“What about those who have never heard the gospel?”

October 2016 – Grace & Truth Magazine

QUESTION: What about those who have never heard the gospel?

ANSWER: Scripture provides the simple answer: “They are without excuse” (Rom. 1:20 ESV ). This verse explains that what can be known about God is plain to them for God has shown it to them in “the things that have been made.” Connected with this thought, Psalm 19:1-4 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God ... There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.”

The psalmist, writing thousands of years ago when human knowledge was much more limited than it is today, realized that living things also reveal the handiwork of God. He said, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made ... Your eyes saw my unformed substance ... when as yet there was none” (139:13-16). What an apt way of summarizing the elaborate process whereby a single cell forms the multi-cellular organs of the body – one can be spiritually blind and yet “see” God at work in conception and birth!

God also spoke to people in Bible times. “The law was given by Moses ... grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (Jn. 1:17). Noah was a righteous man to whom God spoke (Gen. 6:9,13); and Abraham “believed God and it was counted to Him as righteousness” (15:6). Today, often using modern methods of communications, the truth necessary to be saved is being preached and many are coming to the knowledge of the truth. Unfortunately, others are rejecting the truth they hear.

The knowledge scientists have of living things and the universe should lead them to become seekers of God. However, many have been indoctrinated into atheism or have been entangled by the non-essentials that are often preached about as being requisites for believing. There is today an outstanding scientist who was raised by atheistic parents and had no “religious instruction.” The more he studied the process we call “life,” the more convinced he became that the complexity of it had to be understood as the product of divine power – of a Creator. A scientist who is naturally inquisitive would then seek to know more about that Creator. God promises that such seeking will be rewarded. His Word says, “Blessed are those ... who seek [God] with their whole heart. This scientist did that and became a believer! Of course, one does not need to be a scientist to seek God.

The fact is all have indeed “heard” and therefore are “without excuse” (Rom. 1:20). Yet, this does not excuse believers from their responsibility to make the truth known. The Word says: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved ... [but] how than will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? ... And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent” (Rom. 10:13-15). If we are Christ’s disciples, each of us has a gift to use (Eph. 4:7) and each of us is indeed “sent” (Mt. 28:19).

Answered by Alan H. Crosby