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From an email: How will God judge those who have never had the opportunity to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ?

I think the answer to your question can be found in Matthew 25:31-46. In this scene Jesus is describing how He will judge "all the nations" when He "comes in His glory." So everyone is here, including "those who have never had the opportunity to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ." In this scene, what is the criteria that Jesus uses for judging everyone? The only criteria He uses is, "How did each person respond to His saving grace?" In other words, did the person respond to Christ's saving grace by performing acts of charity and mercy to those in need (love of neighbor demonstrates love of God); Or did the person resist or fail to respond to Christ's saving grace by refusing or failing to perform acts of charity and mercy when the opportunity presented itself?

Notice there is no prerequisite mentioned or even implied in this scene that everyone had heard or had an opportunity to hear the Gospel. In fact, the questions raised by both those on His right and His left could indicate that they did not explicitly know Christ, that they had never heard the Gospel. Yet, in some way, perhaps known only to God, each person was offered Christ's saving grace which some resisted or failed to respond to, while others did accept and they responded with acts of charity and mercy toward their neighbor.

The bottom line is that in this scene of the Last Judgment the only criteria Jesus uses is, "What did or didn't you do for those in need?" This is a criterion that can be applied to both those who have heard the Gospel and those who have not.

Hearing the Gospel and following it gives one greater grace, enlightenment, instruction, and strength for loving our neighbor. But even those who have not heard the Gospel can sense - in the very make up of their human nature (God's law inscribed on their hearts: Jer. 31:33; Romans 2:10-16) - the call and duty to help those they see in need.

Love of neighbor (second greatest commandment - Mark 12:31) demonstrates love of God (first greatest commandment - Mark 12:29). And if one wishes to inherit eternal life (Luke 10:25), he must keep the commandments (Luke 10:27ff).

From an email: Thank you for the response to those who never heard the gospel. It seems that your response is that they will be judged by their response to the needs of their neighbors. (good works) what about Ephesians 2:8 that says: for by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.

I made it a point in my response to you that it was how those who had never heard the Gospel RESPONDED to CHRIST'S SAVING GRACE that determined their ultimate destiny - not good deeds in and of themselves. For as Paul says in 1 Cor. 13:3 "If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing."

In other words, external actions are not enough. In order to have merit in Christ's eyes, when I do good towards my neighbor, I must be motivated out of love for my neighbor - a supernatural charity that requires cooperation with Christ's saving grace (whether I am explicitly aware of that grace or not). I would say that on Christ's part, the grace He supplies to each is at least sufficient - for He desires all men to be saved. (1 Tim. 2:4). What remains is our free will to cooperate with His saving grace to do the things He has commanded us to do: John 13:34; 15:12-13.

Does this mean then, that there is no need to preach the Gospel, since Christ's saving grace is readily available to all, and all that remains is for people to cooperate with it? On the contrary. How do we know that Christ's grace is readily available to all? Are not the ordinary means by which He channels His saving grace to be found as integral to the Gospel message? Ie. Baptism, the Eucharist, Anointing, etc. Who will be better able to cooperate with Christ's saving grace and produce a more abundant return? (Matt. 13:23) He who has never heard the Gospel? Or He who has and takes advantage of the channels of Christ's grace made available to him? Is it not he who has heard the Gospel and acted upon it? (Matt. 7:24) And thus, the need to preach the Gospel (Romans 10:14-15). However, those who have heard the Gospel also carry a greater responsibility than those who have not (Luke 12:47-48).

So we are indeed saved by grace through faith. But as Matthew 25:31-46 indicates, that also is not enough in Jesus' eyes. The grace He gives us must bear fruit.(Luke 13:6-9) It must bear a return according to the abilities and opportunities of each person in order to have value in His eyes (Matt. 13:8; 25:14-30). As James also says, "See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone (James 2:24). And again, "I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works." (James 2:18). As I mentioned in my previous answer to you, love of neighbor demonstrates love of God. 1 John 4:20-21 And remember, love is greater than faith (1 Cor. 13:13). So if faith saves, love saves even more so.

Therefore, a further way of understanding Jesus' actions in Matthew 25:31-46 is this: In a certain sense He is saying to those on His right, "Though you may not have explicitly known Me, your acts of charity toward your neighbor demonstrates your faith in Me, for you cooperated with My unseen saving grace in order to accomplish these works." And to those on His left, "Though you may have explicitly known Me, your lack of charity towards your neighbor demonstrates your lack of faith in Me. Though you were given My saving grace (for I desire all men to be saved 1 Tim. 2:4), you did nothing with it. Therefore, you will lose what little you have." (Matt. 25:29).