I'm sorry you don't like this truth
Which truth are you talking about? , but that doesn't change it.
Amanah has learned some bad habits from Dom Benincasa -- putting words in people's mouths they haven't spoken. But, all who love truth love all truth, as I do.
The Bible teaches that salvation has always been by faith.
Faith is not empty and is based on knowledge of God. The gentiles that Paul refers to in Ro2.12-16 do not have the law (do not have knowledge of the Word), which makes it impossible that they would have heard the gospel to have faith in it. But that doesn't prevent from growing faith, Paul describing them as justified, butdo not have the law (do not have knowledge of the Word). Believe what Paul says. In
Hebrews 11, we see examples of Old Testament heroes who demonstrated faith in the coming Messiah, and in Romans, we learn that faith is the foundation of our relationship with God.
True.
In
Hebrews 11, we read about
:
- Abel, who offered a better sacrifice by faith (
Hebrews 11:4)
Do we have record that Abel had communication with God? No. Do we have record that a command was given him to sacrifice? No. What Abel knew of sacrifice he must have learned from Adam and Eve, who learned of sacrifice when deducing it from the example God had set. We also have no record of God commanding them to sacrifice. The important things of their life must have been passed down through the generations, till Moses the writer of Ge pens it. But strangely, nothing is passed along to be recorded about something of utmost importance -- of sacrifice. Did those of Ge sacrifice? Yes, but where is the Ge command for it? But it is not illogical to think that something had been commanded of them, but better to think that something about sacrifice was deduced from God's example. Although it is logical to assume commands were given it is only assumption. Should any attempt be made to base doctrine on assumption alone? No. We do have record that Cain's sacrifice was rejected and Abel's accepted -- that it was the better of the two sacrifices, the one to be followed.
- Noah, who built an ark by faith (
Hebrews 11:7)
Noah had communication with God, the basis of his faith. Knowledge of God is not known only by the Book or from personal communication. He did not have a book to consult and his communication was personal, except what was indicated by the Lord which applied to all. But Paul has said there was no law, Ro5.13, leading to a need to reconcile statements. How do you reconcile these statements, Amanah? Paul, knowing of Noah by the Book, certainly knew of what the Lord had said to all through Noah, yet still says they had no law, Ro5.13.
- Abraham, who obeyed by faith (
Hebrews 11:8-10)
- Moses, who persevered by faith (
Hebrews 11:24-28)
Of course. Which book did Abraham and Moses get their faith from, proving to us that faith can come from other sources than just the Book. But this isn't accepted by you as one who insists that only the Word brings faith. But you are able to accept that faith can come from many ways -- you can change. Do it.
These individuals, along with many others, were saved by grace through faith, looking forward to the coming Messiah.
God is not limited to save by a faith that comes only from the Book, and these Gentiles, Ro2, who heed the conscience have a faith that tells them to listen to that God-given method which tells them to turn from doing sin to doing the right thing. To deny this is to deny the one who instilled the conscience. Why would you want to limit God when the immenseness of his abilities testifies that he is capable of many ways. That said, I would agree if you'd say that all who reject the gospel, Ac2.38, reject the God who presents it. The testimony of Paul of these gentiles, Ro2, shows them with a heart which may have accepted the gospel had they ever had heard it.
In Romans, Paul writes:
- For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law (
Romans 3:28)
The context of the NT writer, the background story, is what the dominant religious/political party had established -- justification by good works of the law, and the writers are always trying to teach (and get out of their system that which had been entrenched in society by generations of the Pharisees) faith and obedience in God's Word as opposed to salvation by good works alone.
- The righteous shall live by faith (
Romans 1:17)
- Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ (
Romans 10:17)
Paul emphasizes that salvation has always been by faith, and that the law cannot justify us. Instead, we are justified by faith in Jesus Christ, who fulfilled the law and became the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.
Should we then say that babies who are in heaven are covered by the Blood, though not repenting nor being baptized? How is it that they gain heaven without the Blood? Are these innocent ones, instead in hell? What say you?
Whether under the old covenant or the new, salvation has always been by faith:
- "Without faith, it is impossible to please God" (
Hebrews 11:6)
- "The righteous shall live by faith" (
Romans 1:17)
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