What Happens to those who never hear the gospel?

Four Unorthodox Views

Pluralism: “All roads lead to God.”

There is only One True God (Deut. 6:4)

Worship of any other God is a sin (Exod. 20:3)

Salvation comes only through Jesus (Acts. 4:12)

Universalism: “The God of the Bible will eventually be save everyone.”

One must be born again to be saved (John 3:3)

Being born again comes only when faith is placed in Jesus (John 3:16, 18)

Inclusivism: “All will have the possibility of being saved through Jesus, even if it is in the afterlife.”

The bible speaks specifically about belief in Jesus being necessary (Acts 16:31, Acts 10:43)

The Bible excludes the possibility of a “second opportunity” in the afterlife (Heb. 9:28)

Annihilationism: “Those who aren’t saved will just cease to exist.”

Jesus taught about the reality of hell (Matt. 5:22, 29-30, 10:28, 18:8)

Jesus tells the parable of the rich man who went to hell (Luke 16:28)

What Does the Bible Say

Our sin has separated us from God.

None are innocent (Rom. 3:23, Ps. 53:1-3, Ps. 14:3, James 2:10)

We were spiritually dead (Eph 2:1-3, 13)

Dead

Following the course of this world

Followed

Passions of the flesh

Desires of the body mind

Children of wrath

no hope (Eph. 2:13)

Notice: “...ike the rest of mankind.” Eph. 2:3

Ephesians 2:3 ESV

among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

Our sin is like a disease, in which everyone desperately needs a cure.

We need our sins paid for in order to be restored to God.

The wage is death (Rom. 6:23)

We needed a sacrifice (Heb. 9:22). A cure for our disease.

God sent his Son, Jesus, to die as the payment for our sin. (1 John 4:14, John 1:14, John 3:16, 1 Cor. 15:3-4)

He is the only way (John 14:6)

He is the cure

We receive this free gift of salvation by faith/belief in Jesus. (Rom. 6:23, Eph. 2:8-9, Acts 16:31, John 3:3-18)

We must receive the cure

Those who have never heard the gospel, also need these cure! So how will they get it?

All have a knowledge of God and his law (Rom. 1:19-20) This however, is not enough to save.

God promises that those who seek him will find him (Jer. 29:13, Deut. 4:29, Prov. 8:17, Heb. 11:6)

They must believe the Gospel.

Some have supposed this may happen through...

A dream.

A vision.

A revelation from the Holy Spirit.

An angel

These are possible, but the Bible does not give us any certainty that these things will happen.

God’s revealed means of taking the gospel to those who have not heard, is through people.

We must take this message to the rest of the world.

The disease of sin is a true pandemic. It has infected the whole world.

Jesus is the cure.

Jesus gave us the mission of taking the gospel to the rest of the world, so they can be saved as well (Matt. 28:19, Mark 16:15, Acts 1:8)

Jesus is the only hope (Eph. 2:13)

Paul’s argument: (Rom. 10:13-14)

If missionaries aren’t sent, they hear the gospel.

If the lost don’t hear the gospel, they won’t know about Jesus.

If they don’t know about Jesus, they can’t call on him (believe in him) for salvation.

If they don’t believe in him, they cannot be saved.