The question has often been raised as to how God deals with those who have not had the privilege of hearing the “gospel of the grace of God.” (Acts 20:24) How can they be responsible to believe the glad tidings of Christ’s finished work on the cross when they have never heard it? Will they be judged for their sins and end up in hell when they have never had the opportunity to hear and believe the wonderful message of the gospel of God’s grace?
Turning to the Scriptures we find that God has answered this question for us. From the very outset of the Bible we see that God desires the blessing of man. As soon as He created man and set him on the earth we read the words, “And God blessed them.” (Gen. 1:27-28) This was not said when God formed the vast expanse of the heavens, or when He fashioned the mountains and made the trees, but as soon as He created life and man it says those wonderful words, “God blessed them.” Not only is God interested in the blessing of man, but He is also interested in the fellowship of man for the same God who said, “Let Us make man,” also said, “Let Us make merry.” (Gen. 1:26, Lk. 15:23) His delights from the very beginning were with the sons of men (Prov. 8:31). Now since it is clear that God desires the blessing of man, we must not allow our hearts to doubt the wisdom of His ways in bringing it to man. “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Gen. 18:25)
The epistle of Romans shows that God has rendered a testimony of Himself to all men and therefore all are “without excuse.” There are three witnesses God has given to man: creation, conscience, and the written Word of God (the Scriptures). These three things make man responsible to God. All men may not have had the privilege of hearing the gospel of God’s grace through which they would learn of the finished work of Christ on the cross, but all men have had some testimony of God and therefore they are responsible to Him.
In Romans 1:19-32 The apostle Paul shows that even the person who is far from God and in darkness concerning the understanding of God’s plan of salvation, still has a knowledge of God through the witness of creation. It says, “That which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shown it unto them. 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 Divinity; so that they are without excuse.” (Rom. 1:19-20) Through the witness of creation the “eternal power and Divinity” of God are known. The person who looks at the marvelous order in creation learns that there is an all-wise and all-powerful Divine Person to Whom he is responsible.
Psalm 19:1-4 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth His handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.” This tells us that God is using His marvelous creation to speak to all men. Every person, regardless of how remote of a place they may be in, has heard the voice of God speaking to them through the creation, for the Word of God in this sense has “gone out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world.”
Also in Acts 14:16-17 we are told that God “in times past suffered [allowed] all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless He left not Himself without witness, in that He did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.” Here again we see that God has not left Himself “without witness” in “all nations.” This is God’s “everlasting gospel” (Rev.14:6-7).
In Romans 2:1-16 the apostle goes on to show that God has a further witness by which men are made responsible to Him: the witness of the conscience. It says, “For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another.” The conscience is the “still small voice” (1 Ki. 19:12) of God speaking in men, reminding them that they have sinned and are responsible to Him for what they have done. In Genesis 3 we are given the account of the fall of man through which he acquired a conscience. The newly acquired conscience in Adam and Eve caused them to know that they were naked and that they must answer to God. The conscience in man renders further testimony to his responsibility to God whereby he is doubly “without excuse.”
Romans 2:17-3:19 shows that the favored nation of Israel has even had a further revelation from God than those of the nations. “Unto them were committed the oracles of God” — the Scriptures (Rom. 3:2). It says, “Behold thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, and knowest His will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law.” Having “the Law” (the Old Testament Scriptures) they are more responsible than those of the nations, for therein they have known God’s “will” and holy standards. (Rom. 2:18, 3:20)
Those who have heard the gospel of God’s grace have had the highest privilege among men, for the gospel reveals the story of God’s love in sending His Son into the world to accomplish redemption. This is a fuller revelation from God. The gospel of God’s grace tells the good news that God has taken up the whole question of sin and dealt with it perfectly and righteously in the person of His own beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:8). At the cross God took all the sins of everyone who would believe and placed them on Him; and then punished Him instead of them (2 Cor. 5:21. Isa. 53:6,10, Heb. 9:26). Christ’s atoning sufferings rendered to God the full payment for sin, and thus, the sin debt has been settled once and for all to God’s glory and for man’s blessing. Divine justice has been fully satisfied because all its claims were fully met. God is now able to come out to man in perfect righteousness and offer forgiveness of sins to all who believe. He can be both “just and the Justifier of him that believeth in Jesus.” (Rom. 3:26) Every person who believes on the Lord Jesus Christ receives a full and free pardon from God for all their sins. The gospel of God’s grace proclaims this good news of salvation.
We can see from this that those who have known only the “everlasting gospel” through the witness of creation and conscience have had a limited revelation of God. Creation does not tell us that “God so loved the world that he gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (Jn.3:16) This is only known through the preaching of the gospel of God’s grace. However, privilege brings responsibility. Those who have been privileged to hear this gospel are much more responsible than those who have had only a limited revelation of God through the witness of creation and conscience. “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required.” (Lk. 12:48) Those who reject the offer of God’s grace in the gospel will receive the greater damnation. “That servant which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes.” (Lk. 12:47-48, 20:47) See also James 4:17.
There is also a difference in the blessing that God has for those who have believed the “everlasting gospel” and those who have heard and believed the fuller revelation of God through the “gospel of His grace” (Eph. 3:15, JND Trans.). The person who believes the gospel of God’s grace is sealed with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and thereby is united to Christ in glory and is a member of His body, which is the church (Eph. 1:13. 4:4, 1 Cor. 12:27). Those in the church of God have the nearest place of relationship that His love could provide as “the bride” of Christ (Eph. 5:25-32. Rev. 19:7-9, 21:2.9). Those who have only known and believed the “everlasting gospel” are not indwelt with the Spirit and are not part of the church, but they are still blessed of God. They (with the Old Testament saints) will have a place of nearness to Christ in the glory as “the friends of the Bridegroom” (Jn. 3:29).
Regardless of the measure of light men have had from God, there is only one way He can bless them: and that is on the principle of faith. They must believe God and the testimony He has given to them, whether it be through creation or through the gospel of His grace. “Without faith it is impossible to please Him; for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” (Heb. 11:6). Abraham is an example. Romans 4:3 says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”
This leads to another question. In what way are those with a limited revelation of God responsible to Him? They certainly could not be responsible to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross because they have never heard it! However, they are responsible to receive and believe the testimony that God has given them of Himself. In Acts 10 the Lord caused the apostle Peter to meet a person (Cornelius) who was somewhat in the position that we have been considering. This Gentile man had the testimony of creation and conscience, and perhaps some light from the Jewish religion, but he had not heard the gospel of God’s grace whereby he would be saved (Acts 11:14). Perceiving that he was already “accepted” of God, Peter opened his mouth and said, “Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him.” (Acts 10:34-35) The evidence that a person has received and believed the testimony of God through creation and conscience is in these two things that Peter mentioned: they “fear God” and “work [practical) righteousness.” Cornelius was evidently such a person for it is clear that he “feared God” and “worked righteousness” in his life (Acts 10:1-2, 22). This was something that was not limited to the favored nation of Israel. Peter says that it is so in “every nation.” No doubt thousands have been blessed in this manner. Peter, however, gave Cornelius more light, and continued his preaching telling him and his family the story of God’s grace in sending His Son to accomplish redemption. Peter did not urge him to repent of his sins, for it was evident that he had already turned to God and given up his sins. (Compare Peter’s preaching in Acts 2:38, 3:19 where he stressed repentance to the guilty nation of Jews.) Through Peter’s preaching, Cornelius and those with him, believed the gospel of God’s grace and were sealed by the Holy Spirit whereby they were added to the church of God.
Now we are not saying that a person can be “accepted” of God by “working righteousness” in his life. We have already established that regardless of time or place God only blesses on the principle of faith, but not necessarily faith in the finished work of Christ, for many have not heard of Christ and His death on the cross. Faith whether it is in Christ’s work on the cross or in the testimony of creation will evidence itself in works (Jam. 2:18). The heathen man who has been worshipping his idols and living after the propensities of his fallen nature, who then begins to “fear God” through believing the testimony that is around him in creation, will know through his conscience to lay aside his idols and his sins, and live uprightly before God. His “works of righteousness” are evidence he has believed God’s testimony, and is “accepted.” There is this difference; those in this position are said to be “accepted with Him” whereas those who are saved through faith in Christ are “accepted in Him.” (Acts 10:35, Eph. 1:6).
There are other Scriptures that show that this is man’s responsibility before God when he has only a limited revelation of Him. In Genesis 4:7 God said to Cain (who could not have known the finished work of Christ). “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?” Also Ecclesiastes 8:12-13, says, “Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before Him: but it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.” See also Job 1:1.
When the two resurrections take place (of which there are 1000 years between), persons from the beginning of time will be raised; some to “the resurrection of life” and some to “the resurrection of damnation.” John 5:28-29 says, “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” The basis of the resurrection in which they partake is whether they have “done good” or whether they have “done evil.” It is not whether they have received the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior; for those who have lived prior to Christ’s first coming and many who have lived afterward, have not been presented with the gospel of God’s grace through which they would learn of Christ and His work of redemption on the cross. Again this does not mean that men are blessed on the grounds of their good works. From the beginning of time. if men were blessed, it was on the principle of faith. Hebrews 11 gives a list of persons who lived in Old Testament times, from Abel to Samuel and the prophets, who were all blessed on the principle of faith. The evidence of their faith was their “works of righteousness.”
In a coming day after Christ has come and taken His church to heaven (the rapture — 1 Thess. 4:15-18), “the gospel of the grace of God” that is preached today, will no longer be proclaimed as a means of blessing to man. Although the “gospel of the kingdom” will be preached by the godly remnant of Jews after the rapture (Mt. 4:23, 24:14), God will still use His creation and man’s conscience as a testimony. Revelation 14:6-7 says, “I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to them who dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” They are responsible to “fear God and give glory to Him.” Those who will believe His testimony at that time will do this, though their knowledge of Him may be limited. Those who have understood and consciously rejected “the gospel of the grace of God,” however, will also reject this testimony during the tribulation. God will not be mocked (Gal. 6:7-8). He will allow them to be deceived by the lies of that day. “They received not the love of the truth. that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them a strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (2 Thes. 2:10-12)
2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 says, “The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and the glory of His power.” These verses show that when the Lord comes (His appearing) to judge the world at the end of the seven-year tribulation period, His vengeance will be on “them that know not God” and on “them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” There are clearly two classes here. Those who do not know God may not have heard the way of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ, but they still should have known God because He has given a testimony of Himself to them through His creation. They come under judgment at this time because they did not believe the testimony God gave them. Those who “obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” are more responsible because they heard the good news of Christ’s work in redemption and rejected it. They also will be judged at this time, and will receive the “greater damnation.” (Lk. 20:46-47) This truth is typically illustrated in Leviticus 5:11-13 where there is a man who was too poor to bring a sacrifice of animals to God for a sin-offering. It says, “If he be not able to bring two turtle doves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering; he shall put no oil upon it, neither shall he put any frankincense thereon: for it is a sin offering...and the priest shall make an atonement for him as touching his sin that he hath sinned in one of these, and it shall be forgiven him.” The sacrifice of an animal in the Law represents Christ’s death and blood-shedding. An animal’s life had to be forfeited in order for a person to be “forgiven.” In the case where a man could not bring such an offering, God made a provision that he could bring a “tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin-offering.” This typifies a person who is deficient in knowledge of Christ’s coming into the world “to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” (Heb. 9:26). The “tenth part” might refer to the fact that he knows he is responsible before God for his sins. Ten in Scripture refers to man’s responsibility Godward. The “fine flour” might indicate that he seeks to live a righteous life before God in the same manner of Christ’s perfect life, even though he does not know Christ. In this offering there was no “oil” which speaks of the Holy Spirit Who descended and abode on Christ (Jn. 1:32, Isa. 11:1-3). Neither was there any “frankincense” on it, which speaks of the fragrance of grace in the life of Christ (Lk. 4:22). There was also no “blood” which typifies Christ’s atoning work on the cross. His offering then did not have what typifies the knowledge of Christ and His perfect sacrifice for sin, yet he was “forgiven.” What marvelous grace this is!
Because God has not left Himself without witness in all nations we should not conclude that Christians have been absolved of their responsibility to preach the gospel of God’s grace in the “regions beyond.” (2 Cor. 10:16) The Lord Jesus said that “repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations beginning at Jerusalem.” (Lk. 24:47) Our privilege as Christians is to carry the good news of His redeeming grace to all men that they also would have the privilege of partaking in the blessings associated with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Peter’s preaching to Cornelius is an example of this. He brought the gospel of God’s grace to this “quickened” and “accepted” man that he might partake in the blessings of being “saved.” (Acts 11:14) God would “have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Tim. 2:4)
There are still a couple of verses that need to be explained in view of the subject in discussion. Acts 4:12 Says, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” How is it then, that people can be blessed of God without personally believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, when this verse clearly says that “salvation” can only be through Him? The answer to this lies in understanding what “saved” means in its New Testament sense. When Peter met Cornelius he was already “accepted,” but it was not until he believed the message of the Lord Jesus’ finished work on the cross that he was “saved” (Acts 11:14). We can see from this that “accepted” and “saved” are different. Only those who believe “the gospel of the grace of God” are said to be “saved” and “sealed” with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13). Scripture does not speak of those who have been blessed of God through the witness of creation and conscience as “saved.” This would include Old Testament saints. They also are not said to be “saved” in the New Testament sense of the word, though they are: “quickened.” “born again,” “accepted.” “children of God.” and “reckoned righteous.” “Saved” and “salvation” are words in the apostles’ doctrine that are used to describe the Christian’s deliverance which is received through faith in Christ’s work of redemption. Acts 4:12 simply shows that this Christian deliverance (“saved”) can only be through receiving Jesus Christ.
Another verse that may seem hard to reconcile with God’s way of blessing those who have not heard the gospel of His grace is John 14:6. It says. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” This verse does not say that a person cannot come to God unless he knows the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the “Father” and coming to Him that is the subject here. Knowledge of the “Father” is distinctly a Christian revelation. Without the Lord Jesus coming into the world to reveal the “Father” we would not know Him as such (Mt. 11:27, Jn. 1:18, 14:7, 17:25-26). The Old Testament saints did not have this revelation of God. He was known to them only as “the Lord God Almighty” and “Jehovah” etc. Nor do those who have had only the limited revelation of God through the testimony of creation and conscience know the “Father.” It is only through the Lord Jesus Christ that we know God as our “Father” (Jn.17:3).
Although those who have been blessed of God through believing the testimony of creation and conscience do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior, they are all under the shelter of His precious blood, whether they are conscious of it or not, for “without the shedding of blood there is no remission.” (Heb. 9:22, 1 Jn. 1:7, Rev. 5:9) This would include children who are too young to understand their responsibility to God and the work of redemption Christ accomplished on the cross (Mt. 18:10-11, 2 Sam.12:23. 1 Ki. 14:13). Those in Old Testament times (before Christ came into the world to accomplish redemption) who have believed God’s testimony, have had the punishment of their sins held in abeyance through the “forbearance of God” until Christ came into the world to bear the judgment of them (Rom. 3:25). The title to the blessing of God for every person is in Christ’s atoning blood, whether they have the knowledge of it or not. What wonderful grace!
B. Anstey
1992