Thank you for the response, and I appreciate what you are saying. But you did not answer my question. Is knowledge of Christ (by this I mean knowing that He came to earth to offer us salvation through belief in His work of atonement)
absolutely necessary (though not sufficient) for everyone who wishes to enter Heaven?
Devils may know of Christ, but they do not believe in Him. You are correct here. So knowledge is not sufficient to allow entry into Heaven.
I think we agree here. My question is, is this knowledge necessary for all, or are there possible exceptions?
SD
first let me say I am not a biblical scholar in any way. However I think that the only exception to this can be found in the Bible when king David laments the death of his infant son. God the Father presumably himself answers his cries to tell him that David's child is with Him and therefore in heaven. knowing this I think that this situation can be extended to all those incapable of rational thought.
however if your inquiry is about the proverbial bushmen.
The Bible says there is enough in God's creation (i.e. nature) to cause a person to seek after Him and that if anyone did that he would honor it (I believe by bring him to a saving knowledge of Jesus as Lord and Savior). However the Bible also says that no one seeks after God without Him prompting them to do so and then if they respond he will lead them to faith in Jesus.