What about the Pygmy in Africa who has never heard of the Gospel?
18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
Romans 1:18-20 (NIV)
When faced with the poignant question, “What about the Pygmy in Africa who has never heard of the Gospel?” we find ourselves at the intersection of divine revelation, justice, and mercy. Romans 1:18-20 offers a crucial perspective that aids our understanding of this issue.
Just like Psalm 19:1-14, Paul asserts that the creation itself, in its vast complexity and beauty, testifies to the existence and attributes of the Creator. This natural revelation leaves humanity without excuse for its ignorance of God’s divine nature and eternal power. Although the Bible indicates that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ, we must remember that God is just and merciful. He judges each person according to the light they have received. Those who respond positively to the revelation of God in nature and seek to live according to the moral law written on their hearts (Romans 2:14-15) are demonstrating a form of faith, even if they don’t fully understand it.
If that’s the case, would it be better to let the Pygmy be without the Gospel so that they don’t have to account too much? No. God is just, but He is also the epitome of love and mercy. The Bible tells us that God desires all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). This divine desire underpins the Christian mandate to evangelize, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with every tribe, tongue, and nation.
To use a courtroom analogy, the full weight of the law (God’s justice) is brought against the defendant (us). The verdict is clear and deserved. Yet, unless we acknowledge the severity of it, we would unlikely to accept the advice from our legal advocate (the Holy Spirit) to receive plea bargaining (let Jesus pay for our sin). Likewise, leaving the Pygmy without the knowledge of the Gospel is the worst option if they can obtain it. That knowledge is crucial to understanding God’s justice and to receiving His mercy.
Ultimately, the question of the unreached Pygmy challenges us to reaffirm our commitment to evangelism and mission, while resting in the assurance of God’s just and merciful nature. We trust in a God who is fair, a God whose judgments are righteous and whose mercy knows no bounds. As followers of Christ, we are called to carry the light of the Gospel to the ends of the earth, leaving the mystery of salvation in the hands of a just and loving God.
How can you balance the assurance of God’s perfect justice with the call to actively share the Gospel message with others?
For me, the balance would be to do all that I can to help people understand the truth of God, but I would leave the results to God, knowing that He is loving and just, and He would deal with people in His perfect way.
Lord, help me to be faithful and diligent in all the things that I can control, and help me to trust in You for the things I have no control over. I would be faithful in my efforts, and I trust You with the results. Amen.
I think that for me, the balance between the assurance of God’s perfect justice with the call to actively share the gospel message comes with the acknowledgement that though salvation belongs to the Lord and comes “by grace… through faith,” He calls us to be conduits of that grace in the lives of others. If I set out to save and convert people, I will certainly fail at that endeavor and end up frustrated and bitter. However, when I recognize that God is the One that saves, and I am simply called to share His message of life and hope with a dying world, I am in much less danger of falling into this frustration. I’ve also recognized that He is always faithful, though He works in His way and in His time, whether I am privileged to see the results of that or not. God meets people where they’re at, wherever that may be, and He knows each of them much better than I ever could. Yet, He also graciously allows me at times to be a small part of what He is doing, and what a beautiful thing that is😊