Quote:
Originally Posted by RandyWayne
Is an infant dying being sent to eternal torment any more depraved than a native in North America who died a few days after the upper room experience and never heard Peter quote Acts 2:38? |
Completely different RW, but for the sake of context, I don't believe
Acts 2:38 is the magical formula, I believe strongly in justification by faith.
So heres the difference in the infant and the Native American. The infant has no knowledge of sin and has not committed sin. The Bible calls infants "innocent" and speaks of the innocence of young children likened unto the Kingdom of Heaven.
Whereas the Native American may not have had someone preach the gospel to him, but He still has comiited sin, and is therefore guilty. The Native American has the chance to draw close to God through both the creation and his own conscience, which witnesses to right and wrong. Furthermore, lets say this NA was the Chief of his tribe, and he executed the justice. Everytime He makes a judgment, he testifies that He know the differrence between right and wrong. Along with his tribesman who accept the judgment.
However, if the NA or any heathen would seek after God through the things revealed to him by creation and conscience, it is quite likely He would be brought by God to saving faith. The Bible gives such examples, beginning with Abraham who was a pagan living in a world without a special revelation of God, as well as Cornelius, and the men of Macedonia who God sent Paul to, not to mention thousands of testimonies in contemporary times of pagans who sought after the Creator, but didn't know much about Him, yet were someone brought to faith in Christ.
I think
Romans 1,2,&3 says it much better than me.
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