What About the Unreached?

Via dolarossa

Via dolarossa

Supporter
The missionaries went out to preach the good news, but only to certain places.

I'm left wondering about the others, tribes of other parts of the world that have not been touched by civilisation. How does God reach those?
Does He already have a plan for them too? like written in there hearts?
 
Via dolarossa said:
The missionaries went out to preach the good news, but only to certain places.

I'm left wondering about the others, tribes of other parts of the world that have not been touched by civilisation. How does God reach those?
Does He already have a plan for them too? like written in there hearts?
Click to expand...
God ensures that the gospel is provided to every one of his elect. With Christian shortwave radio providing the gospel around the clock to the entire planet, I doubt that we'd find many unreached peoples. Shortwave radios are now portable, compact, and inexpensive, making them suitable for the most remote areas of the globe.
 
BibleLover said:
God ensures that the gospel is provided to every one of his elect. With Christian shortwave radio providing the gospel around the clock to the entire planet, I doubt that we'd find many unreached peoples. Shortwave radios are now portable, compact, and inexpensive, making them suitable for the most remote areas of the globe.
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And of the ancient world that never had electronic communications until modern times nor the advanced printing press from medieval times nor preachers or prophets to proclaim the gospel unto their part of the world. Bible lover what be your opinion of the elect ones amongst those ?
 
I was watching a documentary about the tribal people that live on the Andaman islands in the bay of Bengal. They are called the Sentinelise people. They are aggressive of anyone approaching their islands so they are left alone. They have no radio or tv, so are left to their own culture.
 
Via dolarossa said:
I was watching a documentary about the tribal people that live on the Andaman islands in the bay of Bengal. They are called the Sentinelise people. They are aggressive of anyone approaching their islands so they are left alone. They have no radio or tv, so are left to their own culture.
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Via......All men are convicted of sin due to the simple fact that the Creation around them tells them that there is someone who made it, so that they are without an excuse.
 
Via dolarossa said:
I was watching a documentary about the tribal people that live on the Andaman islands in the bay of Bengal. They are called the Sentinelise people. They are aggressive of anyone approaching their islands so they are left alone. They have no radio or tv, so are left to their own culture.
Click to expand...

Hello Via;

You make a great point in your post. It reminded me of Legion in the books of Matthew 8:28-34, Mark 5:1-20 and Luke 8:26-39. The Biblical meaning for Legion is many demons. In the Gospels it mentions "many demons" within one or two men. They or he was so violent that they could not be approached.

Then along comes Jesus. He reaches out to Legion and heals him and then wanting to follow our Lord and Savior.

According to man's logic of unreachable people around the world, God overcomes this by giving everyone the opportunity to know Jesus.

God bless you, sister, and your family.
 
Via dolarossa said:
I was watching a documentary about the tribal people that live on the Andaman islands in the bay of Bengal. They are called the Sentinelise people. They are aggressive of anyone approaching their islands so they are left alone. They have no radio or tv, so are left to their own culture.
Click to expand...
Hello Via dolarossa, this has been a pretty common occurrence over the years whenever we discover new, unreached people groups, tribes of people whose existence we never had a clue about (often in dense jungle locations, of course). These people, who most often are found living like our ancestors did in the Stone Age, don't seem to trust outsiders, so they tend to spear first and ask questions later unfortunately :( (just look into the lives of Missionaries Jim and Elisabeth Elliot, for instance).

I'm not big on recommending books on forums, but this topic gives me the opportunity to recommend one that I consider to be a must-read for Christians called Bruchko. BTW, it is not only a must-read autobiography, it's truly a GREAT read too. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will be amazed and blown-away multiple times at how God introduces the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Motilone, a Stone Age tribe in South America who, before teenage missionary Bruce Olsen arrived in their village, we only knew about because of the dead oil company employees that we kept bringing out of the Venezuelan jungle.

BTW, Olsen left his home in Chicago not knowing exactly where he was going, and he did so w/o finances and w/o church, mission organization or parental backing. He had a knack for linguistics, but no formal education in it (but it was a good thing that he did, because the Motilone Indians language was 1. unwritten and 2. tonal).

These were a people group who knew ABSOLUTELY nothing about Jesus Christ (they had, in fact, never heard of Him or even heard of His Name, for instance). What they did have was a centuries old prophetic religious tradition that would eventually find its fulfillment after the arrival of Missionary Bruce Olsen (since he is the one who finally brought both Jesus and the Bible to them).

I suppose my favorite chapter is called "Jesus, the Motilone" (which details that prophetic, tribal tradition), but this is a book that you will not be able to put down once you start to read it (IOW, it is hard to pick a favorite among the chapters :)). If you have the time, I do believe that you will enjoy reading this AMAZING, true story.
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God bless you!!

--Papa Smurf
 
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Major said:
All men are convicted of sin due to the simple fact that the Creation around them tells them that there is someone who made it, so that they are without an excuse.
Click to expand...
Hello Brother, how is general revelation (the basic knowledge that we receive from creation that tells us that there must be a Divine Creator) able to convict people of sin? Would that not require some sort of special revelation as well?

I've always believed (thanks to passages like Romans 2:14-15) that everyone is given a basic knowledge and understanding of what is good and evil, right and wrong from birth (by God) in the form of what we call a conscience (a basic moral code or law that He writes on the heart of each and every person).

Thanks for your help with this :)

God bless you!!

--Papa Smurf
 
bobinfaith said:
According to man's logic of unreachable people around the world, God overcomes this by giving everyone the opportunity to know Jesus.
Click to expand...
Hello Brother, that thought used to give me a lot of comfort, but I came to wonder how it could possibly be true (it is most often based upon verses like John 12:32). Though our missionary efforts are greatly increasing today (thanks in large part to the Internet), the fact is that there are still thousands of unreached and underreached "people groups" out there, and millions of people within those groups who die every day w/o ever hearing the Gospel, and/or w/o even hearing the precious Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Since we know that this is true, how can the thought that God gives EVERYONE the opportunity to know Jesus (in a saving way) be true too?

I would LOVE to believe that EVERYONE who lives is given the opportunity to know the Lord Jesus Christ, and that they are given the opportunity to choose to be saved or not, but logic and the facts (that we know of anyway) seem to tell us otherwise, do they not?

Thank you for your thoughts on/help with this :)

God bless you!!

--Papa Smurf
p.s. - one last (related) question, is there any way for us to demonstrate that John 12:32 has been/will ever be fulfilled, particularly if by, "all men", we mean ALL men, women and children who have ever lived w/o exception (instead of "all men" simply meaning, "not just Jews")? I have come to believe that "all men" in this case must refer to the latter, "not just Jews" (because the former seems provably impossible), but I would also admit to being very happy to be shown why I am wrong about that :)

John 12​
32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw ALL men unto Me. ​
​
 
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Papa Smurf said:
Hello Brother, how is general revelation (the basic knowledge that we receive from creation that tells us that there must be a Divine Creator) able to convict people of sin? Would that not require some sort of special revelation as well?

I've always believed (thanks to passages like Romans 2:14-15) that everyone is given a basic knowledge and understanding of what is good and evil, right and wrong from birth (by God) in the form of what we call a conscience (a basic moral code or law that He writes on the heart of each and every person).

Thanks for your help with this :)

God bless you!!

--Papa Smurf
Click to expand...
Good question. . You see, God’s wrath (judgment) is on people because they intentionally “suppress the truth” that is revealed about God in creation. Creation itself scrams at the lost man...Look around you, did You do this, NO, a Creator did!

Paul says, “… his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world…” (Romans 1:19).

While men cannot gain saving knowledge through creation, Paul is clearly saying that the evidence of the existence of God is so clearly expressed in creation that everyone, everywhere, is “without excuse” in their rejection of Him (Romans 1:20).

That this wrath of God is “being revealed” (Romans 1:18), shows that wrath is not merely a past and or future action. It is taking place now, evidenced in the increased and intensified rejection of the Lord and the falling away of many (See 1 John 2:19-20).

Now put that together with the Bible's truth that man is judged by the imput of light (truth) he has and we can then understand that there is a reason why there are different degrees of punishment in hell for the lost.
 
Major said:
Good question. . You see, God’s wrath (judgment) is on people because they intentionally “suppress the truth” that is revealed about God in creation. Creation itself scrams at the lost man...Look around you, did You do this, NO, a Creator did!

Paul says, “… his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world…” (Romans 1:19).

While men cannot gain saving knowledge through creation, Paul is clearly saying that the evidence of the existence of God is so clearly expressed in creation that everyone, everywhere, is “without excuse” in their rejection of Him (Romans 1:20).
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I completely agree with you about the above!

Major said:
That this wrath of God is “being revealed” (Romans 1:18), shows that wrath is not merely a past and or future action. It is taking place now, evidenced in the increased and intensified rejection of the Lord and the falling away of many (See 1 John 2:19-20).
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That is something that I had not completely considered previously (but that I am going to now ;)). I'll get back to you with additional thoughts and questions if/when I have them (Dv).

Major said:
Now put that together with the Bible's truth that man is judged by the input of light (truth) he has and we can then understand that there is a reason why there are different degrees of punishment in hell for the lost.
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Yes, that does make sense. Of course, as you already know, we are in agreement about the necessity of differing degrees/kinds of both rewards (saints) and punishments (reprobate) in their respective Judgments if justice is to be truly served/fulfilled.

Later Alligator (err, Brother :D).

God bless you!!

--Papa Smurf
 
bobinfaith said:
You make a great point in your post. It reminded me of Legion in the books of Matthew 8:28-34, Mark 5:1-20 and Luke 8:26-39. The Biblical meaning for Legion is many demons. In the Gospels it mentions "many demons" within one or two men. They or he was so violent that they could not be approached. Then along comes Jesus. He reaches out to Legion and heals him and then wanting to follow our Lord and Savior. According to man's logic of unreachable people around the world, God overcomes this by giving everyone the opportunity to know Jesus.
Click to expand...

Papa Smurf said:
Hello Brother, that thought used to give me a lot of comfort, but I came to wonder how it could possibly be true (it is most often based upon verses like John 12:32). Though our missionary efforts are greatly increasing today (thanks in large part to the Internet), the fact is that there are still thousands of unreached and underreached "people groups" out there, and millions of people within those groups who die every day w/o ever hearing the Gospel, and/or w/o even hearing the precious Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Since we know that this is true, how can the thought that God gives EVERYONE the opportunity to know Jesus (in a saving way) be true too?

I would LOVE to believe that EVERYONE who lives is given the opportunity to know the Lord Jesus Christ, and that they are given the opportunity to choose to be saved or not, but logic and the facts (that we know of anyway) seem to tell us otherwise, do they not?

Thank you for your thoughts on/help with this :)

God bless you!!

--Papa Smurf
p.s. - one last (related) question, is there any way for us to demonstrate that John 12:32 has been/will ever be fulfilled, particularly if by, "all men", we mean ALL men, women and children who have ever lived w/o exception (instead of "all men" simply meaning, "not just Jews")? I have come to believe that "all men" in this case must refer to the latter, "not just Jews" (because the former seems provably impossible), but I would also admit to being very happy to be shown why I am wrong about that :)

John 12​
32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw ALL men unto Me. ​
​
Click to expand...

Papa Smurf said:
The link below is to part of the Joshua Project online. This is a group that has brought together a number of our major missions' organizations in an effort to greatly reduce the number of unreached/underreached people groups in our world today.

Has Everyone Heard? | Joshua Project

joshuaproject.net joshuaproject.net

--Papa Smurf
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Hello Papa Smurf;

I blue and red-lighted your posts and in particular "Since we know that this is true, how can the thought that God gives EVERYONE the opportunity to know Jesus (in a saving way) be true too?"

Your statement is the same question I asked in 1983. On one hand I felt this statement true but on the other how could this be true? I was much younger then but remember being discouraged at the conditions of the world and how parts of the world was an impossibility for missions to reach for Christ. In the Church, I was inquiring about becoming a long term missionary overseas for these reasons; there were thousands and thousands who weren't being reached and those within who met death without ever hearing the Gospel.

I couldn't get the answer in one discussion. In the 80s and 90s many undesirable parts of the world were at one time impossible to reach for Christ for many reasons - a land of aggressive and hostile people, government oppression, unknown areas, demonic influence, post Christian societies, etc...

I went directly to God in prayer with my questions. He began to reveal His answers through the ministries in the Church, speaking with Pastors who worked closely with short and long term missionaries and national/international missionary boards.

I was receiving testimonies of God breaking the barriers and making it possible for Christians to reach these hard to get to countries especially in the most undesirable places on earth. The Joshua Project in the mid 90s is a good testimony of God's work in their missions.

Jesus' missionary in the Gadarenes is an example of reaching the impossible (so they were left alone) as outlined in Matthew 8:28-34, Mark 5:1-20 and Luke 8:26-39.

Today there are still thousands and thousands who weren't being reached and those within who meet death without ever hearing the Gospel. We cannot take the place of God and His grace when someone dies before hearing the Gospel, or breaking through to hard to reach parts of the world.

So to believe God can do this impossible task of reaching everyone cannot be met with human logic, facts and reasons. God, however, trumps our understanding with His omniscience, omnipresence and omnipotence where all things that we deem impossible is possible with Him.

It took me time to learn about this, Papa Smurf, and in time He revealed answers to my questions. I hope this helps give you, me, us a little more perspective of this missions concern.

God bless you, brother and your family.
 
Via dolarossa said:
The missionaries went out to preach the good news, but only to certain places.

I'm left wondering about the others, tribes of other parts of the world that have not been touched by civilisation. How does God reach those?
Does He already have a plan for them too? like written in there hearts?
Click to expand...

Romans 1:18-21
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible [attributes, that is,] His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, being understood by what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their reasonings, and their senseless hearts were darkened.
 
the question of those who have never heard the gospel seems to be with the majority of opinion in the negative here. That being with all of humanity knowing of his invisible attributes and eternal power are without excuse. Whilst that is true. You could say Romans chapter 1 is the human race on trial in the great court room of God. Found Guilty without excuse just as Adam & Eve were found guilty in the garden. Yet we also find redemption in the garden from the1st sacrifice in the garden of when the God gives Adam & Eve coats of skin to cover their nakedness and the God also gives a prophetic statement from Genesis that her seed shall one one day bruise the serpents head. That prophecy being fulfilled with our saviour crucified up on a cross one Friday and resurrected on a Sunday paying the debt of sin in full. Whilist Romans chapter one has all of humanity tried and convicted. We must also consider that God has paid the debt for the wages of sin. He has the redemptive power and legal authority to pardon whom he pleases including those that have never heard the gospel. Actually he has the right to pardon all of humanity past, present and future if he so chooses. Yes he has the legal right to do so if he so chooses. Perhaps all shall be like awaking from a darkest nightmare. Yes awakening unto the paradise we once knew. Perhaps Paradise lost shall one day be Paradise fully restored.
 
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Papa Smurf said:
Hello Brother, how is general revelation (the basic knowledge that we receive from creation that tells us that there must be a Divine Creator) able to convict people of sin? Would that not require some sort of special revelation as well?

I've always believed (thanks to passages like Romans 2:14-15) that everyone is given a basic knowledge and understanding of what is good and evil, right and wrong from birth (by God) in the form of what we call a conscience (a basic moral code or law that He writes on the heart of each and every person).

Thanks for your help with this :)

God bless you!!

--Papa Smurf
Click to expand...
I did answer this question in post #11 and MM posted Romans 1:18-21 and that is basically the answer.

The more I thought about it I thought I try and explain that not only has God placed within each of us a moral compass that is seen in Romans 1:20, but God has also embedded within the creation all around us ample evidence that God is the Creator and that we are creatures who are accountable to Him.

Now, when it comes to excuses why we are what we are or why we do what we do, It is human nature to make excuses, and we are really good at it. However, when it comes to answering to God for doing what is right, no one’s excuses will stand up. We come up with the excuse of............well what about that man on a deserted island who never heard about God or the name Jesus as if that excuse somehow gives us a REASON for not accepting what WE KNOW.

What does God then say about that being an EXCUSE............"God Forbid"!
 
Major said:
I did answer this question in post #11 and MM posted Romans 1:18-21 and that is basically the answer. The more I thought about it I thought I try and explain that not only has God placed within each of us a moral compass that is seen in Romans 1:20, but God has also embedded within the creation all around us ample evidence that God is the Creator and that we are creatures who are accountable to Him. Now, when it comes to excuses why we are what we are or why we do what we do, It is human nature to make excuses, and we are really good at it. However, when it comes to answering to God for doing what is right, no one’s excuses will stand up. We come up with the excuse of............well what about that man on a deserted island who never heard about God or the name Jesus as if that excuse somehow gives us a REASON for not accepting what WE KNOW. What does God then say about that being an EXCUSE............"God Forbid"!
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Hello Major;

Well said. There's no way around God's Wrath on Unrighteousness Romans 1:18-21

God bless you, brother.
 
bobinfaith said:
Hello Major;

Well said. There's no way around God's Wrath on Unrighteousness Romans 1:18-21

God bless you, brother.
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Brother Bob. You can not begin to understand how blessed I am. My wife and I sit back sometimes and marvel at what God has done for us and through us.

No kidding.......I am flabbergasted!

I fell out of the back seat of my dad's car when I was 3 years old. (Our dog opened the door and pushed me out).

The car directly behind my dads car was the head nurse from the Hospital in Orlando. My head wound up touching her left front tire.
She took off her shirt, wrapped me up and drove to the hospital with the police leading the way.
(Coincidence or Blessin?)

The Dr. in the ER was at that time was the head trauma surgeon in Central Fl. It was his day to be in Orlando.
(Coincidence or Blessin?)

In the 1st grade I was again in an accident on the play ground and broke my neck.
The ER doctor there was the orthopedic surgeon visiting from Atlanta. He was doing a seminar or vertebra surgery. He has all the doctors there join him in operating on me.
(Coincidence or Blessin?)

In 1965, a Viet Cong mortar exploded 5 feet from me, killing two of my friends and leaving me with not even a scratch.
(Coincidence or Blessin?)

My wife and I have TWO wonderful kids and FIVE really smart grandkids.
(Coincidence or Blessin ?).

God has allowed a nothing, a no body, just a country boy, to be blessed, saved time and time again, to be able to go to school and learn about HIM and at the advanced age that I am, to be still be able to get out the WORD OF GOD TO THE WORLD!!!!
 
Prim90 said:
the question of those who have never heard the gospel seems to be with the majority of opinion in the negative here. That being with all of humanity knowing of his invisible attributes and eternal power are without excuse. Whilst that is true. You could say Romans chapter 1 is the human race on trial in the great court room of God. Found Guilty without excuse just as Adam & Eve were found guilty in the garden. Yet we also find redemption in the garden from the1st sacrifice in the garden of when the God gives Adam & Eve coats of skin to cover their nakedness and the God also gives a prophetic statement from Genesis that her seed shall one one day bruise the serpents head. That prophecy being fulfilled with our saviour crucified up on a cross one Friday and resurrected on a Sunday paying the debt of sin in full. Whilist Romans chapter one has all of humanity tried and convicted. We must also consider that God has paid the debt for the wages of sin. He has the redemptive power and legal authority to pardon whom he pleases including those that have never heard the gospel. Actually he has the right to pardon all of humanity past, present and future if he so chooses. Yes he has the legal right to do so if he so chooses. Perhaps all shall be like awaking from a darkest nightmare. Yes awakening unto the paradise we once knew. Perhaps Paradise lost shall one day be Paradise fully restored.
Click to expand...

The majority of humanity is living in torment in Sheol to this very day, and they will not find redemption, but rather condemnation and Hell in the day the Great White Throne judgement is held. It is they who will rise up in the second resurrection.

Those who had never heard the Gospel, and also rejected the evidence of God in nature, they are those who are without excuse. Some have asked me how they could respond to what they can see in nature even through there were no missionaries about to tell them about Jesus.

Well, that's a REALLY good question, but one thing we DO know is that the Lord always comes through when He sees a sincere heart. How he does it is anyone's guess since we're not told about all the Lord's methods and actions. We don't even know what the thunders said that John heard, so it might be ministering angels, visions, dreams...the Lord gets through to people in many, many ways who are sincere with what they see in nature all around them.

The bottom line is that the Lord took full responsibility for the fall of mankind into sin by offering a way out from the penalty of sin through His only begotten Son. The evidence of His existence being easily seen in creation removes any and all excuse for all men who desire to keep their sin upon themselves, and therefore having to try and atone for it all themselves, which cannot be done, as you know.

MM
 
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