Recently, there were quite a number of people asking me, “If salvation is through Christ alone, how about those who have never got the chance to hear the gospel?”
I told them if they reach out to God, God will reach out to them!
A special place for God in our hearts
The fool had said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; there is none who does good.
God looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. (Psalm 53:1-2 NKJV)
The word 'fool' is 'nâbâl' in Hebrew. It means ‘stupid or wicked, especially for being impious (ie showing a lack of respect for God)’.
In the old times, there was neither internet nor modern transportation. So, knowledge about God was scarce. Yet, God was looking for people who would understand and seek Him!
It has proven one thing, that is, God has created all of us with a special place for Him in our hearts. We are born with a ‘spiritual instinct’ to want to connect to a personal and mighty God who is powerful enough to save and protect us.
In most cases, people worship other gods/deities by inheriting their family’s traditions and religion. Apart from the above, atheism teachings play a part in blocking the mind of people and harden their hearts against God. There are also people who despise God due to certain mishaps in their life.
But, when someone starts to do ‘heart-searching’ and cries out to the true God who created him/her, God will bring the gospel and the name of Jesus to him/her!
There are many real life testimonies that I have heard from beloved brothers and sisters in Christ. But such happenings are recorded in the Bible as well:
(a) Cornelius and family - the unreached family
Then Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius, and said, “Yes, I am he whom you seek. For what reason have you come?” And they said, “Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you.” (Acts 10:21-22 NKJV)
It is obvious that Cornelius, a Gentile and a professional officer of the Roman army, was seeking for the true God. God intervened by preparing Peter with a vision for him to preach the gospel to the non-Jews (see Acts 10:9-16). Around the same time, God told Cornelius to look for Peter, and he found the answers he had been searching for. Long story short, the whole household was saved, baptized in the Holy Spirit and baptized in water on the same day after Jesus Christ was preached to them (see Acts 10:24-48).
(b) The Macedonian Call - the unreached people
And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the lord had called us to preach the gospel to them. (Acts 16:9-10 NKJV)
Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. (Acts 16:14 NKJV)
The Macedonians were ancient Greek people. They worshiped Greek deities. But some Macedonians, and probably Lydia who was one of them, must have been praying to the true God and asked for true understanding. God orchestrated the whole situation by leading Paul to Macedonia through a divine dream. Lydia and her family members were the first few to hear of the gospel and receive salvation (see Acts 16:11-15).
(c) Saul - the unreachable man
As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” (Acts 9:3-5 NKJV)
Saul grew up with excellent religious training and he was zealous for God. But he did not know the true God. In fact, he thought he was doing God a big favor by persecuting many Christians. Probably, some victims and widows had been praying to God about him. Not long after, the Lord Jesus Himself appeared before Saul in a great light experience. He made him blind temporarily. Then, He instructed Ananias in a vision to reach out to Saul to recover his sight and baptize him in the Holy Spirit. Saul immediately became a changed man and a believer of Christ (see Acts 9:10-19). Eventually, Saul became the Apostle Paul who did great works for Christ the rest of his life. So, even the ‘unreachable’ can be reached by God in the way that only He knows what works for them.
Salvation for the unreached
“Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He (the Holy Spirit) has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me;” (John 16:7-9 (NKJV)
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.” (John 10:27-30 NKJV)
Salvation does not just happen in a person’s life. The Spirit of God is the One who works behind the scene to prompt some believers to pray for the unreached. He is the One who touches and turns the hearts of the unreached toward God. He is also the One who leads Christians to share the gospel to those who are ready to be saved. Once the gospel is preached, the unreached would immediately recognize that it is the God they have been calling out to. Hence, salvation is definite after praying the salvation prayer.
Sharing the gospel without striving
Then He said to His disciples,“The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9:37-38 NKJV)
And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:15 NKJV)
It is absurd that some spiritual leaders use the above Scriptures as ‘the expectation’ for members to preach the gospel for church growth. So much so that the sharing of gospel has been categorized as a stressful thing to do.
[As salvation is not a coincidence occurrence, and the Holy Spirit is the only One who enables genuine salvation, no believer should be feeling forced or intimidated to preach the gospel. Therefore, be at ease and be bold to share the gospel whenever you are led by His Spirit to a certain person or people. Mainly because, the result depends solely on the work of the Holy Spirit and not from your own self-effort. You just need to avail yourself as the oracle of God to speak His word and to share your testimony.]
In conclusion, when someone cries out to the true God, He will bring the right people to share the gospel so that the perfect work of Jesus on the cross would be known. Or in circumstances where sharing of gospel is forbidden, He will give understanding through dreams or visions (such as in Apostle Paul’s experience), or in whatever way that He knows will work for the person, people or nation who calls out to Him.