They haven’t heard about Jesus
One of the pillars of physical well-being is our diet. The food we consume affects our health and ability to function. There are actually a number of foods that are delicious and healthy, certainly a scrumptious combination for the health-conscious individual.
It is a blessing to consume these kinds of foods—foods that are good for your tastebuds and good for your body, and there are many foods that fit the bill.
Here’s a list of some of my favorites: blueberries, avocado, eggs, almonds, asparagus, carrots, garlic, salmon, tuna, brown rice, oatmeal, and lentils. My favorite healthy food is dark chocolate. Not only is dark chocolate the most delicious food on my list, it’s loaded with fiber and magnesium, one of the most powerful sources of antioxidants in existence.
In the spiritual realm, one of the pillars of a healthy witness is our ability to answer questions and objections. Being able to provide answers in real time is beneficial to be sure, but you may not have an answer on the spot, and that’s ok. Yet, it’s essential to know where to get answers, so as to provide a seeker with reasons we believe and reasons to believe.
In providing answers, we are in one sense saying to our audience, “Come let us reason together,” because biblical faith is not blind. Rather, it’s based upon evidence and substance (Hebrews 11:1). In short, God has given us many reasons to believe.
As we think about answering questions and objections to the Christian faith, this process of pondering questions and formulating cogent answers is a healthy spiritual exercise. 1 Peter 3:15 states, “always be ready to give an answer…”
Additionally, a dual benefit of grappling with questions and objections includes the strengthening of our own faith in God and His Word, while also strengthening our witness to others. Now that’s a winning combination!
In this post, we tackle a challenging and common question that both believers and unbelievers ponder:
What about those who’ve never heard about Jesus?
While there are different ways to approach this question, I think an initial response should seek make the issue personal, not philosophical. It goes something like this:
“But you have heard. Who do you think Jesus is?”
No one has ever remained lost who wanted to be found. God promises all who seek will find. In Jeremiah 29:13, the Lord says “you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” And in Matthew 7:7-8, He states, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”
People always have been and always will be responsible for the light they have received. And if people are searching for light, God will reveal light. Jesus said of Himself, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). In fact, God has revealed Him in the creation as Creator, His invisible attributes are clearly seen, so they (anyone who rejects God) are “without excuse” (Romans 1:20). In fact, all creation proclaims the glory of God:
The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Psalm 19:1
As we’ve noted before, find out if the questioner sincere or insincere in stating this objection because sometimes this question is sometimes a diversion by the one who is trying to escape the gospel’s claims on their life. [Click here to read more about “qualifying” in witnessing conversations.]
That’s why it may be appropriate at times to qualify the questioner before providing an answer by asking, “Are you sincerely interested in grappling with an answer?”
Ultimately, people are responsible for the light they have received, and everyone has the revelation of the Creator in creation.
And while the Bible may not give a clear answer to this specific objection, the Bible is crystal clear that “salvation is found in no one else” (Acts 4:12), no one comes to the Father apart from Jesus (John 14:6), and “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Joel 2:32, Acts 2:21, Romans 10:13). The Bible doesn’t tell everything there is to know, only what we need to know. And the reality is that for the one who poses this question, they have heard and they do know about Jesus!
Additionally, we must always emphasize to the questioner that this problem does not excuse them from making a response. Scripture is very clear on what happens to those who knowingly reject the gospel message: “He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey [believe] the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting punishment and shut out from the presence of the Lord” (2 Thessalonians 1:8).
So each of us have the responsibility for acting according to the knowledge that we do possess. Hence our initial response to the objection, which is personal, not philosophical— “But you have heard. What say you?”
Here is a link to an article you might find helpful as you personally ponder this challenging question:
As we give answers, our attitude should be with gentleness and respect. May our faith and our witness grow as we ponder this question and seek the Lord, so as to give a word aptly spoken in response. Amen.