Will People Be Condemned for Not Believing in Jesus though They’ve Never Heard His Name?

[Piper]

This has always bothered me. Clark Pinnock, who was a founding member of the Evangelical Theological Society, ended up in Open Theism, then one who believed in Annihilationism.

In the book on Open Theism, he said that he could not believe in A God who would condemn people who had never heard the name of Jesus.

I know Jesus said he was the Way. But will there be grace for those who never heard?

 

[KenH]

Romans 10:13-15 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

 

[kyredneck]

Pharisees:
49 But this multitude that knoweth not the law are accursed. Jn 7

Hardline Restrictivism:
But this multitude that knoweth not the gospel are accursed.

"The awful doctrine of hardline restrictivism and the erroneous doctrine of Gospel or 'means' regeneration go hand in hand."

The gospel is not the means, it's the message.

 

[37818]

Matthew 12:36-37, ". . . But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. . . ."

John 3:18, ". . . He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. . . ."

Romans 2:12-16, ". . . For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another; ) In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. . . ."

 

[KenH]

But will there be grace for those who never heard?

Those saved were elected by God unto salvation before the world began. Therefore, God will bring ALL of His elect under the hearing of the gospel and regenerate them before they leave this earth. Salvation is 100% of God, and 0% of man. The elect are to spread the gospel and God will bring His elect under the hearing of it.

After God brought me under the hearing of the gospel of Christ a little over two years ago, and I looked back at all of the twists and turns in my life, I was amazed at how God worked it all out to bring me to that point in time - just as He has worked it out to bring all of His elect under the hearing of the gospel of Christ thus far in the history of mankind. And I know that however many of the elect are still left presently on this earth or may be yet to be born, that He will do the same for them before Christ comes and replaces this present heavens and earth with the new heavens and earth wherein dwells righteousness.

 

[37818]

Those saved were elected by God unto salvation before the world began.

The word of God nowhere teaches election before the world began.

Matthew 22:14, ". . . For many are called, but few are elect. . . ."

 

[KenH]

The word of God nowhere teaches election before the world began.

Ephesians 1:3-6 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

2 Timothy 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.

1 Peter 1:1-2 To the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:29-30 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

(emphasis mine)

The Bible talks about the elect in the Old and New Testaments; if there was an election, or choosing, and there was, then someone did the choosing. It certainly wasn't we weak, vile, sin-filled human beings who chose God; therefore, as the Bible teaches, it was God who chose the elect - 1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

 

[kyredneck]

The word of God nowhere teaches election before the world began.

Wrong.

 

[tyndale1946]

The word of God nowhere teaches election before the world began.

Matthew 22:14, ". . . For many are called, but few are elect. . . ."

Condemnation to eternal damnation... NO!... Brother Glen

John 5: 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;

27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

The problem with brethren on here is they have regeneration mixed up with resurrection... Either that or explain two resurrections?

 

[kyredneck]

God will bring ALL of His elect under the hearing of the gospel

Scripture?

15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? or is thine eye evil, because I am good? Mt 20

 

[kyredneck]

Condemnation to eternal damnation... NO!... Brother Glen

AMEN!

 

[tyndale1946]

AMEN!

John 5: 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Holy Spirit alone Regeneration... Brother Glen

 

[canadyjd]

Romans 1 teaches us that the whole world is condemned for rejecting God’s revelation of Himself found in creation (general revelation).

So, yes, those who never hear the gospel are condemned.

But rather than let that “bother” you, perhaps focus on the miracle of God’s mercy that He does not leave all of humanity to perish in their sin and rebellion.

God, in His mercy, has chosen some for salvation. According to 1 Corinthians 1, God chose the foolishness of the message preached, Christ and Him crucified, to save those that believe.

Praise God for His love and mercy.

peace to you

 

[Van]

This has always bothered me.

Will People Be Condemned for Not Believing in Jesus though They’ve Never Heard His Name?​

Clark Pinnock, who was a founding member of the Evangelical Theological Society, ended up in Open Theism, then one who believed in Annihilationism.

In the book on Open Theism, he said that he could not believe in A God who would condemn people who had never heard the name of Jesus.

I know Jesus said he was the Way. But will there be grace for those who never heard?

Absolutely, they have been and will be condemned! The very idea that those who have never heard the name of Jesus are not justly condemned to Hades and Gehenna is heresy. Full stop.

Does God have the right of the Potter over the clay? Is God not sovereign?

A tell-tale sign of man-made doctrine is that it judges God, i.e God would not do this or that because its not "fair: or "just."

 

[kyredneck]

Does God have the right of the Potter over the clay? Is God not sovereign?

A tell-tale sign of man-made doctrine is that it judges God, i.e God would not do this or that because its not "fair: or "just."

Hell is going to freeze over, Van has flipped to Calvinism....

 

[37818]

according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world,

That word translated "chosen" is not same word translated "elect."
Though that "chosen" does apply to those who were later "elect" in time.
Mark 13:20, ". . . And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. . . ."

 

[37818]

Condemnation to eternal damnation... NO!... Brother Glen

The term elect is never used of the condemned. See Matthew 20:16.

 

[John of Japan]

Having evangelized for 33 years as a missionary to Japan, where less than 1% claim any kind of Christianity, I can tell that people who have never heard the name of Christ are depraved. Japan is a very evil country. So, no Japanese will be able to stand before God and say, "You're not fair. I never heard the name of Jesus."

Just like any other people group, a Japanese can seek God by seeing Him in natural revelation, and having his or her heart awakened to pray and ask direction. "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse" (Rom. 1:20, emphasis added).

 

[tyndale1946]

The term elect is never used of the condemned. See Matthew 20:16.

Revelation 5: 9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

Not in an eternal sense but if the elect are so few and only chosen, then explain to me where this great multitude came from?... Brother Glen

 

[KenH]

That word translated "chosen" is not same word translated "elect."

There is no difference between saying that the people of Arkansas elected Sarah Sanders to be governor or saying that the people of Arkansas chose Sarah Sanders to be governor of Arkansas.