To begin I need to clarify a very important point. I understand that there may be many who disagree with me and for that I thank you in advance. Yet, my intention is to try and steer away from a concrete answer. This may sound contradictory already because I’m obviously taking a position and this is a positional paper but, to define the justice and love of God is something that honestly I feel is impossible to do and that we do not have a right to impose our western/American idea of justice on a God who’s very character consists of pure justice. For we know that our “God shows no partiality” (Acts 10:34) so this is a justice that is not even conceivable by our hearts who sway so frequently, let alone something that we may agree with.
Let me also clarify that we are talking about those, as our text says, that either “chronologically or geographically” have not heard the name of Jesus. God looks at the heart (1 Sam. 16:7b) because of this he can apply the reconciling work of Christ to all who has a heart to receive it.
The atoning work of Jesus must be understood as a universal reconciling work (Col. 1:20) that is not constrained to merely those who believe (Rom. 5:6). This reconciling work is not an exclusive accomplishment given to those who are the elect but it is an inclusive work that is universal in its effect. This is not for me to make a case for universalism I'm not making a case for my soteriological position, I am speaking of the great and mighty power of our God and his love for all (1 John 4:16) and his desire for none to perish (2 Peter 3:9) but to know him. But to those who hear the message of Jesus and turn there back on the Son by denying this reconciliation of all creation back to God are those that shall be judged and delivered into the hands of the evil one.
In Acts 14:15-18 when Paul uses the word nations (v.16) the Greek word “ethnos” literally means “heathen or gentile tribes”. In the following verse Paul assures the people of Lystra that there pursuit of gods is actually a pursuit of the one true God who “has not left himself without a witness”, looking at the context we know that he specifically is referring to the Gentile peoples who have not heard of YHWH or of this Jesus until Paul brings this message. God’s grace knows no bounds so it is not limited to God’s dependence on us to carry his message. Im not saying he doesn’t use us to spread the gospel and to make disciples I believe we are all called to do this and to stray away from the great commission for anyone is to stray away from the nature of the gospel, my own conviction mind you. I believe we place too much of what we think is “God’s work” upon ourselves and we don’t realize that he doesn’t need us. He always has had a witness. Missionally I believe we are all called, no excuse, to be bearers of the gospel into all nations. This is the clear objective to every disciple, but we should know that God doesn’t need us; we need God.
There is light in all of us (John 1:9) this light is the life of Jesus and that life of Jesus is the light in all men. We are not children of God by “human decision” (John 1:13) but children by believing in his name (John 1:12), which was a very old way of saying the work or nature of the person. Well to those who’s hearts who don’t know the exact name to say, which Jesus’ name is actually Yeshua or Joshua, God knows what there hearts are saying and knows they are his who are continually seeking him by faith (Heb 11:6) and for that he loves them.
