Destiny of the Unevangelized

Views on the Destiny of the Unevangelised
(all these views agree that Jesus is the only Saviour)

(1) Restrictivism

God does not provide salvation to those who fail to hear Jesus and come to faith in Him before they die.

John 14:6
Acts 4:12
1 John 5:11-12

Adherents:
Augustine
John Calvin
Jonathan Edwards
Carl Henry
R.C. Sproul
Ronald Nash

(2) Universal Opportunity before Death

All people are given opportunity to be saved by God’s sending the gospel (even by angels or dreams) or by middle knowledge (those whom God knows will believe in the gospel if they have heard it).

Daniel 2
Acts 8

Adherents:
Thomas Aquinas
James Arminus
John Henry Newman
J. Oliver Buswell Jr.
Norman Geisler
Robert Lightner


(3) Inclusivism

The unevangelised may be saved if they respond in faith to God based on the revelation they have.

John 12:32
Acts 10:43
1 Timothy 4:10

Adherents:
Justin Martyr
Abelard
Erasmus
Zwingli
John Wesley
C.S.Lewis
William Shedd
Karl Rahner
Clark Pinnock
Wolfhart Pannenberg
John Sanders

(4) Divine Perseverance or Postmortem Evangelism

The unevangelised receive an opportunity to believe in Jesus after death.

John 3:18
1 Peter 3:18-4:6

Adherents:
Clement of Alexandria
George MacDonald
Charles Hodge
Benjamin Warfield
Donald Bloesch
George Lindbeck
Stephen Davis
Gabriel Frackre

(5) Universalism

All people will in fact be saved by Jesus. No one is damned forever.

Romans 5:18
1 Corinthians 15:22-28
1 John 2:2

Adherents:
Origen
F.E. Schleiermacher
G.C. Berkouwer
William Barclay
Jacques Ellul