Here is the relevance for what I tried to share with you and apparently I fumbled it: Cornelius was studying Judaism and heard of Jesus, as you may find in the context of the conversion story for Cornelius and his household, though Cornelius was still a gentile in Peter's eyes; those not in Judaism prior to the coming of Jesus were under the Noahic covenant and not under the law of Moses; the entire of creation testifies of God's existence and thus the verse in Jeremiah is relevant to the non-Jew and non-Christian ... and someone who has known nothing of Jesus is under the Noahic covenant and God measures the heart; little children are naturally faith exercisers and thus trust in what God gives them in the witness of creation in them and around them; 'being saved' is relevant to entering Heaven, as The Bride of Christ OR as a guest to the wedding, and there is ultimate implication for the Judgement Seat of Christ, eventually, for ALL will be resurrected to eternal life or one of two other fates, the lake of fire or oblivion; a little innocent child is the easiest soul for God to measure, as per Jeremiah, because that one is naturally exercising faith and trust.
We are often taught about hell fire, but there is another fate of man that is seldom dealt with, oblivion, dying and just dissipating into nothingness following the Great White Trone of Judgement, no reward or punishment. The punishment of Satan and his angels is called the lake of fire and some humans will have a portion in that punishment. But the Great White Throne of Judgement is a very different picture from the wedding of the Lamb and The Bride, and it is hallmarked by rewards and/or a command to 'depart from me, I never knew you.' Study that judgement scene and find the relevance to 'being saved' and you will have an answer to your question.
I mentioned the different 'destinies' issue because it is common to mix the destinies and confuse the issue of salvation for a wedding or salvation 'as if by fire'.
Good verse. I agree with that.
1 Jn. 2: 1 1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
I know that Jesus is our advocate with the father. He has given us commandments that we may come more perfectly to salvation. After all, Jesus is the last mediator and the final judge. For all of those who died living to the best light and knowledge they had, there are provisions made. As you pointed out, Christ himself is their judge. However, most Evangelicals believe that if you do not confess Christ in this life, too bad, you're going to hell- even if you lived in a remote jungle or on a distant mountain and never heard his name. That is why Californian dodged the question. That doctrine does not square with what you just pointed out. Catholic doctrine teaches that those who are not baptized in this life, including infants, must likewise perish in hell. This would suggest that God creates man to punish him. That is anathema to His character.
And further on in Jeremiah 31
2 Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.
Interesting thing about the exile mentioned in Isaiah 27
8 In measure, when it shooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it: he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind.
9 By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and this is all the fruit to take away his sin; when he maketh all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten in sunder, the groves and images shall not stand up.
Their exile was their atonement and NO BLOOD WAS SHED.
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