The Bible has some truth in it

Originally posted by Nyxie
I think they would deserve salvation.

I agree with much of your post, Nyxie, much of it. Nevertheless, I don't think anyone deserves salvation. If they deserved it, it wouldn't be salvation.
Don't get me wrong: the villager you described is great, a far better person than I am. But to get to heaven (ie, the presence of God) you must be perfect, which no mere human is.
This is a most unpopular doctrine, and I expect abuse for it (though not, of course, from yourself). But I will say it (or type it), even if it falls on some deaf ears (or eyes, in this case).
This doctrine is the Christian distinctive. Jesus' ethical teachings accord very closely with other ethical teachings throughout history. Where Christianity differs is that we believe it is not enough to be good. You must be perfect.
I am NOT perfect. I am far, far, far from it. What does it mean to say that I am saved? It means that Jesus died for my imperfections, my sins. Now He leads and teaches me to be better, and when I die He will remove from me all my imperfection, my sin. But I must follow His leading during this life!
1) Repentance and 2) salvation are both results of real faith in Christ. You cannot have one; it is both or neither.
All this, too, is horrendously unpopular stuff to say.
So what about the accidental disciple, in whom bbarr is interested?

There have been, and are, three positions on the question:
1) There are no accidental disciples. Without hearing the Christian gospel and genuinely accepting it, you cannot be saved.
2) Everyone is an accidental disciple. At least, everyone is saved. That's called "universalism."
3) There are some accidental disciples. This is not really one position, but there are many which would fall in this category. It represents all positions between universalism and the hardline #1's.

I am not a universalist, and so I know automatically that my position is horrifically unpopular. That's all I want to say about my position just yet, because I really, really, really like this topic and I want to put in the extra mile of research so that I can fairly describe the major positions.
This may take me some time, but I know Bennet is patient. I look forward to discussing this more with you, too.