Pilgrim,

After reading one of your posts on "Questions concerning salvation", I once again became confused about this topic. You said:

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What I do read however, is that the ordained means by which the Holy Spirit works in the elect to bring them to Christ is through the preaching/reading of the Word of God; i.e., the Gospel found only in the written, inspired, infallible Scriptures.


John 20:30-31 (ASV) "Many other signs therefore did Jesus in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye may have life in his name."

Romans 1:16-17 (ASV) "For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith.

Romans 10:14-15, 17 (ASV) "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach, except they be sent? even as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad tidings of good things! . . . So belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ."

1 Corinthians 1:21 (ASV) "For seeing that in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom knew not God, it was God's good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save them that believe."

1 Corinthians 15:1-2 (ASV) "Now I make known unto you brethren, the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand, by which also ye are saved, if ye hold fast the word which I preached unto you, except ye believed in vain."

Titus 1:3 (ASV) "but in his own seasons manifested his word in the message, wherewith I was intrusted according to the commandment of God our Saviour;"

So my question is, how do these verses that implicitly reveal that salvation can ONLY come through hearing (or reading of course) and what was semi-concluded in this thread, tie up?

I believe they cannot. How do those babies who do not hear the Word of God, and those mentally retarded who cannot understand language itself possibly come to grips with the Good News?

True, the Spirit works WHEN, WHERE and HOW He pleases... but doesn't the Spirit's work require the Gospel to be preached or read?

When I was concieved, 3 weeks after conception, there were 2 heartbeats on the ultra-sound image. 2 weeks later, that heartbeat was gone. So an everlasting soul died. That soul didn't have the chance to hear the Word of God. How is it possible that he/she could possibly come to salvation?

Are the possibilities that I mention just part of the consequences of the fall?

Is it not possible that God's elect are only the ones who are saved by Grace through faith in Jesus Christ, AFTER HEARING the Good News?

Difficult things to get to grips with... I mean, if this is all true, then we will know beyone a shadow of a doubt where that baby/mentally retarded person has gone. I may of course be wrong, and you will have to correct me <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Sincerely in Him,
Dave

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~ The worth & excellence of a man is measured by the object of his love. That is why we make God the object of our love! ~
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