What Happens with Those Who have Never Heard of Jesus?

The Bible presents a problem. It tells us that we have failed God on a moral level, and because of such, we fall short of His glory (Romans 3:23). This is speaking to all people on Planet Earth.

The Bible also presents a solution. It tells us that God became a man and came to earth and died for our sins (moral failures). Jesus took our place of punishment so that we might have eternal life. This is John 3:16 in a nutshell. But then the question becomes, how do we become saved? Is there anything we must do? The answer is found in Romans 10:9, which says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, then you will be saved.”

So there is the basic problem and the basic solution that the Bible presents. Now the question is, How do people have their sins forgiven if they have never heard of Jesus? The Bible is even black and white on this: “Jesus said, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life; No one comes to the Father but through me’” (John 14:6). In other words, we cannot come to where the Father dwells (heaven) unless it is through Jesus alone. Jesus is the only ticket on the train to heaven. Further, 1 John 5:11-12 says, “This is the testimony, that God has given to us eternal life. This life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; He who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” In other words, one must have Jesus in order to inherit eternal life. Without Him, one will inherit eternal death.

So what happens with those who have never heard of Jesus? For one thing, one must assume that there are people who have never heard of Jesus. I have also written about this in another blog post, but I feel elaboration is necessary here. Assuming that there are people who have never heard of Jesus is what will be addressed here.

The Bible teaches that no one has an excuse when it comes to believing that God exists (See Romans 1:20). In other words, because there is something (the trees, chickens, mountains, coral, and matter in general), there had to have been a cause for something to exist. The idea is that God is that cause. Whether you call Him an alien or Allah, there had to be a cause for the existence of any material substance. There has to be a transcendent being (God) that is outside of the material universe in order for it to exist. Otherwise, God would have created Himself, which is absurd. So we do not have an excuse to not believe in a transcendent being because we have a material universe.

There is something, rather than nothing at all. This brings us to the conclusion that there must be a God. Even a person who has never come to the knowledge of Jesus would have to acknowledge This. It is a natural conclusion.

Now how do we know which God is the true God? There cannot be more than one true God, because if there were more than one, how would you tell them apart? God, by the definition of the title “God” must be all-powerful, all-knowing, morally perfect, and many other things of this nature, or He would not be God. We know that God exists, but how can we know anything about Him? The Bible teaches something that many people seem to miss, or forget to include.

8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged (John 16:8-11).

In this passage, Jesus teaches that the Holy Spirit will convict the world concerning sin, righteousness and judgment. It is an internal working of the Holy Spirit. He does not come door to door for several reasons, but mainly because He has access to everyone in their inner being. So in this conviction from the Holy Spirit, one will be lead to want to make himself right with God. When a person realizes that he or she has done something wrong, it is in human nature to do something about it. We often try to hide what we have done wrong, but how do we hide this from a person who has access to our inner being? The point is, we can’t. Knowing that God exists, and because He is all-knowing (or He wouldn’t be God), He must know what we have done, what we think, what we will do, and what we wish to do. The conviction from the Holy Spirit (God), brings us face to face with our own sin. It brings us to the point of desperation to make things right if we do not push Him away (blasphemy of the Holy Spirit). With this desperation, we will come to seek God. Jesus says in Matthew 7:7 that if we ask, then we will receive; if we seek, then we will find; and if we knock, the door will be opened. This is what will happen out of our desperation to make things right: We will knock. We will ask. We will seek after God.

Because the Holy Spirit has access to all people, there are none who slip past Him. Romans 1:18 teaches that there are those who suppress the truth by their unrighteousness. In order to suppress the truth, it must first be presented to them. This points to the work of the Holy Spirit in John 16 mentioned above. Because "God is love" (1 John 4:8), there aren't any whom He would pass up. Therefore, the only ones who have not heard are those who suppress the truth (Romans 1:18), because the Holy Spirit convicts everyone.

To sum, a knowledge of God is known because we see His creation (Romans 1:20). The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins (John 16;8-11), which leads us to make a decision about this (to blaspheme or not; i. e. to suppress the truth or not). Finally, when we seek after God, the Bible teaches us that we will find Him (Matthew 7:7-8): The one, true God, and Jesus Christ, whom He has sent (John 17:3). This is the purpose of life, and the answer to the question of what happens with those who have never heard of Jesus.

“And this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” –John 17:3

Written by Nace Howell through the grace of the Lord Jesus

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