HeyDave,

Before Abraham:

Heb 11:5 BY FAITH Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

Heb 11:7 BY FAITH Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

You know, quantum mechanics are pretty astounding phenomena. The whole "entanglement" thing is mind boggling. But, the more they plug away, the closer they seem to come to potentially practical applications, especially with movement of information.

The whole existence of quantum physics and men's understanding of it challenges those who would say nothing exists outside of the physical universe. It flatly makes the materialist view nonsense. But, it also makes some believers nervous about how to fit this new knowledge into their whole view of everything.

It confirms for me that the God who knows all is so creative, so manifestly great in His own .... "mindedness" (because I can think of no other word) ... is perfectly revealed in Scripture that tells us He spoke all things into existence and did so in the counsel of His own will, that from nothing physical came everything that is physical.

_________________
Tim

Romans 10:14How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

This does not sound like a slaughter to me.


marcmc

I must confess that I ask these types of questions because they interest me. That is the main reason. I have appreciated everyone's responses.

Tim's right- this whole quantum mechanics thing and the large hadron collider etc could change everything.

Who knows where it will all lead.

God created it all; we can argue about whether we as his creation have a "right" to try to break it all down or not. I think we do, but there are legitimate safety concerns although the scientists say there are not. We will know if a black hole opens and sucks the earth in- but wait that is not in the Bible. Or is it? ;)

_________________
Todd

All these topics are very stimulating and I do find many interesting...but then I remember that it is the revelation of Christ that changes men.

John_12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.


Praise God for intellectual Christians that can reach "intellectuals". In the final analysis the intellectuals will have to come to Christ as a child and reach out to Him in faith.

All men are not intellectual but all men of varying backgrounds, education and social status can have faith and God has purposed that this is the way men will come to Him.

RE: ///Let me expand my original question. How could any Hittite, Jebusite, Egyptian, Philistine, Amalikite or any inhabitant of canaan prior to the Isrealites have been saved?///

If they would be counted for righteousness they would have needed to do what Abraham did

Julius wrote:

"In the final analysis the intellectuals will have to come to Christ as a child and reach out to Him in faith.

All men are not intellectual but all men of varying backgrounds, education and social status can have faith and God has purposed that this is the way men will come to Him."

Amen to that!!

_________________
Todd

proudpapa,

I'm not sure the inhabitants of the earth had the same opportunity Abraham had. Seems God did not even want the people of Ur to know.

Enoch walked with God, seems every example in the Bible were this happened God initiated the call to walk with Him. Jesus called His disciples.

God came to Noah with a word, God came to Moses with a word, read the first chapter of almost ever Prophet and the you'll find "the word of the Lord came too......."


Act 7:2And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, 3And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee. 4Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell. 5And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child. 6And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years. 7And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place. 8And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.

Just to clarify-

Has this discussion about aliens morphed into a discussion about limited atonement?

If so, didn't see that coming.

_________________
Todd

RE///I'm not sure the inhabitants of the earth had the same opportunity Abraham had. Seems God did not even want the people of Ur to know.///

That could be.
True faith starts with God first speaking the word.

If they would be counted for righteousness they would have needed to do what Abraham did : heard the word and responded to the word.

The question becomes did they have the Word ?
Rom. ch 1 v 18, 19 Rom 10 v 18 john ch 1 v 9 would appear that intuitivly they may have.
regardless of those times and there ignorance in which God winked at; We know He now commandeth all men every where to repent.