It is absolutely irrefutable that men are under judgment, according to the testimony of Paul, due to the fact that they know God from natural revelation and reject it. There is nothing in Romans 1:19, 20 to suggest that salvation is attainable outside the Gospel and by believing upon the Redeemer Christ Who is only known in the Gospel. Now, will you please show me how this passage teaches what you and Rome believe? <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/scratchchin.gif" alt="" />
In His Grace,
Sir, you state your case quite eloquently that man can be condemned singularly on the witness of creation, but you've failed to convince me that the reverse implication isn't also true; especially in light of the passage from Acts that I have twice quoted and you have yet to address.
And you also are misrepresenting my position. I never said that salvation was possible outside of Christ, for such would be a grevious error, for:
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There is no other name under heaven, given among men, by which we must be saved.
As I stated before, the Only channel of God's mercy is the cross, and this applies to Old testament saints as well as us. For we know that animal sacrifices did not suffice to cover sin, but rather alluded to the impeccable sacrifice to come, once and for all, destroying the power of sin.
So what of these Old Testament Saints? Many think they are the spirits in prison that the gospel is preached to. I cannot ascertain one way or the other, but I can say with certainty that all who are saved must come to terms with the cross of Christ Jesus. If it is possible for Old Testament saints to come to this realization post mortem then it is also possible for others who have, like them, attempted to reach God in this life, but failed only by the ommission of the gospel of Christ.
But what does scripture say of these Old Testament saints?:
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"These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on earth. (Heb 11:13)
These did not have the gospel, but lived and died "in faith" anticipating the redemption to come, and placed their hope, not in this life, but in the one to come. And even as only few in the Old Testament were saved by a gospel they never heard in life, there would only be few saved by God's mercy (and election) though they are hindered from hearing the the gospel.
Even as the apostles ask: "Are there few that are saved?"
and Jesus responds: "Strive to enter in by the narrow way."
