Never Heard of Jesus?

[D.Thomas]

As you can tell from my username, I have questions that get in the way of any faith I may have. I'd imagine that I will never be completely question free, but some of those questions I could probably do without answers but one and that is the following set of questions.

Of all the billions of people on the planet, only a very small minority fit the description of saved in a Christian belief category. What happens to someone that never hears about Christ and dies? Do they go to hell? How can God who made us all allow this to happen? I've asked this question before repeatedly and was told that we all have the holy spirit built into us. If faith alone gets us to heaven and not works, hell is going to be a very busy place. How about he small kid born in a Buddhist or Muslim country? They're brought up to believe that their religion is the true religion. Are we all pre-destined to whatever fate has been chosen for us?

I'll keep praying for answers and I sincerely hope that someone out there in forum land can be the answer to my prayers. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Eugene]

Hi D.Thomas and welcome to CF.net. I reckon your identical questions have crossed the mind of every Christian as they grew in grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus. It might be answered sufficiently with the following scripture in Genesis 18:25, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?"

Romans 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Romans 1:20 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:

I just posted a thread at the link below as to how God deals with those you would think hasn't got an equal opportunity to receive Jesus as their Savior. I really do not know the different things God might do in any individual circumstance, but by faith I know without doubt that to righteously judge, again I quote, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?"

http://www.christianforums.net/showthread.php?t=50670&p=779217#post779217

 

[Deborah13]

Like Eugene said, we have to just have faith in Him trusting Him. He is a good and loving God, He will do what is just and only He can say what is just.

But I'd like to share a little testimony with you of how God can reveal His Truth in unusal ways.

Three. yrs ago when my grandson was 5 he got up one morning. "Grandma, God showed me the good heaven," I immediately thought he had just had a dream that a little boy that knew about Jesus, His love, and about heaven might have but as I started to ask him what he saw he continued, "but then He showed me the bad heaven. It's scary and there's dragons there. I don't want anyone to ever have to go there." tears glistened in his eyes, he was truly upset.
Frankly, I was shocked. We had never told him about hell, he knew that there was the enemy, satan but hell? No and nothing like hell. You noticed he called it the bad heaven because he didn't have any other way to name it, it was the opposite of heaven.
We had been waiting to get him well established in God's love before talking about hell. But God stepped in and taught him. Not only was it a bad place but that people could end up there.

We cannot doubt our amazing God.

 

[D.Thomas]

I know that God is a loving God because He IS love. Love is only possible because of God. My problem is that all explanations of non-Christian people and how they will be judged when they die, fly in the face of by faith in Christ alone will we get to heaven. How can someone who's never heard of Jesus have faith in Him and get to heaven?

What did Paul mean in Romans 15:21? "Those that were not told about him will see, and those that who have not heard will understand".

 

[VirginShallConceive]

Like Eugene said, we have to just have faith in Him trusting Him. He is a good and loving God, He will do what is just and only He can say what is just.

But I'd like to share a little testimony with you of how God can reveal His Truth in unusal ways.

Three. yrs ago when my grandson was 5 he got up one morning. "Grandma, God showed me the good heaven," I immediately thought he had just had a dream that a little boy that knew about Jesus, His love, and about heaven might have but as I started to ask him what he saw he continued, "but then He showed me the bad heaven. It's scary and there's dragons there. I don't want anyone to ever have to go there." tears glistened in his eyes, he was truly upset.
Frankly, I was shocked. We had never told him about hell, he knew that there was the enemy, satan but hell? No and nothing like hell. You noticed he called it the bad heaven because he didn't have any other way to name it, it was the opposite of heaven.
We had been waiting to get him well established in God's love before talking about hell. But God stepped in and taught him. Not only was it a bad place but that people could end up there.

We cannot doubt our amazing God.

Let's take a poll. How many of you believe that this testimony is true? How many of you actually believe that God revealed Hell to the little 5-year-old child?


I vote that I don't believe God showed the boy, but I do believe that the boy could have had a dream about a bad Heaven. Teach the child about Heaven and turn the heat up too high, and the child has a nightmare. This is one of many realistic explanations.

 

[P31Woman]

Let's take a poll. How many of you believe that this testimony is true? How many of you actually believe that God revealed Hell to the little 5-year-old child?


I vote that I don't believe God showed the boy, but I do believe that the boy could have had a dream about a bad Heaven. Teach the child about Heaven and turn the heat up too high, and the child has a nightmare. This is one of many realistic explanations.

I believe Deb and I believe with God ALL things are possible!

I had a friend who came to Christ because of a dream about hell. He was the college football star at the time. He completely turned his life around from that very day forward. Today he is an Evangelists. (it's been 30 years since he had that one dream and repented)

 

[VirginShallConceive]

Thanks, P31Woman.


The score is 1 believer in the story, to 1 nonbeliever in the story.

 

[Deborah13]

I believe Deb and I believe with God ALL things are possible!

I had a friend who came to Christ because of a dream about hell. He was the college football star at the time. He completely turned his life around from that very day forward. Today he is an Evangelists. (it's been 30 years since he had that one dream and repented)

Thank you, P31. This testimony is true. But it is OK for there to be doubters, there always are. Poor doubting Thomas for one.

 

[Deborah13]

Let's take a poll. How many of you believe that this testimony is true? How many of you actually believe that God revealed Hell to the little 5-year-old child?


I vote that I don't believe God showed the boy, but I do believe that the boy could have had a dream about a bad Heaven. Teach the child about Heaven and turn the heat up too high, and the child has a nightmare. This is one of many realistic explanations.

Turn the heat up too high??

 

[VirginShallConceive]

Turn the heat up too high??

I've had nightmares as a child, but it wasn't until I became a young adult that I noticed that when a nightmare was so frightening that I suddenly awoke at the climax of whatever horror I was experiencing, the heat was extremely high in the house. One time I was a passenger in a truck and I actually had a nightmare that woke me up! Wouldn't you know it? The heat was on high!

It's been a long time since I've had a nightmare though.

 

[Deborah13]

I've had nightmares as a child, but it wasn't until I became a young adult that I noticed that when a nightmare was so frightening that I suddenly awoke at the climax of whatever horror I was experiencing, the heat was extremely high in the house. One time I was a passenger in a truck and I actually had a nightmare that woke me up! Wouldn't you know it? The heat was on high!

It's been a long time since I've had a nightmare though.

OK

I do have to add this though. He didn't have a nightmare, at least not like when we have a nightmare. He didn't wake up crying or crying out. That I possibly could have explained away, but probably not because of the delivery and content.

I'm not even sure at what point during his sleep when it occured. He just got up at his regular time of morning. He was calm and speaking calmly. The tears in his eyes were clearly for the idea that people could end up there, not fear.

But I respect that you can have your own beliefs. It just sad that you would feel the need to cast doubt on another Christian's witness. This experience is not a big thing compared to many things the Lord does in people's lives. Such as saving their souls from the bad heaven.

 

[P31Woman]

As you can tell from my username, I have questions that get in the way of any faith I may have. I'd imagine that I will never be completely question free, but some of those questions I could probably do without answers but one and that is the following set of questions.

Of all the billions of people on the planet, only a very small minority fit the description of saved in a Christian belief category. What happens to someone that never hears about Christ and dies? Do they go to hell? How can God who made us all allow this to happen? I've asked this question before repeatedly and was told that we all have the holy spirit built into us. If faith alone gets us to heaven and not works, hell is going to be a very busy place. How about he small kid born in a Buddhist or Muslim country? They're brought up to believe that their religion is the true religion. Are we all pre-destined to whatever fate has been chosen for us?

I'll keep praying for answers and I sincerely hope that someone out there in forum land can be the answer to my prayers. Any help would be appreciated.

Who told you we all have the Holy Spirit built into us? That is not true. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity.

John 14:16-17
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. (NIV)

Only believers have the Holy Spirit living within us.

 

[P31Woman]

I know that God is a loving God because He IS love. Love is only possible because of God. My problem is that all explanations of non-Christian people and how they will be judged when they die, fly in the face of by faith in Christ alone will we get to heaven. How can someone who's never heard of Jesus have faith in Him and get to heaven?

What did Paul mean in Romans 15:21? "Those that were not told about him will see, and those that who have not heard will understand".

When you examined the teachings concering saying a word over and over in scripture what did you learn?

What did you learn when examining these passages of scripture with that understanding?

Is. 6:3 And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."

Rev. 4:8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,' who was, and is, and is to come."

Ps 72:19 Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen