Many young people have asked me that question. I’ve shared my beliefs on the topic with them but here I would like to write them down.
I believe that the Bible teaches all humans have an opportunity to be saved before they die and I will outline some reasons why I believe that.
Many Calvinists would disagree with me but, for what it’s worth, many other men of God would agree that all people have some type of opportunity for salvation. Men, to my understanding, such as Justin Martyr (and other patriarchs), Erasmus, Ulrich Zwingli, John Wesley, Matthew Henry, G. Campbell Morgan, Billy Graham and C.S. Lewis to name a few.
We know that salvation is needed because of sin, salvation is only accomplished at the cross of Christ and salvation can only be attained by faith before death. These statements are Biblically true throughout the history of humankind before and after Christ and also throughout the geography of mankind.
John Stott, an Evangelical powerhouse, has said:
“I believe the most Christian stance is to remain agnostic on the question… The fact is that God, alongside the most solemn warnings about our responsibility to respond to the gospel, has not revealed how he will
deal with those who have never heard it. We have to leave them in the hands of the God of infinite mercy and justice, who manifested these qualities most fully in the cross.”
However, no less than Billy Graham, went further and said this later in life:
“I believe that there are other ways of recognizing the existence of God—through nature, for instance—and plenty of other opportunities, therefore, of saying ’yes’ to God.”
Graham was not into universalism at all - he maintained that the only way to God was through Jesus - but allowed for other ways to come to this realization.
What I Am Not Saying
Before we start let me be clear about what I am NOT saying. I am not suggesting that there is any other way to be saved except by Christ Himself. Only Jesus saves.
I am also not saying that I believe in Universalism – the idea that everyone makes it to heaven despite their faith choices.
Nor am I implying that we don’t need missionaries. The more missionaries the better (see Romans 10 below). I just think there are additional means for God to use to preach the Gospel.
Romans 10: 13-15
This passage is probably the most obvious one that exhorts the necessity of evangelists and missionaries along with Jesus’ Great Commission. And I readily admit it makes me think twice about my belief on the matter. While I firmly believe in the necessity of missions I also believe that God can, if necessary, use other means.
There is also much Scriptural evidence to suggest that God can reveal the Gospel to people in other ways (see below for Genesis 3:15, Psalm 19, Romans 1:19-20 and Colossians 1:23). With all of these Scriptures in mind let us ponder the main question of this blog.
Genesis 3:15 and Oral Traditions
The promise of Genesis 3:15 was made immediately after humankind sinned in the Garden of Eden. The Gospel itself was contained in Genesis 3:15. This promise and prophecy of a future “Savior” would have been orally passed down from generation to generation until Moses wrote it down around 1446-1406 B.C. This is one plausible reason to believe that many people who have not had contact with Israel or the Church have indeed had contact with the promise of the gospel.
Think of Job who lived in the land of Uz around the time of the patriarchs (c.2000-1800). He existed before the nation of Israel and in a land that was likely not near the patriarchs (Uz was probably in northern Arabia) and yet he was a “man (who) was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.” Job 1:1. There is no question that this man was saved (as we understand the term today).
Creation – the Second Book
It has been said that God gave two books to humanity. One, of course, is the Bible. The second is Creation itself. And on this topic the first book has much to say about the second. It is simply obvious from Scripture that nature reveals God to us.
Psalm 19:1-4a
“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.”
Romans 1:19-20
For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
The Human Conscience and the Holy Spirit
We also know that every human is endowed with a conscience to remind them of God and His ways. The Holy Spirit can also convict people wherever they are and whatever knowledge they or may not have at the time.
If Romans 1 can say that all humanity is “without excuse” then that means they have made a choice to reject God. And if they have made a choice to reject God then, it would follow, they would have had a choice to receive Him as well. And I believe many have received Him at the heart level where there are no words.
Direct Revelation of God
Also the Bible is full of God revealing things to people directly via angels or visions from the Holy Spirit. That is not to say that anyone can just say God told them something - but if it aligns rightly with Scripture then these are also real possible ways for people to come to know Christ on a personal level.
Cornelius was a Gentile who had not yet heard the Gospel but because he was already “a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God.” (Acts 10:2), God sent him an angel to tell him to contact Peter the Apostle. Peter later preaches the Gospel to Cornelius and he eagerly receives it.
Conclusion
Colossians 1:23
“If indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.”
Here “all creation under heaven” can also be translated “to every creature under heaven”. Either way Paul seems to be saying that the Gospel will be proclaimed to everyone one way or the other (and perhaps even if it is not in written or verbal form). God can reveal Himself, and thus the Gospel, to anyone He wishes.
I believe that if a person has come to know the one true God through any of these ways then that person has also come to know Jesus Christ – because God is Jesus and Jesus is God. If a person sincerely seeks God, encounters God, surrenders to Him and puts their faith in Him then they have been saved by the Gospel of Christ – even if they don't know all the details.
What a blessing to know that our good and gracious God allows all humanity to have an opportunity to know of Him.
