They did not have to. The fact that God was going to redeem mankind by His Son was established from the foundation of the earth. They did not have to understand how He would do it, all they had to do was have faith in the promises that were given to them. By doing that righteousness was imputed but God knew that the Son would eventually give his life so that God could be just and the justifier of those that put their faith in Him.
If you are a drunken derelict with only one brain cell left and you call upon Jesus to save you He will do so and you don't even have to have heard about the cross yet. Of course it will be explained as you continue but you can get born again just by Crying out to Jesus and saying Jesus I believe you can forgive me and change me. And He WILL. Many people have.
You are demanding that one is not saved until they understand an entire Sunday School Lesson on The purpose of the cross, not so. Faith in Christ can be progressive for an individual today just as you see it laid out in the Gospels.
When I was first put in Jail at 18 years old I was in a temporary cell with two other inmates, it was restricted in that we could not get a visitor, a bible or books until we were processed and moved to another jail. A 'mistake' was made with my paperwork and I was held there for about 18 days. I was miserable and praying to get out of jail at the beginning but then as the days went buy I started praying that God would change who I was and the bad personality that I had become.
I first saw the words "Jesus Saves" written on the wall of this restricted confinement cell. When I saw it, it appealed to my hungry sould and I prayed that Jesus would save me. I did not know what the artist who wrote it on the wall had in mind and I did not know exactly what it meant. I wanted him to change me. Then I asked him to help me quit lying. I suddenly was overwhelmed with the knowledge of my sins. I had just lied that very day to a couple of inmates about some meaningless story I made up, to impress them I suppose. I started telling God I will not lie anymore. (Repentance) But not only did I recognize I had to quit right then but that I also needed to tell those guys that I lied too that day that it was just a lie story I made up. I was embarrassed but I was so convicted about lying that I knew I would have no rest until I confessed. Only then did I feel like God forgave me and then I wondered why I cared so much. I had always lied and never cared one bit. Why the sudden change? Well, I had been asking the Lord to change me, and I had seen the message on the wall Jesus Saves and I had asked him to save me. God knowing my heart and that I meant change who I was, I think maybe that was when I was born again. What do you think? Is that possible. I had no idea what the cross meant at this time.
You seem to think one must understand everything Paul taught before they are saved but Paul taught people after they put faith in Christ and I am sure most of them did not comprehend the death burial and resurrection on day one of their conversion. The scripture you are posting about what he taught should be understood in the context of teaching them over time.
You are getting too stiff with the interpretations.
If you are a drunken derelict with only one brain cell left and you call upon Jesus to save you He will do so and you don't even have to have heard about the cross yet. Of course it will be explained as you continue but you can get born again just by Crying out to Jesus and saying Jesus I believe you can forgive me and change me. And He WILL. Many people have.
You are demanding that one is not saved until they understand an entire Sunday School Lesson on The purpose of the cross, not so. Faith in Christ can be progressive for an individual today just as you see it laid out in the Gospels.
When I was first put in Jail at 18 years old I was in a temporary cell with two other inmates, it was restricted in that we could not get a visitor, a bible or books until we were processed and moved to another jail. A 'mistake' was made with my paperwork and I was held there for about 18 days. I was miserable and praying to get out of jail at the beginning but then as the days went buy I started praying that God would change who I was and the bad personality that I had become.
I first saw the words "Jesus Saves" written on the wall of this restricted confinement cell. When I saw it, it appealed to my hungry sould and I prayed that Jesus would save me. I did not know what the artist who wrote it on the wall had in mind and I did not know exactly what it meant. I wanted him to change me. Then I asked him to help me quit lying. I suddenly was overwhelmed with the knowledge of my sins. I had just lied that very day to a couple of inmates about some meaningless story I made up, to impress them I suppose. I started telling God I will not lie anymore. (Repentance) But not only did I recognize I had to quit right then but that I also needed to tell those guys that I lied too that day that it was just a lie story I made up. I was embarrassed but I was so convicted about lying that I knew I would have no rest until I confessed. Only then did I feel like God forgave me and then I wondered why I cared so much. I had always lied and never cared one bit. Why the sudden change? Well, I had been asking the Lord to change me, and I had seen the message on the wall Jesus Saves and I had asked him to save me. God knowing my heart and that I meant change who I was, I think maybe that was when I was born again. What do you think? Is that possible. I had no idea what the cross meant at this time.
You seem to think one must understand everything Paul taught before they are saved but Paul taught people after they put faith in Christ and I am sure most of them did not comprehend the death burial and resurrection on day one of their conversion. The scripture you are posting about what he taught should be understood in the context of teaching them over time.
You are getting too stiff with the interpretations.