Ross Douthat is a conservative Catholic journalist who wrote for The New York Times for many years before recently moving to CBS. I have followed his work with great gratitude; our ministry reviewed his latest book and hosted him on our podcast as well.

Mr. Douthat recently interviewed President Trump on 60 Minutes, a conversation that has generated much discussion this week. Toward its end, he asked the president, “What do you think happens to Donald Trump when you die?” Mr. Trump replied, “Well, I’m a religious person, so in theory I go to heaven.” Mr. Douthat then clarified, “Do you think you’re going to heaven?” Mr. Trump responded, “I hope so. I don’t want to go to hell.”

Mr. Douthat then turned to the subject of forgiveness, asking: “Let’s say you pass away, you’re entering the next life, and all you have to do to enter paradise is feel love and forgiveness for James Comey, Nancy Pelosi, anyone who you have expressed hate for over the years. Do you think you can do it?”

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This article was original published on eastwest.org.

More than 3 billion people worldwide are considered unreached with the gospel. That means they have little to no chance of ever hearing about Jesus, His sacrifice, and His free gift of salvation.

With tens of thousands of unreached people dying every day, the sobering reality is that scores of people live their entire lives never knowing the truth of the gospel. That leads to an uncomfortable question: What happens to those who haven’t heard the gospel?

Understanding those who never hear the gospel

Some well-intentioned Christ followers have attempted to answer this question by saying that God is so loving that if someone never had the chance to hear the gospel, He would let them into Heaven. The problem is that this answer is not aligned with Scripture.

The book of Romans provides the truth to better respond to this question. First, Scripture says that God has made Himself known to people.

“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 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 people are without excuse.” –Romans 1:18-20

People know God, but their sinful nature suppresses the truth about Him. Instead of worshipping the true God, they worship other things, whether it’s other gods, money, fame, or worldly desires.

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Everyone has sinned

Second, all people have fallen short of God’s perfect standard. Whether they are a member of God’s chosen people or someone born in a remote village, every person has sinned.

“There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God … .” –Romans 3:22b-23

“What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. As it is written: ‘There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.’” –Romans 3:9-12

“All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.” –Romans 2:12

No one can be saved apart from faith in Jesus

What we deserve for our sin is death—eternal separation from God (Romans 6:23). Because all people know God and have rejected Him and all people have fallen short of God’s perfect standard, no one can be saved apart from faith in Jesus—that includes an unreached person who has never heard the gospel.

Pastor David Platt has summarized his answer to the question of someone never hearing the gospel like this:

“So when people ask what happens to the innocent guy in Africa who dies without ever hearing the gospel, I would say, beyond a shadow of a doubt, he goes to heaven. However, before you begin to label me a heretic, consider: if there is an innocent guy in Africa who has never heard the gospel, then he doesn’t need a Savior. He hasn’t done anything wrong, so why would he be separated from God? But that’s precisely the problem: there is no innocent guy in Africa or Asia. Every one of us has rejected the knowledge of God, so we are not innocent.”

God’s solution for those who never hear the gospel

It would seem cruel for God to condemn someone who never had a chance to know Jesus without some sort of rescue plan. What kind of loving God would do that?

As it turns out, God does have a rescue plan. It’s you.

Jesus commissioned His followers to take the gospel to all nations (Matthew 28:18-20). The reason that there are unreached people—people who have never heard the gospel—is because someone has not gone to them to share the good news.

More than 3 billion people will live their entire lives never knowing who Jesus is unless they are told. God’s solution to that problem is sending out His children to shine His light in the darkest places on Earth. How is God calling you to reach those who have never heard?

“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’” –Romans 10:14-15

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Why God’s forgiveness doesn’t remove earthly consequences

Russell Brand, a famous celebrity, podcaster, ex-husband of Katy Perry, and recent Christian convert, was sentenced to over 10 years in prison on Monday. He was found guilty on one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault against four different women. All of the charges against Brand were between the years 2004 and 2009, with the women involved testifying that he had committed grievous sexual crimes against them.

The trial of Brand has faced multiple competing viewpoints, with some people claiming that his previous lifestyle of sexual promiscuity makes the claims against him credible, with the sentence against him deserved and justified. Yet some find the charges against Russell Brand to be a consequence of exposing the evils of the system he was previously aligned with, coupled with his conversion to Christianity in 2024.

Some argue that oral testimony and corroborating witness testimony are not sufficient to convict him without physical evidence, while others disagree, saying they should be more than enough. While public opinion remains divided, navigating such a sensitive and traumatic topic is best done under the guidance of Christian principles as described in Scripture.

How to navigate Brand’s sentencing

In recent years, sexual crimes, such as rape, sex trafficking, and sexual abuse of minors, have been constantly spotlighted in our world. Whether it’s the Epstein Files, Andrew Tate, or Robert Morris, sexual immorality has rampantly dominated the news media and social media.

Few issues should unify us more in our world than to despise, revile, and eradicate sexual crimes of all kinds. They violate basic human dignity and defile the very design that God created humanity for—we are made in his image and are made to be holy as he is holy. With that said, how should we navigate this situation with Russell Brand?

First, we must recognize that Brand acknowledged that he had committed various kinds of sexual promiscuity in his past. 

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It’s important to note that he claims never to have done anything non-consensual. But while we are allowed to draw our own conclusions, it’s an example of how dangerous sin is, regardless of when or where it is committed.

Brand’s past serves as a sobering reminder of the destructive nature of sin, while the crimes for which he was convicted demonstrate the devastating consequences of violating another person’s dignity. This should be a message to all people, particularly Christians, that we must always live above reproach and never put ourselves in situations where we could be accused of such things (Titus 2:7-8). Granted, accusations may occur, but believers should strive to be proactive in this area. Unfortunately, Brand did not live according to this scriptural truth in his earlier years, and that is now coming full circle.

Second, we can hold Brand accountable for his sins while still recognizing the possibility of genuine transformation through his professed conversion to Christianity. His present relationship with Christ does not absolve him of the consequences of the law, nor does it mean he should receive any leniency. Crimes such as these should not be minimized or excused. But it does mean that, should his conversion be genuine, we can find joy in the fact that the Russell Brand who once committed these crimes is now dead, and the new Russell Brand, the one bought with the blood of Jesus Christ, is now alive (2 Cor. 5:17).

Only God knows someone’s heart, but we should be hopeful of His saving grace and transformation.

Finally, we can pray for healing and restoration for the victims, and for Brand himself. 

It is acceptable and even reasonable to be angry, but do not let it consume you. Christians are called to love like Christ in thought, word, and deed. It is possible to pray for the victims with the desire for legitimate justice while still praying that Brand is no longer the man who committed such terrible crimes.

Justice also demands that we take the victims’ suffering seriously. We must recognize that their dignity, healing, and restoration must not be overshadowed by the public’s fascination with the offender.

Micah 6:8 says, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (NIV). This, brothers and sisters, is how we are to live.

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