Saved Without Hearing The Gospel?

[Salty]

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[Marooncat79]

I agree that those that hear the gospel message are responsible to make a real choice. But I also believe that as you said "the Bible is clear about that. "The just shall live by faith" (Hab. 2:4, Gal. 3:11, Heb. 10:38)."

Those that respond to the various means that God uses to draw them to Himself and place their trust in the living God of scripture will be saved. I am thankful that God does not need to hear words but looks at the heart.

So, no you did not waste your time for 36 1/2 yrs. I just do not limit the sovereign God of creation to what man thinks He has to do.

Jeremiah 17:9. The heart is deceitful above all things who can know it

 

[Marooncat79]

Rahab is mentioned in Hebrews as an OT Saint that was saved by believing the promise of the coming of God’s Messiah. Naaman is not.

Rahab believed and acted, prior to God delivering her. Naaman grumbled and complained and had to be convinced to go into the water. His “profession” came after he was healed. Rahab did not take dirt and build her own altar to worship the God of Israel.

They didn’t do “exactly” the same thing.

No matter how you say it, they are not the same

Scripture is clear, the OT Saints were saved the same way we are, by faith in God’s Messiah. Anything less is an assault on our Lord Jesus, His work, His sacrifice, His death, His resurrection.

Peace to you

Agreed while the in Hebrews 11 is not exhaustive, its interesting that Naaman is not mentioned there and he would have been a great example to have been listed - assumedly

 

[MrW]

We aren’t under the Old Covenant. No one can be saved under the New by believing on God. Salvation is only in Jesus Christ. Had He not said so, I would think salvation to be a generic belief.

It is not. It is specific. No other “gospel” will suffice. The Gospel of Christ alone brings salvation in the New Covenant.

 

[Silverhair]

Jeremiah 17:9. The heart is deceitful above all things who can know it

So @Marooncat79 your saying that God can be fooled by a persons heart.

That's not the God we see in scripture is it?

I am thankful that the God I serve does not need to hear words but looks at the heart.

 

[Silverhair]

We aren’t under the Old Covenant. No one can be saved under the New by believing on God. Salvation is only in Jesus Christ. Had He not said so, I would think salvation to be a generic belief.

It is not. It is specific. No other “gospel” will suffice. The Gospel of Christ alone brings salvation in the New Covenant.

They are responding to the drawing of God by other than the gospel.

Act 10:35 "But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. NKJV

Here in vs 35 we see the conditions for salvation in every nation
whoever fears Him
and
works righteousness
is
accepted by Him.

"Reflecting on Acts 10:35, {John} Wesley became convinced that the foundation for future salvation was not assent to a correct creed but reverence to the one true God expressed in a holy lifestyle."

Opening Salvation’s Door: Acts 10:35 and John Wesley’s Inclusivism

By Mark K. Olson. Abstract: This article explores John Wesley’s inclusivism regarding the future salvation of non-Christians, like Jews, Moslems, and other religious people. Reflecting on Acts 10:3…

wesleyscholar.com

He that, 1st, Reverences God as infinitely great, glorious, wise, mighty, holy, just, and good; the cause, end, proprietor, and governor of all things: and, 2d, From this awful regard to him, not only avoids all known evil, but endeavours, according to the best light he has, to do all things well; is accepted of him — Through Christ, though he knows him not. The assertion is express, and admits of no exception. He is in the favour of God, whether enjoying his written word and ordinances or not. Nevertheless, the addition of these is an unspeakable blessing to those who were before in some measure accepted. Benson

In every nation he who, according to his light and privileges, fears God, worships him alone, (for this is the true meaning of the word), and worketh righteousness, abstains from all evil, gives to all their due, injures neither the body, soul, nor reputation of his neighbor, is accepted with him.

It is not therefore the nation, kindred, profession, mode or form of worship, that the just God regards; but the character, the state of heart, and the moral deportment. Clarke

As the two-fold description {whoever fears & works righteousness} here given of the divinely-accepted man is just the well-known Old Testament description of him who, within the pale of Revealed Religion, was regarded as truly godly, ... there can be no doubt that the apostle meant to describe exactly such saint-ship, in its internal spirituality and external fruitfulness, as God had already pronounced to be genuine and approved; and since to such "He giveth more grace," according to the law of His kingdom (Jas_4:6; Mat_25:29), He now sends Peter, not to be the instrument of his conversion-as is very frequently said-but simply to show him the way of God more fully JFB

"God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." Jas_4:6

Luk 18:13 "And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'
Luk 18:14 "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

@MrW you see God's love as exclusive where I see His love as inclusive. The love of God for His creation has not changed from the OT to the NT.

Isa 45:22 "Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.

Those words still hold as true now as they did when Isaiah penned them. We were saved by grace then and we are saved by grace now.

Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

 

[Marooncat79]

So @Marooncat79 your saying that God can be fooled by a persons heart.

That's not the God we see in scripture is it?

I am thankful that the God I serve does not need to hear words but looks at the heart.

Only God can properly judge a persons heart

The Bible is very clear on the preaching of the Gospel to drive us to Christ for salvation through the preaching lf the Gospel

 

[Salty]

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