Biblical truth: Everyone has received a knowledge of God.
This blog pertains to all those people who lived before the time of Jesus or never received the gospel of Christ. Everyone who has ever lived has had the same opportunity to look at the cosmos and the natural world and realize there must be a God who created it all. The intricate workings of the universe show an intelligent design. It literally screams out the existence of a Creator. In previous blogs I’ve listed the 23 physical proofs necessary for life to exist. If any one of these proofs were missing life couldn’t exist. Human life exists on the edge of a knife and only God put us there and sustains us.
Romans 1:20 – For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.
Psalm 19:1 – The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.
A loving God has given this fruitful earth as our home. We have abundant water and rain to grow crops and animals we can harvest. Nowhere else in the universe is there a water planet like earth that can sustain life as we know it. The knowledge of God is all around us yet the unbeliever rejects it and uses false scientific knowledge to uphold their beliefs. The unbeliever’s heart has been hardened to the point no amount of evidence will convince them of the truth of God. Idolatry in our day doesn’t take the form of idol worship. Instead, the idolater today simply imagines things about God that are untrue and they will receive the wrath of God on the last day.
Acts 14:15-17 – (Paul speaking) – Men, why do you do these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.
Our God is a just God and He is not going to unjustly sentence someone to hell for rejecting a Christ of whom he has never heard. Let’s not forget God knows the hearts of all men and He knows what decision each of us will make and He judges us based on the knowledge given to us. Every person receives enough knowledge of God in order to seek Him out. If that person rejects the general knowledge of God given him through creation then he would not have accepted Christ had he received the gospel message and is therefore condemned. The occupants of hell are there because they rejected whatever knowledge of God they received whether it was general knowledge from creation or specific knowledge of Jesus Christ from the Bible or any other source.
2 Peter 3:9 – The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.