The Four C's

Q: In reading the Bible everything seems to be centered around Israel. In other parts of the world how were they supposed to know about Jesus since they were continent`s apart? Were there no people in other parts of the world besides Israel? I just wonder about people not in this area like plagues. Famine hangings and miracle occurred over there. What was going on in the rest of the world. I hope I `ve explained this to get my point across. Thanks (sic)

A: Thank you for your questions. There are four areas to address that may help you find answers; Confusion, Creation, Conscience and Christ.

Confusion

The population of the world is thought to have been somewhere between 150 million and 190 million people during the life of Jesus. It is fair to assume that there were people located in other parts of the world. We can assume this because of the circumstances surrounding the Tower of Babel described in Genesis 11. The men said, "let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens (Genesis 11:4)." A displeased God decided to confuse the language of those building the city so they could no longer communicate. The result of this confusion is seen a few verses later. "So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel—because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth (Genesis 11:8-9)." Therefore, because there was no longer a single language spoken by the people, they disbanded and scattered over the whole earth. Although, the Bible does not give a specific date as to when this event took place, it is thought to have occurred around 2,200 B.C. give or take a century. If we accept this date as true, then we have over 2,000 years of movement amongst people groups prior to the time of Jesus. Thus, it is safe to say that there were people in other parts of the world.

Creation

If an individual was located in a part of the world that was "continents apart" from where Jesus lived and the Gospel was preached, they had something right in front of them that testified of God; their environment. "For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse (Romans 1:20)." There is a story of an African boy whose father went out into the woods and cut down a tree. From the tree the father fashioned an idol that his family was to worship as a god. However, the young boy realized that his father made that god. Therefore, the boy exclaimed, "I want to know who made the tree!" In time, a Christian missionary was dispatched to this boy's village. The first person the missionary spoke to was this boy. Shortly afterward, the boy accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. This boy was located on the other side of the world from this missionary, yet God used the tree He created to stir up the curiousity within that boy that eventually led to his salvation. All mankind has the witness of the heavens and the earth as a testimony to the creative powers of God. And God, in His love, makes a way for that to lead people to His Son.

Conscience

The conscience, by definition, is that "inner sense of what is right or wrong in one's conduct or motives, impelling one toward right action." Where do we get that inner sense of right and wrong? We get it from God. "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 (Romans 2:14-15)." There are just some things that we know are right and wrong without having to be told. If we see someone steal, murder or take advantage of someone, we automatically know that is not right. Conversely, acts of love and compassion are automatically thought to be the higher moral action to take in a given situation. It is God who placed these attributes within all of us to make us aware of Himself, since He is the ultimate moral lawgiver. You can visit any location on earth and the locals will have established some system of right and wrong that they live by; complete with rewards and punishments for an individuals ability to conduct themselves properly within the established guidelines. This is God's fingerprint on all of us which testifies of His existence.

Christ

The ultimate testimony of God is Jesus Christ, God in the flesh. Now, 2,000 years ago, in order to see Jesus Christ, one would have had to travel to Jerusalem. We have already seen how God reveals Himself in nature and in our conscience. But, if this does not compel an individual to turn to the Lord, there are times when God does it Himself. For example, take the conversion of the Apostle Paul. Paul, known at this time as Saul, was on his way to imprison Christians and take them to Jerusalem. "As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do (Acts 9:3-6).”" Here we see Jesus taking matters into His own hands and personally appearing to Paul in order to convert him. Who is to say that God has not done this before to people? Even in the Bible, we see God speak to people through a burning bush (Exodus 3:2), a donkey (Numbers 22:28) and Jesus said that if the disciples did not testify of Him, "the stones will cry out (Luke 19:40)." Perhaps, there will come a time when a person will testify of how a bush, a donkey or a stone told them about the Lord. God loves us that much.

In conclusion, I leave you with one last passage. It comes from Acts 17. "From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us (Acts 17:26-27)." Whether a person was continents away from Jesus Christ or lived in Israel, God knew where they were and was not far from them. It is no different today. I pray this has given you some clarity on your questions. Grace and Peace.