Those who never heard of Jesus and are dead

[patmokgoko]

After reading the letter to Dr Kennedy for the 4th time, I remembered Acts 17:30-31 IN THE PAST GOD OVERLOOKED SUCH IGNORANCE,BUT NOW COMMANDS ALL PEOPLE EVERYWHERE TO REPENT.SO HE HAS SET A DAY WHEN HE WILL JUDGE THE WORLD WITH JUSTICE.....
Isn't this verse saying that will have no problem with those who died without being preached to? Not guilty because they sinned in ignorance?Please help.

[SDDiver]

I think the key to this scripture is in the verses preceding it. Paul is saying that God does not reside in temples built of man nor is the Divine Being like material things. That's the ignorance the church is guilty of and I was guilty of too and had to repent from. Not sure if this can apply to someone who died without being preached to at all.

[arion]

Rom 2:12-16  For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.  For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

Apparently those who have never heard of Christ will be judged according to what they did know.  Those who are Christians but still in the Babylonian church system will be judged according to the truth that they do have and those of us who have learned some of the deeper truths will be judged according to what we've been given.

Luk 12:48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

[River]

Not hearing the gospel and those who die before they can repent are big issues with the churches. I can recall a time in "Sunday School" when there was talk of a poor soul who had lived his life for Jesus up until about a week before he suddenly died. Everyone was so sad because according to them he messed it all up. If he had just been lucky and strong enough to die when he was living for Jesus then he would of been just fine. It is no wonder the Christian message is so mocked.

[indianabob]

Folks,
The response I like to present to these questions is what about a person who dies in infancy. They obviously had no way to understand or to repent. The answer that I often get is that God will just give infants a "pass" and not hold them accountable. But wait, what about adults who live in a pagan society 1000 years ago and could not read or hear or understand normal communication? No answer, just stubborn insistence that God knows what He is doing and God will sort it all out. Which is true of course, but not a very helpful answer for children who have come to fear rather than love God.

Bob