If Jesus is the only way to be saved (go to Paradise) and all people are born sinful, then what will happen to those who were born before Jesus? Will they all go to Hell?
Why do you think God suddenly decided to have a son?
2006-10-04 11:52:30 · 14 answers · asked by ATK 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
to quizzocal: I am Muslim and it does not matter to me either, but I want to know what Christians think? I asked Christians, so what are you doing here answering on their behalf?
2006-10-04 12:04:01 · update #1
God did not suddenly decide to send His son to earth. This was all done before everything began, since God knows the beginning and the end of all things.
Before Jesus died on the cross, those who worshipped the one true God were saved by faith, as the bible says about Abraham.
2006-10-04 11:55:24 · answer #1 · answered by christian_lady_2001 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Salvation, going to Heaven, has ALWAYS been through faith by grace.
God didn't suddenly decide to have a Son. It was part the plan of Salvation from the beginning.
Read and study to bible to know more about the God of Heaven, the God of the Bible. Ask questions, check the answers against the bible.
New Testament:
Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.
Old Testament:
Habakkuk 2:4 Behold as for the proud one
His soul is not right within him;
But the righteous will live by his faith.
Hope this helps.
2006-10-04 12:04:34 · answer #2 · answered by redeemed 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
To answer your 2nd question first - God didn't "all of a sudden" decide to have a son. God is 3 Persons. Father(our Creator), Son (Jesus) and Holy Spirit (our advocate). All 3 Persons have always existed, because they are God and God has always existed. Jesus was spirit before He came to earth, He was born in human form, died and rose in human form and ascended to Heaven in human form.
The people that lived and died before Jesus came to earth all went to purgatory (according to the Church), unless God choose they are holy enough to enter Heaven right away. When Jesus died, He descended to 'hell' (in our creed) but 'hell' was really the English word for the Greek word "hades". Hades is our English purgatory. Hades is where all the souls that didn't go to the real hell (fiery hole). Jesus showed Himself to these souls and told them what was happening and told them thta He died for their sins (and the souls of the future people) and that the gates to Heaven are now open and if they believe, they can enter Heaven (Paradise) with Him when He ascended 40 days after he rose from the dead. So now the souls that choose to believe in Jesus are now in Heaven. In the Church, all the souls in Heaven are saints. Only holy people can enter Heaven. If they don't go to hell, and aren't holy, they go to hades (purgatory) to be cleansed of their sins. Some stay in purgatory for a minute or a year or thousands of years. This 'process' is all up to Jesus' judgement.
2006-10-04 12:05:22 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I think Jesus is supposed to work retroactively, that is, the dead who came before him will have a chance to "accept" him before they are judged. There are some Christians who think Jews don't need Jesus to get to heaven either. Jews are the "Chosen People", and its only gentiles who need to be "saved"
As an atheist I think its all bunk, however. Christians say things like that in order to scare people into converting. Small minds often demand that everyone agree with them.
Robert obviously isn't one of the Christians I mentioned who thinks Jews are going to Heaven. I said SOME Christians, and failed to realize that Robert speaks for them all.
2006-10-04 11:56:56 · answer #4 · answered by Skippy 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
When Jesus was crucified He went to hell to preach to the dead.
God didn't suddenly decide to have a Son. Jesus was with His Father when He created the world. Read the first chapter of Genesis. "Let us make man in our image".
2006-10-04 11:57:52 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
There was a wat of being forgiven in the OT that consisted of blemishless animal sacrifice on an alter. It was very detail oriented and had to be done after each sin was commited. Thats a lot of animals. Uuslaly it was a lamb. Thats why Jesus is the "Sinless Lamb", God came down in human form (Jesus) to be the ultimate sacrifice for ALL of our sins, with ONE sacrifice of a sinless "lamb". Because He died, we are all saved as long as we believe in Him.
2006-10-04 11:56:55 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
The Bible clearly states that the Word that became flesh and dwelt among us was always with God from the beginning.
The Son of God refers to the Divine Human or Truth or King or Word that is visible.
God has a Divine Human now.
2006-10-04 11:55:29 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
It's not for us to say who God will allow into His presence and who He will not. As Christians, we have the opportunity as presented by Christ. We can pray for those who were born before, and those to whom the Word was never given.
As for Jews (as someone posted above), they need to accept Christ too. Jesus laid it on the line for all of Judaism; "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except by me." and "Here endeth the law" (referring to the law of Moses). Guess what that means for Jews?
2006-10-04 11:57:26 · answer #8 · answered by roberticvs 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
All People (including me) are Born with a Messed-up Spirit (thank you Adam).
Thats what keeps you outta Heaven.
Jesus is the Only One Who can Recreate your Spirit for you.
Religion cannot Recreate your Spirit.
2006-10-04 11:56:36 · answer #9 · answered by maguyver727 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Jesus IS the way, BUT NO ONE IS BORN SINFUL.
Read Ezekiel 18
2006-10-04 12:02:05 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋