What About Those Who Never Hear the Gospel?
God provides evidence of Himself to everyone through creation. Psalm 97:6 Therefore, He holds everyone accountable to what can be known about Him through what He has made. Namely, that He is immeasurably glorious, infinitely powerful, eternally existent, and inherently good. (Romans 1:18-20; Psalm 19:1-6; Acts 14:17)
The problem is everyone refutes these clear and evidential truths. Some through passive indifference, others through active rebellion. MacArthur states, "Every person has a built-in, natural, compelling desire to oppose God's truth."1 Romans 3:11 Even though this basic information about God is available to everyone, we choose to not acknowledge Him as our Creator, thank Him for his goodness, or worship Him for His eternal power.
Worse, we substitute the truths about God with our own false beliefs. Depravity ensues as we create our own warped theology. We assign the role of Creator to other beings or ideas, like evolution, trying to cut the umbilical cord of accountability. We declare ourselves good, denying our need for a Savior. We assume the role of ruler, negating God's rightful place as Lord. Only to end up guilty and broken.
This is true for everyone in the world, including those unreached by the gospel. They are not condemned because they reject a gospel they have not heard. That would be unjust. They are condemned because they sin against the light they have. That is just.
There are over three billion people in this condition. They are guilty before God. They are called unreached because the gospel has not reached them yet. This is why getting the gospel to them is such an urgent priority. Because without it, they spend eternity separated from God. That is intolerable and unacceptable.
The problem is everyone refutes these clear and evidential truths. Some through passive indifference, others through active rebellion. MacArthur states, "Every person has a built-in, natural, compelling desire to oppose God's truth."1 Romans 3:11 Even though this basic information about God is available to everyone, we choose to not acknowledge Him as our Creator, thank Him for his goodness, or worship Him for His eternal power.
Worse, we substitute the truths about God with our own false beliefs. Depravity ensues as we create our own warped theology. We assign the role of Creator to other beings or ideas, like evolution, trying to cut the umbilical cord of accountability. We declare ourselves good, denying our need for a Savior. We assume the role of ruler, negating God's rightful place as Lord. Only to end up guilty and broken.
This is true for everyone in the world, including those unreached by the gospel. They are not condemned because they reject a gospel they have not heard. That would be unjust. They are condemned because they sin against the light they have. That is just.
There are over three billion people in this condition. They are guilty before God. They are called unreached because the gospel has not reached them yet. This is why getting the gospel to them is such an urgent priority. Because without it, they spend eternity separated from God. That is intolerable and unacceptable.
Resources:
- Watch: Reaching the Unreached (4:20)
- Explore: REACH.
- Watch: What Happens to Those Who Never Hear the Gospel? (9:35) David Platt: short version
- Watch: What Happens to Those Who Never Hear the Gospel? (57:08) David Platt: long version
- Watch: What Happens to Those Who Have Never Heard About Jesus (3:42) GotQuestions.org
- Watch: How Will God Judge Someone Who Has Never Heard the Gospel? (4:10)
1 John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Romans 1-8 (Olive Tree Bible Study App, Ver. 6.5.4) Notes on Romans 1:18