Some Die Once – Many Die Twice [Part 18]
In Part 18 of our series of Blog Posts from our upcoming book titled “One Way or Another Your Eternal Destination is Guaranteed” we are going to look at: “What about Those Who have not Heard the Gospel?”
Does God Wait for Those Who have not Heard the Gospel to Decide?
There are many in this world who have not had the blessed opportunity to hear God’s saving message of salvation. Some have heard it just before dying. However, if a person has not heard it and has a conscience, he is without excuse for not believing:
Romans 1:20
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.
Creator
Someone has said, “We live on a globe at exactly the right distance from the sun to give us daylight, warmth, vitamin D, and survivability. The earth rotates to give a reprieve from daylight heat and bring coolness at night. We have a moon that has the capability to move the earths’ oceans.” The earth tilts to bring the four seasons, and balances with perfect equilibrium, even making it possible to balance an egg on its tip at first day of fall and spring equinoxes.
We have refreshing springs, waterfalls, rivers, and lakes; we have mines with minerals; mountains with forests and plains with fertile soils for wheat, oats, barley, corn, spelt, and rice. And flowers, vegetation, fish, birds, and animals; we have oxygen to breath, the right amount of gravity to hold us down and yet allow us to walk, run, jump, swim, bike, drive cars, and even fly in airplanes. We have hearts that circulate the pressurized blood through our cardiovascular veins and arteries. Also, organs for digesting our foods; we have the ability to communicate with one another, and we have garments to protect us from changing weather patterns. Yet some think we don’t have a Creator. God’s Word tells us those who have a conscience are without excuse.
Romans 1:20
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.
Supernatural Creation
For over 20 years, living with my wife in the midst of six Canadian Rocky Mountain national parks, we never grow tired of the awesome creation surrounding us. We return to the spectacular water falls and scenic sites time after time. We find it just as interesting to see the responses of people who are, for their first time, viewing places like Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Takkakaw Falls, Emerald Lake, Peyto Lake, and the Ice Field Glaciers. Some of them, the same as we, are smiling at people they do not know to see and hear their reactions. Our Creator is an awesome artist! Everything He made was supernatural creation; even us humans.
Upon the moment a being of mankind is born, the baby has a nature of sin; yet a sin has not yet been committed. God creates man in His own image (Genesis 1:27).
Genesis 1:26a-27
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness”
So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
Choice and Sin
God’s image is sinless, and the Son of God was never disobedient. At his creation Adam was created sinless, but was given the privilege of choice, even the freedom to be disobedient. Adam is not God, and after Adam disobeyed, all babies who have since been born, have inherited Adam’s sin nature. All have been procreated in the image of Adam. Adam’s creation in God’s nature ended when he listened to Eve instead of reminding her to listen to God. Satan’s first deception:
Genesis 3b-5
“God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’” Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
Sinful Nature
When the baby is born of parents who are mature enough to have a conscience and who obviously do know good and evil, the baby immediately inherits their sinful nature, but not their knowledge.
Genesis 3:6
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her; and he ate.
At birth a baby is not yet cognizant; has not yet been made wise to know the difference between good and evil. Adam and Eve had this knowledge the moment after they disobeyed God (Genesis 3:7).
Babies are not born in the image of God, but in that of the sinful parents. All descendants after Adam and Eve are made in the likeness of God:
Genesis 5:1b-3
In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created. And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.
Innocent or Guilty?
With only this part of God’s Word in Genesis, without explanation, one could be led to believe the otherwise innocent baby is already guilty just like the parents. And other Scripture taken out of context can lead a person to believe the infant does not have a chance if he dies an early death. But, has the baby been afforded the opportunity to discern the truth and to be able to know and to believe? For example:
John 3:18
“He who believes in Him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
John 3:36
“He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides in him.”
Not Heard the Gospel
The question needs to be asked: “Has the newborn baby even been given a chance to have knowledge of good and evil and to believe one way or another?”
Parents are obviously mature enough to know the difference between right and wrong—good and evil. Mothers and fathers who have become believers will be redeemed, purchased by the blood of Christ to be brought back from the sinful world and be with the righteous God.
However, searching the Scriptures, and seeing that if a sinner is redeemed (atoned for, or reconciled) to God, that human-being-person of Mankind must have previously been with God from conception and birth. The 1828 Noah Webster dictionary defines the terms redeem, atone, and reconcile:
Redeem:
“to purchase back; to ransom; to liberate or rescue from captivity or bondage or from any obligation or liability to suffer or to be forfeited, by paying an equivalent; as, to redeem prisoners or captured goods; to redeem a pledge.” The 10th definition: “In theology, to rescue and deliver from the bondage of sin and the penalties of God’s violated law, by obedience and suffering in the place of the sinner, or by doing and suffering that which is accepted in lieu of the sinner’s obedience.” See Gal. 3:13; Titus 2:14. The Lord Jesus is the Savior of the world by way of His ransoming sinners.
Atone:
the 2nd definition is “To stand as an equivalent; to make reparation, amends or satisfaction for an offense or a crime, by which reconciliation is procured between the offended and offending parties.”
Reconcile is defined:
in the literal sense is to call back into union.
“we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 2 Cor. 5:20b;
For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. Col. 1:19-20”
Source: American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster 1828, Permission to reprint the 1828 edition granted by G. & C. Merriam Company, Copyright 1967 & 1995 (Renewal) by Rosalie Slater.
Redeemed, Atoned, Reconciled
Has the newborn baby done anything to cause him to be separated from God? Considering the above definitions of being brought back to being one with God, it only seems reasonable that prior to offending God by committing sin, we sinners must have been one with God from our beginning. But then, after attaining the knowledge of good and evil, we offended God by committing sin. Otherwise, why would we need to be redeemed, atoned for or reconciled?
I believe these three terms apply to saved human beings in the stages of embryo or fetus and new-born babies, as well as those who have sinned and have been born again. John writes:
1 John 1:8-10
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
Requirement to be Born Again
Does what Jesus says about the requirement to be born again apply to a newborn baby?
John 3:3 “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3:7 “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.”
If a newborn baby has not committed a reason to be born again, Jesus is most likely referring to the people who have offended God and need to be forgiven, renewed redeemed, reconciled, atoned for; to be born again and start over.
Regarding the kingdom of God, Jesus makes obvious in these next three verses in three different Gospel accounts that the little children are already of the kingdom of God:
Matthew 19:14b
“Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”
Mark 10:14b
“Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.”
Luke 18:16b
“Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.”
Believer’s Children at Rapture
Quoting parts of a Cornerstone magazine article titled, “What happens to the believer’s children at the rapture?” by George Ferrier:
Though there is no Scripture that directly addresses the believer’s children at the rapture, we can suggest that they are not left behind based upon God’s character as well as His past actions. Today He is still the same righteous God, for He does not change (Mal. 3:6; Heb. 13:8).
Since the various facets of the Lord’s eternal purposes cohesively fit together, at the rapture it is inconceivable that He would disrupt His creative design by separating believers from their young children. For the same reason we would suggest that the unbeliever’s children will remain on earth with their parents [and possibly experience all or part of the 7-year tribulation period].
Consider as well King David’s words after losing his baby: “I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me,” indicating that David expected to see his baby again in paradise (2 Sam. 12:23).
Similarly, in this church age it is reasonable to suggest that young children are covered by the blood of Christ until they reach the age of accountability; the time when they are capable of choosing to accept or reject God’s way of salvation in Christ alone. This age could vary from child to child. Those protected by Christ include the children of miscarriages, murdered unborn babies, the untimely death of young children, as well as living believers’ children at the rapture.
Heaven will have many children.
Source: May – June 2023 Issue of Cornerstone Magazine, Volume 7, Number 3, pg. 15, by George Ferrier
Next Blog Post, on April 10, 2025: “Can the Parent Lead the Child to the Decision?”
Please pray that people will come to the saving knowledge of the Truth before it’s too late, and love their children to teach them the Truth.
Blog Posts Related to this Topic:
What is a Believer? What is an Unbeliever?
The Decision – Is it only for Self?
Comments and Questions Welcome
Feel free to let us know your thoughts in the comment section.
We welcome any questions you might have as we like to hear from you.
And please share this blog with your friends if you liked it, if not, please let us know.
Thank you for reading and God bless you!
How to Receive Eternal Life Posts
Would you like to find out why believers have hope of Eternal Life? And how to develop a life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ? Then check out these blog posts if your answer is “yes.”
Receiving Eternal Life as easy as A-B-C-D
Why do I need the God of the Bible?
Resources:
Check Out these Interesting Resources:
Gospel Folio Press – William MacDonald – Believers Bible Commentary
Warren Henderson Publishing
Christ-centered Books and Messages to Enhance Your Spiritual Growth
Solving the Spiritual Dilemma
And check out our latest book “Solving the Spiritual Dilemma”. It answers many questions about the hope believers have and how to develop a life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ.
or go directly to Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble
Scripture taken from the New King James Version, unless stated otherwise. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
.
Thanks, Michael, for sharing these insights and scripture. May God continue to bless all the works of your hands to reach the lost and lukewarm.