Can an elect person die without ever having heard the gospel?

Or is this impossible?

It's a question from a listener named Christy.

Hello Pastor John, can someone who is elect die without ever hearing the gospel in believing?

I suspect not.

I understand that people are born elect, but they are not born saved, so the hearing will

happen.

And our sharing of the faith is essential because God uses human means to bring people

to Himself.

However, if people die without getting the chance to hear and respond to the gospel,

I suspect they were never elect.

Is that right?

I am a seminary student and will be going overseas as a missionary upon graduation.

I feel the missionary urgency and yet I cannot shake this question.

If the people who don't hear were not elected, what is the urgency of sharing the faith?

Do you see how that logic would deter the missionary impulse?

Yes, I do see how that logic would deter the missionary impulse, but it's a faulty logic

and it is unbiblical.

So let's begin by just making sure our listeners know what we're talking about.

Christy is referring to the crucial biblical doctrine of election.

For example, we see it in Ephesians 1, 4, God chose.

That's the word where we get election.

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