~ A place to find answers to gnawing spiritual questions ~
Question: What about the good people in Islam, Hinduism and other religions? Are they going to hell? Please explain.Answer:
It is such a privilege to attempt to answer this question, for I can sense that it comes from a heart that is genuinely concerned for the welfare of eternal souls.
Obviously, it is God's desire that all be saved, for He has said plainly in His Word in 2 Peter 3:9 - "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."
With that in mind, the obvious question is raised concerning those who have been deceived by a false religion, and have not been given the glorious message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Is it just to consider these unevangelized "heathen" as lost? I have arranged some material from the Scriptures and modern-day commentators that will assist us in examining the question that has been posed.
The Apostle Paul states in Romans 15:20 - "Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation." Paul had a desire to preach where the Gospel had never been introduced, in other words, to the heathen. He would not go where other men had already been with the message of Jesus Christ. He wanted to go where no one had been.
If these men could be saved without ever hearing the Gospel, why would Paul strive to get them the message? Paul knew that they had to have the Gospel to be saved. We must realize, like Paul, that the Gospel must reach where man has not been to save those who have not heard. Romans 2:12 states, "For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law."
Simply stated, ignorance cannot stand as an excuse for the heathen in judgment. Even the Old Testament made provision for atonement for sins committed in ignorance. Numbers 15:27-28 states, "And if any soul sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a she goat of the first year for a sin offering. And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the LORD, to make an atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him."
All sin, even though through ignorance, must have atonement. Obviously, that atonement is only through the precious blood of Jesus Christ as 1 Timothy 2:5-6 plainly tells us: "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time."
Man is lost from birth. He is born spiritually dead, not because he has failed to hear the Gospel. David said in Psalm 51:5 - "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me." None of us can be exempt from being born in sin. We were all born with a nature of rebellion against God.
Dr. J. Vernon McGee explains this point by stating, "... men are not lost because they commit some specific sins, nor are they lost because they have not heard the Gospel, or have even rejected it. Men were lost long before the Gospel was ever proclaimed. This state of spiritual deadness and rebellion against God is the state of 'lostness' in which man is born."
The fact still remains that these individuals have not been reached with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the hope of their salvation. How is it that we can hold them accountable?
Secondly, look at Jesus' own words in Matthew 5:31-32 - "It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery."
I believe there are three "lights" that these individuals have been given that can reveal their need of salvation to them.
1. The Light of God-Consciousness
There is a sense built in each man that somewhere and somehow, there is a God. All men, including the heathen, have this light of God-consciousness. Look carefully at the Scripture's explanation of this fact in Romans 1:19-20 - "Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed 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 Godhead; so that they are without excuse."
It may be impossible to fully comprehend or understand the infinite power of God, but we all can apprehend that fact and respond to it, because it is God that has imprinted that into the heart. Does not even creation itself give witness to the existence of God? Psalm 19:1-3 explains it so well by stating, "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard." Nature speaks universally, and is not hindered by language or national barrier.
2. The Universal Light of Conscience
God has placed within each man a conscience which began in the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve disobeyed, they became aware of a power of evil opposed to God and His plan as well as the consequences of disobedience and unbelief. They made a choice of rejecting good and choosing evil. Each man has been given that conscience which gives us the ability to choose between good and evil. Our conscience witnesses to us in every decision whether it is good or evil.
3. The Universal Light of the Holy Ghost
Jesus said in John 16:7-9, 13 - "...for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come."
The job of the Holy Ghost is "to reprove the world of sin"; in other words, to convict men, no matter who they are or where they are, of this sin. The Holy Ghost is a universal light to convict all men, even those who have never heard the Gospel.
The responsibility to the church is clear - to follow the Great Commission. I trust that through the Scripture you can comprehend the necessity of reaching these precious people in your country with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I will personally be praying for you that God will give you the understanding you need to accomplish His perfect will. May God richly bless you as you labor in His harvest field.
