Mercy for the "ignorant", or "innocent"
So this verse and the surrounding chapter seems critical to me in understanding how God deals with people in the world who have never had exposure to the specific revelation of His word. If God does not hold responsible those who have not been given the law, will He not have mercy on those today who have no knowledge of His word?
Not only does mercy for the "ignorant", or perhaps "innocent", seem like what Paul is teaching here it also is much more consistent with what we would expect from God given the love He has demonstrated for mankind and the grace we live under as believers.
Created 9 months ago
