray not only
        our Savior, who               for ourselves but also for
                                      those who don’t yet know
        desires all men               Him, and for anything
       to be saved and                that would enhance their
        to come to the                receptivity to the gospel.
                                        By Helping To
         knowledge of                 Bring In The Harvest.
          the truth.”                 The Lord Jesus spoke of the
         1 Timothy 2:3-4              mission of world evangelism
                                      in terms of the team effort it
                                      takes to harvest a crop:
       Such an interpretation             Behold, I say to you, lift
    would not fit the rest of what        up your eyes and look at
    Paul wrote. Instead, the              the fields, for they are
    apostle was referring to the          already white for
    heart of God. The God of              harvest! (Jn. 4:35).
    compassion wants His own              The harvest truly is
    people to live in peace. But          plentiful, but the laborers
    He also has a deep love for           are few. Therefore pray
    those who have not come               the Lord of the harvest to
    to know His Son. That                 send out laborers into His
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        harvest (Mt. 9:37-38).            rise by day, and the seed
        We are not called to              should sprout and grow,
    carry out His mission                 he himself does not know
    alone. Bringing in the                how. For the earth yields
    harvest is a team effort              crops by itself: first the
    that God Himself is deeply            blade, then the head, after
    interested in. Therefore, He          that the full grain in the
    encourages us to look to              head. But when the grain
    Him for the additional                ripens, immediately he
    people and help that are              puts in the sickle, because
    needed to supplement our              the harvest has come.
    own prayers, interests, and           This simple story reminds
    efforts. And in the process,      us that growth of the seed to
    our Lord wants us to have         maturity is similar to the
    an attitude that is far more      growing receptivity within
    inspired than overwhelmed         the heart of an unbeliever.
    by the task before us.            Responsiveness to the
        Sowing The Seed.              gospel takes time. As we
    Mark 4:26-29 adds                 continue to think about
    another word picture to           those who have never heard,
    the illustration of harvesting    we need to remember that a
    a crop, which helps us to         person usually doesn’t
    think in even more basic          understand the gospel in
    and strategic terms.              one hearing. This gives us
    Speaking of our role in           reason not only to provide
    bringing the gospel to our        a one-time witness to our
    friends, the Lord said:           friends but to invite them
        The kingdom of God is as      into other environments,
        if a man should scatter       where over time they can
        seed on the ground, and       hear the good news of Jesus
        should sleep by night and     Christ in different contexts.
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        Working And Waiting.          he doesn’t dote over the
    In verse 27, Jesus reminded       field. He attends to other
    His followers that the sower      responsibilities, trusting in
    is not the one who brings         time as his ally.
    about new life. Rather, he            As we share our life and
    is one who “should sleep by       faith with friends, time is our
    night and rise by day, and        ally as well. It often takes
    the seed should sprout and        time for nonbelievers to
    grow, he himself does not         begin to grasp what the
    know how.”                        gospel means. Think of all
        Time can be an ally           the experiences you have
    rather than an enemy to the       gone through to develop
    farmer. The growth process        your values and current
    occurs as he does what he         view of the world. Yet
    can and then waits on the         sometimes we expect
    normal processes of nature.       unbelievers to change their
    He goes home at night and         entire outlook on life after
    goes to sleep. Early in the       hearing the gospel only
    morning he rises and              once. Most people need
    takes care of other daily         more time to come to an
    responsibilities. As he waits,    awareness of their need
    the days turn into weeks          and to a confidence in what
    and the weeks into months.        Christ has done for them.
        During that time he           Usually, the Lord of the
    removes hindrances to the         harvest takes time to
    growth of his crop. He puts       cultivate and grow such a
    fertilizer on the earth to        conviction in those who are
    enrich its natural fertility      moving toward Him.
    and he removes stubborn               Honoring The Source
    weeds that rob the plants         Of Growth. In verse 28,
    of food and moisture. But         the Lord said that “the earth
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    yields crops by itself: first       illustrate the initial signs
    the blade, then the head,           of spiritual life within the
    after that the full grain in        human heart. A genuine
    the head.”                          conversion is never just the
                                        independent response of an
                                        individual. At the heart of
                                        the process is the convicting
         Sometimes we                   and calling ministry of the
      expect unbelievers                Holy Spirit, who makes the
        to change their                 Word come alive and stirs
                                        the heart of the unbeliever.
       entire outlook on                God the Holy Spirit will
       life after hearing               germinate the seed of the
           the gospel                   Word, though to us it looks
                                        like it produces “all by
            only once.                  itself.”
                                            The ultimate sign of ripe
                                        grain is the development of
        The word translated             the “full grain in the head.”
    “by itself” is automatos            If the farmer harvests too
    (from which we get the word         soon, he will have an unripe
    automatic). This implies that       crop. If he waits too long, it
    good seed depends on good           will rot in the field.
    ground. The open heart                  Timing The Harvest.
    is the good ground that             Verse 29 continues, “But
    produces fruit. The word for        when the grain ripens,
    “blade” refers to those first       immediately he puts in the
    appearances of a crop that          sickle, because the harvest
    indicate growth is taking           has come.”
    place. This process of                  Just as the plant shows
    natural growth seems to             the farmer when it’s ripe
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    enough to harvest, so            need to hear again. But
    unbelievers send signals that    beyond our neighborhood
    they are ready to respond.       is a world of other fields,
        In the ancient world,
    when the farmer saw the
    ripe grain beckoning to             Reaching those
    him from the field, he              who have never
    immediately ordered the
    harvest to begin.                  heard begins with
        This reminds us that as        a down-to-earth,
    we do our part by waiting          caring interest in
    on God, we also need to be
    alert and sensitive to the          those who are
    right time to encourage            the closest to us.
    people to make a decision
    to accept Christ. If we try
    to force their decision, we      other teams of workers,
    can do damage. But if we         and other strategies of
    continue to show them            outreach. Here too we
    that we care, and look for       have an important role.
    times to ask appropriate           By Developing A
    questions, God Himself           Global Perspective.
    will give us the wisdom we       Just before Jesus ascended
    need to help them make the       to heaven, He told His
    most important decision of       followers:
    their life.                          You shall receive power
        We’ve just been talking          when the Holy Spirit has
    about what we can do to              come upon you; and you
    help those within our own            shall be witnesses to Me
    sphere of influence who              in Jerusalem, and in all
    haven’t heard or who may             Judea and Samaria, and
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        to the end of the earth          Organizations have
        (Acts 1:8).                   been set up to assist in
        The cause of Christ           sending a larger number
    has been a global enterprise      of missionaries to this very
    from its beginning. The           needy part of the world. By
    strategy outlined by our          giving, praying, or even
    Lord is simple but not easy.      going, you too can help
    We are to depend on the           accelerate this important
    Holy Spirit’s power as we         outreach to “those who have
    witness to the life-changing      never heard.”
    claims of Christ. Some of us         We care about these
    will carry this out locally in    people because all who have
    our own sphere of influence       not heard and all who have
    (Jerusalem). Some of us           heard without believing will
    will extend our witness to        eventually give account of
    include a nearby region           themselves to God.
    (Judea). Others will go to          By Trusting In
    people of a different culture     God’s Character. In
    (Samaria). And still others       the last book of the Bible,
    will go to the “end of the        the apostle John wrote:
    earth.”                              Then I saw a great white
        The largest concentration        throne and Him who sat
    of people who haven’t heard          on it, from whose face the
    the gospel of Jesus Christ are       earth and the heaven fled
    located in a part of the             away. And there was
    world often referred to as           found no place for them.
    “The 10/40 Window”—a                 And I saw the dead, small
    region 10 degrees to 40              and great, standing before
    degrees north of the equator,        God, and books were
    stretching from West Africa          opened. And another book
    to East Asia.                        was opened, which is the
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        Book of Life. And the dead      be rewarded according to
        were judged according to        their faithfulness (1 Cor.
        their works, by the things      3:12-15; 2 Cor. 5:10), and
        which were written in the       unbelievers will be given
        books. . . . Then Death         appropriate punishment for
        and Hades were cast into
        the lake of fire. This is the
        second death. And anyone             Once human
        not found written in the
        Book of Life was cast into          independence
        the lake of fire (Rev.           has been looked at
        20:11-12,14-15).                  under the blinding
        A loving, all-wise God is
    the only One who has the             searchlight of God’s
    character to carry out such            scrutiny, all will
    judgment. He alone knows              realize they have
    all that we could have done
    and all that we actually did.        been treated fairly.
    He alone understands the
    mitigating circumstances of
    each act. And He alone is a         the lives they have led (Rev.
    God of complete justice as          20:13). Eternal life can be
    well as mercy.                      received only as a gift,
        Once human                      but both believers and
    independence has been               unbelievers will be held
    looked at under the blinding        accountable to God for how
    searchlight of God’s scrutiny,      they responded to Him.
    all will realize they have
    been treated fairly.
        In their own moment of
    accountability, believers will
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    HAVE YOU                          standard of righteousness
    REALLY HEARD?                     (Rom. 3:23). The terrible
                                      consequence of this is that


     W
                  hen we were         we are separated from a
                  children, many      holy God (Rom. 6:23).
                 of us heard          But the Bible also says
    frustrated parents asking         that because of God’s deep
    if we really heard their          compassion for us, He
    reminder to finish an
    unwanted chore. We may
    have claimed to have heard,           “All have sinned
    but our attitude and actions
    said otherwise.                          and fall short
        As you have read this          of the glory of God
    booklet, you may have               . . . . For the wages
    thought about your own
    response to the gospel.             of sin is death, but
    Have you heard it? And if so,        the gift of God is
    how have you responded?            eternal life in Christ
        It’s easy to put off
    making a decision. And this           Jesus our Lord.”
    becomes an even greater                Romans 3:23; 6:23
    tendency when eternal
    consequences are at stake.
    But God wants us to make          became a man and allowed
    a decision about His Son.         Himself to be nailed to a
        The gospel is a simple        cross to pay the penalty for
    but heart-penetrating truth.      our sin (1 Pet. 3:18).
    The Bible tells us that all of       It’s not enough just to
    us have sinned and fallen         know these great truths.
    short of God’s perfect            We must respond to them
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    by personal choice. The          Jesus Christ has come into
    Scriptures tell us, “As many     your life and given you the
    as received Him, to them         gift of eternal life (1 Jn. 5:12-
    He gave the right to become      13). Can you think of
    children of God, to those        anyone you’d like to share
    who believe in His name”         your new discovery with?
    (Jn. 1:12).
       Will you respond to
    this spiritual light God has        “He who has the
    placed before you? Right
    now you can go to God in
                                         Son has life; he
    prayer and express the            who does not have
    desire of your heart. Receive        the Son of God
    the Savior’s forgiveness and
    His gift of eternal life with
                                       does not have life.
    Him.                              These things I have
       It can be expressed in         written to you who
    a simple prayer like this:
       Jesus, I know I’m a
                                      believe in the name
       sinner and can’t save           of the Son of God,
       myself. Thank You for          that you may know
       dying on the cross to pay
       the penalty for my sin. I
                                          that you have
       receive You as my Savior            eternal life.”
       and Lord. Take control of            1 John 5:12-13
       my life and make me the
       kind of person You want
       me to be.                     Remember, there are people
       Did you pray that prayer?     all around you who still
    Were you sincere? If so, you     haven’t heard the saving
    can have the assurance that      gospel of Jesus Christ.
    32
                 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
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What about-those-who-have-never-heard (1)

  • 1. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 1 WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER HEARD? I t’s one thing to say that those who knowingly reject Christ CONTENTS do so to their own loss. But what about those who have A Growing Argument never been told that Christ died In A Shrinking World . . . 2 in their place? Is it possible that Is Christ The Only God would deny heaven to them Way To God? . . . . . . . . . 4 for not accepting a Savior they What Can We Know had never encountered? How For Sure?. . . . . . . . . . . . 13 could they be held accountable How Can We for what they didn’t know? Make A Difference?. . . . 22 These are hard questions that Have You need more than theoretical or Really Heard? . . . . . . . . 31 speculative answers. So with millions of unreached people in mind, we have attempted in the following pages to understand what the Bible itself says about those who have never heard. Martin R. De Haan II Managing Editor: David Sper Cover Photo: Digital Stock Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission.All rights reserved. © 2002 RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, Michigan Printed in USA © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 2. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 2 A GROWING never heard that Christ died ARGUMENT IN for them. The unfinished mission A SHRINKING of reaching the world raises WORLD troubling questions for those who believe that Christ is T he global influence the only way to God. of Christ is a fact of What about those who die history. The impact without knowing? Could of His life has gone far God possibly say to them, beyond the streets and “I’m sorry, but you have not neighborhoods of His accepted My Son”? If so, homeland. will they cry, “But we never In The History Of The knew that He did anything Expansion Of Christianity, for us! How could we accept Yale scholar Kenneth Scott what we never even heard?” Latourette traces the These are important influence of Christ down questions. They are so through the centuries into significant that some who our current era. He shows have heard about Christ say that vast distances have that they could only reject been covered and cultural a God who would judge barriers have been crossed. people who didn’t believe Around the world, Christ’s in a Savior they never followers organized first to had a chance to accept. meet their own needs and The debate over the then reached out to others future of unreached people in the far reaches of the has become more intense in earth. Yet despite these the last couple of decades. enormous accomplishments, Ironically, as the number there are many who have of people who have never 2 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 3. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 3 heard about Christ seems Jesus, why can He not do to be shrinking, a growing likewise for the unreached number of theologians are person today who has no wondering whether it is explicit knowledge of Christ possible to be saved by but may believe in the One Christ without hearing His who raised Jesus from the name or His gospel. dead? (Rom. 4:23-24).” By similar reasoning, some appeal to the fact that Would a good many Christians already God hold people believe that God will apply the death of Christ to infants accountable for who die or to people with what they have severe mental limitations. never heard? They go on to suggest that “evangelicals who are lenient toward these While believing that ‘innocents’ should extend Christ is the only way to their reasoning further and God, many think that it embrace ‘the untold.’ ” might be possible to come As we take a closer to God through Christ look, we do so with this without ever hearing His confidence: If at any point name. One advocate of this we find ourselves doubting view says, “If the eternal God’s goodness or losing God, who does not concern for those who necessarily view time have never heard, then sequentially, has applied we have not understood Christ’s blood to people of the Scriptures or the faith in the Old Testament heart of the God who who have no knowledge of inspired them. 3 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 4. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 4 IS CHRIST similarities are only part THE ONLY of the picture. Buddhism claims enlightened thinking WAY TO GOD? without making an issue I n this age of global of whether there is a God. culture and pluralism, Hinduism teaches that few issues raise more there are thousands of questions than the claim by gods. Modern Judaism Jesus’ followers that He is maintains that the long- the only way to God. So awaited Messiah has not before we take a closer look yet appeared. at “those who have never heard,” let’s look at the biblical evidence for why “It is a stubborn many continue to believe fact that that personal faith in Christ non-Christian is so important. What about the religions are similarities between radically different Christ and other from Christianity.” religions? Some have J. I. Packer observed the parallels between the teachings of Christ and other world In general, other major religions. His emphasis on world religions emphasize treating others the way we the importance of human want to be treated, while efforts to purify the soul. seeking peace and purity By contrast, the gospel of of soul, is not unique to Christ says that we can’t the Bible. achieve cleanness of heart Yet the comparative by our own works but only 4 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 5. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 5 by relying on the forgiveness that Jesus had a right to Christ bought for us when make such amazing claims He paid for our sins on His about Himself. cross. The uniqueness of Christ Where in the Bible is carefully developed by does it say that Christ another apostle in the first is the only way to chapter of his letter to the God? The apostle Peter Roman Christians living in said of Christ, “Nor is there the pluralistic city of Rome. salvation in any other, for Paul wrote: there is no other name 1 Paul, a bondservant under heaven given among of Jesus Christ, called to men by which we must be be an apostle, separated saved” (Acts 4:12). Peter to the gospel of God didn’t come up with such 2 which He promised before a conclusion on his own. through His prophets in According to the gospel the Holy Scriptures, writer John, Peter was with 3 concerning His Son Jesus others who all heard Jesus Christ our Lord, who was Himself say, “I am the way, born of the seed of David the truth, and the life. No according to the flesh, 4 and one comes to the Father declared to be the Son of except through Me” (Jn. God with power according 14:6). to the Spirit of holiness, by If it were not for the rest the resurrection from the of His life, those few words dead. 5 Through Him we would have been long have received grace and forgotten. The entirety of apostleship for obedience Christ’s life, death, and to the faith among all resurrection, however, show nations for His name why His followers concluded (Rom. 1:1-5). 5 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 6. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 6 In these opening educated in the doctrine words, Paul identified some and theology of Moses, he distinctives that he believed prayed daily with the rest of set Christ apart from all his nation, “Hear, O Israel: other religious founders. The The Lord our God, the Lord gospel of Christ was deeply is one!” (Dt. 6:4). As a result rooted in the predictions of of this training, Paul had Old Testament prophets initially persecuted Jewish (v.2). Even though the countrymen who followed Jewish prophets didn’t know Jesus and declared that He how it would happen, they was Lord and Messiah (Acts pointed to a Messiah who 9:1-2). Only through a life- would die a substitutionary changing encounter with death for wrongs that were the risen Christ on the not His own (Isa. 53:1-10; road to Damascus did Dan. 9:24-26). Paul become convinced Verses 3 and 4 refer that Jesus was both Savior to additional factors that and God (vv.3-22). distinguish Christ from In that moment, Paul all other religious leaders. became one of the many According to Paul, Jesus witnesses of Christ’s was “the Son of God,” who resurrection—a resurrection possessed both a human that distinguishes the gospel and a divine nature. This of Christ from all other was something that the faiths. If Jesus’ body had apostle had once found remained in the grave impossible to admit. All of after His death on a Roman his religious training had cross, He would have come made him suspicious of any to the same end as all other religious idea that even religious teachers (see 1 Cor. hinted of idolatry. Well 15:12-19). Instead, the 6 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 7. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 7 evidence of an empty tomb, then to people of every personal appearances, and other nation. witnesses who were willing Could people be to die for their claim that worshiping the true they had seen Christ alive God but calling Him after His death all combine by a different name? to lead many to believe in Paul had so much Christ as the King of kings confidence in Christ that and Lord of lords. he told a group of Athenian It is on the basis of such philosophers that the God he evidence that Paul wrote: had come to know in Christ I am not ashamed of the was the God they were gospel of Christ, for it is worshiping in ignorance the power of God to (Acts 17:16-33). salvation for everyone This claim that people who believes, for the all over the world have some Jew first and also for knowledge of the one true the Greek (Rom. 1:16). God (Rom. 1:18-21) has Paul’s enthusiasm was been observed by others rooted in the conviction who have brought the gospel that the God of his fathers to previously unreached had revealed Himself in a people. Don Richardson, manner that now needed to author of Peace Child and be declared to all the world. Lords Of The Earth, is The apostle did not interpret known for finding ideas in his experience merely as part other religions that can be of his Jewish heritage. He used to introduce the God believed that Christ had of the Bible. He tells of provided a salvation that people living in an isolated needed to be offered first to culture who, when told his Jewish countrymen and about the life of Christ, 7 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 8. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 8 quickly recognized the God put their faith in the one of the Bible as the God they true God could find had been waiting for. They forgiveness even though told of traditions of a lost they didn’t have the whole holy book and spoke of a gospel message as we Creator from whom they know it (Heb. 11:1-40). had been separated. When An example of a the gospel was presented to repentant person who such groups, the people didn’t have the whole gospel responded warmly to the is one of the two thieves message of Christ. who was executed along Richardson’s with Jesus. The message of observations suggest Christ’s death for sin and that people in unreached His subsequent resurrection cultures may have remnants had not yet been declared. of knowledge about the But one of the thieves found one true God that have mercy when he confessed been passed down from his sins and asked Christ to generation to generation. remember him when He But what about those came into His kingdom. In ancestors who died before response to the dying man’s hearing about Christ? faith and his less-than- Can a person be complete understanding of saved without hearing the gospel, Jesus said, the gospel? Here we must “Today you will be with Me be careful. It’s important for in Paradise” (Lk. 23:43). us to say as much as the What we know from this Bible says without adding passage is that Christ offered more. It’s clear that until “deathbed assurance” to a the beginning of the church, man who acknowledged his repentant individuals who own sin and asked the right 8 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 9. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 9 Person for help. What we The problem with don’t know for sure is to such a view is that it is what extent we can apply not supported by some this example to others of the most foundational who recognize their sin biblical texts. Consider, for and appeal to the one true instance, these well-known God for mercy, even though words of Jesus: they’ve never heard the full For God so loved the gospel of Christ. This raises world that He gave His another question. only begotten Son, that Will God use the whoever believes in Him death of Christ to should not perish but forgive everyone? In a have everlasting life. For desire to see everyone benefit God did not send His Son from the salvation provided into the world to condemn by Christ, some believe that the world, but that the because of Christ’s death on world through Him might the cross, God will eventually be saved. He who believes forgive all people regardless in Him is not condemned; of whether they have heard but he who does not of Christ or whether they believe is condemned have believed in the gospel. already, because he has They go on to say that not believed in the name because Jesus paid the price of the only begotten Son for everyone’s sin, He could, of God. And this is the on that basis, follow through condemnation, that the on His own desire when light has come into the He prayed from His cross, world, and men loved “Father, forgive them, for darkness rather than light, they do not know what they because their deeds were do” (Lk. 23:34). evil (Jn. 3:16-19). 9 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 10. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 10 Both Old and New Bible shows that God Testaments follow this sacrificed His own Son to pattern of offering spiritual assure that the balance of forgiveness only to those justice was met, but He who acknowledge their sin offers His mercy only to and accept God’s terms those who are willing to of forgiveness. come to terms with their Our own systems of own wrongs. justice follow a similar Why isn’t it enough path. Little mercy is to be sincere? The extended to hardened prophet Jeremiah, speaking criminals who show no on behalf of God, wrote, apparent conscience, “You will seek Me and find remorse, or even Me, when you search for acknowledgment of Me with all your heart” (Jer. wrongdoing. Yet something 29:13). His words show different happens to those who come to terms with the harm and pain they have “You will seek caused others. When justice allows, leniency Me and find Me, can be extended within the when you search boundaries of the law. Even for Me with all when prison terms and death sentences are legally your heart.” mandated, there is a level of Jeremiah 29:13 human reconciliation that is possible when individuals show a willingness to face that an honest heart is the harm they’ve done. important. Jeremiah clearly In a similar way, the acknowledged that God 10 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 11. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 11 honors those who seek Him seeking such to worship with their whole heart. Him. God is Spirit, and But honesty of heart is those who worship Him only one part of the picture. must worship in spirit From Genesis to Jesus, the and truth (Jn. 4:22-24). Bible also shows that God wants sincere people to know the truth about Him. “God is Spirit, The God of the Bible expects something all of us can and those who relate to. Just as we don’t worship Him must want others to believe false worship in spirit and dishonoring rumors about us, so the God of the and truth.” Bible insists that those who John 4:24 worship Him do so on the basis of what is true. Expressing His concern Here Jesus spoke of that people worship God worshiping “in spirit” in the in both sincerity and truth, sense that God is looking for Jesus said to a skeptical, those who will respond to non-Jewish woman: Him from their heart. But You worship what you do He also said that God is not know; we know what looking for those who will we worship, for salvation worship Him in truth. That is of the Jews. But the one word adds profound hour is coming, and implications. now is, when the true The requirement of truth worshipers will worship can be both comforting and the Father in spirit and deeply troubling. On one truth; for the Father is hand, believing reliable 11 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 12. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 12 information about God according to knowledge. brings great assurance to For they being ignorant of those who accept Him as He God’s righteousness, and is. But that same knowledge seeking to establish their can also fill us with deep own righteousness, have concern for those who still not submitted to the don’t have an adequate righteousness of God. For understanding of what they Christ is the end of the need to know. law for righteousness to The apostle Paul’s letter everyone who believes to the Romans shows that (Rom. 10:1-4). he was heartbroken over Paul’s words in verse 3, his countrymen who didn’t “seeking to establish their understand that they needed own righteousness,” remind to rely on God’s mercy us why everyone needs to rather than on their own hear the gospel of Christ. merits. Even though Jesus The Jewish family, friends, Himself declared that and neighbors Paul cared “salvation is of the Jews” so much about were not (Jn. 4:22), Paul knew that much different than the many zealous Jewish rest of us. We are all worshipers were rejecting inclined to rely on our the part of the truth they own accomplishments. needed to be saved. So There is something within the apostle wrote: all of us that believes we Brethren, my heart’s desire deserve not only the good and prayer to God for things God gives us, but Israel is that they may be also His forgiveness and saved. For I bear them eternal life. witness that they have a zeal for God, but not 12 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 13. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 13 WHAT CAN Whom was Paul WE KNOW most concerned about? Instead of FOR SURE? answering such questions, I magine asking the Paul showed that he was apostle Paul the far more concerned about question we are those who turn away from considering in this booklet. what God has revealed “Paul, what about those about Himself through both who have never heard?” nature and His messengers. What if we followed up The man who saw with a second question: himself as “the apostle to the “Paul, do you think it’s Gentiles” was concerned possible for someone to about people of all nations respond to the light he’s who, without intervention, been given and to be would continue to run from saved by Christ without the light of God. His letter to ever hearing His name?” the Romans shows that he If we use Paul’s letters saw all people, Jew and to try to guess how he would Gentile alike, as entangled in answer, we might conclude their own tendency to avoid, that he would encourage us suppress, and deny the truth to leave those answers in that was self-evident even in God’s hands. He wrote as the natural world (Rom. one who believed that God 1:18-21; 3:10-23). would be a fair judge to all This universal (Rom. 2:1-11), without tendency to deny personal saying how God would deal accountability and error is a with persons who respond in human trait that Paul did faith to the light they’ve been not underestimate. What he given. said about human nature 13 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 14. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 14 seems to parallel a story that own choices (Gen. 3:12-13). showed up in our local Thoughtful reflection shows newspaper. It described the that we are all wrongdoers actions of a couple of men who need the forgiveness of who tried an unorthodox God. method of trimming a row Paul saw all of of bushes. Since they didn’t humanity in this category have hedge clippers, they (Rom. 3:23). He was not tried lifting a lawn mower content, however, to prove and using it like a trimmer. the liability of guilty people. Unfortunately, one man was Instead, the apostle was seriously injured when he deeply concerned about lost his grip on the mower. those who needed to Their misfortune became a hear that Christ had died part of the daily news when for their sins (Rom. 9:1-3; the injured man tried to sue Phil. 1:12-18). the manufacturer for failing Did Paul believe to label the machine with a there was anyone who warning against using it as had never heard? In a hedge trimmer. Romans 10:18, the apostle Blaming others for asked this question and our own irresponsibility is then answered in a way that something we all are inclined might surprise us. Instead of to do—especially when it acknowledging that there comes to our relationship were many who had not yet to our Creator. Just as our heard the gospel of Christ, first parents tried to shift he continued a theme that blame after their first act of he began in chapter 1. disobedience (Gen. 3:8), we Asking and answering his are all prone to try to avoid own question, he wrote: the consequences of our I say, have they not 14 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 15. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 15 heard? Yes indeed: The heavens declare the “Their sound has gone glory of God; and the out to all the earth, and firmament shows His their words to the ends handiwork. Day unto of the world” (v.18). day utters speech, and It’s important to see how night unto night reveals Paul answered his own knowledge. There is question. He didn’t write as no speech nor language if there were a fairness issue where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, People of all and their words to the end of the world (vv.1-4). nations are By quoting these words accountable not of King David, the apostle for what they repeated here what he emphasized in 1:18-21. don’t know Once again he reminded his about Christ but readers that the Creator has for what they revealed enough of Himself in the natural world to hold do know and yet all people everywhere turn away from. accountable for their lack of heartfelt worship and gratefulness (1:21). at stake. Instead, he quoted Yet Paul didn’t use from a Psalm that speaks of the truth of Psalm 19 the evidence God has left as an excuse to stop of Himself in nature. In caring. Instead, he went Romans 10:18, Paul referred on to write about his to Psalm 19, which begins: own Jewish countrymen: 15 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 16. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 16 Did Israel not know? result, Paul spent his life First Moses says: “I will doing what he could to provoke you to jealousy make sure that as many by those who are not a people as possible heard nation, I will move you to what God had done for anger by a foolish nation.” them through the life, death, But Isaiah is very bold and resurrection of Christ. and says: “I was found by What did Paul those who did not seek see as the greatest Me; I was made manifest danger? In Romans 1:18- to those who did not ask 25, the apostle wrote: for Me.” But to Israel he The wrath of God is says: “All day long I have revealed from heaven stretched out My hands to against all ungodliness a disobedient and contrary and unrighteousness of people” (Rom. 10:19-21). men, who suppress the If Paul believed that truth in unrighteousness, someone could have saving because what may be faith in response to natural known of God is manifest revelation, that’s not where in them, for God has he focused his attention. shown it to them. For Neither did he use a lot of since the creation of ink expressing fear that God the world His invisible would not be fair in attributes are clearly seen, judgment. Instead, the being understood by the dominant emphasis of his things that are made, even letters is on the tendency of His eternal power and human nature to reject the Godhead, so that they are God behind natural creation without excuse, because, and to worship the creation although they knew God, instead of the Creator. As a they did not glorify Him 16 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 17. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 17 as God, nor were thankful, of spiritual independence, but became futile in their their children have inherited thoughts, and their foolish an aversion to the truth. hearts were darkened. Like nocturnal animals who Professing to be wise, naturally avoid the light, all they became fools, and of Adam’s children are born changed the glory of the with an uncomfortable incorruptible God into sensitivity to light. an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed Ever since Adam animals and creeping things. . . . [They] and Eve started exchanged the truth of down a path God for the lie, and of spiritual worshiped and served the creature rather than the independence, Creator, who is blessed their children forever. Amen. have inherited Here Paul described a process that could be an aversion to called “the death spiral the truth. of human history.” By their own choices, morally responsible people end up All who inherit the legacy worshiping creation rather of such human nature find than the Creator. many ways to reject Christ. Paul’s explanation is Not believing the gospel is based on the Old Testament only one of them. The Lord record that ever since Adam Jesus Christ is more than and Eve started down a path the Messiah who died on 17 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 18. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 18 the cross for our sins. He that in many different ways, is also the Creator who is God has taken the initiative constantly revealing Himself to reveal Himself and to through the natural world receive those who respond (Jn. 1:1; Col. 1:16-17). in faith to His messengers. Here, though, we need to consider an important question. The Scriptures Does the Bible say there is more than one plainly state way to accept Christ? If that before Christ is not only the Savior Christ’s death on who died for us but also our Creator and Sustainer (Jn. the cross, people 1:1-3; Col. 1:16-17), is it were accepted by possible to accept Christ by God when they receiving Him in any one of the ways He reveals Himself? responded in Is bringing a repentant heart faith to what He to our Creator the same as revealed to them accepting Him as Savior if we have no knowledge of about Himself and the gospel? about their sin. The Scriptures plainly show that before Christ’s death on the cross, people Abraham is an example were accepted by God when of someone who was saved they responded in faith to not by hearing the gospel as what He revealed to them we know it today, but rather about Himself and about by believing God when He their sin. Hebrews 11 shows promised to give him a child 18 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 19. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 19 and a legacy in his old age example of this unfolding (Gen. 15:5-6; Rom. 4:1-5; story is seen in the life Heb. 11:8-19). of a Roman military officer The author of Hebrews named Cornelius. In Acts began his New Testament 10, he is introduced to us as letter by saying that a devout man of prayer who throughout history God feared God and gave to the revealed Himself in many needs of others (vv.1-2). times and in many ways One of the reasons that (1:1-2). His point was that Cornelius is important to all of this self-disclosure this study is that he is an was moving toward the day example of a Gentile who when His own Son would had not heard about Christ step into history to reveal and yet was known by God. the love of God and then He was called “one who die for our sin (v.3). feared God” (v.2), which At that point in time, was a term used of Jewish the breaking news was that proselytes. So it appears that the Creator Himself had he was a Gentile who first personally visited our planet responded in faith when he (Jn. 1:1-3,14). After Christ came in contact with the died for our sin and rose God of the Jews. Then from the dead to prove it, sometime after the death He sent His followers out and resurrection of Christ, into the whole world with an angel from God appeared the message that God the to Cornelius in a vision and Father had sent His Son said, “Cornelius! . . . Your into the world, and that prayers and your alms have all who believed in Him come up for a memorial would be saved. before God” (vv.3-4). A New Testament In the events that 19 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 20. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 20 followed, the Scriptures gospel of Christ, some things describe how God sent the are clear. We’ve already apostle Peter to Cornelius seen that people will not and his family. Peter be condemned because they explained to the Roman have not heard about the officer that the God he life, death, and resurrection had been worshiping had of Christ. Those who are revealed Himself in Christ. condemned will be judged Cornelius and the rest of his because they have not household heard Peter say, responded to what God “To Him all the prophets has revealed about Himself witness that, through His through conscience and the name, whoever believes in eloquent witness of nature Him will receive remission (Rom. 1:18-21; 2:12-16). of sins” (Acts 10:43). In addition, it’s important This is just one example that we don’t make the of what is seen elsewhere in mistake of thinking that Scripture. Cornelius shows all lost people will suffer the God’s willingness to use same punishment. The Bible supernatural means, if shows that even though no necessary, to respond to one can earn his way to those who want to know heaven, the rewards of Him. believers (2 Cor. 5:10) How will those who and the punishments of have never heard the unbelievers (Rev. 20:13) will gospel of Christ be be a matter of degree based judged? While the Bible on works. Jesus Himself does not tell us everything taught the principle of we would like to know about judgment by degrees how God will judge those when He said: who have never heard the That servant who knew 20 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 21. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 21 his master’s will, and did If this is our concern, not prepare himself or do then we might also be according to his will, shall troubled by the fact that be beaten with many many people live with stripes. But he who did profound mental retardation not know, yet committed or disease that makes it things deserving of stripes, impossible for them to hear shall be beaten with few. and consider the good news For everyone to whom of Christ. Others die at a much is given, from him very early age. We all come much will be required; into the world with differing and to whom much has abilities and opportunities. been committed, of him they will ask the more (Lk. 12:47-48). God’s love Justice, by its very nature, must be just calls for varying degrees of reward or punishment. and His justice What if we find must be loving. ourselves struggling with issues of fairness? Some of us will undoubtedly Even among those who find ourselves struggling do hear the gospel, there are with the thought that God profound differences. Some has not given everyone an hear clearly about the love equal opportunity to hear of Christ from loving parents the message of Christ. We or godly spiritual leaders. may be deeply troubled by Others hear the message of the fact that not everyone Christ from those who abuse has had a chance to hear their power and exploit their the gospel. followers. 21 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 22. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 22 This is when, once again, HOW CAN we must trust the Judge of all the earth to do what is WE MAKE A right (Gen. 18:25). We don’t DIFFERENCE? A have it within ourselves to s we consider the resolve such problems. God question “What alone knows how to deal About Those Who with people in a manner Have Never Heard?” there is that allows for the choices another important question: they had in light of what What can we do to help they knew or didn’t know others once we know what about Him. Christ has done for us? Thankfully, we are left with more than just the People desperately statistics about those who need to hear that have never heard. There is Christ died for much that we can do. Let’s consider, for instance, four them, that He practical ways we can rose from the make a difference. dead to prove it, By Praying For Unbelievers. The first way and that He offers we can make a difference is forgiveness of sins by praying for those who do and everlasting life not yet believe in Christ. Once again we can learn to all who will from the apostle Paul when believe and he wrote: trust Him. Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and 22 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 23. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 23 giving of thanks be made brings honor to Him. for all men, for kings and • “intercessions”— all who are in authority, a word of involvement, that we may lead a quiet sympathy, and and peaceable life in all compassion for those godliness and reverence. who do not know God. For this is good and • “thanksgiving”—a spirit acceptable in the sight of gratitude to God for of God our Savior, who the saving gospel of desires all men to be Christ that can be saved and to come to the proclaimed to those knowledge of the truth who do not know Him. (1 Tim. 2:1-4). The apostle understood Paul wrote this while the influence of government giving counsel to a young on the mission of Christ. As pastor named Timothy. In a result, he urged Timothy to the process, the wise and maintain well-balanced seasoned apostle described prayers both for leaders and several kinds of evangelistic those living under authority, prayers. We are to offer: so that the people of God • “supplications”— “may lead a quiet and prayers arising from peaceable life in all a sense of need as we godliness and reverence.” realize the desperate Then, almost as a condition of the lost. surprising afterthought, Paul • “prayers”—a general made the statement that word for prayer that God “desires all men to be conveys an attitude of saved and to come to the awe and respect for knowledge of the truth” (v.4). God, recognizing that What did Paul mean the salvation of the lost by this comment? Was he 23 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 24. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 24 saying that all people will be compassionate desire will saved because that’s what never override the human God desires—even if they responsibility to respond. don’t believe in Christ? God wants everyone to say “yes” to Him, but many will say “no” instead. “For this is good As we pray, God wants us to reflect His desire for and acceptable in all people to be saved. He the sight of God wants us to pray not only our Savior, who for ourselves but also for those who don’t yet know desires all men Him, and for anything to be saved and that would enhance their to come to the receptivity to the gospel. By Helping To knowledge of Bring In The Harvest. the truth.” The Lord Jesus spoke of the 1 Timothy 2:3-4 mission of world evangelism in terms of the team effort it takes to harvest a crop: Such an interpretation Behold, I say to you, lift would not fit the rest of what up your eyes and look at Paul wrote. Instead, the the fields, for they are apostle was referring to the already white for heart of God. The God of harvest! (Jn. 4:35). compassion wants His own The harvest truly is people to live in peace. But plentiful, but the laborers He also has a deep love for are few. Therefore pray those who have not come the Lord of the harvest to to know His Son. That send out laborers into His 24 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 25. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 25 harvest (Mt. 9:37-38). rise by day, and the seed We are not called to should sprout and grow, carry out His mission he himself does not know alone. Bringing in the how. For the earth yields harvest is a team effort crops by itself: first the that God Himself is deeply blade, then the head, after interested in. Therefore, He that the full grain in the encourages us to look to head. But when the grain Him for the additional ripens, immediately he people and help that are puts in the sickle, because needed to supplement our the harvest has come. own prayers, interests, and This simple story reminds efforts. And in the process, us that growth of the seed to our Lord wants us to have maturity is similar to the an attitude that is far more growing receptivity within inspired than overwhelmed the heart of an unbeliever. by the task before us. Responsiveness to the Sowing The Seed. gospel takes time. As we Mark 4:26-29 adds continue to think about another word picture to those who have never heard, the illustration of harvesting we need to remember that a a crop, which helps us to person usually doesn’t think in even more basic understand the gospel in and strategic terms. one hearing. This gives us Speaking of our role in reason not only to provide bringing the gospel to our a one-time witness to our friends, the Lord said: friends but to invite them The kingdom of God is as into other environments, if a man should scatter where over time they can seed on the ground, and hear the good news of Jesus should sleep by night and Christ in different contexts. 25 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 26. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 26 Working And Waiting. he doesn’t dote over the In verse 27, Jesus reminded field. He attends to other His followers that the sower responsibilities, trusting in is not the one who brings time as his ally. about new life. Rather, he As we share our life and is one who “should sleep by faith with friends, time is our night and rise by day, and ally as well. It often takes the seed should sprout and time for nonbelievers to grow, he himself does not begin to grasp what the know how.” gospel means. Think of all Time can be an ally the experiences you have rather than an enemy to the gone through to develop farmer. The growth process your values and current occurs as he does what he view of the world. Yet can and then waits on the sometimes we expect normal processes of nature. unbelievers to change their He goes home at night and entire outlook on life after goes to sleep. Early in the hearing the gospel only morning he rises and once. Most people need takes care of other daily more time to come to an responsibilities. As he waits, awareness of their need the days turn into weeks and to a confidence in what and the weeks into months. Christ has done for them. During that time he Usually, the Lord of the removes hindrances to the harvest takes time to growth of his crop. He puts cultivate and grow such a fertilizer on the earth to conviction in those who are enrich its natural fertility moving toward Him. and he removes stubborn Honoring The Source weeds that rob the plants Of Growth. In verse 28, of food and moisture. But the Lord said that “the earth 26 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 27. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 27 yields crops by itself: first illustrate the initial signs the blade, then the head, of spiritual life within the after that the full grain in human heart. A genuine the head.” conversion is never just the independent response of an individual. At the heart of the process is the convicting Sometimes we and calling ministry of the expect unbelievers Holy Spirit, who makes the to change their Word come alive and stirs the heart of the unbeliever. entire outlook on God the Holy Spirit will life after hearing germinate the seed of the the gospel Word, though to us it looks like it produces “all by only once. itself.” The ultimate sign of ripe grain is the development of The word translated the “full grain in the head.” “by itself” is automatos If the farmer harvests too (from which we get the word soon, he will have an unripe automatic). This implies that crop. If he waits too long, it good seed depends on good will rot in the field. ground. The open heart Timing The Harvest. is the good ground that Verse 29 continues, “But produces fruit. The word for when the grain ripens, “blade” refers to those first immediately he puts in the appearances of a crop that sickle, because the harvest indicate growth is taking has come.” place. This process of Just as the plant shows natural growth seems to the farmer when it’s ripe 27 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 28. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 28 enough to harvest, so need to hear again. But unbelievers send signals that beyond our neighborhood they are ready to respond. is a world of other fields, In the ancient world, when the farmer saw the ripe grain beckoning to Reaching those him from the field, he who have never immediately ordered the harvest to begin. heard begins with This reminds us that as a down-to-earth, we do our part by waiting caring interest in on God, we also need to be alert and sensitive to the those who are right time to encourage the closest to us. people to make a decision to accept Christ. If we try to force their decision, we other teams of workers, can do damage. But if we and other strategies of continue to show them outreach. Here too we that we care, and look for have an important role. times to ask appropriate By Developing A questions, God Himself Global Perspective. will give us the wisdom we Just before Jesus ascended need to help them make the to heaven, He told His most important decision of followers: their life. You shall receive power We’ve just been talking when the Holy Spirit has about what we can do to come upon you; and you help those within our own shall be witnesses to Me sphere of influence who in Jerusalem, and in all haven’t heard or who may Judea and Samaria, and 28 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 29. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 29 to the end of the earth Organizations have (Acts 1:8). been set up to assist in The cause of Christ sending a larger number has been a global enterprise of missionaries to this very from its beginning. The needy part of the world. By strategy outlined by our giving, praying, or even Lord is simple but not easy. going, you too can help We are to depend on the accelerate this important Holy Spirit’s power as we outreach to “those who have witness to the life-changing never heard.” claims of Christ. Some of us We care about these will carry this out locally in people because all who have our own sphere of influence not heard and all who have (Jerusalem). Some of us heard without believing will will extend our witness to eventually give account of include a nearby region themselves to God. (Judea). Others will go to By Trusting In people of a different culture God’s Character. In (Samaria). And still others the last book of the Bible, will go to the “end of the the apostle John wrote: earth.” Then I saw a great white The largest concentration throne and Him who sat of people who haven’t heard on it, from whose face the the gospel of Jesus Christ are earth and the heaven fled located in a part of the away. And there was world often referred to as found no place for them. “The 10/40 Window”—a And I saw the dead, small region 10 degrees to 40 and great, standing before degrees north of the equator, God, and books were stretching from West Africa opened. And another book to East Asia. was opened, which is the 29 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 30. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 30 Book of Life. And the dead be rewarded according to were judged according to their faithfulness (1 Cor. their works, by the things 3:12-15; 2 Cor. 5:10), and which were written in the unbelievers will be given books. . . . Then Death appropriate punishment for and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone Once human not found written in the Book of Life was cast into independence the lake of fire (Rev. has been looked at 20:11-12,14-15). under the blinding A loving, all-wise God is the only One who has the searchlight of God’s character to carry out such scrutiny, all will judgment. He alone knows realize they have all that we could have done and all that we actually did. been treated fairly. He alone understands the mitigating circumstances of each act. And He alone is a the lives they have led (Rev. God of complete justice as 20:13). Eternal life can be well as mercy. received only as a gift, Once human but both believers and independence has been unbelievers will be held looked at under the blinding accountable to God for how searchlight of God’s scrutiny, they responded to Him. all will realize they have been treated fairly. In their own moment of accountability, believers will 30 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 31. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 31 HAVE YOU standard of righteousness REALLY HEARD? (Rom. 3:23). The terrible consequence of this is that W hen we were we are separated from a children, many holy God (Rom. 6:23). of us heard But the Bible also says frustrated parents asking that because of God’s deep if we really heard their compassion for us, He reminder to finish an unwanted chore. We may have claimed to have heard, “All have sinned but our attitude and actions said otherwise. and fall short As you have read this of the glory of God booklet, you may have . . . . For the wages thought about your own response to the gospel. of sin is death, but Have you heard it? And if so, the gift of God is how have you responded? eternal life in Christ It’s easy to put off making a decision. And this Jesus our Lord.” becomes an even greater Romans 3:23; 6:23 tendency when eternal consequences are at stake. But God wants us to make became a man and allowed a decision about His Son. Himself to be nailed to a The gospel is a simple cross to pay the penalty for but heart-penetrating truth. our sin (1 Pet. 3:18). The Bible tells us that all of It’s not enough just to us have sinned and fallen know these great truths. short of God’s perfect We must respond to them 31 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 32. Q0605 Never Heard 2col pp 4/10/06 8:39 AM Page 32 by personal choice. The Jesus Christ has come into Scriptures tell us, “As many your life and given you the as received Him, to them gift of eternal life (1 Jn. 5:12- He gave the right to become 13). Can you think of children of God, to those anyone you’d like to share who believe in His name” your new discovery with? (Jn. 1:12). Will you respond to this spiritual light God has “He who has the placed before you? Right now you can go to God in Son has life; he prayer and express the who does not have desire of your heart. Receive the Son of God the Savior’s forgiveness and His gift of eternal life with does not have life. Him. These things I have It can be expressed in written to you who a simple prayer like this: Jesus, I know I’m a believe in the name sinner and can’t save of the Son of God, myself. Thank You for that you may know dying on the cross to pay the penalty for my sin. I that you have receive You as my Savior eternal life.” and Lord. Take control of 1 John 5:12-13 my life and make me the kind of person You want me to be. Remember, there are people Did you pray that prayer? all around you who still Were you sincere? If so, you haven’t heard the saving can have the assurance that gospel of Jesus Christ. 32 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 33. Get your free Bible Resources catalog! Discovery Series booklets can be valuable guides to help you learn what the Bible says about a broad range of topics. Each 32-page booklet can be used in your personal Bible study or in a small-group setting. Your free Bible Resources catalog includes a brief description of each Discovery Series booklet. To get your copy, write to us at the address below and ask for a catalog. Or follow the link below to request your copy today. www.discoveryseries.org/catalog USA: PO Box 2222, Grand Rapids, MI 49501-2222 Canada: Box 1622, Windsor, ON N9A 6Z7