It is on this note that he introduces the Gospel. "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord." He shows that all people, wherever they live, are in a perilous state. We who have heard and responded to the Gospel can thank God for His mercy and grace. His clear provision for your salvation is His only Son.

The Old Testament shows us that God accepted individuals because of their faith in Him, even though they did not know the full pattern of His provision of Jesus as the Savior of the Lord. The great illustration, of course, is Abraham, who believed God and "it was credited to him as righteousness" (Genesis 15:6).

But how about people who die before they come to a level of understanding? How about mentally deficient individuals? The list could go on. The Bible is silent on many of these questions. I am glad that we can leave them to God's compassion. He knows all people and loves them far more than we do, and He is just and fair.

I am glad that you and your friend are struggling with these issues. For some of them you may never find an acceptable answer. However, I would like to emphasize that you do respond to what IS clear. God has revealed Himself to us in His Son, Jesus; calls us to follow Him; and then share Him with others. This was the experience and message of the members of the Early Church in the Book of Acts, and is what He expects of all of us Christians today.