What Happens to Those Who Have Never Heard the Gospel?

If you have to respond to the gospel message to be saved.

What happens to those who have never heard the gospel. How can God be just if salvation is denied to those who have never heard about Jesus Christ. That's just one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity this is Bill Meyer along with pastor Adm. Sanchez and this is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. You can call us right now with your question. At 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 also post your question on her Facebook or Instagram account and you can email us with your question at questions at core, Christianity.com first step today we have a good news story to share with you. Cavanagh Bill is not your ordinary second-grader. While most of his friends spent their summers relaxing the seven-year-old from Maryland was hard at work with his parents and friends delivering a trailer full of coal with 19 supplies to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota that Reservation is considered to be one of the poorest places in America.

Now, as if that weren't enough, Cavanagh and his family continued their efforts last week by loading up a 53 foot truck full of supplies and delivering them to the reservation just in time for winter. While what a cool story yeah I love that little kid helping his parents out do a good deed. I think the exit came up with the idea himself. He was studying about Indians and reservations and decided to get his parents to help him out with this project will allow you a very cool awesome let's get to our first question of the day.

This is a call we received at 833. The core question about John nine when Jesus healed a blind man articulated arm buried it here in a disciple the same master who did servicemen are as parents but is one line well how can a man before he was born that he was born blind, said her dude soon this man or his parents that is born blind. Thank you Douglas. You think that question Christian when any interesting passages is to anything really important one. When we think about suffering and meet even something like blindness and hear the question from the disciples is Hussein. Whose fault was it Lord and I think when they were referring to him.

I'm not sure that they meant to suggest that maybe while he was in the womb he had done something wrong or send in some way and that's why he was born blind. I think probably was just the idea that he would go to do something sinful and so God had cursed him even before he had sinned. I have kids I have four kids and I can tell you that they start sitting pretty early.

What about in the womb.

I'm not sure that that's what John chapter 9 verse two is focusing on the question is, and as I said, it's a really important question was the man blind from birth because of something he did was it his fault or was it his parents fault is just another thing I noticed as a father of young kids and what out what a heavy burden to bear. And I think there are parents who think it my sin is why my children suffering this way or the other. And I said we have to be really careful here because Jesus in his response says it was not his fault and it's not his parents fault. He says in verse three Jesus answered, it was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him and then as you know, Jesus goes on to heal this this man in the works of God were put on display through his blindness to so there's a lot here at play when we think about suffering when we think about illness, blindness, things like that and how it relates to God. God's will. God's glory but II don't think there's anything this passage specifically that would teach us that children in the womb said that we do stay in and can't say on the basis of our understanding of original sin that all of us are sinners from birth. Paul makes that very clear in Romans chapter 5 verse 12 he talks about how all of us and Adam sinned Adam as the representative of mankind was the representative of mankind is born is born in Adam in sin.

Romans chapter 5 verse 12. Therefore, Paul said, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned and I think Paul there to mean that all sinned in Adam. What that means. This week we inherit Adam's guilt. The guilt of Adam's sin and also the corruption associated with that guilt we have this from our very birth. It's one of the reasons why many Christians, myself included, believe in the doctrine of what's called total depravity is music that our entire person if you will, has been tainted by sin. There is a part of me that that sin has not corrupted in some way mind body soul. The whole thing. Sin has corrupted us were not as bad as we could be.

But the fact of the matter is we can't save ourselves because from birth we have this problem. The problem of sin, and so the amazing thing that we did here is that me just highlights the beauty of the gospel because there's nothing in me is nothing in us that warrants God's redemption. I can't save myself. We Pull ourselves up by the bootstraps. It's a work of God's grace God's mercy God's forgiveness in Jesus Christ and so a lot going on in this passage, as I said, we can't conclude from this text that children in the womb are sitting in some way we do know on the basis of other passages of Scripture that we all have sin from birth that we inherit Adam's guilt and sin and were dead in trespasses and sit as Paul says elsewhere in Ephesians and that's why we need the gospel so Kristin thanks her for that question.

Hopefully that helps you out. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez April here's a question that came in through our Facebook page. Amber says do denominations matter. I'm a Christian.

The trust in Jesus alone, but I can't decide on the church because of so many different beliefs which scares me because I'm worried about being misled amber. I can just totally sympathized to me. I know this concern, this fear especially if you want to faithfully follow Jesus. If you want to think about all of the different kinds of churches out there and you're asking yourself this question will where do I go who teaches the truth and everyone says you know I'm just basing what we believe on what the Scripture teaches.

How do you choose, and I know that there are a lot of people that are overwhelmed by that question.

People who actually never even end up going to a church because they just think well there so much division so much contradiction that I can't just sort of throw a dart at the boarding and just to land here and hope it it's all good.

I understand the frustration that you have and the tension and even the fear, and there are two passages of Scripture that I think can be really encouraging to you first one is in John chapter 10 and this is the The Voice of the Lord Jesus. So to start. Verse 22. At that time, the feast of dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter. Jesus was walking in the temple in the colonnade of Solomon.

So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, how long will you keep us in suspense. If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.

Jesus answered them, I told you, and you do not believe the works that I do in my father's name bear witness about me, you do not believe because you are not among my sheep my sheep hear my voice. I know them and they follow me and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My father, who is given them to me, is greater than all and no one is able to snatch them out of my father's hand I and the father are one.

When I wrestle with that have wrestled with that question that you have. I take comfort in the words of Jesus my sheep hear my voice and I give them eternal life in amber heard the voice of Jesus you believe in him. No one can snatch you out of Jesus's hand about the other passage that I wanted to bring up by John. This is an in first John chapter 2 and I'm actually right now preaching to first John for our church and actually to be preaching on this passage here shortly in a couple of weeks probably. But first John chapter 2 verse 18 children.

John said it is the last hour and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour they went out from us, but they were not of us. For if they had been of us, they would have continued with us, but they went out that it might be complained that they all are not of us write their dissociative fitting that this stage a little bit for you.

John is talking about how in the world right now.

The antichrist is active when there's false teaching corrupt doctrines that we have to watch out for.

We have to be discerning but listen to what John says to the church how he encourages these Christians. He says in verse 20 but you have been anointed by the holy one, and you all have knowledge. I write to you not because you do not know the truth but because you know it, and because no lies of the truth, who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ. This is the antichrist to denies the Father and the son.

No one who denies the son has the father and whoever confesses the son has the father also.

The two verses that right. The first one in John chapter 10 Jesus is my sheep. You're my voice and I hold onto them.

No one can snatch them out of my hand and when we hear the voice of Jesus. Amber is through the holy Scriptures as the word of God is faithfully taught and then in first John when John is talking about all these different doctrines that are out there. The antichrist in the spirit of the antichrist that work in the world today. He comforts the church believers in Jesus by saying you have the Holy Spirit.

What Jesus said about the Holy Spirit in the upper room discourse. In John 13 to 16. He said that the spirit was in the lead his people. The disciples into all truth is a one comfort you have is that you hear and know the voice of Jesus through the Scriptures, and that the spirit of God amber lives in you now. Beliefs do matter in an organizational structure matters at one of the other things I think you can be comforted by is at the core doctrines of the Christian faith are really held by a lot of these denominations yes there are a lot of denominations, but they they hold to the doctrine of the Trinity, the incarnation, salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. There is a lot of agreement and that should comfort you.

Amber I would encourage you get plugged in to a church that has a high view of Scripture that believes that the Bible is God's word and were God's word is faithfully taught and where there is accountability and that's where denominations can be helpful. There's church structure accountability that helps to protect the church and the ministers the pastors that are there and make sure that Jesus is the center Christ is being proclaimed that he's being preached.

That's what John was saying and in first Johnny of the spirit of the antichrist are so you can recognize it it gets Jesus wrong. It teaches false things untrue things about who Jesus is and was, it denies there and in first John, the issue was genuine incarnation of the word denying that Jesus had a true body that he truly suffered for our sins.

Today there are many people Amber, who think that Jesus was just a great teacher and author of a spiritual group will know we believe that Jesus was God incarnate who died for our sins and it's his life and death, his resurrection from the dead. Grant us eternal life, and so ever those courtrooms are what you cling to, and it is so important for you to be in a good church that holds to those things, and rest in knowing that Jesus is sheep hear his voice, and you can hear his voice through the Scriptures took over the Scriptures are faithfully taught me. The Lord bless you as you seek to get plugged into a good and faithful church or that was some great advice to drill my wife and I chose our church based on the coffee bars that would take yet what I mean.

Good coffee to his is a me, that is an important thing, but you can have great coffee and bad theology to say just stick with the good reality I will visit his car Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. Many of the questions we receive here tend to focus around a central issue. How do I find myself in God's gory well today we are offering a resource that answers that question yet. It's an audio resource of record, Christianity.com called finding yourself in God's story.

We get a lot of questions that essentially come down to this. What does the Bible story mean for me today where do I fit in. There is a lot of confusion about this because there are some people think that the Bible is all about them, but the center of the story will that's not necessarily the case. The Bible is the story of God and what he's done for us in Christ to redeem us and were woven into that story. It's important that we understand how soaked in this teaching series will join our good friends Michael Horton and Nancy Guthrie as they help you explore God's great plan and grand design that includes all of creation, including you and me at a record, Christianity.com/offers to download. Finding yourself in God's story and you can also call us for that offering one of her offers at 833-843-2673.

That's 833, the court was go to another question a drill.

This one was posted on our Instagram account.

James says is it a sin to enjoy alcohol an important question in there is, obviously, as I'm sure you know James disagreement among Christians on this issue, and in all honesty, we need to let the Bible guide us here again we can create man-made rules that aren't set out in Scripture and bind other people on the basis of what our personal rules are instead of what the Bible teaches. And so I think one thing that we should all be able to agree on is what does the Scripture say that's what I want to follow in on this issue. The Bible teaches that wine in and of itself alcohol in and of itself isn't necessarily sinful.

I think for example of Psalm 104 versus 13 through 15 hits or treats wine as a gift given to God's people by God himself is what the text says from your lofty abode you water the mountains, the earth dissatisfied with the fruit of your work. You caused the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate. He may bring forth food from the earth and wine to gladden the heart of man oil to make his face shine, and bread to strengthen man's heart. You see that there it's treated us as this good gift that God provides for his people. You see this throughout the Scriptures.

I think also the fact that Jesus, the very first miracle that he performed record in the Gospel of John was turning water into wine at a wedding is pretty wild when you think about it in there all sorts of wings happening in that passage, I think Jesus is highlighting the fact that he's the Lord of the feast to some people have studies also pointing forward to his sacrificial death for his people, but nevertheless it's very clear. Jesus brought wine to the wedding. Now does that mean that Jesus condoned drunkenness, no of the Bible teach that wine is a gift, but they can also be abused and so you you have all these warnings associated with this gift of wine if you will.

Proverbs 2331 do not look at wine when it is read when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly in the end bites like a serpent and stings like an adder.

I think the question we'd ask him were asking the question is this okay to enjoy whatever this might be is, does this alcohol urine in your question.

Does this control you. There's a difference.

James between enjoying wine and maintaining control over yourself having self-control and being led away into drunkenness.

There a lot of people who are controlled by alcohol. There a lot of people who are controlled by food who have turned that into an idol is what we have to be really careful with that because even that can be sinful gluttony Scripture talks about. That is, sadly, I think sometimes people can turn to alcohol as a way of numbing their pain trying to escape reality will that's a miss use of alcohol bits, sinful bumblebee Ephesians do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the spirit. Ephesians chapter 5 verse 18 is a James no alcohol in and of itself wine in and of itself is not sinful, but like so many of God's gifts to the people of God to the world we abuse them.

We are sinful, our hearts take them and use them in ways that are not healthy and so that's where you have to be really really careful and and for all of us as Christians. The expectation is don't get drunk with wine. That's debauchery be filled with the spirit and so that's the question you need to ask yourself in and we all should ask ourselves in my field with the spirit.

How does that happen.

Well, were filled with the spirit as we meditate upon the word of Christ. God bless you. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and let's get back to another call I drill this came in at 833.

The core I'm not bringing a believer in one thing I'm really struggling with God.

Literally, John Wyatt, the only people that come to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior who had to be saved because not everybody get a chance to really hear and understand the gospel. So I guess I doesn't seem fair to me and it's hard for me to understand how God be just thinking so much upon And Allie.

I'm so happy you reached out to us. Just hearing your question brings me great joy and hearing that your a newer believer. I want to just take a moment to pray for you first before I answer this question.

Father, I lift Allie up to you. I thank you Lord for drawing her to yourself. I thank you Lord for her faith in your son Jesus and I pray Lord that you would protect her from the evil one that you would encourage her as she continues to seek you as she continues to grow in her understanding of your word Lord that she would fall more in love with you that you would cause her to be just a great light shining for the people around her, pointing them to Jesus to his love to his goodness and that she would continually rest in that love and goodness, I thank you again for her and Lord for the work you've done in her life with her today. In Jesus name, amen Allie, first let me just recognize the seriousness of this questionnaire would we believe as Christians that Jesus is the way Jesus made that absolutely clear in John chapter 14 verse six he said I am the way, the truth and the life.

No one comes to the father except through me. Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said in acts chapter 4 verse 12 there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

So you have a very clear statement there which immediately leads to the question. Your question, what about the people who have never heard the name of Jesus while first in terms of God's justice.

What condemns us before God isn't simply that we hear about Jesus and we reject him, it's that God has already revealed so much to us about who he is and we reject that none of the passage of Scripture. Then there are a few but the one that I always go to us in Romans chapter 1 it makes this point. Verses 20 through 23.

Listen to what Paul said, for his that is God's invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature has been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world and the things that have been made, so they is mankind are without excuse for although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking and their foolish hearts were darkened claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchange the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things to Paul is talking there about idolatry and how essentially we engage in idolatry.

Even though the created world around us reveals that God is good and that he created these good things for us instead of embracing that reality. We turn from it. We worship the creature rather than the creator. So were justly condemned because we reject what we might refer to as the revelation God is given to us in the very creation around us. We also need to remember that cut is good and I think for those who heard about Jesus and rejected him. There's a more severe judgment than for those who didn't. Jesus seems to indicate in the Gospels were judged to the degree that we know and reject the truth. When people in far-off lands who don't know God are searching groping after him. God doesn't just leave them per se. I think of the soldier Cornelius in acts chapter 10.

He didn't know the name of Jesus, but he was praying and crying out to God and what what did God do. He sent Peter to him. This is why missions are so important. God is advancing his word, his gospel through faithful missionaries. The people who go out and preach, and God is sending them to places where the name of Jesus is not yet been heard. God is just and he's good and he's calling all people everywhere to turn to him and to his son Jesus. Thanks for listening to core Christianity to request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us@corechristianity.com and click on offers in the menu bar or call us at 1-833-843-2673 that's a 33 core when you contact us. Please let us know how you been encouraged by this podcast and be sure to join us next time.

As we explore the truth of God's word together