What about people living in remote places where they never hear the gospel?
This is a good question that I often hear, and often ponder myself. While I don’t have an answer that will satisfy most people, here is what I have found so far in scripture…
1. People don’t go to hell because they havn’t accepted Jesus, they go to hell because of sins they have committed. Jesus came to save the world, but people still choose to reject Him. (Romans 6:23)
2. Everyone is without excuse, because the evidence for the Creator can be clearly seen in His creation. (Romans 1:20)
3. God foreknows who will respond to the Gospel, and He arranges for them to learn what they need to know about God. (Romans 8:29, 11:2) All who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Joel 2:32, Acts 2:21, Romans 10:13)
How can a loving God send anyone to hell? He doesn’t send anyone to hell. God is not willing that any should perish. (2Peter 3:9) Hell is the alternative to being in God’s direct presence for those who willingly reject God. God originally created hell for the rebellious angels (Matthew 25:41) and hell was enlarged to accommodate rebellious man. (Isaiah 5:14) The truth is God Himself, motivated by His Love, took our place and died for our sins so we would not have to go to hell.
The real question, is how can anyone reject a Loving God?