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What About The Heathen
Who Has Never Heard The Gospel?

Question: --- What about the heathen who has never heard the Gospel? Will they be saved if they merely believe in a Supreme Being (God), so long as they are sincere?

Answer --- In order to answer this question, let's begin with What We Do Know:

We Know that if a person hears the gospel and rejects it, he is lost.

We Know that if the heathen are OK before hearing the Gospel then ignorance is bliss and the gospel becomes their enemy because it places a responsibility upon them that they did not have before.

We Know that if this is true, we would become their enemy by telling them the truth (preaching the Gospel to them). Before we sent Missionaries to them, they were OK. Now that the Gospel has been preached to them, they are going to hell if they do not accept Christ as their Lord.

We Know that if this is true, we should stop all Missionary and Evangelistic work. This way they can remain in their bliss of ignorant and go to heaven because they are not accountable.

We Know that this is not true because God commanded us to preach the gospel in order to get people saved --- ("the truth shall make you free") --- not to make them lost and accountable to God where there was no accountable before.

John 8:32, "And ye shall know the [truth], and the [truth] shall make you [free]."

It has been my experience that most people who ask about the heathen overseas, do so in order to divert attention from their own responsibility to the heathen who lives next door to them. It is much easier to be burden for people we can not reach because of distance than it is to be burdened for our next door neighbor who we can talk to but refuse to do so.

We Know that God will hold you more accountable for your next door neighbor (who you can reach) than He will for the heathen overseas (who you cannot reach).

We Know that there is Only One Plan of Salvation:

John 14:6-9, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

Acts 4:12, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

John 20:31, "But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name."

1 Corinthians 6:11, "And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."

We Know that God has placed a Tremendous Responsibility upon us as children of God.

2 Cor. 5:18-20, "And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God."

Ezekiel 9:4-6, "And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. 5 And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: 6 Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary."

Acts 20:26-27, "Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God."

As far as the heathen is concerned, we will leave that decision in the hands of a just and loving God. It behooves us to be busy about the Master's business witnessing to the heathens we can reach.

Romans 1:18-20, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 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:"

Psalm 19:1-4, "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. 2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. 4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,"

      
      If You Are Not Saved, Nothing Else Matters

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