Have you ever wondered what happens to people who have never had the opportunity to hear the Gospel? What happens to these people when their heart stops beating? Are there only two options that await their earthly exodus, namely Heaven or Hell? How does God look at people who legitimately have never been exposed to the salvation message? Is there a special clause in the Scriptures that offers an alternative destination or special consideration after life? God makes it clear that He desires that no one should perish. (2 Peter 3:9) So what provision, if any, does God offer to those who have never been exposed to the Gospel?
It would be very difficult for people to claim they have never heard of Jesus in an environment that is exposed to audio and visual technologies. That is not to say that there may be places on this earth that have not heard about Jesus. So what is their destiny after life? Armchair theologians are eager to emphatically declare that there are only two future destinations. Scripturally, they are on solid ground, but that is an oversimplification of God’s Grace and compassion.
When Eve and Adam partook of the tree of the “Knowledge of good and evil,” the seeds of good and evil were planted in their lives. Abel and Cain chose different paths to travel. Abel attached himself to the “good” by bringing a proper sacrifice to God, whereas Cain offered his sacrifice from the cursed ground. (Genesis 3:17; 4:3) The “evil seed” incubated in Cain, resulting in the murder of his brother Abel. (Genesis 4:3-12) The lesson is simple: people have a choice between good and evil. If we water the good seed, we will reap the benefits of God’s Word; if we water the evil seed, we will fall for Satan’s enticements.
God did not leave man defenseless, for He planted within every individual a conscience which is directly attached to Divine awareness. No matter which seed an individual promotes, the conscience will bring awareness of what is right and what is wrong. Even the most misguided will experience a flashing yellow warning light that the action they are about to take will have negative consequences. God became a “physical conscience” to Cain by telling him that “…sin lies at the door and its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” (Genesis 4:7) Cain let the evil seed germinate by rejecting God’s warning, and he killed his brother.
Conscience is an inner feeling that acts as a guide to the right or wrong of one’s behavior. Every person has this communication line (conscience) to God. He is offered the opportunity to choose between what is right or wrong. Even people with no conscious tie to God have a conscience. It is a life preserver that, if listened to, will keep us from drowning in bad decisions. The Apostle Paul points out that if one continues to ignore his conscience, it can be “seared with a hot iron.” (I Timothy 4:2) Man is given every opportunity to follow God, but it finally comes down to accepting what is good or choosing what is wrong in the eyes of God.
There are people in the world who have never heard religious rhetoric, yet they “by nature do the things in the law; these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves.” (Romans 2:14) What we see is their conscience in action. Jesus said, “And other sheep I have which are not of this fold…and they will hear my voice” (John 10:16). Does God have a special way of dealing with the “Untouched?” I guess it all comes down to “As it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27) In other words, it is up to God to make the final call.
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