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How the Gospel is preached into all the world


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No one receives life until God gives that person a spirit. So God knew about every single person who was ever born and planned that birth perfectly (cf. Ex. 4:11). In other words, we are all "in the right place" and we all are given lives "at the right point in history" even though we exercise free will. It's not an accident that the twelve disciples were born at roughly the same time Jesus was born and in the same locality. That was their time and place. The Lord in His Absolute Sovereignty knew very well that they would respond and be the "right disciples" for Him (even if one was "a devil" -- that was part of the plan too). On the other hand, what if a person was not going to have any use for the gospel no matter when or where he/she was born, not even if born in Jesus day in Palestine, not even if born in the Millennium when "the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea" (Isa. 11:9; Hab. 2:14).

Does the Lord have a responsibility to give the gospel to someone who is going to reject it no matter what? He certainly knows the hearts of all. And that is the point. At the last judgment, it will be revealed that everyone who wanted the gospel most likely received it (cf. Rom. 8:28). But how do we know for certain that person X never heard? God has many ways of spreading the truth. We will no doubt be surprised at the last judgment to learn about evangelists and evangelizing which in terms of documentary history we know little or nothing about at present. That makes sense. You give the gospel to others but that has never appeared in any newspaper. And for others, how do we know that He didn't cause person X to be removed from land Y and brought to land Z where the gospel was available? That has always been possible, even if we don't know the details of everything that has happened in history. Does it seem unlikely? Only to those of little or no faith: the Spirit picked Philip up and transported him to meet the Ethiopian eunuch and then took away thereafter. However, this does not negate our responsibility to spread the truth of the Gospel because we do not know who have or have not heard the Gospel. The Spirit can do this for the evangelist (Philip) and could to it for the one wanting to be evangelized too. Does our ignorance about all historical events constitute unrighteousness on God's part? God forbid! And finally and importantly, for all the aboriginal peoples of the world and those living in far-flung places over the course of history who skeptics imagine could never have received the gospel. I know that God has talked to believers in dreams in the past and MAY well still be doing so (Gen. 15:1; 41:1-7; 46:2; Judg. 7:13-15; Dan. 2:28; 4:5; Matt. 2:12-13). However, in my observation and experience it is well for believers to avoid becoming fixated on dreams for many reasons. If God communicates something to us in a dream, I think we can be confident that He will do so in such an unmistakably clear way that there will be little doubt about the matter. 

After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. (Revelation 7:9)

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (Matthew 24:14)

God Bless!

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