Frankly Answered Questions - FAQs

How can God condemn people who never heard of Jesus?

Q: I have a friend at college who is a new Christian and is questioning her beliefs. She had a question that I didn't know how to answer (at least, not in a way that she was able to accept). Why would a loving God allow whole civilizations (e.g. native Americans) to never have the opportunity to know him. Also, how can condemning them to hell be justified when they were never given a chance to accept Christ as their savior?

A: The answer to your question is found in Romans 1:18-2:16. In this passage Paul says that all men and women do know God (1:19-21) and yet they intentionally suppress the truth, so that they can live for themselves. Also all people have some sense of right and wrong written on their hearts (2:15), yet even though they know what is right, they continue to do evil. Because everyone knows there is a God and knows right from wrong Paul says "they are without excuse" (Romans 1:20).

A second answer to your question is that many people who lived in places where the gospel has never reached still know about Jesus, because God revealed it to them. There is a great book on this called "Eternity in Their Hearts" by Don Richardson (available in our church library) with stories of people from unreached tribes who knew about Jesus as a result of a vision or other means. A basic principle is that if we live up to the light we have, God will give more light. Unfortunately most people never live up to what they know and they do not seek God (Romans 3:11). But those who do seek God will receive more light.

A third answer to the question is that it implies that God is somehow unjust in condemning people who never heard about Jesus. This is not really fair to God. God does not condemn people because they reject Jesus. He condemns people because they are rebels, sinners, and rejecters of Him -- born that way from the moment of birth and prove it throughout their lives. In a real sense, God just gives every man or woman exactly what they ask for: "I want to live my life without God." On the day of judgment God says, "If that's what you want then that's what you will receive. I am love, joy, peace, light, hope, security, pleasure, and refreshment. I will now send you to a place where I am NOT." We call this place hell.

A fourth answer to your question is that people who bring up this question are seldom interested in unreached people. It is usually raised as an objection to Christianity, so that the person doesn’t have to personally deal with their decision about God. If unreached people aren’t accountable to God, then there is probably hope for the person asking the question to get by without dealing with Jesus. If a person is so concerned about people knowing Jesus, then why are they debating God's fairness when they should be telling others about His Son. Two thousand years ago Jesus said, "Go into all the nations and proclaim the good news" (Matthew 28:19). After two thousand years that mission is still unaccomplished. Why? Because men and women have been too self centered to fulfill the mission. After all this time it's really not God's fault that people don't know. It's ours.

I hope some of this is helpful as your speak with your friend.