I don't understand this. I know I asked this question aobut a month ago but I am still confused.?

Question

I understand that BECAUSE God was born in the flesh, that we are now under grace and not under the law, right? BUT, did ppl back in the old testament NOT go to heaven? Why? What happened to them? Did they just lie in the ground? God the father was still in Heaven, so why couldn't ppl go there? I understand that we would still be sacrificining animals if He hadn't come, but...
That's all I understand...
Can someone help me?

Answer 1

My pastor explained to me that those who died before Jesus went to "Paradise" which is mentioned in the Old Testament. Then, when Jesus died, he descended into "Paradise" and gave witness to those who were there. This is in the New Testament.

I personally can't say that I agree. I am still doing research on it. It makes us feel happy and secure in our faith to think that God gave everyone a chance to be saved even before Jesus was our sacrifice. But, the Old Testament standard for clean living was animal sacrifice for sins. Couldn't God judge based on that person's heart and whether or not they followed his commands at the time. God designed animal sacrifice for that period of time so I think that is how they were judged.

And, it is OK if all the answers don't line up perfectly. I think God left out a lot or perhaps made it a little confusing so that we continue to seek. Even the apostles and disciples questioned Jesus during parables. Jesus himself would wonder how long he would have to put up with them.

Answer 2

OK, I think you are making yourself more confused than you need to be. You actually know your answer and do not even see it. The Children of God sacrificed animals and did everything set forth in the Mosaic laws. These people made it into heaven. After Jesus came sacrificing animals was unnecessary plus the temple is destroyed and they cannot do it proper to fulfill the law. So we are under grace and those pre-Jesus are under the Law.

Now, if you are concerned for those that never knew either. That is a real tough one and I believe it is safe to say that God will judge them by what he revealed to them in spirit.

Answer 3

There are a few different theological ideas on this.

Some put them in purgatory, which is neither paradise nor torment, some put them all in He!!, (I don't think the filter will let me type that.) some say they ceased to exists, some say they are in heaven.

Personally, I doubt that a just and loving God would toss people into the bad place for never having had the chance to accept Jesus. So, my opinion is that they've probably earned a place in heaven by now.

Answer 4

Sacrifice= "to make sacred"

It is a common misconception that it means to kill something.

The OT God and the NT God are one and the same.
The difference is not Jesus but is simply that too many men have corrupted, twisted, and misinterpreted the messages over the past 2000 years.

Answer 5

Nothing has changed from the past to the present.

Men have come and gone all through the ages. The knowledge of life is not new. There is that which lacks and is not full of the life, so they do not live. Become full of life... seek and search the truth, start with "fire" as from the chaos of fire comes heat and light just as you do!

Answer 6

In the Gospels, Jesus referred to a place that the Jews call "Sheol" as "Paradise" or "Abraham's Bosom". As a Catholic, I prefer the term "Purgatory", but your mileage (and terminology) may vary. It's the state all of us will go through as we all (OT and NT people who have died) await the coming Judgment "of the quick and the dead" - and Christ's Kingdom "that shall have no end".

Answer 7

you think God died?

pure blasphemy