I think I brought up a similar question with my parents when I was around 8 years old.

Basically, I was concerned about the fate of my ancestors: if Christianity is a prerequisite for reaching heaven, then there is no way my pagan ancestors could have possibly made heaven. Which to me at the time seemed unjust and unfair, since they had no exposure to the religion.

So either:
1) God is unjust, and sent almost all West Africans, Southern Africans, Indians, Chinese, and Native Americans to hell before about 1500 AD or so.
2) or God judges people who've never been exposed to his Word by a different standard than those he uses for people who have been exposed. In other words, our pagan ancestors still could have made heaven despite not being Christians.

I'm inclined to believe #2.

Though of course both options above assume that you believe in the existence of the Abrahamic God, which not everyone does.

christainity which serve as a pod for d gospel is just a religion. It doesn't change d fact dat our ancestors already hav thier strong belief in d existence of a supreme being(God) Which u (op) dnt belive in.

I don't think the geographical Israel has anything to do with God's reasons for doing anything today or in future, like most people have said.Those ones don't even believe in Jesus. They'd probably kill him again if he decided to come and die for us one more time out of sympathy. Gods new 'Israel' are his saints, the body of Christ.
It has actually taken 1700 to 1800 (give or take) for the gospel to get to Nigeria, cos that's how he wanted it. His good news has been carried to the very ends of the earth like he promised it would, touching every tribe, culture, nation, people and place. Lighting up civilizations and shaping cultural perceptions and norms Asking why its taken this long is like asking why it took him thousands of years after he created humanity to send his son to rescue humanity again through Jesus. We're not supossed to know everything. If we did we'd be kings and authors of this world. There's a higher power whose purpose we're fulfilling and whose timing is as mysterious as his being. If you don't know him, there's no point trying to understand his timing or purpose for the world, his world. Its furtile.

@Op

You enjoy creating topics that criticizes the legitimacy of Christ. It sucks to be you.

Let me quickly add here dat u dont program God. He is God of timing. The time gospel reached Nigeria is d right time for it. It took about 400 years b4 d advent our Lord Jesus b/w d old testament and d new testament. It was d advent Jesus d broke d jinx.

So trying to sterotype God is opposite of d christian religion.

The onus stil lies on our shoulders to stil take d gospel to d heather land as there are many without dis gospel today. It is up to u and me

ROSSIKE:


You don't get it do you? The fact that it took 2,000 years for the gospel to reach Nigeria from the middle east strongly suggests there is no ''God'' involved in the whole christian charade. That's the point being made. I mean, if we can fly to Dubai in under 5 hours today, how come the Creator of the Universe (for whom human technology must be really really puny) couldn't get his message to us from that region for 2,000 years?

It was either

a) because he didn't consider the message important enough to bother (in which case why should we bother?) or

b) he wasn't involved in any of the stories claimed in the bible.

Which is it?

i believe the evangelists came but we ate them for lunch........from the book of acts countries like ethiopia,libya were made emphasis of in the bible Acts 8:27

Bolt3:
The problem is that your blaming God for mans error. God has already instructed us to spread the gospel around the world. Yet there are places on earth till this day that hasn't heard the gospel like China. Now ask yourself is it God that is stopping you from going to China to preach the gospel? This is why God is very angry when we don't preach the gospel because there are potential Christians lost everyday just because of our Laziness. Left to God everyone would be a Christian but he doesn't like to intefer.

Talking about God. Which one are you referring to ? So far in your few years of earthly existence,have you noticed anything called God ?

Funny,i wonder what you people are up to dis days,y'al trying to brainwash d rest of d world into dsame blivs u av?man,life is all bout choices,u chose to b an atheist I chose to be a christian,asking u why u an atheist is goin outa ma way n definitely nt ma business,so why r u pple so pained as regards d believes of odas?no human on earth is an encyclopedia of knowledge cuz no one was here wen d world was created,n even if t were possible d individual wud'av gone extinct by nw,life's all bout *whys,mysteries,questions,unsolved riddles*why do we av d bermuda triangle?why haven't humans n animals alike exhausted d oxygen in d atmosphere even with its small ratio to nitrogen?what's recycling dis gas we breathe in?why is d hair on ur head growing every blessed day?why don't ur finger nails stop growing wen u r dead?why did christianity reach d african continent dat late?why is muhammed d prophet of allah?why do we av different traditional gods around us?well u asked d question u shud provide an ansa to it cuz av gat none for u since u can't explain ur basic existence,n u av no power whatsoever o'er d very life u own,so why shud I give a hoot bout giving u ansas to a question without ansas?when ur time on earth is all spent n u close ur eyes in death,ask whoever u open ur eyes to see d tons of questions bothering ur mind...but since u dnt believe in a creator,likewise u wudnt bliv in d devil or hell fire,so I guess u'l just evolve into some gas n sadly ur question's'l kip bothering u for all eternity.

The problem with this generation is that they LOVE argument. But when it comes to sitting down to study (especially their Bible) they gas out. ROSSIKE, have u not read the part of Bible that says that A Thousand Years is Like a Day in His (God's) sight? The Bible also said that His ways are not our ways; as far as the heaven is frm d earth, so is his thought from ours.
The issue here shouldn't be whether Christianity took 2000 or I billion yrs to enter Africa (Nigeria), the thing be say 'Now wey e don enter do what d Bible says and stop senseless and unproductive arguments). Well, you guys can sit down n argue as much as u want. As for me, I'm off!

cecegorz:

Frosbel, it seems like you are gradually turning into an atheist.
Like they say in NL, I just dey observe o

Any crime for being an atheist ?

ROSSIKE:
If 'Jesus, the son of God' came to this earth and was born in the middle east in 1 AD, how come it took 2,000 years before this message from ''the son of god'' reached us in Nigeria? And then only when Europeans needed slaves and lands to colonize and loot for raw materials necessary to power their industrial revolution? Are you saying God did not deem it necessary to inform all those millions of Africans that would have lived from 1 AD to 1850 of the glorious kingdom of his son until Europeans decided just a couple hundred years ago they needed to raid Africa and loot resources? Did 'God' really 'postpone' the Nigerian introduction to his 'truth' until such a time as the Europeans needed to conquer and loot our lands, a full 2,000 years down the line, and why?

The ways of this imported 'God' are indeed strange!!

Ignoramus do ur research difference between BC and AD. It was taught in social studies

That is why he is God and does what He pleases at His time.

Ranchhoddas:
how in the seven kingdoms did you come about this information?

Winter is really really coming!!

ROSSIKE:
If 'Jesus, the son of God' came to this earth and was born in the middle east in 1 AD, how come it took 2,000 years before this message from ''the son of god'' reached us in Nigeria? And then only when Europeans needed slaves and lands to colonize and loot for raw materials necessary to power their industrial revolution? Are you saying God did not deem it necessary to inform all those millions of Africans that would have lived from 1 AD to 1850 of the glorious kingdom of his son until Europeans decided just a couple hundred years ago they needed to raid Africa and loot resources? Did 'God' really 'postpone' the Nigerian introduction to his 'truth' until such a time as the Europeans needed to conquer and loot our lands, a full 2,000 years down the line, and why?

The ways of this imported 'God' are indeed strange!!

you mean the gospel of christ came to N igeria 14 yrs ago?by your logic of 2000 yrs

A thousand year is like a year in the. Sght of God. Spreading the Gospel across 6billion people on earth is not a day job. Some countries have not still heard of this gospel, the more reason we should evangelize.. The one that knows the reason why you are born this century and not back then has a plan for you. That is why He is God. He knows the end from the very beginning.

[b] @ROSSIKE
There was nothing like Nigeria 2000 Years ago.
What we know as Nigeria now was riddled with mini tribes in the north, west and south. Even though we cannot totaly rule out the possibility of the gospel reaching West Africa at that time, it is on record even today that Apostle Phillip got the first African (An Ethiopian Eunuch) born again. (Read the Book of Acts)
In God's plan for the salvation of mankind, He had everyone in mind but the how and when is solely for Him to decide- There's an appointed time for everything.
So, the fact that it took almost 2000 years for the gospel to reach Nigeria doesn't mean that God doesn't care for your ancestors. You should as well have asked why it Him 400 years to free the Israelites (His people) from the bond of slavery in Egypt.
NOTE THIS: God doesn't live in the realm of time. He lives in eternity. Your future is His past. He doesn't care about how long it takes. The important thing is- The gospel did came to Nigeria. So, now that you've heard the gospel, what are you gonna do with it? [/b]

OMG! I woke ts morning wt great xpectation, picked up ♍Ɣ phone, visited nairaland.com & †нε 1st topic on FP is ts. Damn it! Ɣ ts early sunday morning? All ts atheist & wanna-be atheists, can't ΰ guys mind ur business by focusing on being †нε best atheist of ts century instead u guys keep on wt blasphemy against Christianity as though it's †нε fault of Christianity dah u guys are atheists.
Just so annoying

pls what do yu guys want to gain in asking such question?

One of the major characteristics freethinkers, atheists and their likes is that they are logical beings. They consider things from the empirical perspective. This is not bad as God himself gave them the mind. Albeit, to actually understand God, you have to do away with logic. The foolish things of this world he uses to confound the wise.

We are talking about God Almighty here, he doesn't exist in time neither is he bounded by it, he is TIME. He exists in the realms of eternity. Your question is like asking "Why didn't God send Jesus Christ the moment Adam sinned since he knew that is the solution to Adam's sin" or "Why did it take forty years to walk from Egypt to Israel when we all know today that through Gaza Strip it is maximum of 2 weeks journey".

The reason is because in God's calendar everything is pre-purposed, that isn't to say humans do not have a say in this, as seen in the case of Daniel, Moses and Hezekiah when they changed the mind of God. There are dispensations determined by God and he has no reason to answer to anyone of his creations. The clay cannot say to the potter why did you make me like this.

For all those who died before they received Christ, they will be judged by their conscience. Yes, every man since Adam was created with one. My forefathers will be thus judged as well as all those who even die today without having heard of the gospel of Christ. If you have been privileged enough to hear the liberating message of the Gospel of Christ and you decided otherwise, then nothing more I can say.

The gospel is not supposed to just help you get to heaven, this is where a lot of people miss it. It brings salvation (soteria in greek).

Truth be told, you will not understand spiritual things no matter the argument I put forth unless your eyes of understanding is enlightened, so I pray this prayer for you; "That the eyes of your understanding be enlightened and that in seeing , you would see and understand in the name of Jesus"

Thank you

ObiChiz08:
OMG! I woke ts morning wt great xpectation, picked up ♍Ɣ phone, visited nairaland.com & †нε 1st topic on FP is ts. Damn it! Ɣ ts early sunday morning? All ts atheist & wanna-be atheists, can't ΰ guys mind ur business by focusing on being †нε best atheist of ts century instead u guys keep on wt blasphemy against Christianity as though it's †нε fault of Christianity dah u guys are atheists.
Just so annoying

can yu imagine, they keep blaming Christianity for their failed minds.....

duni04:
I don't think the geographical Israel has anything to do with God's reasons for doing anything today or in future, like most people have said.Those ones don't even believe in Jesus. They'd probably kill him again if he decided to come and die for us one more time out of sympathy. Gods new 'Israel' are his saints, the body of Christ.
It has actually taken 1700 to 1800 (give or take) for the gospel to get to Nigeria, cos that's how he wanted it. His good news has been carried to the very ends of the earth like he promised it would, touching every tribe, culture, nation, people and place. Lighting up civilizations and shaping cultural perceptions and norms Asking why its taken this long is like asking why it took him thousands of years after he created humanity to send his son to rescue humanity again through Jesus. We're not supossed to know everything. If we did we'd be kings and authors of this world. There's a higher power whose purpose we're fulfilling and whose timing is as mysterious as his being. If you don't know him, there's no point trying to understand his timing or purpose for the world, his world. Its furtile.

GOD BLESS YOU

Question still not answered , common believers you can do better ;

You guys keep harping on about grace, the kind of grace that lets you live like the devil and still be saved , but then you confine your ancestors to a works based salvation which means one sin has disqualified them from salvation.

So again, let us rephrase this question ;

Why was this gospel of grace made available to some parts of the world within the first few hundred years of the resurrection and not the rest of the world till in some cases 1,500 years later , considering the immensity of it's consequences and determination of one's eternal destination.

Common give us logical answers not illogical niches.

ROSSIKE:
If 'Jesus, the son of God' came to this earth and was born in the middle east in 1 AD, how come it took 2,000 years before this message from ''the son of god'' reached us in Nigeria? And then only when Europeans needed slaves and lands to colonize and loot for raw materials necessary to power their industrial revolution? Are you saying God did not deem it necessary to inform all those millions of Africans that would have lived from 1 AD to 1850 of the glorious kingdom of his son until Europeans decided just a couple hundred years ago they needed to raid Africa and loot resources? Did 'God' really 'postpone' the Nigerian introduction to his 'truth' until such a time as the Europeans needed to conquer and loot our lands, a full 2,000 years down the line, and why?

The ways of this imported 'God' are indeed strange!!

To your question, I will say because there is time for everything (Ecclesiastical 3:1). On whether those who didn't have the message of Jesus can be saved, Yes. How? you may ask - if they had followed their good conscience. God is Spirit and had always in the hidden conscience of men prod them to do good. Jesus, the law or Moses had not appear when it was already reckoned that Noah was a good man. God desires that Everyman be saved and has always seek to reach them, the ultimate means of reaching is Jesus Christ- the one and only eternally begotten Son of the Father. However, once the message of the gospel is received, people like you who refused to receive it are condemned. No more excuse, sad truth.

lol@2000 years. some peopl even believd her that the gospel of christ came 14 years ago to Nigeria.this op self and her blind debaters.

@OP IT WAS BUT IS THE TIME PEOPLE OVER POWER SATAN. for every body this thing op ask we dont need it . what we need is the teachings of JESUS CHRIST OUR HELPER, and keep the laws he gave to us and follow his teachings . love one another as you love your self.

frosbel:
Question still not answered , common believers you can do better ;

You guys keep harping on about grace, the kind of grace that lets you live like the devil and still be saved , but then you confine your ancestors to a works based salvation which means one sin has disqualified them from salvation.

So again, let us rephrase this question ;

Why was this gospel of grace made available to some parts of the world within the first few hundred years of the resurrection and not the rest of the world till in some cases 1,500 years later , considering the immensity of it's consequences and determination of one's eternal destination.

Common give us logical answers not illogical niches.

You see the question has been answered but you still won't understand because you have an answer you want and that answer you won't get because it doesn't appeal to the mind. You will spend the whole day here waiting. Your mindset needs to change if you truly deserve the truth rather than facts. (there is a difference)

aperture11:


You see the question has been answered but you still won't understand because you have an answer you want and that answer you won't get because it doesn't appeal to the mind. You will spend the whole day here waiting. Your mindset needs to change of you truly deserve the truth rather than facts. (there is a difference)

What is truth ?

Btw - I am open to all answers, I am not narrow minded like many Nigerian believers .

(1) What I believe is that there is form that controls all actions. This form created things and diversified them, each according to the way it seemed ideal to this form. This form made this so, so that there will be balance in the creation. I believe there is God, I believe he created all and I believe he diversified all. He did it so that things will be balanced.

(2) I believe in Christ because his teachings were humane. If Christ hadn't come to teach forgiveness, love, compassion, sacrifice, the world today would have been the survival of the fittest. Christ himself never condemned the people that didn't hear about His gospel. He himself said that cursed he, who have heard the gospel and have seen miracles cause he wouldn't say I didn't hear or I didn't know. (Luke 10: 13) [13Woe unto you, Chorazin! woe unto you, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they would have a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
14But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you.
15And you, Capernaum, which are exalted to heaven, shall be thrust down to hades.]

(3) I believe in faith. Whatever you do, however you do it, so far it's what your doctrine teaches you, do it. You must not be tepid, it's either you're cold, or your hot. If you don't believe in God, prepare your questions for him, if you die and He exists, you table then before him. If you believe in Him, serve Him well according to the jurisdiction of your Bible and your dogma.

Lastly, I love this quote. "Live as if there is a God, so that when you die, if He exists, you gain and if He doesn't exist, you'll still gain

ROSSIKE:


Dude, use your brain for once in your life. 2,000 yrs is an approximation. We know it got here around the 19th century, meaning something like 1,867 years or something. And of course there was no 'Nigeria' 2000 years ago, but the territory now known as Nigeria existed, with people living in it, did it not? I mean, maybe it's an IQ problem with you, I don't know...More likely you're seeking to dodge the main question by raising irrelevant strawman arguments. That won't work.

na u gangan be d Oponu! Instead of talking about africa as a whole, u mentioned Nigeria! Its right 4 some1 with a functional brain to ask. Now to ur answer! it was a task on the preachers of the gospel den cos they faced a lot of rejection, died as a result of enviromental effects and diseases! Jesus never told us to enforce it on any1 like d devil himself(Mohameed) who will fight and kill to ensure u accept his god! So its only logical! It has to take a very long time! But anyway, long time or not, d fact remains dat it has spread all over d entire world, so how does d time 4 it to reach me concern ur ancestors? That is d more reason we don't progress as blacks! Thinking about useless issues just like dis.

shamecurls:


Any crime for being an atheist ?

Absolutely! May be not for you that is still in the dark
But for someone like Frosbel who has enjoyed the glory of the Powers to come, it is unthinkable.

P.S. I don't expect you to understand. You need salvaltion in Christ, first.

ROSSIKE:


You don't get it do you? The fact that it took 2,000 years for the gospel to reach Nigeria from the middle east strongly suggests there is no ''God'' involved in the whole christian charade. That's the point being made. I mean, if we can fly to Dubai in under 5 hours today, how come the Creator of the Universe (for whom human technology must be really really puny) couldn't get his message to us from that region for 2,000 years?

It was either

a) because he didn't consider the message important enough to bother (in which case why should we bother?) or

b) he wasn't involved in any of the stories claimed in the bible.

Which is it?

so that is to say that over those period of thousands of years my ancestors were thrown into hell tlll futher notice. Interesting

Christianity itself didn't take a foothold in Europe and the middle east for thousands of years after Jesus died.

Add that to the holy wars and the Islamic conquest of the Arabian peninsula which was the only gateway to Africa before sea exploration, it actually makes sense that the religion got to the Niger area during sea exploration.

That explains why Islam was the dominant religion in the north and central Africa before the Europeans came since land route to Europe and the middle east was controlled by the Arabs.