I'll leave it up to God to judge the hearts of men...
If we say that creation is enough to save, then Christ died in vain, if we say that keeping the Law can save then Christ died in vain. It is Christ and Christ alone who can provide the righteousness God requires to justify a sinner.
_________________Robert Wurtz II
In response to the question itself:30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.Acts 17:30-31If God send those who have never heard the Gospel to Hell, it won't be because they don't have Jesus, but because they've sinned against God in thought, word and deed.
by pm4Hisglory on 2007/7/21 7:04:37I've heard many people respond saying 'they aren't held accountable for something they have no knowledge of"
by ginnyrose on 2007/7/21 11:20:16So we are concerned whether the person who never heard the gospel will be condemned to hell? As I understand Romans 1, God reveals himself through nature and if a person will listen to that revelation, God will illuminate that conscience even more, bring that person to himself. There are testimonies of this very thing happening. We must not limit God to man's limitations.As an example of the above, we hear reports how Jesus is revealing himself to Muslims via dreams. I just heard a report of an imam in a nearby city whom the LORD is speaking to by dreams. There is a book "I Dared to Call Him Father" by Bilquis Sheikh who details her conversion. She lived in Pakistan when she came to the LORD.A companion question to the origianl one might be: do we then assume that everyone who hears the Word will repent, come to the LORD? The obvious answer is "No." It is my understanding of the nature of God that He knows who will respond and who will not and those he knows that will, he will provide for them an opportunity to come to him.My thoughts...ginnyrose
_________________Benjamin Valentine
Jesus Christ was the final revelation, it is complete. Unless a man hears the gospel of Jesus Christ and repents and believes, he is a hellbound soul. Yes God revealed himself in times past but Paul expresses that preaching must go forth for one to be saved.
I agree with RobertW:
I think the issue comes down to response to revelation. How does an individual respond to the light they have? If they respond rightly they will receive more revelation- if not, that which they have shall be taken away.
_________________Matthew Miskiewicz