7. What happens to those
who’ve never heard of Jesus?
Although the Bible does not give us the complete
answer to this question, it does tell us that God "will
judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with
equity (or fairness)" (Psalm 98:9). God will not
condemn a person for rejecting a Christ they never
heard about. However, we already stand condemned for
something far more basic.
God has revealed Himself to everyone through the creation
around us and the sense of right and wrong inside us.
Each person knows enough about God that He says we
are "without excuse" (Romans 1:20). It is
for this suppression, distortion and rejection of the
true knowledge of God and for the accompanying violation
of God's laws that we stand condemned.
Only by casting
oneself completely on the mercy of God, and not counting
on any of one's deeds -- religious or otherwise
-- for right standing with God, can anyone possibly be saved.
