Hey, podcast listeners! Thanks for streaming today's podcast, From Pathway to Victory. Pathway to Victory is a nonprofit ministry featuring the Bible teaching of Dr. Robert Jeffress. Our mission is to pierce the darkness with the light of God's word through the most effective media available, like this podcast. To support Pathway to Victory, go to ptv.org slash donate or follow the link in our show notes. Now, here's today's podcast, From Pathway to Victory. God's Word with you every day on this Bible teaching program.
On today's edition of Pathway to Victory. Whenever God sees a man or a woman, a boy or a girl who really wants to know Him, He'll make sure that that person receives the knowledge of Jesus Christ, whether it's through an internet connection or a television signal or radio broadcast. God is even more interested in that person's salvation than you and I could ever imagine. Welcome to Pathway to Victory with author and pastor, Dr. Robert Jeffress. Throughout the course of our current study, we've been learning why only those who put their faith in Jesus Christ will be saved. But what about those who've never heard about Jesus?
Does God make an exception for them? Today on Pathway to Victory, Dr. Robert Jeffress addresses this common objection to the exclusive claims of Christ. Now, here's our Bible teacher to introduce today's message.
Dr. Jeffress. Thanks, David, and welcome again to Pathway to Victory. We've come to the final stretch in what I believe is one of the most important series we've ever presented on Pathway to Victory. It's called Not All Roads Lead to Heaven.
Here's what puts this study at the top of my list. Well, in my teaching series called Not All Roads Lead to Heaven, I expose this dangerous fallacy and the terrible outcome of those who misconstrued the gospel. To help you understand and respect God's exclusive plan of salvation, I've written a 100-day devotional for you.
It's brand new, and it's called Not All Roads Lead to Heaven. The subtitle is 100 Daily Readings in the Bible. These brief daily readings will help you rest in God's master plan for your salvation and the wonderful assurance you enjoy because you're one of His children. While there's still time, let me urge you to request your copy of this brand new devotional, Not All Roads Lead to Heaven.
It's yours when you give a generous gift to support the ministry of Pathway to Victory. So hang on through the end of the program when I'll repeat these details. But right now, let's get right back into our series called Not All Roads Lead to Heaven. Today, we're continuing to ask and answer the question, what about those who have never heard about Jesus? If faith in Jesus Christ is the only way a person can be saved, what about people who have never heard about Jesus? What happens to them? Is God going to send people to hell for rejecting a gospel they've never heard?
If so, isn't that patently unfair? And that's the question most people raise whenever we talk about this issue of the exclusivity of Christ for salvation. What about those people, the millions, the billions in the world who have never heard about Jesus Christ?
I bet you've been asked that question before somewhere along the way. How are we to answer that question? Well, last time we began looking at four biblical truths that when put together help us answer the question, what happens to those who have never heard about Jesus? The first two truths we looked at last time. Truth number one, everyone is guilty before God. Everyone is guilty before God. One thing I can absolutely promise you is there will be no innocent people in hell. There will be no innocent people in hell.
How do I know that with such certainty? Because there are no innocent people in the world. And the fact is, if God sent everybody to hell, he would not be unjust.
We would just get what we deserved. The Bible says we're all sinners. We've all inherited the sin virus. And the fact that we have inherited that sin virus is proved by the choices we make every day to disobey God. And that's why there won't be innocent people in hell because there's no such thing as innocent people. We're all guilty and deserving of the wrath of God. The starting place for understanding the answer to this question or the complex issue of predestination and human choice, the starting point is to realize everyone is guilty before God.
And that leads to a second truth. No one is saved apart from faith in Jesus Christ. Since the time of Christ, there is not one example in the Bible of anybody who was saved without personally exercising faith in Jesus Christ. Acts 4-12 says there's no other name under heaven by which we can be saved except the name of Jesus. And that leads to the third biblical proposition, and that is everyone has received a knowledge of God. When people say to you, well, what about those who have never heard about Jesus?
You can assure them that everybody who has ever lived has received a knowledge of God. A college professor constructed an elaborate model of our solar system, and it was an intricate model showing the sun and the earth and all of the other planets in our solar system and their relative distance from one another. A student came into the room and saw that model and said to the professor, Prof, who made this? The professor said, no one. The student said, no, no, no.
Who made this? The professor said, didn't you hear me? I said, no one. The student got irritated at this moment. He said, are you trying to tell me that this just happened? The professor said, if you can go out of this classroom and look at this entire universe and say it just happened, you should have no problem believing this model happened by itself. You see, the fact is creation is a testimony of the power of God. There is information about God that everybody can have regardless if they ever read a Bible or ever hear a sermon. We call that information that is available to everyone about God, we call it natural revelation.
It's from nature. It's revelation information about God that everyone can have. You know, in Paul's day, he didn't talk about the heathen in Africa when he referred to people who had never heard the gospel. The equivalent to the heathen in Africa in Paul's day were the Gentiles.
The Gentiles were non-Jews, people who did not have the benefit of having the Old Testament scriptures or hearing the prophets. And people asked Paul, well, what about the fate of the Gentiles? And in Romans chapter one, remember what Paul says? He says the Gentile is just as guilty as the Jew who rejects Jesus Christ.
How could that be? Because the Gentile has been the recipient of certain information about God. Listen to Romans one, verse 20. For since the creation of the world, God's invisible attributes, that is, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen being understood through what has been made so that they are without excuse. Well, what can the Gentile or the pagan who lives halfway around the world in a jungle or the unbeliever who lives down the street from you, who's never read a Bible, who's never heard a message, what can he know about God from just simply looking at creation? Well, Paul says there are two things you can learn about God from creation. First of all, about God's eternal power.
Look at verse 20, his eternal power. Now, I could spend the rest of the message giving you example after example about how creation is a testimony to the power of God. This universe wasn't created by chance.
There had to be a force that created it. Anybody can know just by looking at the creation that he didn't create this world, that there is a powerful God at work. But Paul mentioned something else. Natural revelation tells us about God, and that is his divine nature. Again, Romans 1-20, his eternal power and his divine nature. Now, there are some truths about God that we can only know through the Bible or through Jesus Christ. For example, you could look at this whole universe and never know that God is a holy God or that he's a God of justice or that he's omniscient, all-knowing, or that he's omnipresent everywhere. There are some things about God you'll never know apart from the Scripture or apart from Jesus himself. Paul says there are some things you can't know about God's nature from looking around at creation, and one of those things you can know about him is his kindness, that he is a kind God. Let me show you a great illustration of that in the Bible. Turn over to Acts 14 for just a moment. This is the story of the apostle Paul and Barnabas who arrived in Lystra, and because of their ability to perform miracles, the residents of Lystra mistakenly thought Paul and Barnabas were gods themselves. They started calling them Zeus and Hermes, thinking they were gods, and of course, Paul got very uncomfortable with that and quickly said, we're not gods. We are here to point you to the true God, the God you have never heard about or read about, but a God that you can know through creation. Look at what he says in Acts 14, beginning in verse 15.
Men, why are you doing these things? That is, why are you worshiping us? We are also men of the same nature as you, and we preach the gospel to you in order that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. And in the generations gone by, he permitted all the nations to go their own ways, and yet he did not leave himself without witness, in that he did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness. Paul is saying the fact that God sends you rains in order to produce the crops you need to have food, that ought to tell you something about God. He is a kind God.
That's what he's saying here. Everybody ought to be able to look at creation and know that we serve a kind God. Now, what about those who have never heard the gospel?
They've all been the recipients of natural revelation about God that is available through nature. But what have most people done with that knowledge about God? They've engaged in the rejection of the knowledge of God.
Look at verse 21 of Romans 1, for even though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations and their foolish heart was darkened. You know, secularists will argue that their whole idea of God is tainted by their scientific investigation. They say, in other words, we've really objectively looked at the evidence and we just can't find any evidence of God, and that's why we've rejected the idea of God. There's just no scientific evidence.
But the fact is the opposite is true. The person who rejects God has not examined the evidence. He has started with the presupposition there is no God, and he's found evidence to try to confirm his presupposition.
That's not an honest evaluation. They start with a presupposition there is no God. They don't want to find a God that they have to submit themselves to, and that's what Paul is saying here. The unbeliever is one who has received a revelation about the true God, and he's rejected that revelation of the true God.
What has he done instead? Secondly, he has replaced the revelation of the true God with the creation of a false God. Look at verses 22 and 23 of Romans 1, professing to be wise, they became fools, and they exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of a corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
Paul talks about not the evolution of religion, but the devolution of religion. In other words, at the beginning, man had knowledge of the one true God. Adam and Eve worshiped the one true God in the garden.
They were perfect, and they believed in the one perfect God. But because of sin, man began to devolve, and he exchanged the knowledge of the one true God, and he began worshiping objects and animals and idols. He began creating false religious systems.
He replaced the knowledge of the true God with a God of his own making. That's what the follower of false religions do. They imagine a God.
They imagine God to be a certain way, and they create a God and follow him as if that was true. But so do many Christians. Have you ever heard Christians say, I just can't imagine a God who would send people to hell simply for not believing the right things about Jesus. I cannot imagine a God who would condemn a holy, pure love even if it was a same-sex attraction.
I just can't imagine that. Or I can't imagine a God who would tell Christians they need to stay in an unfulfilling marriage if they're not happy. I just can't imagine a God like that. And I can't imagine a God who would allow bad things to happen in the world if he had the power to stop them. I just can't imagine a God like that.
The operative word there is imagine. People assume that God is the sum of people's imaginations about him, and that is the basis for all idolatry. That's what the unbeliever has done. He has received the knowledge of the true God. He has rejected the knowledge of the true God, and he has replaced the revelation of the true God with the creation of his own God. And therefore, Paul says, he is without excuse.
He's without excuse. Now, I know some of you are saying, hey, wait just a minute, pastor. But you said it's only through faith in Christ that a person can be saved. I mean, what good is natural revelation if a person can't be saved? Are you saying a person can't be saved just by believing that there's a God and that he's kind?
That's right. The Bible says the person who accepts that revelation about God is not automatically saved. It's only through faith in Jesus. Well then, what good is natural revelation? The great theologian and our member Charles Ryrie has a great line about natural revelation. He says, natural revelation, the revelation we receive from nature, it's not sufficient to save a person, but it is sufficient if rejected to condemn a person. If somebody receives this revelation by God, he's not automatically saved. But if he rejects that revelation of God, he is condemned.
He is without excuse. You see, natural revelation is a test to see if somebody really wants to know God or not. If they reject that knowledge of the true God and create their own God, then they're not really interested in knowing God. But if they are receptive to that natural revelation, then that leads to the fourth truth that we need to understand about this complex issue, and that is anyone who wants further knowledge of God will receive it. Now look, we've said everybody is guilty before God. Nobody is saved apart from faith in Jesus Christ.
Everyone has received the knowledge of God, and anyone who wants further knowledge of God will receive it. Remember this about God. God's desire is to save as many people as possible, not as few people as possible.
And that's a great statement to help you understand this issue or complex issues like predestination and election. Remember, God's desire is to save as many people as possible, not as few people as possible. Yes, God would be just in sending everybody to hell, but that is not his desire. He wants everyone to come to a knowledge of the truth.
For example, jot down Ezekiel 33, verse 11. As I live, declares the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for then will you die. For, oh, house of Israel, why then will you die? God desires that all people be saved. He's not saying all people will be saved, but his desire is that all people be saved. But the only way they can be saved is by coming to a knowledge of the truth about Jesus Christ. So then, pastor, answer your own question. What about those who have never heard about Jesus?
Let's go back to that young Syrian woman we talked about last time. The woman who has never read a Bible, has never heard the name of Jesus Christ. What about her eternal fate? If she looks up into the heavens, sees all of the evidence of God's creation through natural revelation, and rejects that knowledge, creates her own God to follow, Paul says she is without excuse. But if she receives that knowledge, if she says, you know what, I didn't create this world around me, there must be someone greater than I. And I want to know that somebody.
I want to know that being who is greater than I. If she responds that way, you can be certain that God will send her further knowledge and revelation of the truth of Jesus Christ. You say, now wait a minute, pastor, how can you say that? How can you say that this woman living in a desolate area is ever going to hear the gospel if she doesn't have a Bible?
How are you going to say these billions of people who are far beyond the reach of any missionary, how are they going to hear the gospel? Why do you think God would do such a thing? Because I read the Bible. I can tell you instance after instance where God did that.
For example, remember the story we looked at a couple of weeks ago in Acts 10 about Cornelius, the Roman centurion? Here is a guy, not a Jew, a Gentile, and yet he wants to know the one true God. He worships the God of Israel, prays to him regularly, gives money to the poor. Now that should be enough by most people's standards to be saved, but not in God's economy. He needed to hear about Jesus.
So what did God do? He miraculously sent the apostle Peter to Cornelius' household to preach the gospel, and there he and his family were saved. You know, every day we hear stories here at our church, people who say from all over the world, who say, you know, I just happened to be in my car listening to the radio when I accidentally came upon your program, or I just happened to be flipping through the television dial, and I accidentally came upon Pathway to Victory, and I listened to the message, and I trusted Christ as my Savior.
You know, the older I get, the less I believe in accidents and coincidences. Listen to me. Whenever God sees a man or a woman, a boy or a girl who really wants to know him, he'll make sure that that person receives the knowledge of Jesus Christ, whether it's through an internet connection or a television signal or a radio broadcast, because God is even more interested in that person's salvation than you and I could ever be. He's not willing that any should perish, but all should come to a knowledge of the truth. Anyone who wants further knowledge of God will receive it.
But now listen to this. Yes, God has ordained the end result, that people should be saved by trusting in Christ, but he's also ordained the means by which they hear the gospel. God will send that truth, yes, but he does it through people like you and me. And that's why he's left us here. In Matthew 28, verses 19 and 20, Jesus said, there is only one reason I'm leaving you here and not taking you to heaven with me. It's so that you will go into all the world and preach the gospel, make disciples.
Folks, has that sunk in with you? That's the reason you're here? You're not here for any other reason.
God left you here instead of rapturing you to heaven when you were saved. He left you here to fulfill that mandate, to take the gospel to everyone. Now, none of us by ourselves can do that.
None of us can go to the remotest parts of the earth, the remotest parts of even this country. And that's why it's so essential, if we're going to be obedient to God, we follow God's plan. And that is banding together as Christians, banding together as a church to fulfill that mandate in Matthew 28 and that strategy of Acts 1.8.
None of us can fulfill the Great Commission alone. We truly need each other. And at Pathway to Victory, we're banding together to turn up the volume on the gospel message. I'm pleased to report that our ministry is picking up more loyal partners every day. There's a movement all across America to financially support this ministry because men and women are embracing our vision to pierce the darkness with the light of God's Word. And our family of Pathway partners is growing steadily. A Pathway partner is someone who's made a commitment to give a gift every month.
And we're asking you to take that next step and play a significant role in banding together with us. Today, when you give a one-time gift or when you become one of our Pathway partners, we'll say thanks by providing a copy of my brand new devotional book. It's called Not All Roads Lead to Heaven. This devotional is intentionally written for this very purpose. It will equip you with the truth so that you can share the gospel with your family and friends with freedom and confidence. You see, in our culture and even in some evangelical churches, there's a growing belief that God will honor our good intentions as long as we're sincere about it. Some mistakenly assume that God doesn't really care about the path we take as long as we're pursuing heaven.
This has neutralized the impact of many churches to serve as a light in the darkness. Well, my brand new devotional, Not All Roads Lead to Heaven, will ground you in the truth about your salvation, and it will bolster your courage to stand strong in what the Bible truly teaches about the only road to heaven. Request your copy of this encouraging devotional today by giving your first gift as a new Pathway partner. Now, here's David with all the details.
Thanks, Dr. Jeffress. You're invited to request a copy of the brand new devotional, Not All Roads Lead to Heaven, 100 Daily Readings About Our Only Hope for Eternal Life, when you give a generous gift to support the ministry of Pathway to Victory. To request your very own copy, call 866-999-2965 or go online to ptv.org.
Now, when your gift is $50 or more, you'll also receive an additional resource along with the devotional, the original best-selling book by Dr. Jeffress, Not All Roads Lead to Heaven. To request both of these excellent books, call 866-999-2965 or go to ptv.org. You could also send your request by mail. Write to P.O. Box 223609, Dallas, Texas, 75222. Again, that's P.O. Box 223609, Dallas, Texas, 75222. I'm David J. Mullins. Next time, Dr. Jeffress addresses a highly charged and emotional issue.
What happens to children who pass away before they're able to place their trust in Jesus? That's our topic Tuesday on Pathway to Victory. Pathway to Victory with Dr. Robert Jeffress comes from the pulpit of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas. Imagine waking up to the sight of Alaska's majestic coastline or spotting wildlife from the deck of a luxurious cruise ship. Experience these unforgettable moments on the Pathway to Victory Cruise to Alaska with Dr. Robert Jeffress.
Relax with us in Alaska and I guarantee you'll come home spiritually and physically refreshed. To book your spot on the 2024 Pathway to Victory Cruise to Alaska, go to ptv.org. You made it to the end of today's podcast from Pathway to Victory, and we're so glad you're here. Pathway to Victory relies on the generosity of loyal listeners like you to make this podcast possible. One of the most impactful ways you can give is by becoming a Pathway partner. Your monthly gift will empower Pathway to Victory to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and help others become rooted more firmly in His Word. To become a Pathway partner, go to ptv.org slash donate or follow the link in our show notes. We hope you've been blessed by today's podcast from Pathway to Victory.
