By Bishop Elijah H. Hankerson III, BA, MA, DD
(Unless
otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard
Bible)[1]
GREETING
Psalm 134:1-2.1 Behold, bless ye the Lord, all
ye servants of the Lord, which by night stand in the house of the Lord.2 Lift
up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
1.
Life Center Service Tonight; Ministerial and
Leadership Training: 7:00 pm.
2.
Join me next week in Houston 5008 Lucille St, with
Bishop Bell and Supt. Hill. And, next week in Wichita, KS, DC, St Louis and
Milwaukee, WI. Information forthcoming.
3.
Please register for the International AIM Convention
under “COGIC Department of Evangelism.” July 1-5, Tampa, FL.
4.
Missouri Midwest Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction Holy
Convocation 4th Annual Holy Convocation July 21-26. In 2020 I will be
celebrating 5 years as a jurisdictional bishop. Special guests include: Evangelist
Renee Winston, Bishop Paul S. Morton, Bishop J. Drew Sheard GBM, Dr. Joyce
Rodgers, Bishop Todd Hall and many more
LESSON PURPOSE
According to the statistics 2.74 billion people have
never heard of Jesus even existing.[2] We
want to explore if these people are going to Hell; even though they have never
heard of the Savior.
While that sounds astounding (that people have never
heard of Jesus) to those in the United States, which has been called a
“Christian nation,” there are many places where Christianity is not the
dominant religion and in some cases is a religion with (1) restrictions on
proselytizing and (2) it can be illegal to convert to Christianity.
It was asked of me how can that be reconciled with
the following Scripture, Titus 2:11-12, which appears to show that the message
of salvation has already been sent to all people?
Titus
2:11-12 King James Version.[3] 11For
the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12Teaching
us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly,
righteously, and godly, in this present world;
But, the most accurate translation of Scripture says
the following:
Titus 2:11-12 New American Standard Bible. 11 For the grace of
God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us to deny
ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in
the present age,
This clearly shows that the means of salvation has
appeared. It brings salvation to all men. But, someone has to do the
“bringing.” If there is no bringing there is no receiving.
Matthew 24:14 New American Standard Bible. This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.
Romans 10:13-14 New American Standard Bible. 13 for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?
I.
WHATEVER GOD DOES IS JUST AND RIGHT.
According to the Word, God is merciful, He is
just and everything He does is correct. There is no failure in Him. We know,
according to the Word, that we must confess Christ for salvation (Romans
10:9-10); but as far as those who have never heard, we must trust that God
knows what He is doing and He knows those who are His.
Deuteronomy 32:4 New American Standard Bible.
“The Rock! His work is perfect,
For all His ways are just;
A God of faithfulness and without injustice,
Righteous and upright is He.
For all His ways are just;
A God of faithfulness and without injustice,
Righteous and upright is He.
Psalm 145:8 New American Standard Bible.
The Lord is gracious and merciful;
Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.
Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.
Psalm 145:17 New American Standard Bible.
The Lord is righteous in all His ways
And kind in all His deeds.
And kind in all His deeds.
2 Timothy 2:19 New American Standard Bible.
Nevertheless, the
firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are
His,” and, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from
wickedness.”
A.
Does God send people to Hell?
I have not found it
in Scripture where Satan sends people to Hell. Satan simply does not have that
kind of authority. While that is against some people’s opinions that God would
send people to Hell; our opinions are not valid when it comes to theology. What
matters is what does the Word say. According to the Word, it is God Who alone
has the authority to send people to Hell.
Matthew 10:28 New American Standard Bible.
Do not fear those who
kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able
to destroy both soul and body in hell.
II.
IS IT EVEN POSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE NEVER
HEARD OF JESUS, THE BIBLE OR CHRISTIANITY?
The Acts of the Apostles teaches about the
spread of the early Christian faith. It is obvious in the pages of Acts that
there were people that never heard of Jesus before. So, yes, it is possible.
Here are a few Scriptures:
Acts 8:27-35 New American Standard Bible.
27 So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court
official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her
treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and he was returning and sitting in his
chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 Then
the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this chariot.” 30 Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah
the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “Well, how could I, unless
someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of Scripture which he was
reading was this:
“He was led as a sheep to slaughter;
And as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
So He does not open His mouth.
33 “In humiliation His judgment was taken away;
Who will relate His generation?
For His life is removed from the earth.”
And as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
So He does not open His mouth.
33 “In humiliation His judgment was taken away;
Who will relate His generation?
For His life is removed from the earth.”
34 The
eunuch answered Philip and said, “Please tell
me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself or of someone else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and
beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.
Acts 17:16-18 New American Standard Bible.
16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was
being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols. 17 So he was reasoning in the synagogue with
the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles,
and in the market place every day with those who happened to be present.
18 And also some of the Epicurean and
Stoic philosophers were conversing with him. Some were saying, “What would this
idle babbler wish to say?” Others, “He seems to be a proclaimer of strange
deities,”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.
Acts 19:1-2 New American Standard Bible.
1 It happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through
the upper country and came to Ephesus, and found some disciples. 2 He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy
Spirit when you believed?” And they said
to him, “No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”
III.
DOES THE "ETERNAL FUTURE" OF
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE REST ON CHRISTIANS SPREADING THE GOSPEL?
Apparently from the Word of God this is the
case. This is why the Bible is so persistent on the importance of preaching.
Ezekiel 3:17-21 New American Standard Bible.
17 “Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman
to the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from
Me. 18 When
I say to the wicked, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak
out to warn the wicked from his wicked way that he may live, that wicked man
shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 Yet if you have warned the wicked and he
does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die in his
iniquity; but you have delivered yourself. 20 Again,
when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity,
and I place an obstacle before him, he will die; since you have not warned him,
he shall die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he has done shall not be
remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. 21 However,
if you have warned the righteous man that the righteous should not sin and he
does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; and you have
delivered yourself.”
1 Corinthians 1:21 New American Standard Bible.
For since in the wisdom of God the world through its
wisdom did not come to know
God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to
save those who believe.
2 Corinthians 5:11 New American Standard Bible.
Therefore, knowing
the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I
hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences.
1 Timothy 4:16 New American Standard Bible.
Pay close attention
to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this
you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.
IV.
IS THE "AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY"
BIBLICAL?
The Word of God does not refer to an “age of
accountability.” Different faiths have different ages that they consider to be
that age. Some 12, others 20 and other ages. None of that is found in the
Bible. However, the Bible does refer to a person growing into the ability to be
able distinguish between what is right and what is wrong. Even Jesus, being
human (along with being God) had to grow in His understanding. Thus, if that
was the case for Jesus; it is only fair that God would give other children the same
opportunity.
Deuteronomy 1:39 New American Standard Bible.
Moreover, your little
ones who you said would become a prey, and your sons, who this day have no
knowledge of good or evil, shall enter there, and I will give it to them and
they shall possess it.
Isaiah 7:15 New American Standard Bible.
He will eat curds and
honey at the time He knows enough
to refuse evil and choose good.
Luke 2:52 New American Standard Bible.
And Jesus kept
increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
V.
ARE CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 12
"AUTOMATICALLY" SAVED?
A.
We do not know it all. No matter how much we study, we do not know
everything and there are just some things that we will never know, until we see
the Lord. The Bible has all the answers that we need; not necessarily all the
answers that we want. If we knew everything that would be a major problem in
our relationship with God. So there are a lot of things we will not know until.
1 Corinthians 13:9-12 New American Standard Bible.
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the
perfect comes, the partial will be done away. 11 When
I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a
child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then
face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also
have been fully known.
B.
No biblical proof. The Bible does not refer to the state of
salvation of children under twelve; neither does it say that they are
automatically saved. But, Jesus had a great compassion on children. As a matter
of fact He was quite defensive of children. So, while the Scriptures are silent
regarding children under twelve being “automatically saved,” there is something
definitely special in regard to how the Lord views them.
Matthew 18:6 New American Standard Bible.
but whoever causes one of these little
ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy
millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.
Matthew 18:10 New American Standard Bible.
“See that you do not despise one of these
little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the
face of My Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 19:14 New American Standard Bible.
But Jesus said, “Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me;
for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
VI.
DID EVERYONE WHO LIVED BEFORE JESUS DIED ON
THE CROSS GO TO HELL?
The concept of the afterlife and eternal life
developed over time in ancient Israel. It was not until the time of Christ that
this theology was more concrete. In ancient Israel the concern was with obeying
God and receiving reward or punishment in this life.
Even during the time of Christ there were
devout Jewish groups like the Sadducees that did not believe in an afterlife at
all. To this day many Jews do not believe in such.
However, in pre-Christian Judaism (and even
before there was a tribe of Judah) the belief was that apparently everyone
(good and bad) went to the grave (Sheol).
Some translations refer to this as Hell. But, it was the abode of the
dead.
Genesis 37:35 New American Standard Bible.
Then all his sons and
all his daughters arose to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. And he
said, “Surely I will go down to Sheol in mourning for my son.” So his father
wept for him.
Psalm 16:10 New American Standard Bible.
For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol;
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.
Isaiah 38:10 New American Standard Bible.
I said, “In the middle of my life
I am to enter the gates of Sheol;
I am to be deprived of the rest of my years.”
I am to enter the gates of Sheol;
I am to be deprived of the rest of my years.”
VII.
IS THERE ANY HOPE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER
HEARD OF JESUS?
The hope is in
spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, the Bible does not seem to
give a lot of slack concerning those who have not heard.
A.
People that have not heard, have the Gospel explained in
nature.
Psalm 19:1 New American Standard Bible.
The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
Romans 1:20 New American Standard Bible.
For since the
creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine
nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so
that they are without excuse.
B.
God is going to judge people, who have not heard the Word,
based on their conscience.
Romans 2:14-16 New American Standard Bible.
14 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do
instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to
themselves, 15 in
that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience
bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,
16 on the day when, according to my
gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.
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