Those Who Never Hear the Gospel

Last week’s study notes was about those who hear the gospel but reject or ignore it. This week I want to discuss a difficult question that causes many to stumble when trying to understand it or when trying to answer it in regards to forgiveness from God. 

The questions is…  

What about those who have never hear about Christ or God?

I believe the question about hearing is the wrong question and here’s why…

While it may be possible to not know about Christ, the Bible tells us it’s not possible to not know about God.

No excuses about knowing God. 

God made himself known to man from the very start when he walked in the Garden with Adam and Eve. So, even if you never heard of the Bible, or Adam and Eve, or of Christ Jesus there’s still no excuse for not knowing God because he makes himself known to everyone through his creations, our moral compass, and our inherent desire to seek him. 

Romans 1:18-20,

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse”

Romans 2:15, speaks to our moral compass…

“the requirements of the law [what is right and wrong] are written on their hearts”. 

While some may reject it, all people know that a God exists, and even though they may choose to not follow it, there is written on their heart a moral standard of right and wrong.

As a side note and as I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, I don’t believe there is such a thing as an Atheist, only people who have rejected, not denied, the fact that God is real.  

Everyone will have the opportunity to know God either explicitly, meaning directly told, or implicitly through his creations and our moral compass. 

And whether we like it or not, the Bible is clear that all, everyone, regardless of what they know or don’t know, will be judged.

2 Corinthians 5:10 

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. 

So, all will be judged on their faith. Some will have been explicitly told. While others with only implicit knowledge will sort of figure it out on their own, believing in and doing what they think is right. Nonetheless, all will be judged. 

Think of it this way. Two people from a bush tribe in Africa are taken out of the bush and are shown a car. One person is trained on how to use the car and the rules that apply to driving. The other person is left to figure it out herself. She watches how others are driving, the rules they are following and to the best of her knowledge she determines how to handle the car. Now let’s assume they both do something wrong. The one who was trained did something he knew was wrong. The other driver didn’t know it was wrong when she did it. Unfortunately, in both instances someone died. Both will be tried in court, both will be found guilty.

You might say, “That’s not fair, he knew it was wrong but she didn’t.” When it comes to judgement not having explicit knowledge of the law is not an acceptable defense. If you break the law you are going to be found guilty for the choices you made. Everyone will be judged and will go to heaven or hell depending on what they do with their explicit knowledge about Christ or their implicit knowledge about God.  

Romans 2 verses 11-16,

For God shows no partiality. For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature [by their moral compass] do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work [requirement] of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

In today’s terms if they don’t explicitly hear about Christ there is an implicit knowledge  by which they will be judged. Look again at verses 13,  

For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.

Therefore, everyone will be judged by the law. 

Keep in mind we are talking only about those who never hear about Christ. God still reveals himself to them through his creation and our moral compass. Where it gets confusing is when Christ says no one comes to the father except through me. So there appears to be a path through Christ that’s somehow linked to the implicit knowledge of God. Therein lies the mystery at the heart of this debate.

Let’s go back to the accident example. Both people will be found guilty because they both broke the law. But, they broke the law under different intentions. So, while they both are guilty, will they both receive the same penalty? That's the mystery which we likely cannot explain. It depends on Romans 2:11-16 and only God can make that determination.

That leads me to a different question about hell for those who aren't justified (forgiven). Will there be different negative consequences for rejection with explicit knowledge versus rejection with only implicit knowledge?

In both instances the one who rejects is going to hell, for eternity. But what then?

The Bible says there are different rewards in heaven so I got to wondering if there were different levels of consequences in hell?

Different Levels of Hell?

Turn to Luke 12:41-48 

Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know [his master’s will], and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.

Both of the servant’s received a beating for doing the wrong thing, however, the one who knew and rejected got a more severe beating than the one who did not know. 

Several scholars point to these verses to suggest there are different levels of torture in hell just like there are different rewards in heaven. 

I don’t know if that is correct or not but it does show that the judgement is the same, they both got a beating. But the consequences were different depending on what they knew. One got a severe beating whilst the other received a light beating. 

A final note, 

Matthew 7:21-23, 

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I [Jesus] will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

The law did not go away with the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. The law is still at the root of salvation. 

It’s the law that tells us we are sinners and that we need to place our faith and trust in Christ to be forgiven. And for those who never hear about Christ, it is the law that will be used to test their hearts and faith in God.

Everyone will have to make a choice but that choice will be much easier when they have explicit knowledge of Christ and His forgiveness. So, take every opportunity to share with everyone you know about the greatest gift ever given…salvation through Christ Jesus.