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Here is my question:

A child is born in a rural town in China. His parents are Confucianists and so is he. He grows older, learns to harvest a crop, raises a small family and lives the rest of his days. He never comes in contact with a person of the Christian religion. He's never even thought of the concept of a God. What happens when he dies? And why?

Here we go again....................

The Bible says, they will have a chance hear of Christ.

And before you ask........... If the yet unreached people of the world are not lost, why did Jesus tell His disciples to “proclaim His name to all the nations (Luke 24:47), “to Go, and make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19), and to be witnesses “even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8)? Why did He tell them to tell others if that knowledge would only condemn most of them? Then it would actually be best if they didn’t hear.

Did Christ mislead His disciples? Was Paul misguided to go throughout Asia Minor and Europe? No, the reason Christ sent them, the reason they went and the reason why many should go today is because Christ is the only way to be saved.

2 Timothy 4:17 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the [Gospel] message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was delivered out of the jaws of the lion.

It is a choice, of now hearing the word of Christ, or in tribulation.

I don't believe this is possible.   Everyone who gazes into the night sky at some point in their life, will ask the question what are we, why are we here, how did all this get here?    


To answer your question directly, if anyone dies without Christ, according to scripture, they will be lost.   Only through faith in Christ can anyone get to heaven.   As unfair as that sounds in your scenario, God knows the hearts of all individuals, and what the outcome would be had they heard His gospel.   Just as your hypothetical goes, perhaps God knew this individual would reject His mercy and die without His forgivness anyhow?    


Rom 1:20  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:



All humans at some point question their existance and Gods.  Depending on how they respond to that question, it is my firm  belief that God will move heaven and earth to bring them His message of salvation.   I've seen and heard about it time and again.    God knows the heart better than any of us, and He does His will regardless of what we think.

Maybe not the answer you were looking for, but its the best I can give.   There is only one way to the Father and that is through Christ alone!   All the more reason to take His message to hedgeways and bi-ways, to the valleys and hills.  Shout it from the mountain tops!


CHRIST IS RISEN, HE IS LORD!!!!


Love in Christ.

First, I read and re-read Dreamweaver's post and I'm not exactly sure if he is saying that my scenario isn't possible because the person in my hypothetical situation would have heard of Christ, or if he is saying that the person would be condemned to hell.

Second,




Surely God can't use this method to determine who goes to hell and who is saved. Otherwise, as dreamweaver mentioned, what would be the purpose of teaching the word? No one would actually need to know the word, God would just know what that person would do if he did know.

I'm going to rule that one out for myself, because it would effectively end the need for missionaries.



Also, when I said concept of a God, I meant God as christianity teaches. I will agree that everyone probably questions what we are and why we are here.



My next question is about life before television and radio. I think we can agree that probably a very large number of the hundreds of millions of Chinese people around in that time probably had no accesss to Christianity. Yes I do know that Christian beliefs were taught in that area around or before 635 AD, but there can be no doubt that large numbers of people have probably lived and died with seeing a missionary.  All of these people are now in hell? Through absolutely no fault of their own, they might have lived as honest and caring individuals but they are condemned for eternity just because no one reached them? I can't believe a loving God could punish someone for this. I would think this would be similar to punishing someone because they are Black, White or Chinese. They can't help it, why should they be punished for it? Or maybe they did see a missionary, once or twice. How many people in America are saved because of countless efforts of a number of people to try to save them? Once again, it isn't fair that I may have five hundred people in my life try to save me , but someone there might only have 2.

Please explain.

Also, I'm not trying to be really negative with my comments, they are just questions that I ask myself, and ones that I really have to know the answer to.

Thanks.

In a simple way of saying it.....

All shall hear the word of God. No matter where they are, they shall hear about Jesus.

Well, I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with that. I certainly don't believe that everyone on earth has a chance to hear of God, and even putting that aside, not everyone has an equal chance to hear about God.

Do you honestly believe that a remote tribe in Africa who has no contact with outsiders actually has a chance to learn about God. Yes, there are missionaries that try, but to find everyone is impossible.

Do you honestly believe that people under a harshly oppressive dictatorship all get a chance to hear about God?

How about Indians in America before the explorers arrived? Where did they learn of God?

The indians in America did know about Jesus Christ before any missionaries came to them. There were many such stories amongst them about Jesus.

The Bible tells us that we are without excuse as things have been clearly seen from the creation of the world. This is not a maybe or a might it is a fact. We are also told that no one will enter heaven without going through Jesus Christ.


Rom 1:20  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 1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.


I do not think that you came here to ask questions and try to understand this has you have said but rather to attempt to argue your point and "prove" others wrong, perhaps to attempt to make God and His word look bad.

Wow Pastor Roger. Thanks for doubting my motives, saying that you think I lied, and then telling me what I actually was doing. I was just asking a question, a question that I've wondered about since I was very young. If you are actually a Pastor, I hope I never visit your Church.

I've been studying the word of God, and this area isn't very clear to me. Even if some Indians did know, you can't, at least in a clear frame of mind, expect me to believe that every single Indian had a lesson on God's word. I know some people here in small towns in Texas who have been taught almost no religion. Some people very old who have never had an opportunity to learn about God. And this is in America, now, after television, radio, mass market publishing, cars, etc.


So they go to hell.




I was just wondering how it works, and you've told me what you believe.
Thanks.

The Bible is clear that God in His providence has placed each and every single individual in a time and place so that they would have ample opportunity to seek him:

Acts 17:27 "From one man God made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live, God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us,"

Men and women are not sentenced to hell based upon whether or not they have heard of Jesus Christ.  Rather, they are justly and fittingly condemned based upon the fact that they are sinners. Indeed, they are sinners who have failed to act responsibly on what God has already revealed to them -- whether through the light of creation (Romans 1), through the light of conscience (Romans 2), or through the light of Christ (Romans 3).  If people respond to whatever light they do have, then God will send them the light of the gospel.  Because no one has been kept in the dark about God's existence, we're all accountable directly to Him (Luke 12:47-48).

There is more to it than just doubting your motives. You asked a question then when you were given an answer you argued against what was given you including the very word of God.

The word is clear, you have a choice heaven or hell. All nations, all people shall be judged at the Great White Throne judgement.

John 5:24-30  I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, the person whose ears are open to My words [who listens to My message] and believes and trusts in and clings to and relies on Him Who sent Me has (possesses now) eternal life. And he does not come into judgment [does not incur sentence of judgment, will not come under condemnation], but he has already passed over out of death into life. Believe Me when I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, the time is coming and is here now when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear it shall live. For even as the Father has life in Himself and is self-existent, so He has given to the Son to have life in Himself and be self-existent. He has given Him authority and granted Him power to execute (exercise, practice) judgment because He is [a]a Son of man [very man].  Do not be surprised and wonder at this, for the time is coming when all those who are in the tombs shall hear His voice,  And they shall come out--those who have practiced doing good [will come out] to the resurrection of [new] life, and those who have done evil will be raised for judgment [raised to meet their sentence]. I am able to do nothing from Myself [independently, of My own accord--but only as I am taught by God and as I get His orders]. Even as I hear, I judge [I decide as I am bidden to decide. As the voice comes to Me, so I give a decision], and My judgment is right (just, righteous), because I do not seek or consult My own will [I have no desire to do what is pleasing to Myself, My own aim, My own purpose] but only the will and pleasure of the Father Who sent Me.

Hebrews 4:13 And not a creature exists that is concealed from His sight, but all things are open and exposed, naked and defenseless to the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do.

Jude1:5 To execute judgment upon all and to convict all the impious (unholy ones) of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed [in such an] ungodly [way], and of all the severe (abusive, jarring) things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.

Let me ask you a question linux.   Do you believe what the following verses plainly say?



Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;


Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.


Secondly, do you believe YOU fall into this category?   A simple yes or no on both will do.


Love in Christ!

Linux.... even after this question of yours is answered; you will question again... what about those that lives before Jesus came to earth? There is no gospel then right?

My answer for this and for your question is....
My God is a just God he judges justly. So i will not question his judgement?  Maybe you should read his answer to Job. Read last chapters of Job.

Another thing, my God is powerful, all knowing and can do anything.  Thus, i believe, just as he have reach us he have reach those people you are saying.  He may not used the missionaries but he can use anything and his ways are better than what i can think of. 
Have you not read in the bible that he cn even make a donkey talk (if i remember it correctly) if he wanted to. People just have a hardened heart.  Now if God uses missionaries in the past decades it doesn't mean that God uses missionaries also before.  As i said God ways are better than our.

anyway, here is the donkey that talked Numbers 22:28-30

And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? 
And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee. 
And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.


See if God can make a donkey tlaked, can't he not make a way to reach those people in the distant land.  He can use anything he wants... missionaries or others.

AMEN BLAD

I think that God looks at each person and makes a decision.  I think that if the boy has never heard of God or his love then God will look at his life style.  Did he live the type of life that was pleasing to the Lord.  I don't believe that He will punish someone because they had no way of knowing.  I think He would punish us before He would punish the boy because it is our job to preach the word of God.

Did you read ALL of the posts in this thread?

We are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God.

That is all inclusive, no exception is made here. We believers now are obligated by the great commision to spread the good news of salvation. OBLIGATED! All men (and women) have a longing in them to seek out the glory of God. It was put there by God and if they ignore the the longing and seek worldly comfort they will recieve their "reward". Eternaty in hell.

Just as we believers has an obligation to share the word, the "seekers" have an obligation to seek him out.

All who seek shall find Him.

If they don't seek...............they will not find, untill its too late.

All will kneel before God........ALL

Sorry to spell it out but thats what God says in the bible............

Amen Gary!