Social isolation exists in the world, and ten million children might die before the age of five this year. There might be underground churches in North Korea, but most of these people past and present are not exposed to the gospel. Many of these children will not be Christian.

They will never hear the good news.

Is there only one way to arrive at God? Most of my evangelical Christian friends would suggest these people are going to hell. No exception. Because one must articulate those words, “Jesus is my personal Lord and Savior.”

People of the Old Testament were not as privileged as we are, and their faith was based on what God made available to them. Adam, Moses, Abraham. There is a progression of knowledge. It seems the content of faith was different from the Saint and the Apostles.

Is it possible that “non-Christians”, those that do not fit our model of Christianity, make it to paradise? Perhaps God had made something available to them (other than the gospel itself), and perhaps there is faith, a true sense of repentance, and a need to submit to God in their hearts. Is that not enough?

Scripture talks about “invisible attributes”, the “eternal power and divine nature” can be perceived by creation (Romans 1:20). “For it is the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscious also bears witness (Romans 2:13-15).”

I believe that they will be judged on their moral behavior
I do not think that our Lord, one who is the true meaning of Justice, Forgiveness, Mercy, and Love would do something as unfair as to eternally damn a kind person just because they were born into a region that never taught them the gospel. That would not be justice.

The position take is often, "We are unrighteousness and we are undeserving." We are a people born in sin, and God will justly judge us. But Christ covers for us, and is often the object of Christian faith.

There are a lot of considerations when talking about faith, but it seems chance is a big part of it. You might refer to it as a postal code lottery, because you are far more likely to become a Chrisitian having been born in a Christian belt in North America than in Pakastan.

John 14:6

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Yes, there is only one way.

As to your point about certain regions not being able to hear the gospel.

Matthew 28:19-20

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

It's our job to spread the gospel to those in such places.



That being said, God can do whatever He wants.
Also, to my understanding, children who die young will not be held accountable for their sin.

Also, saying "Jesus is my personal Lord and Savior" doesn't save you. Praying Jesus into your heart is not found in the Bible, ever.

This post was edited by DiS505 on Jun 11 2014 01:48pm

I was led to believe that God, our lord and our Creator loves each of us, not hate us. Someone who loves us would never say "the fact that you are alive even though you never had a choice if you were born or not, shows me that you are unrighteous. There is no "justice" in punishing someone who literally could not have a choice. Especially as something as horrible and extreme as eternal damnation. I don't believe our merciful lord is a sadistic barbarian, I believe he is understanding, forgiving, merciful, sophisticated, and sentient beyond our comprehension. God wouldn't let something that he hates exist, he would obliterate it on the spot. If he didn't want to give people in the Middle East a chance, they wouldn't exist.