65. All nations with any religion the world over possess precepts similar to those in the Ten Commandments. And all those who live those precepts in conformity with their religion are saved. But all who do not live them in conformity with their religion are condemned.

Those who live those precepts in conformity with their religion are instructed after death by angels, and they accept truths and acknowledge the Lord. That is because they refrain from evils as being sins and so are prompted by goodness, and goodness loves truth, and in accordance with the love’s desire accepts it, as we showed in nos. 32-41 above.

This is what is meant by the Lord’s saying to the Jews:

The kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. (Matthew 21:43) Also by this:

...when the lord of the vineyard comes..., he will destroy those wicked men..., and lease his vineyard to other farmers who will render to him the fruits in their season. (Matthew 21:40-41) And by this:

I say to you that many will come from east and west, (and from the north and the south, ) and sit down...in the kingdom of (God). But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. (Matthew 8:11-12, Luke 13:29)