Results 1 - 3 of 3
|
|
|||||
Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | old testament salvation | Lev 18:25 | JCrichton | 140108 | ||
Hi,Lorraine! Retrospect salvation is made in Jesus (Romans 6:3-14)... now, do you think that Adam and Eve were cognizant of God's Design (Genesis 3:15); do you think that they clearly understood that thousands of years later there would be a Messiah, who would die for their sins and that they would be granted Life if they but Believed? Jesus speaks of the time when Abraham met Him and how glad he was (John 8:56-58)... were all of Abraham contemporaries as blessed? Does the Old Testament speak of God's prophets being sent to the pagans? Did Jesus come to the pagans? (Matthew 15:22-28) There is a clear relationship between the people of Israel and Yahweh... to them is the promise; to them is the Law; to them are the prophets! Yet, God's Design includes the pagan world... it is Jesus that makes from both people one (Romans 9:1 - 11:32;); in the past the pagans were farther from God than the people of Israel... their hope was hidden in Christ (Matthew 12:17-21; Romans 15:12; Colossians 1:25-28)... Christ was not revealed till the fullness of times so that He may unite both people as one (Ephesians 2:13-22)... It is impossible for us to know exactly God's Design (there's no complete revelation) but we are given enough to understand that God's desire is that all are saved (this does not of course mean that God's Will is imposed upon all so that humanity is saved regardless of its desire to reject God); His Salvific Plan includes all sin, (1 John 2:1-2; 1 Peter 3:18-20)... God's Mercy, Patience and Love knows no bounds! God Bless! Angel |
||||||
2 | old testament salvation | Lev 18:25 | Pastor Glenn | 140124 | ||
Hello Angel, You asked: "... now, do you think that Adam and Eve were cognizant of God's Design (Genesis 3:15); do you think that they clearly understood that thousands of years later there would be a Messiah, who would die for their sins and that they would be granted Life if they but Believed?" Well it is clear that someone taught Cain and Abel the need to offer sacrifices. Also, by faith Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice than did Cain. How did Abel know to offer a more excellent sacrifice? The answer is by believing God's Word and acting on the Word in faith. Remember how God personally counseled with Cain before he killed Abel, but instead of acting on God's Word, he murdered his brother. No faith in the Word. I checked the lifetimes. Adam lived until Enoch was 308. I wanted to point out that Noah lived until Abraham was 60 and Shem (Abraham's ancestor) outlived Abraham to see Jacob's 50th birthday (I think I added right). The point is that living witnesses were always present to present "living epistles". You quoted this verse: Joh 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Joh 8:57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? I feel that Christ's point was not so much as to whether Abraham had seen a pre-incarnate Christ. I feel that the point was that Abraham looked forward to his Redeemer coming into the word as the Seed of a woman and as the Seed that would bless the whole world (Gal 3:8,16). I feel this way after reading verses like this: Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. You asked: "Does the Old Testament speak of God's prophets being sent to the pagans?" Yes, Jonah for one. God has always told man more than enough to be saved. When we respond to His enlightenment, He gives us even more light. That God was going to provide a Redeemer has always been told. That His righteousness becomes ours has aways been told. That faith in the Word is required for salvation has always been told. The Tree of Life was a "Type" of Christ. Noah's Ark clearly represented a "Type" of Christ as the "Way" of salvation. Here are a bunch of scriptures that I thought would be good to be aware of: Luk 4:25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; Luk 4:26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. Luk 4:27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian. Habakkuk 2:4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. Romans 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. Galatians 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. Hebrews 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. Pastor Glenn |
||||||
3 | old testament salvation | Lev 18:25 | JCrichton | 140213 | ||
Hi! If the people of Isreal and the pagan world around them were cognizant of God's Word (Jesus), is Paul erring when he states the opposite? (Ephesians 3:1-12) If the New Covenant was already in place from the very beginning and revealed in its fullness why would Christ preach in the Spirit to those who had died under the Old Covenant? (1 Peter 3:18-20; 4:6) Worshipping... Able began worshipping and offering sacrifice hundreds of years before God was to establish a mandate... it was only after the Exodus of the sons of Jacob (Israel) that commands were given to Moses... this is exactly part of God's Mysterious Way... we are allowed to know only partially (the who, what, when, how, why); Abel did not question why he had such impulse, he simply obeyed! Cain, the older brother--by such status he should have been more receptive--did not offer Yahweh the best because it was not in his heart! These were the very first two offsprings of Adam and Eve, yet the first born rejected God! And in His Divine Mercy God did not stike him down, even after the blood of Abel called out for Justice! We can read the Bible in its entirety and we will never find the slightest clue as to the inner workings of God--only the Holy Spirit knows God's completely! So we must simply accept that God's Wisdom, Mercy, Love is the intricate lubricant in His Divine Design... a Design that allows from the simplest of people to the most wretched man to find Salvation! Yet this is God's Gift... it is not found in a Biblical formula for God is not moved by material values... it is found in humble obedience and Faith! ...Jonah... the people of Israel had been scattered throughout the world during the various occupations and expatriations that they experience... so it is very probable that Jonah was sent out to search for the sheep that had gone astray... is there any conclusive proof that Ninive (which some do not believe to be an actual historical city) was occupied by only pagans... are there any records that would tells us that there were no Jews found there during Jonah's visit? Jesus Himself tells us that He did not come to the Gentiles... not because He did not come to Save all who would believe (there are various examples in the Gospels of those who were not Jews and were cured/saved by Jesus)... but because the Design was set: the Messiah was promised to the people of Israel; He had to come to them and they had to reject Him in order to have God's prophecies about Israel come to fruition (not my people will be called my people...). " I feel that the point was that Abraham looked forward to his Redeemer coming into the word as the Seed of a woman and as the Seed that would bless the whole world (Gal 3:8,16)." This would be true of all the Patriarchs... it was revealed to Moses that there would come a Prophet like himself onto Israel... Moses knew that this Prophet surpassed him in every way... but the Jews based their "religiosity" on being descendants of Abraham... Jesus made it clear to them that He was God by allowing them to know that Abraham (the person whom they though was their all--base, fountain, core...) awaited His Coming and that it was revealed to him and that He saw Jesus and was glad (Genesis 14:18-20)... Jesus made it clear that if they truly were obedient to Abraham, they would humble themselves to Jesus and believe! "Luk 4:26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow." I have never stated that God is limited to work within the confines of Scripture of even a preordained format (the first-born rights and blessings, etc.)... we know that throughout Scripture God has chosen people to perform tasks that were exclusively delegated to a select few... He has chosen one individual over another even before they were conceived! So it is not surprising that God would use a non-Isrealite to bring about the fulfillment of His Design! Yet, to argue that the pagans were part of God's chosen people and that the prophets that visited Israel had the dual job of preaching and revealing the same to the pagan world... it simply would be missing the whole experience of the Old Testament! The same could be said about God's Salvific Plan... if we apply the strictness of the text much of the pagan world would have died in ignorance yet under accountability... thanks be to the Lord that His Way is different than ours! (Colossians 1:19-29)! Remember Jesus' conversation of the Samaritan woman... noticed how He was aware that they worshipped not knowing God? (John 4:22) Yet, He clarified that the New Covenant was at hand, that the new economy had arriaved and all would be required to worship in spirit and truth! (John 4:23-24)... It is in the Spirit that we are Saved! God Bless! Angel |
||||||