"You can't say that God won't let unsaved people into heaven," my unsaved friends have replied over and over as I have spoken to them about Jesus. Sometimes even Christians face that question as we reflect upon our belief. It is not until we consult the Scriptures, that we are able to answer and effectively teach others why. Now, back to the question; what about those who have never heard?

First, let's study about those who have heard, but refuse to believe. A great place to begin is with God's chosen people. Some of my unsaved friends have retorted, "surely the Jews will get into heaven." Sorry, unless they have accepted the Lord Jesus as the Savior, they cannot go. Scripture points to those who offer defiance repeatedly. Long-suffering, God constantly attempts to convince His chosen to turn back to him. Psalm 81:12 testifies of such struggle. "So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels." (King James Version) They abandoned God. Then when Jesus came, they did not accept Him as the Savior. When they rejected Jesus they rejected the one who sent Him. Jesus testifies of himself, as do many in the Bible, as God's word outlines the need for salvation to a lost world.

Missionaries are world wide, answering the call to reach all people. Daily, they reach even those in the remotest of places. Some accept Jesus…some don't. But really, what about those who haven't heard? Not the ones who rejected Jesus, the ones who honestly have not heard. I cannot say there is anyone who hasn't been exposed to Jesus Christ. Maybe, just maybe, there are a yet some remote locations. If so, Christians are still needed to fulfill the Scriptures. Jesus says in Matthew 9:37: "The harvest is truly plenteous, but the laborers are few." (KJV)

Until Christians reach those who haven't heard, God continually reveals himself to a human race that refuses to recognize the truth. The Bible supports this. God is just and will not punish people for something they do not know, so how can he condemn people who have never heard? Even those hidden away still witness God's glory. He reveals this knowledge, and we demonstrate wisdom as we accept it. Psalm 107:43 says: "Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord." Let's look at the proof. God created the heavens and the earth. As Christians believing the Bible, for us that is proof enough. Psalm 95: 5 teaches: "The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land." (KJV) God reveals himself in the creation that the Lord Jesus made. Towering redwood trees, animals swift and sluggish, vibrant flowers, majestic mountain ranges, even the powerful volcanoes, He created it all.

All of us live in His creation and are alive because of it. We witness His magnificence in any or all of the five senses. Observing even the least of his creations, we can validate that God is worthy to be served and praised. However, some choose to worship the creation. They formed impotent gods in the images of nature. These gods have only imagined power and influence. They are blind, deaf, and mute. Such worship practices are in direct disobedience to our Lord's desires. Looking in Romans 1:23, we see how they came to worship the creation: "And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and to fourfooted beasts, and creeping things." (KJV)

Aaron did this while Moses was on the mountain with God. Moses communed with, concentrated on, and served God. His brother's disobedience provides a good example of worshipping the creation. Psalm 106: 20 teaches: "Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass." (KJV) Aaron and the people lost touch with who they were and who brought them out of slavery. They decided, on their own volition, to put their faith in the image of a grazing animal. Many died for that mistake.

God made us all in his image. We bear his likeness, save for our sin. For that reason, we cannot go to heaven. God recognizes our weakness toward sin, and gave us the way by sending His son to cover our sins. Many chose to accept this. It is also through a conscious effort that others reject Him.

Those who have not heard, can witness God's presence. He testifies of Himself, as Romans 1:19-20 demonstrates: "Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 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." (KJV) Just like others who have proof that God exists and have been introduced to Jesus, they rationalize His mercy right out of existence. It is by conscious effort they reject God . Try as they will, they will not find their way into heaven. God has offered His grace. It is up to us what we do with it. With what the Bible testifies, we know all man has an opportunity to this knowledge, and the wisdom to accept it.