What happened to people who died before being told about Jesus and God?

Question

Christianity is a relatively new and eurocentric religion. The gospel did not reach rest of the world until recently. So billions of people died before being told about Jesus and God. Since they didn't have a chance to accept Jesus Christ as their savior, did they all go to hell? What does established religious institution say about this? Thanks!

Answer 1

I used to wonder about that too until I found a part in the New Testament where Paul mentioned it. He said that people in that situation were a law unto themselves. This meant that people even then had laws of goodness and etc and it was up to them to follow them. Look it up. Look in one of the cross references or index of a Bible and look for the words "A law unto themselves" and it will explain. I don't like the King James version with all of its thees and thous and stuff. The NIV is a lot better and clearer.

Answer 2

From a Mormon (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) point of view, we believe that everyone who ever lived is going to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a format that they can understand at some point in their life and then decide if they want to accept or reject it. If it didn't happen while they were physically on the earth, it will happen in the spirit world, where we believe the spirits of all mortals go after death. We also believe that Jesus Christ organized leaders to do missionary work in the spirit world, and that it is an ongoing process. God loves all His children and would never condemn anyone to hell without giving them every possible chance to learn more about Him on their own level of understanding. I don't think anyone has actually been sent to "hell" yet, since the Final Judgment doesn't take place until after the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The Bible talks about this in 1 Peter 4:6 "For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit." You can get more in-depth explanations if you would like from Mormon missionaries.

Answer 3

You mean the big picture, Eden to the reign of Christ at his second coming. John 3:16; For God so loved the world.

John 17:3,5,24 [ Jesus was with God before the world was};

1Cor.15:22 { As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive ];
Jesus had them covered. Matt.8:11 [ Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are there in the kingdom of Christ ];

Matt.19:28 [ Eze.37:12-14; judgement of the twelve tribes and placed on their own land is a promise Isa.66:1,22; Rom.11:26];

Matt.24:3,7,14,15,22,36-38 [ Only God knows the day and hour];

The world as known from Eden, ends with the second coming of Christ to reign 1000 years Rev.20:1-6,12,13; All are resurrected to stand before him and the judgement day has begun.
Heb.9:27; It is appointed unto man once to die and after that the judgement. 2Cor.5:10; We shall all stand before the judgement seat of Jesus. Acts 24:15; there shall be a resurrection of the just and the unjust. John 5:26-29; Dan.12:2; Psm.104:28,30; As if created out of the dust. Isa 26:19; 1Cor.15:22-28,51-53; the heavenly body and the earth body for the new heavens Rev.3:12; and the new earth 2Pet.3:13; Rev.21:1-5; All face Jesus in his reign to save the world into the kingdom of God as perfect as was meant to be from Eden.

Answer 4

In the Bible, not every Christian was written about,only some. i think bf Jesus then the same God was also talking to tribes all around the world that wern't even mentioned in the Bible. Obviously God knew there was people all around the world since he put them there. Like how he appeared to Moses in the Bush, he proably did stuff like that to other people all around the world but they weren't all recorded. Like some native tribes probably had dreams or angels appear to them too, and they might have had different names or even heard about a baby coming into the world one day even though they never saw it nor was it recorded for us cuz God didnt' see a need for us to know.

Answer 5

I actually were wondering an similar ingredient. I advise human beings were alive in the previous Jesus replaced into despatched to die on the bypass for our sins and that i'm confident that there are some human beings per chance even maximum of them may no longer have even believed in a God now to not prepare that a God could deliver his in straightforward words son to die on the bypass for his or her sins. I actually have requested different those that and that i replaced into instructed once with the help of someone that they are in Hell because they did not believe that Jesus replaced into despatched to Earth to die for his or her sins. nicely how could they recognize something that they were under no circumstances taught? i wager they imagine lack of understanding is under no circumstances an answer, no longer confident besides the undeniable fact that. in the adventure that they are truly in Hell because they did not be counted on something they'd no way of even having a danger to believe because they weren't taught it then is it acceptable that they haven't any shot by any ability of ever getting into Heaven? i replaced into continuously taught that God is meant to be a loving God. If God is any such loving God and all those those that did not believe that Jesus died for his or her sins are literally in Hell for all of eternity then the position is his love there? the position is his forgiveness there? None of that makes any experience to me contained in the least on how a loving God could let anybody be in Hell for all of eternity without allowing them a danger to bypass to Heaven.

Answer 6

The apostle Paul explains this in Romans 4. People before Jesus believed in the promise of God while people after Jesus believe in the one who fulfilled the promise - Jesus. "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Also, "the words 'it was credited to him' were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness --for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead...Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ..."

There is also another passage in the New Testament that mentions Jesus preaching to the dead. Many believe that during the three days that he was buried he went to hades and proclaimed his fulfillment of the old testament promise.

Answer 7

straight onto the shores of Lake Fire! Unfortunately that's where you'll find Adam and Eve and most of the Old Testament Characters as they never accepted Jesus into their heart! Pity.

Answer 8

That law unto themselves thing doesn't sit right with me, does it you? If those who were not told until recently can get to heaven just by being good people, why can't those of us who are (or try to be) good people without choosing Christianity live under the law unto ourselves?

Answer 9

This is a good Question!

Answer 10

I've wondered the same question sometimes. I dunno. But someday I'll find out.

ETA: Very good, that's Tony T