Big Topics Big Answers Pt 3 What Happens to People Who Have Never Heard the Gospel?

Big Topics Big Answers Pt 3 – What About Those Who Have Never Heard the Gospel?

• • “A major concern in the Christian doctrine of hell is the fate of the unreached. If someone can only be saved by the work of Jesus, and they can only respond to Jesus by hearing the gospel (Romans 10:14), that does not mean those who have never heard the gospel are damned through no fault of their own. The Assemblies of God does not believe that someone will go to hell because they were born in the wrong country or the wrong century.”

• “God has revealed His goodness by His works (Romans 1:18–23, 25) 
• so that all may acknowledge Him as Creator (Acts 14:15–17). 
• God saves all who repent of their sins and trust in Jesus.” 
• “God does not unfairly condemn the unevangelized because they have not heard the gospel.
•  Rather, they are judged by their works against the light they have had available to them (Romans 2:11–16).” 1

I. The Problem of the Unreached

• A. The Question: What happens to those who have never heard of Jesus and the Gospel?
• B. Assemblies of God Belief: People are not condemned for being born in the “wrong” place or time.
• C. God’s Revelation: God has revealed His goodness through His works (Romans 1:18-23, 25).
• D. Salvation: God saves those who repent and trust in Jesus.
• E. Judgment: The unevangelized are judged by their works, based on the light available to them (Romans 2:11-16).
• F. The 10/40 Window: 3.3 billion people who have yet to hear the Gospel.
  • Only 3.3% of Christian missionaries focus on unreached people groups.
• G. Christian Responsibility: Christians have a responsibility to spread the Gospel.

II. Addressing Assumptions and Misconceptions

A. Misconception: God has only chosen some for salvation (Hypercalvinism).

a. Tenets of Hypercalvinism:

• Total Depravity
• Unconditional Election (predestination for some)
• Limited Atonement (Jesus died only for the elect)
• Irresistible Grace (the elect must say yes)
• Perseverance of the Saints (the elect cannot fall away)

III. God’s Grace in Different Eras

A. Unique Time in Redemptive History: Salvation is available to go to heaven

B. The Time Before the Cross: People had faith without knowledge of Jesus.

• This period is longer than the time after Jesus.

C. Incomplete Knowledge: Some may be saved with incomplete knowledge.

• Matthew 13:16-17: Prophets longed to see what we see.

D. Responding in Faith: Responding to God through:

• Creation
• God’s Accessibility: Jeremiah 29:13-14: Seeking God with all your heart.

IV. The Role of Missions and God’s Sovereignty

A. Misconception: Many will go to hell because missions is up to people, and people fail

B. Misseo Dei: The Mission is God’s.

• The Church will not fail (Matthew 16:18).
• God’s Mission: Sharing God’s love with the world.
• God as the First Missionary: From the Garden to the Cross to the Great Commission.
• Our Role: We join God in mission; we don’t replace Him.

V. Example: Cornelius (Acts 10)

A. Cornelius’s Vision: An angel tells him God remembers his prayers and alms.

B. Peter’s Summons: Cornelius sends for Peter.

C. God’s Action: Both Peter and Cornelius see God’s hand in bringing them together.

D. The Gospel Preached: Gentiles receive the Holy Spirit and are baptized.

VI. Significance of Cornelius’s Story

A. God’s Initiative: God moves to bring the Gospel to those ready to receive it.

B. Knowledge of God: People outside Israel had some knowledge of God.

C. Examples of God’s Revelation to Non-Israelites:

• Pharaoh (Genesis 41:25)
•  2 Chronicles 9:16: God strengthens those fully committed to Him
• God’s Unrecorded Actions: We can’t deny what God may have done globally
• Acts 14:16-17: God’s testimony through nature and kindness.
• Judgment: God may judge nations by the light they had.

VII. Accountability and Knowledge

A. No Judgment for Ignorance: No one is judged for not obeying revelation they didn’t have.

B. Increased Accountability: “The more knowledge you have of God’s will, the more you are accountable for doing it.”

C. Lesser Punishment for Ignorance: Luke 12:48: Those who don’t know will be punished lightly.

D. Sin of Omission: James 4:17: Knowing good and not doing it is sin.

E. Why Preach the Gospel?: Despite the lighter sentence for ignorance.

F. Judgment by Knowledge and Conscience: We are judged by the truth we have access to and by our conscience.

• Dangers: Seared conscience, deceitful heart, self-deception.

G. General Revelation: All have access to the Knowledge of God.

H. Can Ignorance Hurt You? YES!

• Need for the Holy Spirit: To empower and lead to freedom.

VIII. Romans 1:18-23 – Knowledge of God is Universal

A. Wrath of God: Revealed against godlessness and wickedness.

B. God Made it Plain: What can be known about God is plain.

C. Creation Reveals God: God’s attributes are visible, leaving people without excuse.

IX. Romans 2:14-16 – Gentiles and the Law

A. Gentiles Fulfilling the Law: They do by nature what the law requires.

B. Law Written on Hearts: Their conscience bears witness.

C. Conflicting Thoughts: Accuse or excuse them.

D. God Judges Secrets: God judges everyone’s secret life through Christ.

E. Elements Experienced by Gentiles:

• Instinctive knowledge of the law
• God Reveals Himself Through
  • Creation, Conscience, His Word, a witness
  • Accountability: No room for excuses on judgment day.

X. Conclusion

A. Punishment Based on Knowledge: “God always punishes people because of what they know and fail to believe and obey.”

B. Universal Knowledge of God: All people “know God,” even without the Bible (Romans 1:19).

C. How They Know God: Through creation and conscience (Romans 1:19-20).

D. Suppression of Truth: People resist and exchange the truth (Romans 1:18, 21, 23).

E. Without Excuse: They are guilty and deserve punishment (Romans 1:20).

XI. God’s Justice and Righteousness

A. Genesis 18: Abraham’s Intercession for Sodom.

B. God as Judge: Abraham calls God “The Judge of all the earth.”

C. God Deals Justly: He will not treat the righteous and wicked alike.

D. “Tzedek”: The Hebrew word for justice and righteousness means “straight.”

E. God’s Integrity: God never deviates from what is right.

Citations:

https://ag.org/Beliefs/Position-Papers/Final-Judgment#:~:text=A%20major%20concern%20in%20the,no%20fault%20of%20their%20own.