The Lost "Before the Christian Faith"

In Canto four, Virgil refers to those who lived and died before the Christian faith existed. He says that he and those with him did not sin and were suffering for no crime. They had an incorrect view of sin and how salvation is attained. Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." These people could not have been without sin. They were guilty and deserved the wrath of God. Virgil says they did not have baptism before Christ and that they did not pay homage to God as they should have. They based salvation upon respecting and worshipping God, along with baptism. According to scripture, people who lived before Christ were to look to the coming of Christ and trust in God to deliver them through the Messiah. Their salvation was still based on what they did with Christ. They could do nothing but trust God for salvation. It was not about merely paying homage to him or even worshipping him. It was surrender to God and trusting in the coming of the Messiah that brought salvation to those who lived before his coming. This belief and spreading of a works-based salvation is a very scary thing. It can cause many people like Virgil and the others we see in this part of hell to have security in a false gospel and false salvation. As Christians, we need to be sure to preach what the Bible says about salvation, which is the true Gospel.

I commented on Hannah and Nate's posts.