The Lost Matter

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. – Romans 1:20

Almost every Bible teacher or leader has been asked at some point whether or not the native in the Amazon rainforest or “deepest, darkest Africa” will truly be condemned to a sinner's hell, even though he or she never had the opportunity to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

When I am faced with such a question, I usually respond with two biblical truths:

First, Paul clearly communicated in his letter to the Roman church that any person who has not placed their trust in Christ has not responded to the “light” (His eternal power and divine nature) that God has freely offered. Since God has plainly revealed Himself in His creation, man is responsible to respond to that revelation. To any person who responds, the light of God's revelation is available.

Second, those of us who have had the blessing of trusting in Christ are responsible to make God’s eternal power and divine nature known by bringing the light of the Gospel (the good news of salvation through Jesus) to those in darkness.

It seems that for many people it feels more “righteous” to speak of God's injustice in condemning the unreached to an eternity apart from Christ than it is to accept personal responsibility for not lifting a finger to reach them.

Lost people matter to God, and so they must matter to us. – Keith Wright