Questions Questions
Is your faith in the "wise men" of your particular religious faith? And when what they say does not seem right are you reluctant to speak about it among your family and friends?
1. If one must confess with their mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in their heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, can anyone who died prior to the death and resurrection of Jesus be saved?
2. Can a child be saved before being able to confess and believe?
When read in the context of the whole book of Romans I learned that the above verses relate to the condition of ISRAEL, and what God will do for ISRAEL on this earth when they finally accept Jesus as their Messiah. This subject runs from Romans Chapter 9 through Chapter 11. God has blinded them for now but eventually all Israel will be saved:
An example of this from my experience comes from wise men in my church who teach that Romans 10:9-10 tells us what we must do to be saved. They even label it the "Roman road to salvation":
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:9-10 KJV)
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:9-10 KJV)
Assuming that the above is what one must do to be saved, here are two questions I asked myself:
1. If one must confess with their mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in their heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, can anyone who died prior to the death and resurrection of Jesus be saved?
2. Can a child be saved before being able to confess and believe?
When read in the context of the whole book of Romans I learned that the above verses relate to the condition of ISRAEL, and what God will do for ISRAEL on this earth when they finally accept Jesus as their Messiah. This subject runs from Romans Chapter 9 through Chapter 11. God has blinded them for now but eventually all Israel will be saved:
"...blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, there shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance." (Romans 11:25-29)
As for the answers to my above questions, I learned from the letters of the Apostle Paul that salvation is not a matter of what we do, but a matter of what God through Christ Jesus has done. All Israel and all Gentiles are beneficiaries of what God has done.
"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men...For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not)" (1 Timothy 2:1-7)