Dennis L. Finnan Commentator
"The World, the Word & You! Broadcast"

THE UNTOLD STORY!

“SAY FRIEND, HAVE YOU HEARD THE GOOD NEWS? THE TRUTH IS UNTOLD BILLIONS HAVE NOT, AND WILL NOT HEAR UNLESS THE HEART OF CHRISTIANITY IS BROKEN OVER IT.”

 I’m Dennis Finnan, host and speaker on the World, the Word & You! Broadcast and in a moment we’ll talk about the necessity and importance of the Church of Jesus Christ to be broken over the universal lostness of our world of humanity…

…Do you know what’s dear to my heart? Well, I’ll tell you. First of all, it’s the reason you are listening to me now in some form of communication.  Either through printed media, the World Wide Web of the Internet, or on the radio waves of America and the world. Yes, I’m speaking to you today because the dearest thing to my heart is telling the “old, old story of God’s love” for you and me. However, what should break the heart of all Christians, worldwide, is that this story of God’s love in and through Jesus Christ remains for a vast majority of the world population – the untold story!

Just think our planet, today, hurtling through space, houses over 6.2 billion people! With each spin of the earth’s rotation, people die, but amazingly enough more people are born than die raising the world’s population by more than,

200,000 EVERY DAY!

And if demographers are correct in their predictions, somewhere within the lifetime of most of us, the world will one day reach a population figure of over 10 BILLION PEOPLE! Now that word “billion,” should strike at the heart of every human being to realize the vast amount of human life that will exist at any one point in time on the planet earth. However, what should strike the heart of every Christian is, that from these billions, the untold story of Christ’s love remains “untold” to them! After another moment of pause for some reflective music, I’ll return to tell you about this “UNTOLD STORY…”

…We’re talking today about the world’s population being a vast 6.2 BILLION people and growing at the rate of over 200,000 every day. But of this total, we Christians should be monitoring it, not for ecological reasons as some do, but for spiritual reasons. You see, breaking down this huge statistic of human life, it appears that 

(1) one third are nominally Christian, 
(2) one third are resistive and unresponsive to the story of God’s love in Christ, and most heart breaking of all, 
(3) the remaining third or over two-billion have never even heard the Name of Jesus Christ.

Whatever their number, these people in the last category have not only never heard of Jesus Christ, they live in areas where there is virtually NO ONE to even tell them! Yes, the mass of humanity is in effect “hidden” from the light of God’s glorious Gospel or “Good News,” that Christ died for their sins and offers them forgiveness and eternal life.

Well the challenge to the believing Church is immense. You know, years ago we sung in the church at missionary events, the chorus: “untold millions are still untold!” How out-of-date this is in light of the untold billions! Moreover, do you know that the latest demographics of Christian missionary service tell us, that 95% of all missionaries out in the world commissioned by true Christianity, work among people who have already heard!

How we need a renewed vision of a world that is truly lost in sin, dying daily are hundreds of thousands who have NEVER heard the story of God’s love. Indeed, it remains, THE UNTOLD STORY! But it need not be, if the Church of Jesus Christ were to fully understand what God’s revelation has told us about our peril, God’s passion and love for us. You see today, it appears we Christians don’t really believe that the lost are really lost! You don’t believe that? Well, some of the latest figures tell us that 

(1) only 37% of the majority of professing Christians really believe that a person is lost who doesn’t hear the Gospel. Additionally, statistics say 
(2)only 42% of professing Christians believe that unbelievers will be punished in a literal Hell fire. Lastly, 
(3)more than 25% believe that lost mankind will be saved or lost, based on how well they follow what they already know. 

These sad statistics tell a story of its own, but in the end cause the “Good News” God’s love, to continue to be “the Untold Story!”

Now why do so many in the church believe these quoted concepts? The answer is faulty theology. For too long, the church has been listening to wrong doctrine, wrong teachers, and dangerously false concepts of sin and judgment taught. Permit me to remind you of some very important facts that should grip your heart, to move out in the area of Christian missions as never before. Let’s begin. Now, regardless of what others may say, this is the foundational fact to understand…

1.  THERE IS NO CHANCE WHATSOEVER AFTER DEATH FOR ANYONE TO BE SAVED FROM THEIR SINS! -  The Bible says,

Heb 9:27 (NIV)  Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,

The moment all of us die, our spiritual state we left life here on earth, will fixed in us for all eternity. We either die saved from our sins, or we die eternally lost. The Catholic version of Pergatory and other religions and thoughts of some clearing house, for a later second chance or penance is the figment of our fallen sinful imaginations. Nowhere in any Scripture revelation from God, can one take solace in such a corrupted thought. Once you die, you are either sealed in “unrighteousness,” that is unforgiven sin, or in the state of righteousness, that is “forgiven sin.”

Now some say, those who have not heard or responded to the Good News gospel of Jesus Christ will be judged by the “light they had.” Some appeal to verses of Scripture such as,

Rom 2:12 (NIV)  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.

1 Pet 3:19-20 (NIV)  through whom also he [Christ] went and preached to the spirits in prison 20 who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water,

The appeal of these verses to some is, God is a God of love, and at death some folks have never heard of Christ’s saving love and work, therefore God will give them a 2^nd chance to be saved. But if you exegete these texts properly they say just the OPPOSITE!

In 1 Peter 3:19-20, Peter declares, Christ by His Spirit spoke through Noah “a preacher of righteousness” to his world, and those who did not respond and are lost in Hell, they are now told of the depths of their loss. Paul the apostle says, not than man has an excuse, but that man is without excuse! False hope such as this believed and taught often in our Christian colleges and seminaries and churches, leads many to a complacent evangelism at best that believes, “where we fail or leave off God will take over and complete the work!” The truth is my Christian friend; God will do no such thing. He has given us the message of hope, love, and forgiveness in the death of Christ on the cross. Unless we go to the lost and tell them, they are forever lost! Now secondly, many are under the false impression that,

2.  ALL HUMANITY IS NOT GUILTY BEFORE GOD UNLESS THEY HEAR AND REFUSE TO RESPOND TO THE STORY OF GOD’S LOVE – This is not only erroneous it is deadly. The Bible again clearly warns all mankind that regardless of whether or not a person hears about Jesus Christ’s work on the cross, all stand guilty before the justice bench of a holy, sinless and righteous God. Listen to the Word of God on this matter of our lostness and sin guilt.

Rom 1:19 (NIV)  since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.

Rom 2:15 (NIV)  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.)

Thus, the entire world has within them what we call a “conscience,” or consciousness of God. Those who have never heard of Christ, need to realize, God created all of us with an inner knowledge of His existence and our creaturehood. The Greek text of these verses I quoted say we all know this by “personal experience.” So, not only does all humanity know of the Creator God’s existence, they instinctively know of His righteous LAW too. How? Well, the Bible says God has written it in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness. Even though the light of conscience is dimmed by sin, it still exists in everyone, everywhere. This is what God says to us all. Moreover, God has given us an outward witness in the world and universe around us. Again the Scripture says,

Rom 1:20 (NIV)  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.

Yes, all one has to do is look at the world around, and see and hear God speaking to them of His existence, and the need for them to seek their Creator God. You see, in the courts of Heaven, this is sufficient knowledge for every human being to be criminally liable for our sins.  Now lastly for today, I see,

3.  THE LIFE AND DEPRAVED LIVING OF MANKIND ALL OVER THE WORLD, REVEALS OUR LOSTNESS AND CAUSE FOR JUDGMENT -  Paul, an apostle of Christ, speaks in the Book of Romans that all mankind are sinners, and because m we are God has left us to the state we love and enjoy, and one day will pay for with our eternal soul and spirit. Listen to this startling revelation,

Rom 3:23 (NIV)  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Rom 6:23 (NIV)  For the wages of sin is death.

In fact, God goes on to list an indictment and evidence of our fallen, sinful nature and the works we do, as a result that dishonor God and break His law justly deserving eternal punishment and death. Listen to them:

Rom 1:24-31 (NLT)  So God let them go ahead and do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. 25 Instead of believing what they knew was the truth about God, they deliberately chose to believe lies. So they worshiped the things God made but not the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever. Amen. 26 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. 27 And the men, instead of having normal sexual relationships with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men and, as a result, suffered within themselves the penalty they so richly deserved. 28 When they refused to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their evil minds and let them do things that should never be done. 29 Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, fighting, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. 30 They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They are forever inventing new ways of sinning and are disobedient to their parents. 31 They refuse to understand, break their promises, and are heartless and unforgiving.

Indeed, all we need to do is read the daily newspapers; watch the nightly television news reports, to see the degrading passion and sinful actions of us, which reveals the guilt of sin. So God says to you and me,

Rom 3:19 (NIV)  Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.

Someone has rightly said, “God doesn’t send anyone to Hell, He simply allows them to go there by their own choice!”

Nonetheless, it is absolutely evident from Scripture; the untold billions are without excuse! Although they have not heard personally, no one lives up to the righteousness of God’s law of the universe, to remain in His presence beyond the trial period God gives us here on the earth. Therefore, it is imperative that the whole world hears the Good News, that God loves them, and effectively has provided a way for all humanity to be saved from their sins. Now then, the UNTOLD STORY is this,

God loves us all, so much, that He sent His Son Jesus Christ to become a human being like us (John 1:1,14). By doing this, God was effectively able to provide a perfect, sinless human life unlike any of us due to our sin nature and desire for sin, to be qualified for heaven and eternity. Having fulfilled the righteous of the Law of God, which is absolute perfection, Jesus Christ, the infinite God/Man, offered up His life as a substitutionary payment for every sin, of every sinner who ever lived. The only condition is, that men might seek their Creator God and hear the untold story and respond to it. Now someone will say, “but what if they go through life and never hear?” The answer is God promises that He will reach out to all, with His saving message of love and forgiveness in the work of Jesus Christ, provided and “if” they will sincerely seek Him. Listen to God’s Word which says,

1 Chr 28:9 (NIV)  “… for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.

I believe that this is a fantastic promise of God, that even the heathen in the far corners of their sin darkened and lost world, if they will respond to the light of “conscience” and “creation” and attempt to find their God and Creator, The one true God will send a missionary to them! The Scripture is filled with this teaching and it is the great story of the Book of Jonah and even Ruth. What love this is!

So the point is this. If you have not responded to God’s love offer, and have not turned your life over to Jesus Christ; or if you have not heard the story of His love that is offered as a free gift,

Rom 6:23 (NIV)  “… the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

You will indeed perish in your sins, when death overtakes you. God warns us all,

John 3:18 (NIV)  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.

The conclusion is clear, the UNTOLD BILLIONS WHO ARE STILL UNTOLD are lost and will perish in their sins; unless, they hear the Good News that Christ died for their sins and all can be forgiven if they will embrace the Lord Jesus Christ as their God and Savior. It’s that simple, and absolutely necessary.

Yet the question is, are you available to go as God calls to reach out to lost people everywhere? Now most likely God is not asking you to go across the sea, although He may ask you to be a world missionary, but at the least you can go across the street, or across the yard, or your workbench or desk and tell others the UNTOLD STORY OF GOD’S LOVE. Sadly, the vast majority of believers choose not be burdened to do this, because they have believed false theology, and assume others will be saved without the Church going with God’s message.

Looking around, a world in crisis exists as many nations are on the brink of war. They need the Words of Christ, and His love sent to them in “shoe leather,” that is delivered by you and me. But now most importantly, I’m speaking to you who are listening to or reading this message. Do you know the UNTOLD STORY of God’s love through Christ yourself? Have you personally responded? Have you surrendered your heart to Jesus Christ as your God and Savior? If so, God promises you His full and forever forgiveness, and His love now and for eternity. How does one get this? Simply by confessing your sins, and calling upon God the Father to accept Christ’s death payment for your sin, to be applied to your account in eternity. God will do that and free you from the judgment coming, and grant you life eternal and His holy presence in your heart.

And, friend when you do this, you become not only a Christian saved from your sins, but also you are commissioned as God’s missionary to go save others with the Good News of Christ. Oh, how God’s heart must be grieved at so many billions still being untold, but you and I can change that. We can reach them through radio, through the Internet, but most importantly through the lips of those who care enough to go and share Christ with them. God bless our missionaries, but may God, in this last days, raise up more to go with God’s love, that a world might be saved from their sins. For without the “Good News” delivered by some human resource, the world is perishing and will die lost for eternity. May it not remain so because of you and me…

…Do you have a heart for Christ? Do you have broken heart for the lost? Do you KNOW Jesus Christ personally? You see, we are either an evangelist ourselves, or an evangelistic field to sow God’s word of love. May the church find its fire, and may all Christians, far and wide, be revived and rekindled with a burning desire to reach the untold billions with the UNTOLD STORY, Jesus saves, Jesus keeps and Jesus satisfies.

·         Radio talk #2102

·         Broadcast date: May 26, 2002

·         Speaker: Dennis L. Finnan, Commentator

·         Program: The World, the Word & You! Radio Broadcast

·         Address: P.O. Box 40133 Grand Junction, CO 81504

The World, the Word & You! Broadcast is a non-denominational ministry based on the historic fundamental evangelical interpretation of the Scriptures. A copy of our doctrinal statement is available upon request. These weekly radio commentaries are not exhaustive studies of any particular subject due to the time limit of broadcasting. Actual broadcasts can be heard in selected areas around the nation, as funding provides. Dennis Finnan has been the speaker for over 22 years, and serves as General Director.

These transcripts are available free of charge to all who desire them. Also available are actual radio cassette tapes and printed booklets of each message. A free listing of recent messages is available upon request also.