Can you get saved without bible verses?

The following passages mean that God can show us the truth without the Bible if need be:

Romans 2:
14: For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
15: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another
16: In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel


Romans 1:
18: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19: Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20: For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse

 

What Bible verses did the thief on the cross hear prior to being saved?

 

xdx, millions have been saved in the scripture-starved countries of China and India, among others, simply by the Good News being spread word-of-mouth, and by "The Jesus Movie" in their own language. God is not limited. We limit ourselves. In scripture-deprived countries, including those in the Islamic world, those who hear are eager to read the bible, or any portion of it, having to do with Jesus. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. The missionary who enters a village and tells the story of Jesus is sharing the word of God, even if all his bibles have been taken away from him. Faith among the villagers comes by hearing the missionary share the Good News.

In the USA we have a flood of bibles. We make herculean efforts to send them around the world in countless languages. However, I have been blessed to talk to persons who never opened a bible, and then see Jesus revealed in them, just as it happens to a missionary in Africa, for example.

Never would I expect to receive the glory for their conversion ~~ all Glory and Honor belong to Him. However, I do receive a blessing each time it occurs. It is a highly spiritual encounter.

Whether one says "the sinner's prayer" or doesn't is not an issue for me. The Holy Spirit is the one who beckons, then holds the hand of each who responds. Even the ability to respond, to step out in faith, comes from Him. Our faith, hope, trust, belief, committment, are all in him, not a methodology or formula. On that day God will not say, at the Judgment Seat of Christ, "Uh-oh, checking your statement hear about your faith -- O me -- you got the formula wrong," and kick you down the slide to hell. Ain't gonna happen.

Be blessed in your salvation experience. Be blessed in Him.

:thumbs:

 

But he did have access to the Word.

 

Claudia, the passages you quoted in Romans 1 and 2 do indeed show that God has revealed himself in his creation. And he has also written his law on the hearts of men and women.

But the creation alerts one only to a Creator, and the law does not speak of Jesus. In fact, the law in their hearts will be the basis of their condemnation, because they can't keep their own sense of law perfectly.

More is required, specifically the gospel. Without it, no one can be saved.

One might say this limits God, who can do anything he wishes. But to deny it is to challenge God's own revealed word. Specifically, I Cornithians 1:21 "It pleased God to save through the foolishness of preaching."

 

Yes, because I did!

 

The Bible is the revealed truth, but it is not all truth. I am sure there are things we will never understand this side of heaven, and the act of salvation is one of them.

All we know is that the Bible tells us to preach the truth that Jesus saves, and that the grace of God extends to whom He wills.

We drive over a bridge without an engineering degree, and we have faith that that bridge will hold us. We hold out oure lives to God's hands with very little knowledge and we believe that same God will provide a way of life unheard of in the world. We know that something has happened, but we don't always know what. The scriptures help to make known what God is doing in our lives.

The revelation of God comes through many avenues. The Bible is the road map that takes us there.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Absolutely correct, Jim!

I knew SOMETHING had happened, but I wasn't sure exactly what.

I knew it had something to do with God and I found an old Bible that hadn't been opened in years.

I immersed myself in the Word - I had such a hunger for it - and I then learned what had happened and what was expected of me.

 

Tom,

I think you have a good point there, I changed my mind now and I agree with you. So far, at least.

Claudia

 

The whole point of Romans 10 is that one cannot be saved without hearing the Word of God. This point is reiterated by Peter "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but by the word of God which liveth and abideth forever." I Pet. 1:23, and by James, "Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth that we might be a kind of firstfruitsof his creatures." James 1:18

This does not necessarily mean that one must have a written copy in his language, but no soul is regenerated apart from the word of God - it could be quoted by someone. Does this limit God? Well, yes, because He has set the limitation - He has said that he will not save anyone without the agency of His Word.

 

I used to have a pastor that believed no one could get saved unles a "bible was open somewhere in the room".

Superstition.

It's not the paper and ink that saves; it isn't even the exactness of a biblical quotation. It's the declaration of the truth of the Gospel which the spirit uses to bring us to repentance and faith. That can come in a sermon, or a lesson, or a book, or an article, or a tract, a word fitly spoken, etc.

 

God can save anyone "in" Christ Jesus.