Trypho enquired again If a man, aware that this is so, after he has also plainly known that this is the Christ, and believed and obeyed Him, wishes to keep these precepts also — shall he be saved?
And I: In my opinion, Trypho, I say that such a man will be saved, unless he strenuously does his very utmost to persuade others — I mean those of the Gentiles who have been circumcised by Christ and are free from error — to keep the commandments that he does, saying that they will not be saved unless they keep them. For this is what you yourself did at the beginning of our discussion, declaring that I shall not be saved unless I keep them.
He answered: Why then do you say: ‘In my opinion such a man shall be saved?’ Are there any who say that such persons shall not be saved?
There are, Trypho, was my reply, and persons who are bold enough not even to join with such in conversation or meals; with whom I myself do not agree. But if they, because of the weakness of their mind, desire to keep such of the sayings of Moses as are now possible — which we perceive were appointed because of the hardness of the people’s heart — while they still hope on Christ, and also desire to keep those ordinances of the practice of righteousness and of piety which are everlasting and in accordance with nature, and deliberately choose to live with Christians and believers, as I said before, without persuading them either to receive circumcision like themselves, or to keep sabbath, or to observe other things of the same kind — I declare that we must fully receive such, and have communion with them in all respects, as being of one family and as brothers.
But if, Trypho, I said, they who are of your race say they believe on this Christ of ours, and in every way compel those who are of Gentile birth and believe on this Christ to live in accordance with the law appointed by Moses, or choose not to have communion with them that have such a life in common — these also in like manner I do not accept.
Now they that follow their advice, and live under the law, as well as keep their profession in the Christ of God, will, I suppose, perhaps be saved. But they that once professed and recognized that this is the Christ, and for some cause or other passed over into the life under the Law, denying that this is the Christ, and do not repent before death, cannot, I declare, in any wise be saved. And in the same way I declare that they of the seed of Abraham who live after the Law, and believe not on this our Christ before the end of their life, will not be saved, and especially they who in the synagogues have anathematised, and still anathematise, those who believe on that very Christ, in order that they may obtain salvation and be freed from the punishment of fire.
For the kindness of God and His love toward man, and the immeasurable extent of His riches, hold him that repenteth of his sins (as He indicates by Ezekiel), as righteous and sinless; and He also recognizes him who changes from piety, and the practice of righteousness, to iniquity and impiety as a sinner, and unrighteous, and ungodly.Ezekiel 33:12-20 Therefore also our Lord Jesus Christ said: ‘In whatsoever I overtake you, in that will I also judge (you)’.