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Jun 26
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What Happens to Those Who Never Hear the Gospel?

By Evangelism, Gospel, MIssions, Uncategorized No Comments

What about the person in the deepest jungle who has never heard the name of Jesus? Or the man stranded on an island throughout the entirety of his life? I have been asked about similar scenarios more than once. Varying versions of these questions abound, but the heart behind each inquiry is the eternal destiny of those who never hear the gospel. If I may state the dilemma bluntly, do people who know nothing of Jesus and salvation spend an eternity in hell?

The simple answer is yes. But why?

Biblical Christians have long recognized that persons who reject Christ will face eternal judgment and condemnation. Some hesitate, however, at the mention of those who with no perceived opportunity to respond to God’s grace. For many, fairness seems to necessitate a redemptive invitation. Without it, some insist, the poor soul who genuinely desires to know God and worship Him will be unjustly anathematized.

The Bible paints a much different picture, though. The fictional person longing to know the true God if only someone would tell him simply does not exist. How do we know? Because Scripture reveals two forms of revelation that all people in all places reject. In other words, it is no mystery what the heathen will do with fullerrevelation when they repeatedly reject the basic revelation they already possess.

In what way do pagans resist the Lord? The Bible indicates that apart from their awareness of the gospel, unbelievers “suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Rom. 1:18). Creation bears witness not only of God’s reality, but also of His “eternal power” and “divine nature,” leaving all people without excuse (Rom. 1:20). Stated plainly, every ocean horizon, autumn mountainside, and daily sunset celebrates that God is real for anyone paying attention. Intrinsically, all people know this to be true, yet unbelievers reject it, nonetheless.

Despite the physical clues to the most important eternal truth, those without the gospel are not daydreaming about the opportunity to know who God is in order to worship Him. To the contrary, their futile speculations lead to darkened hearts (Rom. 1:21). Practically, this means that primitive humanity elevates creation above the Creator, worshipping what God made instead of God Himself (Rom. 1:23, 25). Idols carved from wood or crafted with gold litter history as evidence mankind’s common dismissal of the divine Author behind the cosmos.

More recently, the presentation of evolutionary theory as historical fact, though entirely unverifiable, is but the latest atheistic effort to elevate what was made above its Maker. As secularists scoff again and again over the veracity of the Genesis record, these supposed experts reveal the blindness of their hearts. Truly, professing to be wise, they become fools as the ignore the divine fingerprints that adorn nature (Rom. 1:22).

In addition to the beckoning of the universe, the internal conscience written on the heart of every human being is yet another refused witness to God’s existence. Those who never hear the gospel still possess a basic sense of right and wrong. Every culture and society condemns lying, stealing, murdering, etc., as unacceptable due to the common morality God placed within all people (Rom. 2:14).

Yet, time and time again, we do not find anyone who eagerly obeys the internal guidance within us. Quite the opposite, the reoccurring experience of men and women everywhere is the rejection of our inner decency and principles. Thus, on the day of judgment, our conscience will accuse or defend us as God judges the secrets of men through Jesus Christ (Rom. 2:15-16).

Granted, the general revelation of creation and our conscience do not divulge the breadth of Scripture’s specific revelatory claims, but the insistence that some people have no opportunity of any kind to respond to God is deceptively false. Furthermore, our overconfidence that those who never hear the gospel somehow desire to know God and sense a deficiency without Him reveals more about ourselves than our Savior. We are far too quick to dismiss our sinfulness and to call God’s holiness into question.

Some will push back, desperate to find an exception. What about the person who always obeys his conscience without exception and sincerely longs to worship his Creator as he observes creation? Will God allow THAT person into heaven if he never hears the gospel? If that person were real, the answer would be yes. But Scripture is thoroughly clear, THAT PERSON DOES NOT EXIST. The Lord would never turn those who are truly righteous away, but apart from His grace there are none righteous nor any who seek after God, not even one (Rom. 3:10-11).

No wonder Jesus instructed his followers, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matt. 28:19-20).” If salvation is possible apart from explicit faith in Christ through the proclamation of the gospel, these are the cruelest words recorded in the Bible. Sending missionaries is an act of hatred instead of an expression of love if salvation is attainable through ignorance.

But, if there is no other name under heaven by which men must be saved (Acts 4:12); and we must confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord, believing that God raised Him from the dead (Rom. 10:9), the greatest gift any Christian can share with another person is that Jesus saves! If those who live in ignorance cannot call on Jesus if they do not believe; and they cannot believe on Him if they have not heard; and they cannot hear unless someone who is sent shares (Rom. 10:14-15), we better get serious about sharing the gospel in every place, every day.

Adam B. Dooley
June 26, 2025

Apr 27
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After the Instagram Post

By Evangelism, Grace, Gratitude No Comments

I’ve been encouraged recently by all the posts about Easter on social media. I love the family photos. I love watching children hunt eggs. I love seeing families come together for meals. But most importantly, I love the truth behind this special day on the calendar. Believers and skeptics alike gathering to celebrate and consider the resurrection of Christ is always healthy and inspiring from my perspective. Both the Bible and the great hymns of the Christian faith seem to come alive on a day set aside to remember that though He was dead, Jesus Christ of Nazareth is now very much alive.

But now what?

As we move toward summer, what bearing, if any, will the Easter reality have on our lives? Faithful Christians will rightly say that every Sunday is a resurrection celebration. Some traditions that follow a strict liturgical calendar will even observe fifty days of Eastertide emphases.

What I am asking, though, is what difference will it make in our lives? Is Easter merely a photo op to capture an annual moment for Instagram? Is pumping our children full of sugar-coated marshmallows our only goal? Will the only lingering recollection of last weekend come when we run over unfound plastic eggs with the lawn mower in the coming weeks? I hope not. If I may, let me suggest three healthier, more meaningful responses to the resurrection of Christ.

First, it is imperative that we BELIEVE. We’ve heard sermons about the resurrection. We’ve read Bible verses that declare its historicity. We realize that all of Christianity is built upon the central truth that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose from the dead (1 Cor. 15:3-4). Yet, a failure to believe that these reports are true is to place ourselves outside the faith that has been handed down to the saints (Jude 3).

Even worse, unbelief leaves us vulnerable to a judgment of our works that will result in eternal condemnation (Rev. 20:12). Stated simply, if we do not, by grace through faith, accept the free gift of salvation purchased on the cross and accomplished by the resurrection, we cannot be saved (Eph. 2:8-9). The Apostle Paul assures us, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (Rom. 10:9).”

Second, all true believers must be willing to SHARE. After His resurrection Jesus appeared to more than 500 people over a period of forty days. During the same period, the Lord instructed us to make disciples of the all nations by going, teaching, and baptizing (Matt. 28:19-20). Just moments before ascending back to heaven, Jesus admonished His followers to be His witnesses where they lived, in surrounding areas, and around the world (Acts. 1:8).

Motivated by His future return, Christians prioritize sharing the good news of salvation far and wide. Thus, appropriate questions to ask after Easter include the following: Who do I know that is unsaved? What opportunities do I have to share the gospel? Where can my life have the biggest impact for Christ? Why do I sometimes refuse to share my faith?

Third, because Christ lives, we should OBEY. To some, emphasizing obedience while extolling God’s grace may seem like a contradiction. Biblically, however, the former is the natural expression of the latter. Disciples of Jesus do not obey God to earn His grace, but to express His grace instead. Just after celebrating the means of grace through faith for salvation, Ephesians 2:10 exclaims, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

Gratitude, not guilt, is the primary motivator for holy living. Because Jesus lives and promises to return for His children, each of us should strive to be more like Him as we prepare to meet Him. Easter should be the beginning, not the end of our commitment to God. My prayer for you, and myself, is that this year’s celebration will so grip our hearts so that we are changed forever. One day with Jesus can change the rest of your life.

Adam B. Dooley
April 27, 2025

Dec 04
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Home for the Holidays

By Attributes of God, Christmas, Evangelism, Salvation No Comments

Of all the things on our wish lists for Christmas each year, being home for the holidays with the people we love ranks at the top for most. So profound is the desire that we sing about it: I’ll be home for Christmas, you can count on me, Please have snow and mistletoe, And presents under the tree. . . . I’ll be home for Christmas, If only in my dreams. 

Perry Como had the most popular recording of the song that said, Oh, there’s no place like home for the holidays, ’cause no matter how far away you roam, When you pine for the sunshine of a friendly gaze, For the holidays, you can’t beat home, sweet home. Our desire to be at home is universal, almost synonymous with our Christmas observances.

But each year as I think about finding my way home during the holiday season, I am quickly reminded of the great, often hidden irony behind the very first Christmas. Namely, Jesus left His home to make the first Christmas possible. Though Heaven was His throne and Earth was His footstool, Jesus left His glory behind in order to make a home in a manger. He left His home in Heaven so that we could one day call Heaven our home.

With festive doxology, the Apostle Paul instructs us to emulate the attitude of Jesus, “who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped (Phil. 2:6).” The Jesus who inhabited a Bethlehem crib existed in the form of God because He was, and is, God in human flesh.

Repeatedly, Jesus asserted His divinity with statements like “I and the Father are one (John 10:30)” and “He who has seen Me has seen the Father (John 14:9).” His enemies hated Him precisely because Jesus unapologetically maintained His equality with the Father (John 5:18). Yet, incredibly, our Savior did not seek to hold on to the privileges associated with His identity.

Why does all this matter? Because we cannot truly experience Christmas until we bow before Jesus as God in human flesh. Fully appreciating His cradle requires our first acknowledging His crown. Before revering His manger, we must recognize Him as our Master. The absence of room to house Him at the inn is only remarkable because He made the inn, along with everything else in Heaven and Earth. If Jesus is anything short of the God who came to save us from our sins, the celebration of Christmas is the greatest hoax in human history.

All of this means that the sacrifice of Jesus commenced, not on Calvary’s cross, but under a Bethlehem sky. The first Christmas was far from a step up; it was a dramatic step down for the King of kings. Scripture explains, “[He] emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Phil. 2:7-8).”

A bond-servant is a common slave. God the Father sent His Son to die on a cross, requiring Jesus’ humble submission and obedience throughout His earthly life. Accompanying His appearance as a man were also the numerous weaknesses common to humanity. Jesus experienced hunger, fatigue, and temptation. With the salvation of sinners as His aim, our Savior emptied Himself completely by sacrificing daily.

These realities serve as a somber reminder and a sober warning each Christmas. Unless we receive the forgiveness Jesus provided, our celebrations of His birth are in vain. Jesus was born so that He could die as the one and only way to Heaven; therefore, if we don’t embrace Him as such, we are denying the very reason for which He was born! The baby in the manger and the Savior on the cross are inseparable.

Tragically, hell is full of people who sang Christmas carols, read the nativity story, and shared gifts in the name of Christ. His coming to save means nothing apart from our cleansing from sin. Thus, He was obedient to the point of death on a cross. We can never really be home for the holidays if we don’t have a home reserved for us in Heaven. Thankfully, Jesus left His home to make it all possible.

Think I’m overstating the Bible’s message? The Apostle Paul goes on to laud these truths as the single reason that Christ has been given a name above every other name, which will one day result in every knee bowing before Him and every tongue confessing that He is Lord (Phil. 2:9-11). We can worship by choice or by force, but all will bow before Jesus. Satan will bow. The demons in hell will bow. Unbelievers will bow. The angels in Heaven will bow. Faithful saints will bow. The question is not WILL we bow, but WHEN will we do so? Christmas is a great time to start!

Adam Dooley
December 4, 2024

Nov 13
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Passing the Gospel Baton

By Discipleship, Evangelism, Sanctification No Comments

Chances are you’ve never heard of Ed. Years ago he paced back and forth outside of Holton’s Shoe Store in Boston. The reason for his angst was the 18-year-old store clerk who worked inside that had been attending his Sunday School Class. Prompted by the Holy Spirit, Ed felt compelled to share his faith with the young man. His doubts, however, ravaged his good intentions with uncertainty.

What if he won’t listen to me?
What if he finds me pushy?
What if he throws me out?

Any serious Christian can relate to fears like these. Sharing our faith with others can be one of the more intimidating disciplines of Christianity. Thankfully, Ed mustered up his courage, walked into the store and declared, “I have come to tell you how much Christ loves you.” The two men talked for several minutes before, in a moment of commitment, the young man kneeled in prayer as he called out to Christ for salvation.

Ed Kimball never preached the gospel to millions, but his efforts to be faithful in that single moment left a profound legacy on the world. That teenage store clerk, you see, was an impressionable D.L. Moody, who went on to become the 19th century’s most influential evangelist and founder of the Moody Church, Moody Bible Institute, and Moody Press in Chicago. His ministry also influenced a soon to be Presbyterian minister, J. Wilbur Chapman, who joined Moody in guiding a professional baseball player named Billy Sunday to pursue the calling as well.

Sunday’s preaching in Charlotte, North Carolina was so powerful in 1924 that the Charlotte Businessman’s Club was born. Ten year later, the same organization invited a minister named Mordecai Ham to preach revival services, resulting in another impressionable 18-year-old’s conversion to Christ and calling to ministry. His name? Billy Graham.

Can you imagine how different the world would be if Ed Kimball never found the courage to entrust the gospel to that young shoe clerk in Boston? A single, unknown believer touched the world for Christ simply because of his willingness to share with others what he received from the Lord. Believers today share the same charge as Christ commissions us to make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19-20).

The Apostle Paul echoes the same theme as he writes to Timothy, his protégé in the ministry. “The things you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who are able to teach others also (2 Tim. 2:2).” The clear priority here is making sure that the gospel passes from one generation to the next. Thus, discipleship is not a ministry of the church, but THE MINISTRY of the church. As God strengthens us with His grace, we should work heard to empower others with same gospel.

So where should we begin?

First, the priority of a soldier invites us. Using the illustration of a soldier, Scripture beckons us to be willing to suffer for the sake of the gospel (2 Tim. 2:3). Think about the tremendous sacrifices those who don their country’s uniform face. They endure harsh conditions away from the people they love, all while putting their lives at risk. Thus, if we are serious about making disciples, we must accept that the work will be difficult.

To stay on task, we should always remember that a good soldier serves with the single purpose of pleasing his commanding officer (2 Tim. 2:3). In a similar way, our goal should never be to please men, but God who examines our hearts (1 Thess. 2:4). Doing so requires avoiding worldly entanglements that distract us from our primary mission of stewarding the gospel well.

Second, the precision of an athlete inspires us. Turning to the world of athletics, Paul next emphasizes the need to play by the rules if we are to succeed in God’s mission. Like an athlete battling for a prize, we must compete according to the rules (2 Tim. 2:5). True competitors familiarize themselves with the agreed standards of play through diligent study and repetitious practice. Likewise, Christians must pursue godliness through reading and obeying Holy Scripture. Versions of Christianity that undermine or contradict the Bible may appeal to many, but they are anything but Christian. Cutting biblical corners will disqualify even those with the best of intentions from serving the Lord.

Third, the patience of a farmer instructs us. In what may be my favorite example of all, Scripture reminds us that making disciples is only possible when you realize that doing so requires the patience of farmer working a field (2 Tim. 2:6). Just think about how much forbearance bringing in an abundant harvest requires. The farmer must wait for winter to end. He plows and plants, then he waits some more. He waters the seed, and then waits. He covers the crops when the frost comes, and then he waits. He waits knowing how the season works. He waits believing that the harvest will come. And He waits trusting that his hard work will pay off.

Then, one day, the harvest does indeed come in and, in that moment, the sacrifice of waiting is well worth it. Before the farmer’s food feeds your family, it covers his table. Before his cotton covers your back, it fills his closet. His vegetables will occupy jars in his cupboard before they line the shelves of your pantry in cans. The meat from his livestock will load his freezer before it replenishes yours. And rightly so, because the hardworking farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops.

So, let’s keep making disciples. Let’s keep the main thing the main thing. No matter how much you sacrifice, no matter how long it takes, and no matter how long you must wait, you’ll be glad that you did.

Adam B. Dooley
November 14, 2024

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