What does God do about people who never hear the gospel?

These three verses may give us the answer.

“God always does what is right.” Hebrews 6:10 (NLV)

The most common question students in my youth group ask is, “What does God do about people who never hear the gospel?” It is not a question that’s cleanly answered in an easy-to-understand verse like John 3:16, which clearly states the gospel.

The gospel—literally, the “good news”—is further clarified in John 14:6: Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life: no one can come to God except through Him. He is the only way to eternal life. But what if someone was never told about Jesus or wasn’t physically able to process this truth? Would that person be shut out of Heaven?

For example, what happens to babies who die before they have a chance to hear the gospel? What happens to those with severe mental disabilities who are unable to comprehend it? What happens to people living in remote areas of the world that have never heard the gospel? And what happens to people raised exclusively in heretical religions who never get the chance to know that Jesus died for them?

I wondered all this for a long time, too, until a great friend named Rev. Carl Petters gave me the clearest answer using three simple Bible passages. His concise response also showed me that it’s important to know the answer so we can help those struggling with this common question. Here it is:

1. God hasn’t told us everything.

“The secret things belong to the Lord our God.” Deuteronomy 29:29 (NKJV)

The NLT version of this verse states, “The Lord our God has secrets known to no one.” In other words, the Bible reveals a lot, but it doesn’t reveal everything.

This means there are some questions we simply will not fully know the answers to until we can ask God in person. 1 Corinthians 13:12 says, “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.”

We may not fully understand the answer to our questions, but we do know this:

2. God will always do what is right.

“Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” Genesis 18:25 (NKJV)

This passage comes from the story of Abraham pleading with God not to destroy everyone in the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham argues that some people living there are good and don’t deserve the same fate as the wicked. He asks God rhetorically, “Won’t you do what is right?”

God will. In fact, God always does what is right. There are many places in the Bible where this is made clear (e.g. Hebrews 6:10). God is righteous and just. He would not consign someone to an eternity in Hell simply because it was their bad fortune to die before they could hear and accept the truth.

But does that mean He would automatically deliver them into Heaven? How does He reconcile mercy and fairness?

3. There are no barriers to his ability to communicate truth to everyone.

“The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.” Psalm 19:1-4 (NKJV)

The key part of this passage is the third and fourth sentences: there is no language where the glory of God is unheard, and His splendor is spread “to the end of the world.” His voice reaches literally everywhere.

It would be impossible to declare God's glory without the gospel. It is His most glorious act. This means God's entire creation preaches the good news in a way that can be understood by everyone. God speaks the languages of babies in the womb, the mentally disabled, and remote islanders who have never seen a church, Bible, or missionary.

Because most of us are surrounded by words and text, we mistakenly believe this is the only way God communicates truth. Not so. God can speak in ways that go far beyond mere words. He has the power to reach every individual, and everyone must individually accept or reject the message He delivers.

So now we can process a clear(er) answer to the question of what happens to people who never have a chance to hear the gospel: God has secrets He hasn’t revealed to us, but He will always do what is right, and there is no language where His voice is unheard. Fear not: God is in control, and His loving righteousness will work it all out!

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Graceful contemplations

“God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers, and clouds and stars.” —Martin Luther

“Whatever you do, remember that these things are mysteries, and that if they were such that we could understand them, they wouldn’t be worth understanding. A God you understood would be less than yourself.” —Flannery O’Connor

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Thank you for reading!

As always, thank you so much for reading Graceful Intrusions! May was a whirlwind, with middle school winding down and summer on the horizon. If you’re looking for a fun summer read, please consider my Christian romance series, Shadow Point. Hey, if Spidey likes it, maybe you will, too! Click the image below for details!