BuffaloBill

I am trying to determine whether it's recorded in the bible or simply my imagination about people getting a free pass to heaven if they have not heard of Jesus.

I usually look these things up myself but I can't even think of a key word to plug in to a concordance.

Thanks in advance.

judge

You might be thinking of Romans chapter 2?

God "will give to each person according to what he has done." To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism.
All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) This will take place on the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.

BuffaloBill

Hi judge,

Thank you for the verses, but it isn't quite what I hoped for. I was wishing to find a specific verse, two at the most, which clearly spelled out that one could receive a "get out of hell free" card if one hadn't heard the Good News. The supplied verses seem to me just another restatement of salvation through good works. The second paragraph--I have no idea what is being stated there. It seems to be in need of some tightening.

regards

secular buddhist

Sorry if I am going off topic here, but isn't this the usual problem? If salvation and belief in God and Jesus are so darned important, why couldn't Jesus, the prophets, and the apostles have spelled it all out unambiguously? Yeah, I know the fundamentalists believe that they did, but as questions like this show, they didn't.

Stephen_BostonMA

Christian Universalists (not to be confused with Unitarian Universalists) believe that all will be saved. Among other biblical passages, they cite:

They take the "all" to mean literally all.

If you do a Google search on Christian Universalism, you will be able to find out more about their views and their interpretations of the Bible.

Here's one article that explores early Christian teachings on Hell, universalism, and the "the ultimate restoration of the lost":

http://www.nccg.org/069Art-EarlyView.html

[Edited to Add:]

Also, this website explains different views of the "unevangelized" and lists which Biblical passages are used to support each view: