I have heard the arguement that those who have not heard the Gospel (so therfore have not refused it) yet believe in God and respond to the Law of God written on their heart have indeed the possibility to be saved by the Name of Jesus, though they may have never heard it, due to the mercy of a loving God.
I am not so wise that I would exclude this. Maybe there are some here that would have an arguement against this - I would like to hear it.
Cheers
Mel
I think you’re getting at what the catechism used to call (maybe still does) “Baptism of Desire” and the “natural law”. The natural law, which the 10 Commandments reflect, is inherent in human beings, human nature is basically good (Catholic viewpoint, not Calvinist), not evil, and someone who has never been introduced to Christ or baptized may still say “yes” to God in the limited capacity possible to him by adhering to the natural law and following a true desire to know truth and goodness. There’s a joke that “ignorance is the 8th sacrament”...in other words, we don’t know, but God may forgive an awful lot because someone just did not know any better. But a person, Christian or not, will be accountable for saying “no” to God, that is following malicious or evil tendencies, regardless of Baptism.
Well, I’m not a theologian, hope I explained OK, if not someone is sure to correct me.
From the following article:
But they also had the biblical narrative of the "pagan" Cornelius who, the Acts tell us, was "an upright and God-fearing man" even before baptism. Gradually, therefore, as it became clear that there were "God-fearing" people outside the Christian fold, and that some were deprived of their Catholic heritage without fault on their part, the parallel Tradition arose of considering such people open to salvation, although they were not professed Catholics or even necessarily baptized. Ambrose and Augustine paved the way for making these distinctions. By the twelfth century, it was widely assumed that a person can be saved if some "invincible obstacle stands in the way" of his baptism and entrance into the Church.
On Salvation Outside the Catholic Church (Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.)
Don't believe everythng you hear...Study and search the scripture for yourself to find the truth...
Act 13:39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Rom 2:12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
Gal 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Gal 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
Heb 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
If you are going to live by the law, you will be judged by the law...And you will be condemned, unless you come up with some blood...There has to be a blood sacrifice...And if you are under the law, you are not covered by the blood of Jesus...Better start raising some goats...