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NASB | Acts 17:30 "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Acts 17:30 "Therefore God overlooked and disregarded the former ages of ignorance; but now He commands all people everywhere to repent [that is, to change their old way of thinking, to regret their past sins, and to seek God's purpose for their lives], |
Bible Question:
I read a book about Hudson Taylor and his missionary work in China where a Buddhist who converted to Christ asked Mr. Taylor why they had not arrived while his father was alive. How could the father and grandfather of this ex-Buddhist have been saved? I also read "Eternity in their Hearts" where the author points out that if the peoples that don't have access to the gospel are faithfull to the light they have, the gospel would be presented to them. But it didn't prove true concerning the previous generations of any of those groups. Their fathers, grandfathers and greatgrandfathers also died without hearing the gospel. Would it be just a circumstancial problem because there were no missionaries, or this is a case of flat predestination? How could the ones that are not reached with the message be morally accoutable to a message they never heard? Billy Graham and the Catholics say that those who are sincere and live according to the best light they have, above the level of lifestyle of their surroundings, will be granted salvation in Jesus Christ. They say that in many tribes they don't know the name of Christ but believe in Him by the way they respond to life and nature around them. Could this then be true that these peoples are saved without ever hearing the message of the Gospel? If you don't have the answers, could you refer to me those who would have them? Thank you, Finder |
Bible Answer: Finder, You asked, "How could the ones that are not reached with the message be morally accountable to a message they never heard?" and "Could this then be true that these peoples are saved without ever hearing the message of the Gospel?". We know that God is specific in giving us but one way to be saved, so to surmise that pagans might be given an alternative route would be easily refuted. We also know that God many times caused complete nations to perish due to their failure to worship Him. Although the example you give would, indeed, be circumstantial, if we assume that none from the prior generations had ever received the gospel, could it be they had not asked? In other words, is it not possible that none questioned the truth of their pagan religion? Instead of imploring God for the truth, they set off to find it through man-made avenues. If this was the case, why would God send one of His priests to someone who is not seeking? Prov 8:17 17"I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me. NAS Zephaniah 1:1-6 1:1 The word of the LORD which came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah, 2 "I will completely remove all things From the face of the earth," declares the LORD. 3 "I will remove man and beast; I will remove the birds of the sky And the fish of the sea, And the ruins along with the wicked; And I will cut off man from the face of the earth," declares the LORD. 4 "So I will stretch out My hand against Judah And against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, And the names of the idolatrous priests along with the priests. 5 "And those who bow down on the housetops to the host of heaven, And those who bow down and swear to the LORD and yet swear by Milcom, 6 And those who have turned back from following the LORD, And those who have not sought the LORD or inquired of Him. " NAS Conversely, if just one person questioned the religion of their pagan ancestors and prayed to God for the truth, would not God have been faithful? Either that individual would have left their country in search of the truth or the truth would have been brought to them. Thus the answer is not that God makes different rules for different people, but that the individuals failed to sincerely seek God. Acts 17:25-27 26 and He made from one, every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times, and the boundaries of their habitation, 27 that they should seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; NAS Best regards, AO |