> Dick Fischer wrote:
>
>
> > I didn't say it. Christ said it.
george murphy wrote:
> ... But we are not entitled to say that God has no way of
> making the benefits of Christ available to those who have not heard the
> gospel or who for one reason or another have not been able to give it
> serious consideration. _How_ they might be saved through Christ can
> only be speculation on our part, & such speculation should not be
> indulged in with the goal of excusing ourselves from making explicit
> witness to Jesus.
> "Exclusive texts" like John 14:6 and Acts 4:12 are important &
> shouldn't be watered down. But the same is true for "inclusive" texts
> like John 12:32, Ephesians 1:10, and Colossians 1:20.
>
> Shalom,
>
> George
I think the notion of "Old Testament saints" is applicable to this thread.
If one accepts such a notion, then these people are saved by a future
Christ of whom they had no personal knowledge. Claims that adherence to the
Mosaic law acted as a "credit account" are helpful pedagogically, but not
biblically substantiated.
I also think the notion of Christ being slain before the foundations of the
world is relevant in that it removes Christ from all time references and
sinner's-prayer salvation schemes.
Sincerely;
George A.
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