Accepting Jesus is the only way to heaven, but those who never heard the gospel may be saved through faithful response to lesser revelation — analogous to Abraham.

Winger argues that OT saints and unreached people who respond in faith to whatever revelation God gave them are in a position of salvation — like Abraham who had very little information yet responded with faith. He uses the analogy of a letter sent ahead: Abraham prepared the bed for the coming guest and of course let him in when he arrived. This is not unsaved becoming saved later; it is those already responding in faith who will receive Christ when they encounter him. He distinguishes this from religions that explicitly reject Christ: Islam denies Jesus is the Son of God (foundational rejection), and Hinduism embraces idolatry God has condemned — these are not cases of partial knowledge but deliberate rejection.