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NASB | Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Romans 1:20 For ever since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through His workmanship [all His creation, the wonderful things that He has made], so that they [who fail to believe and trust in Him] are without excuse and without defense. [Ps 19:1-4; Eph 2:10] |
Bible Question:
Could you inform me what happened to the multitude of people that died without ever been able to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ through all these centuries since the Gospel was first preached? Is it fair? |
Bible Answer: Hi Wry, This verse that is referenced from Romans, and the cross-reference to Psalms, tell us something about these that you mention. Psa 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Psa 19:2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. Psa 19:3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Psa 19:4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. Romans amplifies on this thought, that the creation contains sufficient information about God so that men are without excuse before Him. But that also means that creation gives men sufficient information to know God. One of my favorite missionary stories is of the man in Asia, the idol-maker for his tribe, who one day realized that while his hands made the idols, someone must have made his hands, and that someone must be greater yet. When the missionaries came to the tribe, they had a rather poor grasp of the language, and were very limited on how they could communicate. They couldn't believe the enthusiastic response from one of the men when they announced that they had come to introduce the "Maker of their hands". Jesus said (Mat 7:7) "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:" No matter how dark the jungle, no matter how remote the location, these words are true. The one who seeks will find. Do we really know that there were so many people that didn't hear the gospel? Col 1:5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; Col 1:6 Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth: Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Rom 10:18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. These verses talk about the gospel going to all the earth. I know many people interpret that as meaning just the Roman Empire, of "all the known earth", excluding large portions, but is that right? I just read what it says, knowing that it was not the limited knowledge of man speaking, but rather the Holy Spirit. Did you know that the Chinese picto-graphs are built around Biblical themes? And that isolated primitive tribes know about the God that came to earth to die for them? They may not have the details, but it seems that they had, at least at one time, heard the truth. Just as a side-note to this, you may want to check out populationcharts for the history of the earth. Those who say that they know about these kinds of things say that 80 percent of all people who have ever lived are alive today. So let's get out there! Love in Christ, Mark |