Expert: Marilyn - 12/9/2004

Question
Do all people have a chance to except God into there hart before death? Is there an excuse to not know about Jesus? Will they go to hll if they have not taken Jesus as there Savior? do they say I never knew him..like the indians. or people that have other gods, like buda,exctra?

Answer
Howdy Tina;

Paul says in Romans 1:19 & 20, "...since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.  For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--His eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse."  

In other words, nature itself testifies to God's existence, His power and His Divine nature.  American Indians recognized Him and called Him the Great Spirit.  Other people groups did not and have not recognized Him.  He has commanded human beings worship nothing made by His Hands or by human hands.  Therefore any god represented by a statue etc. is an idol; Buddha is not God, no Hindu god is God either, those are all idols and false gods whose worship will place a person in hell.  

According to Paul, claiming you never knew God is no excuse because nature testifies of Him.  It is very risky to think that any person can make it into Heaven based on their comprehension of God through nature.  

The Bible says that Jesus is THE WAY.  Paul seems to imply that an honestly seeking person can meet Jesus without the Bible or the testimony of a believer through contemplation of God's creation and it's likely to have happened some time or other, but it's very rare.  It is far better to tell others the good news of Jesus so they will have the full information and let them make up their own minds after that.  Why take risks with something so important?  

Naturally, in the course of your witnessing, pray that God will send His Holy Spirit to woo them to His side and recognize that God is the One who must do the real work of winning the lost soul.

May the Lord richly bless you,
Marilyn