God will judge people who have not heard about the Jesus and truth righteously and fairly: “Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity” (Psalm 98:8-9).
Even if a person has not been introduced to Jesus, the Bible says he intuitively knows about God from creation: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world” (Psalm 19:1–4).
Sadly, hearing the truth may not always guarantee that people will obey it. The New Testament says that people may know about God, but still reject Him: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse” (Romans 1:18-20).
Although, God speaks to every human heart through different means, it is up to men to respond to His voice or reject it. So, judgment depends on the choices of men and their responses to whatever light they may have about God.
The Lord will certainly not judge people for a truth they never had the chance to know and learn (Acts 17:30). But those who refuse to search for the truth, He will also judge. “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17).
Praise the Lord we can rest in the fact that if God was willing to offer His only begotten Son to suffer and die for those that did not know Him (John 3:16), then, He will judge His people fairly. “He will judge Your people with righteousness,and Your poor with justice” (Psalms 72:2).
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
