[JerryW]

Originally Posted by jerry

Who said anything about mankind saving themselves? The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit works upon the conscience of the lost to convict them of their sins and their need for a Saviour - then opens up their understanding to the Gospel when they are presented with it.

When lost pagans in Africa are convicted that the idols they have created are false, and they realize through the wonder of creation that there is in fact a Creator, through the work of their conscience realize they have sinned against Him, and cry out to Him to reveal Himself to them, He has obligated Himself to do so. This is stated in various places in the Bible. I can try to locate those verses later, if needed.

Acts 17:24-27 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

Acts 17:30-31 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

Jerry, The way you are using these verses seems to suggest that you believe a man does not have to hear the gospel message to be saved. Do you realize that this contradicts what Paul says in Rom 10;14. Also Rom 1:16 says the Gospel is the power of God UNTO salvation. I think I pointed these things out in a prior post but you did not respond to these particular verses. Got one more question for you? IF it is true that we do not have to hear the gospel in order to be saved would it not be better if we sent all the missionaries home and used that money to feed the many starving souls around the world?