Must You Know Jesus By Name?


The Bible says in Romans 10:9

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

What about those people who lived before the crucifixion or lived in places where they never heard of Jesus, are they all condemned? I do not think so.

Romans 6:10

10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 

And Hebrews 7:27

27 He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. 

“Once for all” is a pretty definitive phrase said in both these passages.

But if these other people never heard about Jesus, how can they believe like it says in John 3:16?

Paul answers this in Romans 1:19-20

19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 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. 

-    But what does creation have to do with Jesus?

Colossians 1:16-17

16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

And John 1:1-3

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 

Thus, the way I read it is God will judge all of us based on the revelation we have of Him. If the only revelation we have of Him is looking at His creation and coming to the faith that there is a God who loves us and whom we will serve – and God knows this person’s heart to be open to Him – then that person will be saved because Jesus died on the cross for all of humanity from Adam and Eve through to the last person who will ever be born before He comes back.

John 10:16

16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 

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