What about those Who Never Got the Chance to Hear about Jesus?

I believe we have made much emphasis on that salvation is found in Christ alone. That there is no one who can or qualifies to grace the heavenly gates except through the One and only Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. The good question, however, is what about those who didn’t hear this Good News? I mean those who lived and died centuries before the Messiah came. Or perhaps those who currently live in remote areas where even civilization has not yet visited them. Say, for example, the San people in the Kalahari Desert, the Surma tribe in Ethiopia and the Sentinelese people in the forests of India. The reality on the ground is that those people do not have the chance nor the privilege of rejecting or accepting the news of salvation because they have no one to tell them. So how would the Almighty send such people to heaven since salvation is by Christ alone? Or how can the good Lord send such people to hell punishment while they didn’t get a chance to hear about Jesus in the first place?

Well, this question sounds like the unsolvable equation, however, I don’t think it’s that hard if we all understand the nature of man, in terms of sin. Unless you believe that humans are naturally born good, then you may have grounds to give the Khoisans a free pass to heaven because of their inherent “goodness” before God. However, if you are like me, having read in my Bible that before God there is none righteousness, not even one (Psa 14:2-3). “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,and in sin did my mother conceive me,” So lamented David. How about this one which says “truly the hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live…” (Ecle 9:6)? Therefore, because of that, we can understand that all men (bushmen of citymen) are naturally dead and on their way to hell – deservedly so? Here is another Bible passage to close this argument once and for all…

Romans 1:19-22 - For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

Explain: the passage explains how God deals with a person who has never been told about God, for example, our Khoi Khoi guys. It says that they actually know that God exists through the things that are made. It means through creation, they can learn about the existence of the Creator; His power and divine nature – it’s all plain to them. That is called general revelation (knowledge about God through nature). However, their great sin is that they do not use that revelation about the Almighty to seek Him; to glorify Him as God or even to give Him thanks. Instead, they decide to reject that God, to darken their hearts against that light until they exchange that immortal God and start worshipping idols, other humans, birds and animals.

This, therefore, is the basis of judgment. God will render to every man, Bushman or Cityman, their fair share of punishment. That is how justice works. Hence we can now biblically answer our initial question: those who never got the chance to hear about Jesus will die and be justly punished for their sins. The only difference – I believe – between them and us is that we will be punished more severely than them because we hear the Gospel every day yet reject it. This is what our Lord likened to a servant who will be beaten by many stripes, because we have more knowledge of the Master's will (Luk 12:47-48).

One may also ask about the disabled. For example, what about a man who is deaf and dumb or even the mentally challenged? Such a person may not have the ability to repent and trust in Jesus as some of us do. How will God save or condemn such people? Answer: I admit that Scripture is nearly silent about such scenarios, however, I think we can rest on the fact that our God is wise; He will always do what is good in His sight (2 Sam 10:12). It’s not for us to know the secret counsels of His eternal will.

My writing is towards the end. My goal was to make it clear to you that there is no innocent man somewhere on the planet who will automatically enter heaven. Jesus is the only Name given among man by which we must be saved (Act 4:12). Hopefully knowing this will also stir your heart to play your part in being the beautiful feet that bring the Good News, even to the most primitive bushmen somewhere deep in the forest. Gracias mi amigos.

Sinothi Ncube

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