“But what about the Aztecs who lived (and died) before Columbus came and told them about Jesus?” A young man I met on a plane, expressed this question, but it could apply to any people group. (Yes, I know there were some problems with Columbus coming, but this was the question asked.) How could God require that salvation only come through Jesus Christ when so many people had never heard about him? Many think it unfair and make it a reason for their unbelief.
“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 was made, so that men are without excuse.” Romans 1:20
God has been talking to man about Himself since the beginning of the world through the marvels of His creation such as: a single human cell that contains more information than a thirty volume encyclopedia; the expansion of water when it freezes in a lake so that the fish don’t die and the complex “dance” of the honeybee giving exact directions to its find of pollen.
“For by him (Jesus) all things were created; things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all were created by him and for him. He is before all things and in him all things hold together."” Colossians 1:16
So Jesus is not only spoken of by creation, Jesus is the creator of everything. Is it any wonder that there’s so much effort to disprove creation?
“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known by God is made plain to them because God had made it plain to them.” Romans 1:18,19
God Spoke Through Visions
“For although they knew God, they never glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.” Romans 1:22
So you see, people have had ample opportunity to follow God and He could very well have said—that’s it, it’s over. But God who is love gave even more opportunities for people to know Him.
In his book, “Eternity in Their Hearts”, Don Richardson reports that God gave visions to many ancient peoples which prepared them for the day when a man would bring them The Book of Truth which they once had and lost.
The Karen people of Burma had expected from “time immemorial” a white brother who would bring them a book of Y’wa (amazingly close the Hebrew “YHWH” or “Yahweh”), The Supreme God. They waited but while they waited, the Bukhos whom the Karen accepted as prophets of Y’wa , reminded them that the ways of Y’wa were different from the ways of demons and that Buddhism was not Y’wa’s way. They taught them hymns, which had been passed down for generations. One hymn described Y’wa as forming the world, giving “two persons detailed instructions” to avoid the “fruit of trial” but they didn’t obey nor believe. “Mu-kaw-lee deceived two persons. He caused them to eat the fruit of the tree of trial” From then on they had sickness, aging and death. Their story sounds very much like the account in Genesis 2 (the first book in the Old Testament of the Bible) of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden eating from The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. God specifically told them not to eat that one fruit but the serpent enticed Eve. The result was sin, sickness, and death (and any other bad thing you can name).
So you see, people have had ample opportunity to follow God and He could very well have said—that’s it, it’s over. But God who is love gave even more opportunities for people to know Him.
In his book, “Eternity in Their Hearts”, Don Richardson reports that God gave visions to many ancient peoples which prepared them for the day when a man would bring them The Book of Truth which they once had and lost.
The Karen people of Burma had expected from “time immemorial” a white brother who would bring them a book of Y’wa (amazingly close the Hebrew “YHWH” or “Yahweh”), The Supreme God. They waited but while they waited, the Bukhos whom the Karen accepted as prophets of Y’wa , reminded them that the ways of Y’wa were different from the ways of demons and that Buddhism was not Y’wa’s way. They taught them hymns, which had been passed down for generations. One hymn described Y’wa as forming the world, giving “two persons detailed instructions” to avoid the “fruit of trial” but they didn’t obey nor believe. “Mu-kaw-lee deceived two persons. He caused them to eat the fruit of the tree of trial” From then on they had sickness, aging and death. Their story sounds very much like the account in Genesis 2 (the first book in the Old Testament of the Bible) of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden eating from The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. God specifically told them not to eat that one fruit but the serpent enticed Eve. The result was sin, sickness, and death (and any other bad thing you can name).
Jesus Even Preached to the Dead!
The Karen knew God and in the 1800’s they gladly received the news of Jesus having taken the punishment for their sins. God did all this and more. He—God the Father, sent Jesus, His Son to live among us, teach, set the captives free, heal the sick, raise the dead and take the punishment for our sins upon Himself. Ultimately, the weight of those sins and their punishment killed Him. But He was resurrected from the dead!
*an important distinction—it’s never “God and Jesus”, since Jesus is part of the “Godhead” three-in-one, but more accurately: God the Father and Jesus the Son. I use the title “God” here in order to communicate.
However, during the time He was dead, as a widely accepted Christian creed says, “He descended into hell” and in I Peter 3:19, “He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.” Jesus preached to all who had lived and died before Him, giving them the opportunity to accept Him as God’s Son, the one who took their punishment so they didn’t have to and the one who would give them eternal life (life that goes on forever).
*an important distinction—it’s never “God and Jesus”, since Jesus is part of the “Godhead” three-in-one, but more accurately: God the Father and Jesus the Son. I use the title “God” here in order to communicate.
However, during the time He was dead, as a widely accepted Christian creed says, “He descended into hell” and in I Peter 3:19, “He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.” Jesus preached to all who had lived and died before Him, giving them the opportunity to accept Him as God’s Son, the one who took their punishment so they didn’t have to and the one who would give them eternal life (life that goes on forever).
The Aztecs Today
The further good news is that the descendants of the Aztecs are still hearing about Jesus Christ and His transforming power today. My husband and I have traveled to their villages and seen God’s healing and saving power among them. The New Testament has just been translated into one of their languages so they can read it for themselves—an excellent idea for anyone!
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