I'll say this for a third time, what if there are people who have no knowledge of christ because of their circumstances, for example, people who live in the jungle or in the mountains, the people who christ could not and did not reach, your saying that they deserve to spend eternity in hell because they don't accept christ?
How are those people supposed to accept christ if they don't know about him because of their circumstances? Accept christ as your saviour or go to hell? that isn't fair at all, and the only one at fault is god for not educating those kind of people.
Mind_Mover
I will attempt to answer your question.I will begin by making a few general observations.They may or may not apply to you, I don't know, so please don't take them as directed at you.
Nonbelievers, often put forth the question regarding the eternal destiny of one that does not hear the Gospel.My opinion is that often, the motivation for posing this question is a desire to justify their disbelief by somehow painting God as unjust and therefore not worthy of belief and worship.This brings several questions to mind. For example, why would one that does not believe in God be concerned about the eternal destiny of another person that may not believe in God? Or why would they be more concerned about the eternal destiny of another who may have not heard of Christ, but not their own as one who has heard?Or why, if they are so concerned about the eternal destiny of those that have not heard the Gospel, are they sometimes the ones that are often complaining about Christians that are spreading the Gospel? Why are they often admonishing Christians to keep their faith to themselves rather than tell others about Christ? Why, if they are so concerned about the eternal destiny of those that have not heard about Christ, are they not busy spreading the Gospel themselves? When one considers these questions rationally, and in the context of the worldview of the nonbeliever, it becomes difficult to think that, this is truly an obstacle to their believing in God.It is difficult to see it as nothing more than an attempt to justify their disbelief by judging God's ways and plan against their own finite reasoning and understanding to paint Him as unfair and unjust.
The basis of this question is in hypothetical assumptions. One is that we, with our temporal and finite minds, can fully know and understand God's plan for His creation. Another is that our finite understanding and reasoning, exceeds that of an all-powerful, all knowing, loving creator God. Another is that God owes us, His creation, anything more that He has already given us. Another is that we, as the creation, can dictate and question how our creator God interacts with His creation. Another is that God's ways and plan can be inherently unjust. Another is that our all-powerful and all-knowing God is not capable of revealing Himself and imparting knowledge of Himself to a person anywhere in His creation, regardless of the situation.Another is that God created us to meet our demands and insure our pleasure, and not for His pleasure and to glorify Himself. Another is that there exists, anywhere in the world a sinless person that is seeking after God and that God will not reveal himself to that person.Another is that our knowledge and relationship with God depends on others, rather than on ourselves. Finally, one other is that we are justified in living our lives any way we choose, including disbelief, in disobedience to Him, even denying His existence, all the while demanding that God, our creator, meet our expectations and act and do as we demand. These assumptions lead to man's elevation of himself to a position higher that God, our creator, and the Bible reveals that God considers this heresy and idolatry.
Having said that, here are some things to consider. We, with our finite minds and sinful nature, cannot ever fully know all of God's ways or fully understand His plan until the Lord returns. We are not all knowing and therefore cannot fully know how God deals with His creation or the eternal destiny of anyone, other than ourselves, based on how we deal with His revelation and our personal response to it. All we can know is what God has chosen to reveal to us in His many forms of revelation. God has revealed himself to us in His creation, which is general revelation. God has revealed himself to us in His Word, the Bible, which is His written, special revelation. God has revealed Himself to us in Jesus Christ, His living Word, which is special revelation. God has revealed himself in the power of the Holy Spirit to convict us of our sin, be sorrowful for our sin against God, to repent and seek God's forgiveness, guide us to the truth, and help us to live more righteous lives in obedience to Him. Evidence of this life changing power can be seen in the changed lives of millions of people that have been lifted out of lives of despair, sin, addiction, perversion, crime, etc., to joyful and righteous lives serving Him.
The Bible tells us that all men are sinners.There is no one that is righteous. We are all sinners, have a sinful nature, and are separated from God..
The Bible tells us that the penalty for sin is death which is eternal separation from God.
The Bible also tells us that God has revealed himself in His creation.This is general revelation.
The Bible tell us that a knowledge of God is written in our hearts.
In reality, it is not that some people have not heard about God. Rather, the problem is that they have rejected what they have heard and what is readily seen in His revelation.
God's revelation of Himself to mankind is progressive in nature. Before His revelation in Christ, the Old Testament saints obtained salvation through their faith in God, based on His revelation to them at that point. God promised that a Messiah, would someday come and they had faith in what God told them.Though they died before the coming of Christ, they were justified by their faith in the promises of God. Hebrews 11 reveals this.
From this we see that faith in the Lord, based on His revelation, determines one's relationship with God and their eternal destiny. While we are not God, and as I mentioned can never hope to fully know or comprehend his plan, I believe that if one seeks God, He will reveal Himself to them. If they have faith, in a creator God, God will reveal Himself to them. He might lead a missionary to them.A friend that has learned of the Gospel may share it with them. The Lord may directly reveal the Gospel to them as He did with Saul, later know as Paul on the road to Damascus. We cannot know for sure How God will reveal Himself to those that don't know Him and how He will ultimately deal with anyone, should they exist, that has not heard the Gospel.We do know that the Lord is faithful in keeping His promises and He has revealed to us in His Word that He will reveal Himself to anyone that diligently seeks Him.I trust that He will be faithful to that promise and that He will be just in insuring that those that seek Him based on His revelation to them, will be dealt with in His perfect justice come judgment day.
The Lord loves us and does not wish that anyone should be separated from Him or perish. He is powerful and loving enough to create us and the entire universe, therefore, He is powerful and loving enough to insure that those that seek Him, find Him.
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