The Problem
What about that Indian in the jungle who never heard the gospel? Will he be lost? Many people might say, "It doesn't seem fair that God would condemn someone just because he never had the opportunity to hear the gospel and respond to it."
Very Real Dangers - The Wrong Goal & Usage of Scripture
Before we consider the situation of those who have never heard the gospel, let's pause to think about what our goal is and what we think the answer should be. Apparently in an effort to be "loving," some people think it is only fair that God should extend grace to the Indian who never had a chance to respond to the gospel. In other words, it is claimed that a gracious God should save that Indian. Predictably, scripture will be interpreted in such a manner to support this perspective. On the other hand, it almost appears at times that others seem to almost find delight in condemning everyone whom they think should be lost, which might include the Indian in the jungle. Whenever people force scripture to conform to their belief system, the message becomes their own and not God's message to us. This is not to say that appealing to scripture is methodologically wrong; rather, the usage of scripture should reflect the intended message of the author. What is needed, therefore, is to approach scripture with the right goal. What is needed is insight into what God will actually do as revealed in scripture!
Regardless of whether we might like the answer or not, if we want to have an accurate insight into the situation of that individual who has never heard the gospel, we need to seek what the scriptures reveal about how God will respond to that one. As hard as it is, we need to park at the door "what I think is fair" and "the way I think things should be" in order to try to understand what scripture actually claims. If we don't do this, we will simply map over the text what we already believe to be true. In which case the predictable result will be we walk away from the text hearing our own voice instead of God's.
It should be obvious that this proverbial Indian we are describing has neither access to the Mosaical Law given at Mt. Sinai nor can he have faith in someone of whom he has never heard. What does God do in this situation? Many people will acknowledge that it would be unfair for God to judge someone by a standard to which that individual was oblivious.
Paul's Teaching As It Relates To This Question
Two paths to being declared righteous
To use Paul's language, those who will receive eternal life are those who are declared to be righteous. Can an Indian deep in the jungle who has never heard about Jesus be declared righteous by God? In Romans 2, Paul described the principles establishing the fair nature of God's judgment There is no favoritism; those who have done good will be granted eternal life while those who have followed evil and rejected the truth will be condemned. Romans 2:6-11 The basis for final judgment is God's law regarding what is good and evil.
Although such "Indians" are not aware of that Law which God gave to Moses, Paul claimed that since they do those things which God requires they show that God's law is written in their hearts. Romans 2:14 In this way, such people become a law unto themselves and God will judge each of them by his or her own awareness of whether he or she has done what is right or wrong. Romans 2:13-16 So God is fair. God judges each person by what he or she knows. God does not judge that proverbial Indian in the jungle by a standard which he has never heard. As Paul wrote, his thoughts either accuse him or excuse him. Romans 2:15
The Indian is judged by his own understanding of God's law. Paul therefore asserts that every person who has sinned apart from knowing Moses' Law will also perish without reference to Moses' Law. Romans 2:12 In other words, for any Indian in the jungle to be saved, he must never have sinned by violating his conscience (his understanding of God's law) and thereby he will have the understanding that he has lived up to the standard of God's glory. To put it another way, to be saved by this path requires a person to be saved based upon his own merit of goodness, that is, to be saved by works.
The second path is not based upon works but upon grace. This person trusts in God to declare him righteous based upon the good news about Jesus' blood and his atoning sacrifice.
Can an Indian who has never heard about Jesus find a way to be declared righteous?
"Is it possible for there to be an Indian who has never sinned against his conscience?" In other words, can anyone who is capable of distinguishing good from evil live in such a way that he never violates his conscience - never says something which makes him feel guilty, never acts toward others in a way that he knows he should not, never harbors thoughts which he considers to be wrong? etc. Is an Indian capable of achieving what no "civilized" person in modern society is capable of doing? Is any Indian capable of honestly proclaiming statements along the lines of: "I am the embodiment of sinless perfection. I have lived a holy, blameless and godly life. I have attained the standard of God's glory?"
Throughout his letters, Paul repeatedly argued that salvation by works (my goodness) is an impossibility for us. No one will be able to save themselves by their ability to observe the Law (or even their own understanding of God's law) because all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory- and we know it! Romans 3:20, 23; Acts 13:39; Galatians 2:16 We hear this confession often on the street, "Well, I am no saint, but ..." To be saved by works a person must be perfect in himself.
Since each one of us is aware that we have sinned, no one is capable of being justified before God by trying to obey one's own understanding of what is right or obeying the Mosaical Law which God has revealed. Any such law will only end up convicting a person of his own sinfulness. Hence, no one is capable of saving oneself because no one is capable of living a perfectly righteous life.
If these things are true, what does this mean about the Indian in the jungle? God does not condemn that Indian in the jungle because he has never had the opportunity to hear the gospel; each of us (including that Indian in the jungle) will condemn ourselves because we know that we have messed up and have not lived a perfect and sinless life. Some of us will come to that realization as we compare our lives with God's Word, others will come to that realization as they compare their lives with what they understand to be right. And since we are all sinners, no one can come into the presence of a holy God based upon the righteousness of our own merit.
Can God be just if He acquits those who know they are guilty?
If this is the situation of humanity, what must God do? Would God be just in bestowing upon anyone the reward and blessings of a holy and blameless life when even that individual knows he is guilty? Even humans are cursed when they tell the guilty, "you are innocent" (Proverbs 24:24). How can God be a Holy and Righteous Judge if He is going to acquit those who know that they are guilty?
The Indian in the jungle who never heard about Jesus is not any better off than the guy down the street. The point is, all of us stand condemned - not just that Indian. All of us are aware that we are marred by having chosen to do wrong at one time or another. This is the situation of the world. Everyone knows that they are less than perfectly sinless.
Good News!
Fortunately, God has broken into this dark world with the light and salvation of His Son. Jesus has died for everyone. The covenant he has made possible through his blood extends to all peoples, tribes and nations - to the whole world. 1 John 2:2; Revelation 5:9 No group is excluded. God desires everyone to repent from their sins and enter the salvation He has provided through Jesus. Acts 10:34
Don't blame God if people will be lost who never heard ..... consider your responsibility
How does the gospel message reach neighbors and tribesmen? God does not boom His message from heaven. He works through people like you and me who will carry His message to others. Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16; 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 Since the reality is that we are ALL lost, it is only those who do respond to the message of Jesus who will be saved. In Jesus' words, "No one comes to the Father except by me." John 14:6 Or as Paul would put it, those outside of Christ are "without hope and without God." Ephesians 2:12
What motivated Paul to be one of the greatest missionaries that has ever lived? Perhaps it is because he truly understood that none of us, not even those proverbial Indians in the jungle, can be declared righteous if they are left to themselves. In Romans 1:5, we can hear Paul's missionary goal: "Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the nations to the obedience of faith."
Barry Newton, Copyright © 1999 Revised 2003
Other Articles of Interest Might Include:
God is Fair ... Good News, Bad News & Great News
Should We Forget This Part of the Gospel? (God's final judgment)
Is Sincerity Enough? (Title: "But I Thought It Was OK")
But What About the Thief on the Cross?