Today's Daily Devotional - "Can A Pagan Be Saved?" - 8/9/17

CAN A PAGAN BE SAVED?


Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them. Romans 2:14-15, NIV
Can a pagan remain a pagan and still be saved? Does God choose pagans, too? Before you scramble for an answer, consider a story or two. Once upon a time a close friend of God's lied about his wife to a nomadic pagan warlord-telling him that she was his sister. Whereupon the man promptly commandeered the other man's wife and added her to his harem. That night in a dream God declared to the warlord, "You are dead meat if you touch that man's wife." The man cried, "In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done this" (Gen. 20:5). And of course, God knew that, and said, "I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her" (verse 6). Thus, Abimelech the pagan was spared. Why? There were no Ten Commandments to tell him the difference between right and wrong. He simply lived up to the light that he had. And God honored him, his worship of pagan gods notwithstanding.
Once upon another time a good king went out against a pagan king. But the God of the good king actually sent a message to him through the pagan king: "Refrain from meddling with God, who is with me, lest He destroy you" (2 Chron. 35:21). But Josiah refused to listen to Pharaoh Necho, and the next day he was slain in battle. He should have listened to God's message to him through the pagan Pharaoh! God must not be totally down on pagans, don't you suppose?
After all, he's the God who inspired Psalm 87. "I will record Rahab and Babylon among those who acknowledge me-Philistia too, and Tyre, along with Cush-and will say, 'This one was born in Zion' " ()verse 4, NIV. "The Lord will write in the register of the peoples: 'This one was born in Zion' " (verse 6, NIV). Amazing! When the register of the saved and chosen is read one day, God declares that among the names will be the people of the great pagan neighbors of Israel!
Then how could He be down on pagans? Through the centuries God has communed with them, sent messages through them, and even promised to include them in His book of life. It certainly appears that God is looking for every reason in the book to save pagans, doesn't it?
- Pastor Dwight Nelson (Devotional 'The Chosen')

Tonday's Prayer Focus: Praying for Transformation & Outpouring of the Holy Spirit
 Scheduled Bible Reading: Genesis 16-18

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