Whenever the subject of heaven or hell comes up, a legitimate question often arises: “What happens to the people who have never heard of Christ? Will they be condemned for not believing in Jesus since they never heard of Him?”
Of course not! God is just and would not condemn anyone for rejecting a Christ they never had the opportunity to hear of. But, listen carefully: The person who has never heard of Christ is still not “off the hook” — there is another damnable offense which Scripture presents: Rejecting the knowledge of God as revealed in creation and the conscience of man.
Romans 1:18ff and 2:14-15 make this clear. You see, people will be judged according to the light they have/did have. God has revealed Himself to all men. Since all men distort (e.g. through pagan religion) and reject that knowledge (e.g. Romans 3:23) they are not innocent. God sent Christ to give people an opportunity for redemption from the guilt they already have. To those who respond to the revelation they have by sincerely calling out to know this Creator-God, God sends the gospel, for only in Christ can they be saved (Acts 4:12; Romans 10:1-17).
So we see the imperative nature of Christ’s commission to take the gospel to the ends of the earth: Only through Christ can man be saved; there are people everywhere who are ready to respond!