I started a blog post a week ago about what happens to people who never have a chance to hear the gospel. Then I kinda forgot about posting part 2. So even though it is much delayed, here is part 2. You may remember from part 1, two arguments. 1) It is the testimony of scripture that those people are lost, and 2) the notion that general revelation is enough to condemn but not to save.

My third argument is one from logic. So I’ll start with propositions:

- Jesus commands his followers to share the gospel message. (Matt: 28:8)

- Many people who hear the gospel message will reject it. (Matt 7:13-14)

Therefore

- If ignorance of the gospel was enough to save, the great commission would be cruel because it would bring about condemnation for many

I think that is pretty clear, but I’ll elaborate a bit. Why would Jesus command us to tell everyone if the simple telling would bring about condemnation to so many? Because many will reject the message of Christ, then the act of telling them is cruel. I expect none of us would be willing to call Jesus cruel. And we know that God wishes for none to perish. So the very giving of the great commission implies that those who have no access to the gospel are lost.

My final argument is not so much an argument as it is a comment. We should not underestimate how much God hates our sin. (2 Cor 5:21, 1 Jn 1:5) Nobody will declare that those who have no opportunity to hear the gospel are not sinners. If they are human, they are sinful. God has been very clear about His penalty for sin. We all know we are guilty of sin and so we look on it much more lightly than God who is completely holy.

I believe that all this evidence leads to no other conclusion than to say that those who never have the opportunity to hear the gospel are lost.

In light of this - Give to Lottie Moon. Pray for missionaries. Be open to God's call to become a missionary. The great commission is more important than we can express.