I would assert that there will not be one “good” person of any kind in Hell. God is Perfectly Just and all of His Judgments will be 100% accurate. He is Good.

If anyone finds himself in Hell he will be there because he deserves it.

I don’t believe that God allows or sends people to Hell based on their religious affiliation. People will end up there based on their actions, thoughts, and motives.

The book of Romans says that “All have sinned and come short…”

Our current version of right and wrong is different from God’s. It won’t matter how the whole world votes about right and wrong on the Judgment Day, it will only matter how God votes.

I see two possibilities regarding the “good” person who doesn’t know of Jesus Christ. 1) They are good by your standard or my standard but not by God’s. and/or 2) They have exercised faith towards God and that power has changed them.

Faith/Trust in Jesus is the only way to be Forgiven. So how was Abraham “saved?” Hebrews says that he was saved by his faith. But wait a minute, he didn’t know the name Jesus! How can this be? He put his faith in the level of revelation about Jesus that he had from God, and that saved Him.

Everyone is saved by faith in Jesus.

When my Father was “saved” or “converted” it took 5 years for him to be able to articulate how it happened. It wasn’t his church attendance, living in America, or filling out a “decision” card that saved him. He believed in his heart that Jesus was who He said He was and had done what He said He had done. This kind of faith begins to transform a man.

So when we start talking about “Christians go to Heaven, everyone else goes to Hell” we are actually making a statement that does not mean much, because it involves a cultural religious affiliation instead of what God is looking for – Life Transforming Faith.

I don’t know if I have hit the ball even close to the heart of your question, but hey – it’s a start anyway.

ThirstyJon

Actually, I submit that you are choosing to believe. You are choosing to believe based on evidence, etc. Someone could choose to believe that they have 11 fingers. Many of us would not be too impressed with the decisions of that individual.

People choose to believe what they want to believe for varying reasons. I cannot speak for all atheists (for example) but I have met atheists who are choosing to believe (or disbelieve) in God because they do not like who they think He is! They then cover their wounded hearts with a bunch of stuff that sounds like reason on the surface.

ThirstyJon

P.S. I will eventually get to the “Hell” question. It would be much easier to talk about in person because I am not sure how to approach it.

I personally do not believe that we “Choose” to believe anything. For example – if I really tried, could I convince you that you have 11 fingers? What if you really REALLY wanted to believe it – could you “Choose to believe” that you have 11 fingers? I don’t believe you could, and I know I could never believe it.

I believe in the existence and greatness and holiness of our creator for all of the reasons that you so eloquently listed – the world around us is far too magical and amazing to have happened “by accident” – but I do not “Choose to believe” it, I was and am convinced of it by overwhelming evidence.

Good stuff, however,,,

You didn’t answer my question. What happens the the good heathen when he dies?

Thanks,

C

I haven’t forgotten you! I am back in Adelaide with slightly more reliable internet. We are preparing to leave the country so we are a bit busy.

I’m still brewing over this one.

ThirstyJon

I am sitting here in Carbrook, Queensland trying to work on this question and there are some wonderful Pacific Islanders beating drums and dancing in the room where I can access the internet! I can hear them singing “You’ve got to feel Aloha – A lo o o o ha – it is the heartbeat of this land!”

It is wonderful to hear them worshiping God in their own cultural way, but not so easy to think!

I’ll share my heart on your question when I can. Hopefully soon.

Until then — ALOHA!

ThirstyJon

I’m not challenging your belief or saying that anything you’ve stated is untrue, but I have a genuine question.

I grew up in southern baptist churches. Like you, I was taught that every word in the Bible was literally true. I was taught that the human soul is immortal and that my conscious mind and spirit would never end. I was taught that I was a sinner, and that only the grace of Christ could atone for my sin – and that if I did not acknowledge Christ, believe in him and his sacrifice for my benefit, and accept the gift of his salvation, that my immortal soul would burn and suffer in the pit of hell for all eternity.

Then the question occurred to me – what about native peoples?

Let’s imagine an old man that might have died today in the depths of the Amazon. Completely isolated people, never contacted by the civil society outside of his world. A good man, loved his wife, cared for his children, gave to the widows in the village. This good and decent man was never ministered to by a Christian, never heard the good news of the gospel, never accepted Christ because he never had a chance to. By the teachings of the faith I grew up within, that good man is now screaming and roasting and crying in horrible torturous damnation for all eternity – for failing to believe a message he never got to hear.

When I was a child I asked my Pastor about this, I said “Pastor Tew – would that nice man really burn in hell?”, and he said “Yes, and that’s why missionary work is so important”.

I could not accept that the good and loving God that I believed in, and his son with his message of endless mercy and forgiveness, could allow this to be so – and I began my own quest shortly thereafter. I came to a different answer than you did, but I suspect that you and I have more in common than either of us might think.

So – how do you reconcile the question of the good heathen? I honestly want to know.

Great post – thank you.

Remember what Jesus said to Thomas after his resurrection? The Son of God invited him to place his fingers in the holes of his hands and the hole of his side. Thomas then believed, because he had seen. Then, Jesus said, “Blessed is he who has not seen, yet believes.”

I truly think that we encounter Jesus in the opposite way that the world demands. The world say, “When I see it, then I will believe it.”

God says, “When you believe it, then you will see it.”

That is exactly what happened to you!

God bless you in your walk with Jesus!

Christine