This question is vitally important as Jesus is the only way to God. In John 14:6 Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Read that carefully. Jesus says 'No one'. That's no exceptions. No one. We can not change a part of the Bible just because we can't quite believe it, don't like it or do not fully understand it. So what about those who have never heard? Well, who says that there are some who have never heard? Stay with me here. There is only one way to God and that is through the atoning death and resurrection of Jesus. One way to God, but, there are many ways to Jesus: hearing a preach, the Bible, TV, the Internet, visions, dreams etc. Read 2 Samuel 12:21-23. The context of these verses is that King David had committed adultery with Bathsheba, with a resulting pregnancy. The prophet Nathan was sent by the Lord to inform David that because of his sin, the Lord would take the child in death. David responded to this message by grieving, mourning, fasting and praying for the child. But once the child was taken, David's mourning ended. David's servants were surprised to witness this. They said to King David, “What is this thing that you have done? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept; but when the child died, you arose and ate food.” David's response was, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows, the LORD may be gracious to me, that the child may live.’ But now he has died; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.” David said that he could go to the child, but that he could not bring the child back to him. Also, and just as important, David seemed to be comforted over this. In other words, David seemed to be saying that he would see the child (in Heaven), though he knew he could not, of course, bring him back. Although it is possible that God applies Christ's payment for sin to those who do not have apparent opportunity to believe, the Bible does not specifically say that He does this. The only way to the Father is through Jesus. The Bible is clear on this. Jesus is the one and only way to the Father and to Heaven. If Jesus appears in dens of iniquity and minds of depravity to offer salvation (i.e. to you and me) how much easier would it be for Him to visit the much less sinful minds of children and the mentally handicapped, even if just moments before their death? Though some human minds are possibly incapable of a response to Jesus recognised by the rest of mankind, it is surely possible for a soul to respond to its creator. Even for babies, the mentally handicapped, and people who have not heard in a way recognised by us, Jesus must remain the only way to the Father. God is perfectly just. A just God would surely not offer some people a greater chance of salvation simply on a seemingly random factor of having heard a preach about Jesus or not. As stated, there are many ways to Jesus. Imagine that you had ordered the execution of your only son, whom you love, and who was innocent, to save the lives of others. Imagine also that you had the power to let those you wanted to save know about this opportunity to be saved. Would you not find a way for these people to 'hear' about this death in any way possible, so that they had the chance to be saved and your son should not die in vain?
This question is vitally important as Jesus is the only way to God. In John 14:6 Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
ReplyDeleteRead that carefully. Jesus says 'No one'. That's no exceptions. No one. We can not change a part of the Bible just because we can't quite believe it, don't like it or do not fully understand it.
So what about those who have never heard? Well, who says that there are some who have never heard? Stay with me here. There is only one way to God and that is through the atoning death and resurrection of Jesus. One way to God, but, there are many ways to Jesus: hearing a preach, the Bible, TV, the Internet, visions, dreams etc.
Read 2 Samuel 12:21-23. The context of these verses is that King David had committed adultery with Bathsheba, with a resulting pregnancy. The prophet Nathan was sent by the Lord to inform David that because of his sin, the Lord would take the child in death. David responded to this message by grieving, mourning, fasting and praying for the child. But once the child was taken, David's mourning ended. David's servants were surprised to witness this. They said to King David, “What is this thing that you have done? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept; but when the child died, you arose and ate food.” David's response was, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows, the LORD may be gracious to me, that the child may live.’ But now he has died; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.” David said that he could go to the child, but that he could not bring the child back to him. Also, and just as important, David seemed to be comforted over this. In other words, David seemed to be saying that he would see the child (in Heaven), though he knew he could not, of course, bring him back.
Although it is possible that God applies Christ's payment for sin to those who do not have apparent opportunity to believe, the Bible does not specifically say that He does this. The only way to the Father is through Jesus. The Bible is clear on this. Jesus is the one and only way to the Father and to Heaven.
If Jesus appears in dens of iniquity and minds of depravity to offer salvation (i.e. to you and me) how much easier would it be for Him to visit the much less sinful minds of children and the mentally handicapped, even if just moments before their death? Though some human minds are possibly incapable of a response to Jesus recognised by the rest of mankind, it is surely possible for a soul to respond to its creator. Even for babies, the mentally handicapped, and people who have not heard in a way recognised by us, Jesus must remain the only way to the Father. God is perfectly just. A just God would surely not offer some people a greater chance of salvation simply on a seemingly random factor of having heard a preach about Jesus or not. As stated, there are many ways to Jesus.
Imagine that you had ordered the execution of your only son, whom you love, and who was innocent, to save the lives of others. Imagine also that you had the power to let those you wanted to save know about this opportunity to be saved. Would you not find a way for these people to 'hear' about this death in any way possible, so that they had the chance to be saved and your son should not die in vain?