Anselm, the originator of the satisfaction/related tradition of theories of the Atonement, wrote in Cur Deus Homo that knowingly killing the Lord would have been a transcendental crime with which no others could be compared. Now if the Son of God could ask for people to be forgiven who were killing Him, and if He asked after their forgiveness despite their belief that He was not the Son of God (i.e. despite their unbelief), wouldn't it be peculiar for Him to not ask for other people to be forgiven their sins despite their unbelief, especially considering that no one else in all of history has had his or her unbelief serve as inspiration for murdering God Incarnate?
In other words, if the supreme sin possible (even if done out of ignorance) was able to be forgiven, and forgiven apart from any faith or for that matter any observable virtues whatsoever on the part of the sinners who committed it, why would any other sin merit perdition? Why would the least of all sins merit this?
Does Christ's request for His killers' pardon indicate that some people can be saved without having any faith in Him?
if me and you both did the exact same things in life, God would still judge us differently because I am more than what i do in this earth and so are you. let me add this to you, what if we have existed for many different ages/aeons? that would change a lot of things. search the bible, God speaks that this is an age we are in, and that there are some to come. that there was also some past age is obvious, because angels have different ranks, the devil was already fallen, ect.
here is what i know, that not even the highest of angels enters into salvation but through Christ and the Spirit of God. what is faith? it is part of the Spirit of God, just as goodness and holiness and justice and truth and knowledge and wisdom are all the same Spirit. how is one saved if they do not have the Spirit of God? but I know God is full of mercy and that he pardons very much, and his punishments are aiming towards our salvation. he orders all things to good and He is omnipotent. you can only kick again the cosmic goad for so long before you become convinced that it is stupid to constantly drown yourself in delusions.
I was reading about how God is both good and just. i think this might give you a better view of things.
De Principiis 2
- Highlight Loc. 403-11
And with regard to Sodom and Gomorrah, let them tell us whether they believe the prophetic words to be those of the Creator God--of Him, viz., who is related to have rained upon them a shower of fire and brimstone. What does Ezekiel the prophet say of them? "Sodom," he says, "shall be restored to her former condition." But why, in afflicting those who are deserving of punishment, does He not afflict them for their good?--who also says to Chaldea, "Thou hast coals of fire, sit upon them; they will be a help to thee." And of those also who fell in the desert, let them hear what is related in the seventy-eighth Psalm, which bears the superscription of Asaph; for he says, "When He slew them, then they sought Him." He does not say that some sought Him after others had been slain, but he says that the destruction of those who were killed was of such a nature that, when put to death, they sought God. By all which it is established, that the God of the law and the Gospels is one and the same, a just and good God, and that He confers benefits justly, and punishes with kindness; since neither goodness without justice, nor justice without goodness, can display the (real) dignity of the divine nature.
most human beings do not at all even know what true justice is imo, they are trapped in delusions of common mindsets that have for a long time now infected the mass of believers.
judge not by outward appearances. we can not base someone being saved in so simple a thing such as "this guy seemed to not believe Christ according to outward appearances". an angel said in a certain book,
"this age is winter and the living tress have not their leaves shown and the dead trees also do not show their leaves" but in summer we will know who has the leaves and who bares much fruit, and who was a dead tree that gave no leaves or fruits.
no doubt God will judge everyone perfectly, but human beings can't even make internet that works 100% of the time =) but all i know is, this age is darkness and those who cling to Christ through this test will indeed have the things Christ spoke of, for
"the meek shall inherit the earth" but yet you see the meek are trampled upon in this earth, but I know that a better earth is coming. and some people called
"poor in spirit", shall
"reign in some heavens"
Jesus spoke of us in parables, saying things such as that if we are faithful in small things, that he shall then give unto us great things.
in short, "how unfathomable is the wisdom and judgments of God!" but men would that, people get tortured forever or deleted, "away with them!" says their wicked/blind/ignorant hearts. Father forgive them for they know not what they do! people murder Jesus all the time.