Does Romans 2:14 say the gentile naturally obey God even without knowing he exists?
2007-02-22 09:54:44 · 8 answers · asked by Cyber 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
neither were believers as you think of the term.
first the thief went to heaven without being a believer (or was he a believer after all?)
The bible says that none may enter the kingdom of Heaven without confessing that Jesus is Lord.
The Thief said to Jesus "Remember me when you enter your kingdom." That says a couple of things, first it says that the thief believed in Jesus as being King, and secondly it says that the thief knew that only through Jesus could he get there. So the thief died a believer of Christ.
Now the Roman Centurion, although a centurion was a believer, he prayed, fasted and gave money to the poor. The bible says that he deeds got God's attention and God blessed Him.
to answer your last part, how can you obey anything or one if you don't know that person exists?
2007-02-22 10:04:51 · answer #1 · answered by JaimeM 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
What do you mean by believer? Where they saved and become Christians and go to heaven? The thief on the cross was saved as Jesus told him the today you shall be with me in paradise. The centurion god did say this man truly is the son of god and did believe but did he ever accept Jesus as the messiah..that we will never know.
2007-02-22 10:01:29 · answer #2 · answered by mitch v 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God says that the law is within our hearts, therefore we automatically know right from wrong. Romans 1 says that the gentiles knew about God and his law (it being in their hearts) but they ignored it and did what they wanted to do, including worshiping false idols.
"For the invisible attributes of God are clearly seen in all that is made. Professing to be wise, they (Gentiles) became fools."
Romans 1:20,22
As for the theif, yes he converted. And the centurion, perhaps. It doesn't say he converted, but it mentions he did recognize Jesus as the Son of God.
2007-02-22 10:01:55 · answer #3 · answered by . 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The story of the thief on the cross is certainly anecdotal.
Who was there to record the conversation? I'm no historian but I'm pretty sure there were no cherry pickers back then to hoist someone up into the air with a steno pad.
Also, the crucifixion of a criminal was nothing that significant. No one paid much attention to what they said.
It's a pretty story. But, like many pretty stories, it's all make-believe.
2007-02-22 10:05:08 · answer #4 · answered by pasdeberet 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Thief on the cross was save just as he was dying to
Showing that sinners can be saved even at the last moments of life if they mean what they say in their heart.
2007-02-22 09:58:00 · answer #5 · answered by Maurice H 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the thief called Jesus a man, NOT THE SON OF GOD OR SAVIOR OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT JUST A MAN, yet the christians dont like it when other people do it, isnt that hypocracy?
2007-02-22 09:59:28 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I was just reading about this.
From what I can gather, it says that one was, one wasn't, and the centurion was afterward.
2007-02-22 10:01:07 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
the thief became one before death
2007-02-22 09:57:21 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋