All People Can Be Saved – God’s Design
At creation, God provided for every single person to be saved, even those that would never hear the gospel. So, even those today in those regions that have not been touched by gospel, God provided for them at creation:
- God created the world as evidence that He existed for all future generations – Natural Revelation.
- God placed in every single person a ‘Conscience’ a given knowledge of moral law and a knowledge of God. He created a ‘God-shaped vacuum’ or a ‘homing device’ in each person.
- God also built into humans, known weaknesses: the knowledge that man is weak to save himself, even fear
- God also provided ‘Special Revelation’ through His speaking to humans and His written Word.
From the beginning, He designed humanity with an innate awareness of the divine, a moral compass pointing toward righteousness, and a yearning for something beyond the material.
And, the Bible says that:
Romans 1:20 – “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.”
If they are ‘without excuse’ then they must have the ability to connect to God and be saved.
Natural Revelation That Shows God’s Existence:
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,g in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
Rom 2:1 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seekinga and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, [Greek = gentiles. So, those who have not heard the gospel] 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek [Greek = gentiles. So, those who have not heard the gospel]. 11 For God shows no partiality.
12 For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, [Not judged by the Law of Moses] and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.
Those that have never heard of God, Scripture or the gospel, have ‘the Law written on their hearts’. a ‘Conscience’ a knowledge of moral law and a knowledge of God. A ‘God-shaped vacuum’ or a ‘homing device’ in each person.
God does not ‘show partiality’ or have favourites -the Jews and Christian nations. He will judge Jews and Christian nations on the basis of what they heard and knew. Their ‘times of ignorance’ (Rom 2:30) have passed and they are hearing ‘Special Revelation’. Hence, they are commanded to repent. Now, hugely responsible.
But, those who lived in ‘times of ignorance’, who have never heard and will ‘perish without the law ‘ will not be judged like those who have heard, they will be judged by what they did know (which was not much); the Law written on their hearts, and the evidence of God in His creational wonders. It will be a very, very different judgment measure.
Psa 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky abovea proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
4 Their voiceb goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
5 which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them,
and there is nothing hidden from its heat.
It also needs to be understood that until modern times, when mankind came up with the very-flawed theory of Evolution, and that supposedly, our knowledge of science is so advanced that we now know how everything came into being without the need for God.
In all previous times, humans knew there had to be a God or gods, but in the Modern era, we have been falsely led to believe that our limited knowledge, surpasses all the unanswerable questions our science still has. No, these unanswerable questions place us still, in the same position of the unknowing ancients and pre-modernists.
How did huamans get here?
No, it cannot be answered by ‘parallel universes’ for where did the first universe come from.
No, science cannot answer where ‘love’ and every other personal attribute come from in a cold, indifferent, only-material universe. These things do not happen by chance.
No, science cannot answer how so many prophecies from ancient Scripture have been fulfilled. These things do not happen by chance.
No, science has not knowledge of how structured and extremely complex the human DNA is, an information system beyond any known on earth. These things do not happen by chance.
No, science cannot account for the minutely, fine-tuned universe that we live in, a complete system where if even one dynamic changed from it’s minute setting, no life could exist on earth.
The apostle Paul said this in a speech to the Greek philosophers:
Acts 17:22 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.
24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,c 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. 26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28 for
“‘In him we live and move and have our being’;d
as even some of your own poets have said,
“‘For we are indeed his offspring.’e
29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” (https://biblehub.com/esv/acts/17.htm)
That all humans should seek God, out of the ways that God built into humans; a deep knowing that there is a God. And that we should be better people. If one chooses to be self-righteous and not humble themselves, knowing that we are not perfect, or one chooses to treat others with arrogance rather than humble themselves, considering that they themselves are flawed creatures.
Every person, in whatever period of time they were born, can connect to God and be saved.
The Bible says that God normally interacts with humans:
Revelation 20:12: Judgment is based on deeds recorded in books, implying individual accountability.
Jeremiah 17:10 “I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.”
Psalm 7:9 “O let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous; For the righteous God tests the hearts and minds.”
Job 34:21-23 “For His eyes are upon the ways of man, And He sees all his steps. There is no darkness or deep shadow Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. For He does not need to consider a man further, That he should go before God in judgment.”
The Bible even says that God puts the fear in the heart of man so that he will seek God as a protection:
Jer 32:39 I will give them one heart and one way, so that they will always fear Me for their own good and for the good of their children after them.
40 I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never turn away from doing good to them, and I will put My fear in their hearts, so that they will never turn away from Me.
Interestingly, God also put fear of man into animals, as a protection. But the fear of man that animals now have, will be removed in the Last Days. A form of protection for mankind, for 6000 years.
How Does It Work?
God having created humans in a universe displaying His own greatness (natural revelation); and placing in every single person a ‘conscience’ knowledge of morality, a ‘homing device’; and with the knowledge of self imperfections, as the foundation to be connected to God.
Of course then, sin robbed God of mankind, but He made a way to win back as many as possible.
Even in the fallen state of mankind, each person has the design and ability to reconnect with God.
Now, as they grow, experiencing all sorts of feelings, thoughts and situations, God prompts, speaks to, and tests each one. How are they going to respond to these thoughts? Will they do, what they instinctively know is right? Will they seek answers to troubling questions? Is there enough desire in them, to look for what is good. Or as Scripture says ‘are they found worthy of looking for salvation’ so that God gives more light.
When they do, God WILL give more knowledge, more insight into who He is, and what He wants, even if they do not know His Name.
The more they seek, the more God will give them. And God will give them ‘special revelation’ either by speaking to them in dreams, visions or clear thoughts, or even audibly.
The opportunity to respond is universal, all people, any time in history, in all the world.
This is what is called ‘Prevenient Grace’.
Prevenient Grace
Some conservative theologians hold to prevenient grace—the idea that God sovereignly draws all people to Himself and, if someone responds to the light they have, God will provide them with further revelation of Christ.
- Acts 10 (Cornelius) – Cornelius was a righteous Gentile who feared God, but he still needed Peter to bring him the Gospel.
- Acts 17:26-27 – Paul says that God has arranged history so that people might “seek Him and perhaps feel their way toward Him and find Him.”
This means that if someone in a remote tribe sincerely seeks God, God will ensure they receive the Gospel—whether through a missionary, a vision, or another means.
Countless examples from all over the world, have been written about over many years.
A few examples:
Eternity in Their Hearts
This seminal work by Don Richardson documents how various cultures have had historical beliefs and traditions that prepared them for the message of the Gospel, suggesting a divine imprint in diverse societies.
Bruchko
Bruce Olson narrates his journey into the jungles of South America, where he encountered the Motilone Indians. Remarkably, he found that their legends and beliefs had parallels to biblical truths, which facilitated their acceptance of the Gospel.
The Peace Child
In this book, Don Richardson recounts his mission to the Sawi people of New Guinea. He discovered that their cultural concept of a ‘peace child’ provided a redemptive analogy to explain the sacrificial role of Jesus Christ.
Dreams and Visions: Is Jesus Awakening the Muslim World?
Tom Doyle shares numerous accounts of Muslims who, without prior knowledge of the Gospel, experienced dreams and visions of Jesus, leading them to seek out Christian teachings and ultimately embrace the faith.
A Wind in the House of Islam
David Garrison explores how God is stirring movements toward Christ within the Muslim world, often through supernatural encounters and revelations among those who had never heard the Gospel.
These accounts underscore the belief that God’s revelation is not confined to traditional means but can manifest uniquely across different cultures and contexts.
A Note:
Many conservative preachers are adamant that Prevenient Grace is not biblical because they simplistically hold to an exclusive view of verses such as:
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Yet this is too dogmatic and exact words and a shallow interpretation.
If God has and does save people that have never heard the gospel, through special revelation, who are we to say that He does not, and the Bible forbids it.
There is also a command in Scripture, not to judge those that you do not know, this would include those that have never heard, and say that they WILL go to hell.
How do they know what God has said to them, and how they have responded.
Rom 14:4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own mastera that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.