Expert: Dr. Ronald E. Shultz - 8/1/2006

Question
What about those who have never heard or have heard but really and deeply believe that their religion is the right religion? Thank you.

Answer
Prov 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (KJV)  This is repeated in Prov 16:25.

My wife and I were both raised in ritualistic denominations, said creeds, attended Communion and the whole thing but were both lost because the Gospel was not preached clearly, if at all.  Both groups were fairly Liberal in our day and now what we knew would be very Conservative compared to what these groups hold to today.  There are many in so-called Christian groups that don't know what doctrine their group was founded on nor what the doctrine is held to by their leaders now.  They are just what they are because they were born into it or married into it. They are sincere but just as sincerely lost as my wife and I were until 1975.

You must remember that when Noah got off the ark there was only one faith.  Everyone on earth knew the true God.  As the generations passed people added to and took away from the truth that was known about God. Thus God chose various men to reveal Himself too and had them write Scripture and did things through them to set the record straight.  Those who accepted Him spread the Word to others but then people fell away again over and over.  Christ came in the fullness of times to set the record straight even among the Jews whose rabbis had said crazy things about His Word and Jesus had to say, You have heard it said ... but I say unto you" throughout His ministry and He revealed things that they had not understood at all.  He then used the workers of the NT to show wht we should believe from now until the end and  take the message to every creature.  Read Romans 1, Hebrews 11 and Matthew 28 to see what I am saying.

Well, we fell down on the job taking it to every creature and men got their nose in a bend and starting writing their theologies to add to and take away from the Word and we have this mess of many denominations even ones who say that they aren't one or that they are intra-denominational and we have confusion and chaos not ordained by God.  That does make it rough on those who are so close to salvation and yet so far away so what about the folks who are not even close?

The Bible speaks of Creation being the testimony of God.  The fact that there are any Jews alive after millenia of persecution is proof of God.  If a person will respond to the light that God has given them He will give them more light.  

There was an African Chief standing out on the plain and looking at the Creation who said something like "I know what my ancestors have taught but I would like to know the God who made all this."  As he finished a small breeze came up and a piece of paper wrapped around his leg.  It was a Gospel tract from a missionary about thirty miles away.  The Chief walked the thirty miles and was saved and took the missionary back to his village and they all accepted Christ.  I have lots of stories like this. God is not willing that any should perish so if someone shows the desire to know the truth He will lead them to the truth.  If they reject the light given then there is little reason to give them more. If the Chief would have clung to his ancestral gods and never questioned who created the world then he would have never been saved but maybe another in his village may have asked.  If a person looks at Creation and rejects it saying that it is all the result of an explosion creating chaos that created order contrary to all evidence and laws then there is nothing else that can be done until he rejects his theories and accepts Creation.  

God will have to do things because His people have failed in their mission and because iniquity abounds and the love of many runs cold His people will have the blood of many people on their hands for they have not been the watchman spoken of in Ezekiel.  

Think of it like this.  God is the offended one.  He has the right to set the conditions of reconciliation.  If I were to punch you in the face I might offer several  socially acceptable apologies but it is you that will either accept one or none of them maybe demanding something else.  Man tries to reconcile with God in many different and sincere ways but He has set the conditions, paid the price and all we have to do is trust and receive our pardon. Abel did the right thing and Cain, who should have known better or followed his brother's example, was very sincere but he offered up the wrong thing and was rejected. God could have said that nothing was acceptable and sent all mankind to Hell with the devil and his angels.  That He has offered us one escape is an act of mercy and grace and we should not question it but receive it gladly.

Joel Osteen couldn't answer the basic Bible 101 question to Larry King because of "nerves" but everyone that is not a true Christian by being biblically born again will go to Hell. That is cut and dried.  Do they have to go? No.  Does God want them to go? No. Can they be sincere and even moral and go? Absolutely.  In fact, a lost but very moral person will go to Hell while a not so perfect or moral Christian will go to Heaven because it is about grace and the Gift not works.


Acts 4:10-12
10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (KJV)

I Jn 5:5-13
5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.
7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.
9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.
10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (KJV)

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (KJV)

Luke 11:23 He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. (KJV)

There it is even out of Christ's own mouth.   If you have a concern for these folks then study and know the Word and go out in His power and win them.  

May God bless you as you seek His will through His Word and may you walk in the power of His might!!