fate of the faithless

so what is the christian position on those who die without ever having a chance to hear "the good news"? like, say, the entire new world prior to the 1400's. are they going to hell or they saved by default?

 

I think there is ample scriptural evidence that says they are given the opportunity to know Jesus before they are judged.

 

saved by default. Due to never learning of the word of God, they never technically reach the age of atonement. So they are held liable for their sins. Its kinda like if a baby would die.

 

what does that mean? that something happens after they die where they can accept a guy they've never heard of? or do they get some time to learn about him in the afterlife?

 

does that mean the people who reject christianity are doomed to hell by having been told of jesus? wouldn't the best way to save the world be to completely eliminate christian teachings so we could go back to being saved by default?

 

in Romans 1 and 2 it talks about the condition of man prior to Jesus coming and the salvation offered through Him. It says that God had made Himself known to all men through His creation and that man is without excuse(vs.20). It goes on in ch. 2 to say that God will render unto to each according to his deeds -those who persevere in good - eterneal life, those who are selfishly ambitious - wrath(vs 6-8). It also said that those who didn't know the law, yet still kept it, where a law unto themselves in that they show the law written in their heart and that their conscience will either accuse or defend them on the day when God judges the secrets of men(14-16).

As far as today, if a person died without having heard the gospel, I believe it would fall under the same condition prior to Jesus coming.

 

Let's have a christian holocaust. :imagestor

 

so here's the logical conclusion of my question... (forgive me if it doesn't make sense, i've been working 20 hour days the 3 straight now and it's starting to get to me.)

1. the one true lord presented himself to man
2. the lord explained that those who accept him would be saved and those who didn't would go to hell -- those who came before him or had not heard his word have nothing to fear, for the lord would not condemn somebody for being ignorant
3. the church of lord grew and spread the news
4. the church elders realized that by spreading the news of the lord, they were actually only condemning people to eternal torment. they rationalized that if man were simply ignorant of the lord, he would not be judged unworthy.
5. they systematically erased all record of the lord to prevent man from shunning him. in-so-doing, they shunned him themselves and spend eternity in the pits of hell, tho they also saved the whole world.


so who's to say that didn't happen? clearly, i'm not talking about christianity, but something that has the same "mechanics" as christianity.

 

They were Mormons. Duh.

 

:xyzthumbs