Those Who Haven

What About Those Who Haven't Heard?

By: Erick Nelson
Last Updated: October 9, 2000

Introduction

This is intended as an orderly account of what I think about this issue, in response to a friend's question. It's not intended as a proof, and so I don't footnote scripture very much. This is certainly a worthwhile topic, and I'm sure others have provided more satisfying and comprehensive answers. I'm open to discussion.

Question

The majority of people that are living and have existed are/were not Christian. Is the majority wrong? Is it possible for one to be accepted by God without believing in Jesus? Or are all those living in countries not so exposed to the gospel doomed? (China, Japan, Iraq, etc.)

Principles

I'll just state these principles at the outset. I don't think there should be a lot of debate about them, so I don't back them up with a lot of scripture references.

1. God loves every person and earnestly wants every person to become whole and to be saved. This is explicitly stated more than once, and is implied by Jesus' words and actions throughout.

2. The Bible is a practical document. It is not particularly written for "those who haven't heard", but rather - since it's a vehicle for correcting that situation! - it's written for those who have heard. Thus, we should not expect to see a lot of emphasis on this topic.

3. God speaks to everybody's heart, all the time. He's constantly saying, "Come to me. Listen to My Son. Heed my Spirit. Love truth and do what's right. etc." in every situation. And we are always saying "Yes" and "No" to these tuggings at our heart. And, as these choices shape our lives (although He can and does break through impasses in dramatic ways), our Lives eventually say "Yes" and "No" to our creator.

The Great Caricature

Some people think that our salvation depends on being a member of the "right religion" - essentially, signing on the dotted line of some organization. This is not my position. In fact, I don't think there is one "true" organization to join.

Some people think that precisely those are saved who claim to be saved. But Jesus said that many would come claiming to represent him who were wolves among sheep. And that others who thought they were part of him who weren't really ("I never knew you").

Similarly, some think that those are saved who have memorized the right formulas and (at least verbally) accept them. Save as above.

None of these are my position.

Those Who Haven't Heard

Those Who Haven't Heard at All

In Romans, Paul says that those who don't know the Law will be judged according to what they know. Jesus talks about greater and lesser punishments and rewards according to the understanding the person had.

It is clear to me that those who haven't heard the Gospel can't, in a direct sense, either accept or reject Jesus. The question is, are they doomed to hell because of this? I think that they are not. This issue is part of the debate between Calvanism and Arminianism, which I can't get into here.

As C.S. Lewis portrays in The Last Battle [1] (the Calormene boy who serves Tash, the false god), I strongly believe it's possible for God to establish a relationship with a person, who says "Yes" to him even when he thinks he's serving another. When that person meets Jesus, he will recognize Him as the One who has been calling, and will joyously embrace Him. On the other hand, when the person who has been rejecting that Voice all his life meets Jesus, he will want to run from Him.

Lewis says that there are two kinds of people, those who say to God "Thy will be done", and those to whom God says "Thy will be done." How could anyone not want to live in heaven, given the choice? Lewis addresses this wonderfully in The Great Divorce.

Those Who Have Heard, But Not Really

I have sometimes heard "Gospel" presentations that, in my opinion, change the meaning of the Gospel so much as to be false gospels. Each presents a false picture of Jesus. What about those who have rejected a False Jesus? The Legalistic Jesus, the Hateful Jesus, the Stupid Jesus, the Insipid Jesus, ..., name your own.

Let's take the picture of Jesus as the one who wants to bring you down, tie you up, and make your life miserable; who wants you not to think for yourself but to just do what you're told; who talks about love but doesn't want you to really practice it; you primarily wants your money. What if I say to this Jesus, I won't follow you? Am I really rejecting Jesus when I reject this one? I am not. In fact, if God is constantly whispering in my ear, He is certainly saying "Don't accept that version of me!"

I don't want to point to definite examples, but I'd say in general that the Jesus we present is often, if not a false Jesus, then an inadequate one. And the person who rejects our message is not rejecting Jesus, but saying "Yes" to God's voice.

When it is all said and done, many of those who appear to be Christians don't really know Jesus and those who appear not to be Christians are following the best they can. Maybe that's what Jesus meant when he said there'd be some surprises in heaven, and that many of the first would be last and vice versa. Only God can sort this out for sure.

Christianity and Other Religions

Lewis points out in Mere Christianity that a Christian doesn't have to believe that all other religions are simply wrong, but the Atheist has to believe that they are completely wrong in postulating God's existence.

The all have elements in truth in them, some more and some less. Judaism can be viewed as true as long as it's seen as part of the greater picture. Islam, insofar as it has points in common with Christianity, has true principles. Buddhism, Hinduism, etc. stress renunciation from transitory goods to achieve some greater good.

Christianity and the World

The picture of a small island of "Christians" geographically separated from a multiplicity of religions, was true at one time (the first 50 years of Christianity), but has not been quite accurate since. The original apostles themselves, according to the best evidence we have, traveled to India (Thomas), the Far East, Persia, and Africa. Since then, a vigorous (if not always enlightened) missionary effort has undertaken to tell people in distant lands about Jesus.

I have more than once heard missionaries from the other countries who pity Americans for their luke-warm, lazy, indifferent approach to their Master. There's lots of activity going on all over the world.

Regarding the issue of those who lived before Christianity, I remember reading somewhere (some census-related article) that the majority of people of people who ever lived on this planet were born after 1900, and that the vast majority were born after Jesus.

This brings us to the question, "Why did God wait so long to send His Son?" One speculation is that this was the first time the world was truly united by common roads and language (the Roman Empire). Ironically enough, the opposite question seems to trouble a great number of people, "How can I believe that Jesus was real when it happened so long ago, in pre-scientific times?" (the problem both of (a) historiography and (b) the supposed naivete, superstion, and ignorance of people "back then."

Reality-Based Living

The issue is not just what will or will not get us into heaven (although that is certainly an important issue), but "How should we conduct our lives?" I don't believe that Faith is the same as make-believe. On the contrary, I think we should live reality-based lives.

As Paul the Apostle implies in 1 Corinthians - If Jesus is really the Son of God and risen from the dead, then it's true; otherwise it's false - as simple as that. If it's true, then embracing it and learning to know Him will bring us closer to reality and inform our lives. If it's false, then to follow Jesus would be to follow a falsehood and would result in misery.

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Footnotes

[1] From The Last Battle, C.S. Lewis:

Emeth the Calormene: "So I went over much grass and many flowers and among all kinds of wholesome and delectable trees till lo! in a narrow place between two rocks there came to meet me a great Lion. The speed of him was like the ostrich, and his size was an elephant's; his hair was like pure gold and the brightness of his eyes, like gold that is liquid in the furnace. He was more terrible than the Flaming Mountain of Lagour, and in beauty he surpassed all that is in the world, even as the rose in bloom surpasses the dust of the desert. Then I fell at his feet and thought, Surely this is the hour of death, for the Lion (who is worthy of all honour) will know that I have served Tash all my days and not him. Nevertheless, it is better to see the Lion and die than to be Tisroc of the world and live and not to have seen him. But the Glorious One bent down his golden head and touched my forehead with his tongue and said, Son, thou art welcome.

But I said, Alas, Lord, I am no son of Thine but the servant of Tash. He answered, Child, all the service thou has done to Tash, I account as service done to me. Then by reason of my great desire for wisdom and understanding, I overcame my fear and questioned the Glorious One and said, Lord, is it then true, as the Ape said, that thou and Tash are one? The Lion growled so that the earth shook (but his wrath was not against me) and said, It is false. Not because he and I are one, but because we are opposites. I take to me the services which thou hast done to him, for I and he are of such different kinds that no service which is vile can be done to me, and none which is not vile can be done to him. Therefore if a man swear by Tash and keep his oath for the oath's sake, it is by me that he has truly sworn, though he know it not, and it is I who reward him. And if any man do a cruelty in my name, then though he says the name Aslan, it is Tash whom he serves and by Tash his deed is accepted."