So what if Jesus "died for our sins"?

Question

I mean, think about it. Before Jesus came to this world, people would sin and have to lead pious lives to the best of their ability, and when they died, god would judge them and they'd either go to heaven or to hell. In present times, we still sin and we are expected to live pious lives to the best of our abilities, and when we die, god judges us and we go to either heaven or hell. So what has changed? Absolutely nothing. Jesus came and did nothing. According to the old testament, God forgave those that turned away from their wicked ways. I don't see how Jesus did anything for us.

Answer 1

Well God is not bound by time. People before Jesus will be Judged the same as after Jesus. He did not jsut die for the sins of those who came after him. He died for those who came before him also.

Also as a side note..no men before Jesus came were judged and went to heaven... It was only thru Jesus' death that we are even ABLE to get into heaven. People often miss this..

hope this helps
Shane

Answer 2

No, you've got it wrong. Before Jesus came, they didn't have the heaven or hell option when they died. They didn't get to choose, or have free will about eternal life, because since the day of Adam, eternal life was taken away from Man. After Jesus died on the cross and rose again, this is when we had been shown the way back to eternal life. So if Jesus had never come, we would still be lost.

Answer 3

Finally, a serious soteriological question!
The issue here is salvation. Christian tradition has averred that anyone born prior to Jesus' death and resurrection was either damned or in a sort of suspended state; the bit about Jesus descending into hell in the Apostles' Creed implies that Jesus rescued some of these souls during the period twixt his death and resurrection. From the traditional Christian standpoint, Jesus' death made it possible for those who came before him to attain salvation. Because Jesus threw open the gates of heaven, therefore, all who came after him have the opportunity to be saved, as well.
Contemporary theology doesn't see it quite this way, though. For transcendental theologians, Jesus is more than a person, but an event; the event of Jesus places the context of salvation within the human horizon of understanding.
To say that Jesus came and did nothing goes a bit far. Jesus proclaimed a loving God who did indeed save all who appealed for salvation and himself showed the extent to which that God will go for humanity: death on a cross. This is the crux of Jesus' message of salvation: the God who loves us is the God who subjects God's-self to crucifixion as THE salvific reality. This is the God who saves us. In this sense, Jesus is the original and bona fide icon, the window to salvation. Jesus' example of love, even to death, is the means through which we accept our salvation or ratify its efficacy. To be saved, we act like Jesus did, regardless of when or where we live.
That's what Jesus did for us.

Answer 4

Before Jesus died on the cross, if one sinned even once, he was eternally damned. Some of the pharisees, according to written histories, traveled with blinders on the sides of their eyes, similar to that of horses, because even admiring/"checking out" a woman could be considered adultery and coveting another's wife.
After Jesus's sacrifice, he cleared the road for us sinners. Everyone sins, it's human nature, no matter how you try to avoid it, you can't. Look at Moses; was there ever a more spiritual man? Yet even Moses was denied entrance into the promised land because he did not follow one direction from God (striking the rock when God said not to). Jesus removed the roadblocks and allowed a man to be judged by his faith and the merit of his soul. As Martin Luther believed, salvation comes by faith in God and Jesus, before Jesus, salvation came by following all of God's laws, which was virtually impossible

Answer 5

We Christians did not call our selves to be saved, we were called by him. Those that have eyes to see and those that have ears to hear will know when the Holy Spirit is speaking to your soul and it is their choice whether to admit they have a sinful nature and repent and accept Jesus as they're savior.
Do you think a lot of Christians enjoy getting bashed for trying to witness to lost souls? NO, we do it because Jesus tells us to.
Some of you should really try to learn a lil more about this before putting your feet in your mouths, and I don't mean that in a mean way. Some of you will never understand the Great Mystery, but don't give up because you can be saved and understand.
And, you know who you are!

Answer 6

Try reading "A History of God" by Armstrong
it's a good read and a good source for further readings

Don't you get it??? YWYH, Jesus, Allah, Buddha, Brahma, Ahura Mazda, ....and whoever you feel like adding to the pantheon...
they are all equal, in that they accomplish much the same , two basic things..

Provide a guide for good, "decent" living,,,ethical, moral, legal, social structures
and
provide some hope in an afterlife, given the inevitability of death; some explanation for "evil" in the world-"theodicy"; some reason to value living...

Most gods are more like an infinite, cosmic Santa Claus...
making a list and checking it twice.....to see who gets a nice present or a lump of coal....

The "flying spaghetti monster"
"the invisible purple unicorn"
and "deep thought" exempted

Answer 7

You will never be justified by the law, you will never be "pious" enough.
Before Jesus, people who believed God looked forward to the day when He would keep His promise. Like Abraham, they believed God, and it was counted to them as righteoiusness. Like Job, they knew that their Redeemer lived, and that He would stand upon the earth...they knew that, even though they would die, yet "in their flesh" they would "see God".....
Since Jesus, people who believe God call on Him for their salvation.
So, in a sense, you are right, nothing has changed.......

Answer 8

It's easy. Jesus came to teach us about gambling.

See, beforehand you had to live well because you'd be judged.

After Jesus, you could live the most F-ED up life ever, but as long as you squeaked that deathbed confession in under the wire, you were all set. Kingdom of Heaven, here we come!

You just had to be willing to bet your afterlife on it.

Seriously, every Christian is doing it. here's why:

To go to heaven, that that is required is that, when you die, you believed Jesus was your savior and wanted forgiveness for your sins.

but what if, after living a near perfect life, you stub your toe at the last second and scream GOD DAMMIT and then die before your next prayer in which you ask for forgiveness?

One way ticket to hell, that is what. So says the Scripture.

So if Christians really wanted to go to Heaven, to avoid that risk, they'd be constantly praying, 24/7 with every waking breath cause you just never know when your time is up.

But nobody really does that. They gamble that they will make it to the next prayer or muttered request for forgiveness.

Before: Live well or go to hell.
Now: Live how you want, place your bets on whether you'll get that last prayer in just in time or not.

Answer 9

In 586 BC, the Jews were carried away into captivity because they disobeyed God's laws for many centuries.

Jews do not believe in Jesus.

5 years ago, America's twin towers were destroyed by those who are sworn enemies of Jews.

No one believes in Jesus. People saw that Jesus did nothing so they started cashing out on home equity loans.

Yet, I believe Jesus rose from the dead and granted eternal salvation to those who believed in his message - even those who were carried away to Babylon.

Of course, no one sees anything. Yet, Jesus appears only as a little voice and not as earthquakes, et al.

Many people died in the name of Jesus. Those who believed in God were allowed to return to Jerusalem by Cyrus the Persian. Now, we want to declare war on Iran for no good reason.

Where is Jesus?

Answer 10

He died on the cross for you and me. By doing so he intercede for everyone that is willing to repent of their sins and accept Jesus in their heart (our souls) He gives each one of us free will, he will not make us accept him. the only sin that we can not be forgiven of is not excepting him. when we admitted we are sinners and are truly repent and ask him into our heart (soul) a spiritual rebirth happens. The good thing is that when we mess up, which we all do he we convict us of our mistakes and when we are truly sorry and ask for his forgiveness, he gives it. Now this does not mean that u and I can go out and do just anything we want to. When one is truly born again our way of thinking and our way of living changes. Jesus will now guide us.We need to Drawn near to Jesus by studying the bible and asking him for understanding and he will guide our life's. Have a little talk with him, Just give him a chance. Does not mean u want have problems , but he will help u through. He sure has help me . I am now doing things I never dreamed I could do. Like in my young forties and after many years of working in factories I was able to become a Voc. Teacher. I now teach one of the largest and most successful welding program in the state that Live in. I give the credit to him. Do I have everything my heart desires? No, but my needs are meet and I do not try To keep up with the Jones.Sure gives me a good filling to help others, many of my students are getting jobs. they somtimes come back to see me years later and thank me . I have very little money to run the program on, aprox 2500.00 to 3000.00 per year but I have be able To convince many factories in the area to donate some of their scrap metal to welding program. Before I knock on their doors asking for donations , I most alway ask God to guide me and give me the words to say and he does. All most everyone Donates material to help the 100 or so students I teach per year.Give God a chance, What have u got to loose?Find a good church to attend, fellowship with other christians is very important, attend a bible study if the church has one this can aid in spritual growth. wish u well.