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QUESTION 213:
If someone believed and worshiped God and were not told or understood and did not receive Jesus Christ as Savior, are they still judged and held accountable for something they did not know? Would they go to heaven?

ANSWER: There are three basic lights God has given to mankind. They are:
   
1- The light of conscience, Rom. 2:14,15,  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. These will be judged because they had an understanding of right and wrong, and did nothing about it.  They will be lost.
   
2- The light of Creation, Rom.1: 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Man everywhere has this light and if they die that way they will be judged accordingly. They will be lost. “Without excuse.”  This is evidently all the light they wanted.
   
3- The light of the Gospel or word of God, 2 Tim 1:10,  But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:
   
Light # 1 and 2 should lead man to light # 3 where he can find life (eternal) and immortality. Apart from the Gospel nobody can be saved. However, the lights # 1, 2 cannot be known by small children and retarded people, so they are covered by Christ who offered the “sin offering” of Lev. 4:1... He is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. John 1:29.
   
The lights 1, 2 is well known by intelligent men everywhere. They cannot be saved by that light. They will be judged according to the  light they have and the deeds they have done. Read; Rev. 20:12,13; Matt 11:23,24
   
When those of # 1, 2 want more light, God sends missionaries to them to tell them the gospel that they might be saved. When they don’t want that light then they are without excuse and will perish in their sins and suffering accordingly. For more on this see my article, “Are the heathens  lost.” http://pages.ca.inter.net/~inchrist/heathen.html
   
Dear Reader, do be among them that turns to the Saviour and trusts Him.

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Updated July 2009, by Shelly Allen