Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

The Bible indicates that, even in Old Testament times, Gentiles could be saved by faith in God (just as Christians later were). Examples include the Ninevites of Jonah's time; Rahab the harlot who gave shelter to the Israelite spies who had been sent to "scout out" Jericho prior to its conquest by Israel; and even the founder of Judaism, Abraham himself, of whom the Bible says that God counted his faith as righteousness (Genesis 15:6).

Paul later indicated that, ever since the beginning of time, humans could be saved through faith in the degree of revelation that God had given them, including the organization of nature and the universal 
human conscience (Romans 1:20,2:14-15).

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Ben Jones Supporter Retired Professional Photographer

God chose the Jews to be His chosen people. Deuteronomy 7:6: “For you [Jews] are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.” So does that mean that Gentiles at that time could NOT be one of God’s chosen people? Lets see what some OT passages say. 

Deuteronomy 10:18: “[God] loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing. Therefore love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” 

Isaiah 56:3, then 6 & 7: “Don't let foreigners [Gentiles] who commit themselves to the LORD say, ‘The LORD will never let me be part of his people.' I will also bless the foreigners who commit themselves to the LORD, who serve Him and love His name, who worship Him and do not desecrate the Sabbath day of rest, and who hold fast to My covenant. I will bring them to My holy mountain of Jerusalem and will fill them with joy in my house of prayer. I will accept their burnt offerings and sacrifices, because My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” 

1 Kings 8:41-43: “...foreigners who do not belong to your people Israel will HEAR of you. They will come from distant lands because of Your name, for they will HEAR of Your great name and Your strong hand and your powerful arm. And when they pray toward this Temple, then HEAR from heaven where You live, and grant what they ask of you. In this way, all the people of the earth will come to know and fear You, just as Your own people Israel do. They, too, will know that this Temple I have built honors your name.” 

Notice that one must HEAR from God, but head knowledge is not enough. Jesus said in John 10:16: "I have other sheep, which are not of this fold: I must also bring them, and they shall HEAR my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." 

John 10:27: "My sheep HEAR my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."

Revelation 3:30: "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man HEAR my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." 

Jesus said, “He who has ears to HEAR, let him HEAR" SIX times! But why? Everyone has ears, so that must mean everyone can hear Him, right? No. Deaf people have ears but they can't hear, so does that mean they can't be saved? No. "Hearing" from God is a thing of the Holy Spirit, not a physical thing. 

Psalm 139: "You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed." Who planned our lives? God. We can only hear from God if He chooses to hear from us.

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