There are those who say, “Well, if there is anyone on earth at any time, anywhere, who is diligently seeking after a relationship with God, then God will get the truth to them in one way or another, otherwise they die and go to hell.” That sounds reasonable, doesn’t it? But man’s reasoning is basically flawed. God warns, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor my ways your ways.” Both the Old Testament and the New Testament contain these words: “THERE IS NONE THAT SEEKS AFTER GOD” (See Romans 3:11 and Psalm 14:1-3).
Your Bible says that God “is not willing that ANY should perish (eternally), but that ALL should come to repentance” (See 2 Peter 3:9). It also says that for those in opposition to the truth that God must grant repentance, “so that they may know the truth” (See 2 Timothy 2:25). The work of salvation must begin on God’s side, not ours. We, ourselves, are described as being “dead in sin.” We cannot escape from the grasp of Satan’s delusions on our own. God must work on our behalf else we will be forever lost and will suffer the second death in the fires of hell .
“Behold, He is coming with clouds, AND EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM, even they who pierced Him (yes, the long dead Roman soldiers who ignorantly assisted in the slaying of Jesus Christ). And ALL the tribes of the earth (all peoples of all nations) will mourn (in true abject repentance realizing their horrible errors), because of Him (because THEN He will grant them repentance, also, after they have been carefully instructed in the truth, which may well take many years)” (See Revelation 1:7). This verse is not saying these folks will see Him immediately upon His return for “the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years (of Christ’s earthly reign) were finished. This is the first resurrection” (See Revelation 20:5). But when resurrected at the close of Christ’s thousand year reign then every eye shall eventually see Him, every one born human will eventually get the same chance at salvation as those who saw Jesus face-to-face when He walked the dusty roads of Galilee and Judea long ago. No one will have a better shot at salvation than the next guy. NO ONE will ever have the opportunity to shake their fist in God’s face and say, “I never had a chance. You are not fair.”
“And this is the testimony that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has (a relationship with) the Son has life. He who does not have (a relationship with) the Son of God does not have life” (I John 5:11-12).
Jesus meant it when He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (See John 14:6). No Babylonian, no Assyrian, no Inca or Aztec Indian – NO ONE can be spiritually saved and granted eternal life except by and through a valid, life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ.
Paul refers to believers as those “who first trusted in Christ” (See Ephesians 1:12). We are on the ground floor of this thing called salvation. James says we are “a kind of firstfruits” (See James 1:18). The great harvest of mankind is future. This is the teaching of Revelation Chapter 14. The reaping of the earth, the saving of mankind as a whole is yet future. “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude (of billions and billions) which no man could number (not even a genius mathematician like Einstein), of ALL nations (Iraq, Iran, China, Bangladesh, etc.) tribes (Apache, Seminole, Cree), peoples and tongues (those speaking even now dead languages) standing before the throne and before the Lamb (their Savior), CLOTHED WITH WHITE ROBES (washed pure in the blood of the Lamb), with palm branches (of victory) in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne (victorious over Satan and his deceptions), and to the Lamb” (See Revelation 7:9-10). Former Muslims, Hindus and atheists will be saying, “God really knows how to save, doesn’t He? He knew what He was doing all along, didn’t He?”
Hell is for Christ rejecters ONLY! Not for satanically blinded people who have not had their minds opened to the truth. It is “to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17). To the Jews who saw Him face-to-face and heard His teaching, Jesus said “if YOU do not believe that I am He (the Messiah, the Savior of the world), YOU will die in your sins” (See John 8:24). To the learned Pharisees, who knew the scriptures by heart, He said, “If you were (spiritually) blind (deceived by Satan), YOU WOULD HAVE NO SIN, but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains” (John 9:41).
The Muslim is without sin for rejecting Jesus Christ as the Son of God. From early childhood they have been mistaught, deceived, hoodwinked, defrauded, duped. They are spiritually blind and without sin in that regard. If taught it is wrong to steal and they steal something. They stand guilty of that sin. For rejecting Christ as their Lord and Savior, they are innocent. Upon being resurrected in the world to come, if they remain obstinate and refuse to believe, they will be doomed and cast into hell where they will be consumed and reduced to ash. (See Malachi 4:3).
Christ’s Faithful Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),
Donald Wiley