How did people go to heaven before Jesus was born? Read for details.?

Question

Ok, I grew up in church and frankly, it doesn't take a Christian to know that you have to be saved to go to heaven. And to get saved you have to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord. But my question is....before Jesus was born, how did people get "saved"?

Answer 1

Hi Jenn

People that were living before Christ came were promised heaven based on their faith, or belief that He would come. People living after He came are promised heaven based on their faith that He has come.

Answer 2

The gates of Heaven were closed before the death and Resurrection of Jesus, but I think that Elijah and Enoch were the only exceptions.

Here is an answer to the question from Catholic Answers:

"According to Scripture, Enoch and Elijah may have been assumed into heaven before the time of Christ. This is less clear in Enoch's case, since Genesis 5:24 says only that God "took" him, but doesn't say where. Sirach 44:16 and 49:14 make it clear that he was taken up from the earth, and Hebrews 11:5 adds "so that he should not see death."

In Elijah's case, 2 Kings 2:11 states that "Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven." 1 Maccabees 2:58 adds, "Elijah because of great zeal for the Law was taken up into heaven. " Taken at face value, these would seem to indicate that both Enoch and Elijah were assumed into heaven. But the Church teaches that heaven was not yet opened to the saints because Christ had not yet come. How can this be explained?

One possible explanation is to say that they didn't really go to heaven but to the abode of the dead where the souls of the righteous were waiting for the Messiah to open heaven. A difficulty is that the abode of the dead, or she'ol, is pictured in the Old Testament as being down (e.g., Num. 16:33 speaks of Korah and his followers going "down alive into she'ol"), yet Enoch and Elijah are depicted as being taken up.

Another possibility would be to say they were taken up but to a different kind of heaven than the one Christ opened. Or it is possible to say simply that they received entrance to heaven as a grace which came from the redemption Christ wrought – only they received it early, as did Mary when she was immaculately conceived. Like Mary, Enoch and Elijah may have been foretastes of the good things to come. In such a case, they would be exceptions to the rule. But God can do what he wants."
http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/2002/0207qq.asp

Answer 3

Hi! You are addressing this question from a purely Christian viewpoint. Christ, if you believe in Him, is only one way to salvation - there are many many more going back thousands of years. Gods were appeased by sacrifice, mantras chanted, statues created, temples erected. Contrary to popular belief, for example, the Egyptians only had ONE supreme God and they believed that by living a good and true life according to the Laws of Maat they would achieve eternal life. One could write reams and reams on this but to summarize - look at the wider picture and you will see that people were being 'saved thousands of years before Christ.

Answer 4

They went to heaven the same way that they do now, through the righteousness of their hearts and lives. When someone accepts Jesus in their lives it doesn't automatically get them into heaven, it makes them applicable. The commitment to be like Christ and live as He did keeps them saved. Just as those who lived B.C. : Esther, Elijah, David, Enoch, they all lived righteous lives unto God, and knew and communed with God directly instead of through the Holy Spirit, and were awarded unto their righteousness. Jesus was sent to be the teacher, the guide, the answer, the way, for us to live lives according to the commandments of God so that we might be awarded heaven for our righteousness. God Bless.

Answer 5

God is far far far beyond the man made images of god's son or deities or sent representatives. Dont's worry even if you do not follow any religion, and you still are a good person by heart, u will be saved.

God is always there for good people, face or name may differ from time to time, place to place or religion to religion.

Answer 6

The Bible tells us that before Jesus died, people were in Paradise...Jesus told the criminal on the cross next to Him, "This day you shall be with Me in Paradise." When Jesus died, he went to Paradise and "preached" to those there. Then, they had the choice to make...Jesus now has the keys of hell, and death shall no more triumph! Before Jesus was born, you had priests, etc., who made sacrifices in your stead. Thankfully, we do not have to worry about this anymore, just believe in Him.

Answer 7

I've always wondered that and have never been able to get an answer. I'm guessing they were left in limbo/purgatory until a judgement of their actions was made. But then again that's me talking.

Answer 8

They listened and obey God. As the world turned ugly, God sent Jesus to save humankind.

Answer 9

I think because of God!He created the world and the first ppl 2 ever walk Earth so of course it was him.

Answer 10

YOU KNOW WHAT? YOUR PRETTY SMART TO THINK OF A QUESTION LIKE THAT. AND THAT'S SOMETHING ALOT OF PEOPLE SHOULD THINK ABOUT, I WOULD COME UP WITH A ANSWER BUT I'LL BE WRITING A BOOK ABOUT MY ANSWER...BUT YOU DO HAVE A POINT, WHAT ABOUT ALL THEM OTHER PEOPLE WHO WERE BORN BEFORE JESUS? AND WHAT ABOUT THEM OTHER PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN OTHER COUNTRIES WHO DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT A GUY NAME JESUS? THINK ABOUT IT PEOPLE, THINK ABOUT IT....