Bible Question:
I have asked this question before but I am still struggling with it. My question is, “Can people in remote areas be saved who have never heard of Jesus but are aware by the creation of the world around them that there is a God? I read a previous question that was similar and part of your answer was quote “Why does God ask us to preach, teach and tell others about Jesus? The answer is, “It is necessary for them to believe! When they hear, the Holy Spirit can give them understanding. ” Because of this comment I would think that God would have mercy and save the people who have died in these remote areas that have never heard of Jesus but believed in a Creator. These people are aware of God the Creator but have not heard or been taught about God the Son yet.
Bible Answer:
There are several previous questions which talk about various aspects of this issue: 1) “If God is love, how can He send anyone to hell?“, 2)”What happens to the people who have never heard about Christ?“, and 3) “Were people saved before the apostles?”
Without Excuse
God has given man enough information in this life to understand that someone greater than himself/herself exists, that is, God exists. He has given us this sense in the creation (Rom. 1:20-22), in our conscience (Rom. 2:14-15), in written form (Rom. 3:19-20), and through people (Acts 10). God will meet the desire of anyone who wants to know more about Him.
Two Illustrations
Several missionaries encountered a new group of people in southeast Asia years ago. The leader of these people told the missionaries that they had been told that someone was coming to tell them about God. So the missionaries stayed and shared the good news about Jesus Christ with them. What a surprise! They knew the missionaries were coming.
In the New Testament times, another individual wanted to know more about God. His name was Cornelius.
Now there was a certain man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort, a devout man, and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people, and prayed to God continually. About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come in to him, and said to him, “Cornelius!” And fixing his gaze upon him and being much alarmed, he said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God. And now dispatch some men to Joppa, and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter; he is staying with a certain tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea.” (NASB) Acts 10:1-6
Acts 9 and 10 tell us that God had told the apostle Peter to go to Cornelius and tell him and his family about Jesus Christ. As a result, Cornelius and his family became Christians.
Conclusion:
If a man or woman really wants to know about God, then God will meet him or her – one way or another. God is faithful. He is faithful not just to Christians but to anyone who really wants to know the true God. God loves His creation.