2007-01-11 13:21:40 · 22 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
It's a great question, perfectly appropriate. You may want to look up the story Jesus told about Poor Man Lazarus for more information. (Luke 16:20-31)
Anyway, Jews who looked forward to the prophesied Messiah and believed in Him, trusting in Him and in God enough to live a righteous life, would go to the pleasant half of the underworld, called Sheol. Those who did not love God nor respect man, and lived evil lives, went to a part of Sheol similar to what we now call Hell - a place or heat and torment and regret.
When Jesus paid the price for man's sin as prophesied, He went to the Sheol and preached there. It is not clear in the Bible if He addressed the good side or just the bad side or both.
The most important point to know is that the Jewish followers of God had a chance to go to Heaven based on their looking ahead to the price paid by the Messiah for their sins, just as we today have a chance to go to heaven by looking back to the price paid by the Messiah Jesus for our sins.
2007-01-11 13:48:05 · answer #1 · answered by Emmaean 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually prior to Jesus and prior to the Bible, everyone went to hell. God hated everyone and murdered so many (killing off most life on the planet except for two of each kind......see Noah ark story for example). Still the same for those that do not accept Jesus, they all will go to hell and God will sit there and just watch them roast (God is everywhere always) and do nothing to lift help. And always remember that under Exodus 20:5, (part of the ten commandments), that God is jealous and will punish the person and 4 generations beyond for not worshiping him. That is tough, paying for the sins of your great grand-father. That God is certainly throws his weight around and is jealous. That is all we need, an all powerful moody God, who can't stand anyone else worshiping any of the other gods out there above him.
To question faith is always appropriate, in fact you must question faith or you actually have none.
2007-01-11 21:30:50 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It is clear in the old testament that God says every human being has a conscience. Before Christ died for our sin, people performed blood sacrifices, animals for a ritualistic cleansing from sin. This was commanded by God. There is no cleansing of sin, except through blood. Before Christ, a persons conscience either convicted them or made them righteous in Gods sight.
God knows everyones heart and before Christ Jesus, honoring God and doing the works of God brought righteousness to that individual. To simplify: Before Jesus a righteous heart and a clear conscious made one righteous before God.
This is the Old Covenant.
Today, after Jesus Christ, we have a New Covenant.
Much better than the Old Covenant.
Jesus Christ is that Covenant. He is a everlasting Covenant.
No longer by works are we saved, rather, by grace we are saved and made righteous before God. Now the Holy Spirit produces the righteous works in us. We do not boast of these good works, rather, we give all praise and glory to God Almighty.
Thanks for asking your question. God Bless You....Peace.
2007-01-12 00:48:24 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The same way the do today if they have never heard the Gospel. God will not hold us responsible for what we don't know. The book of Romans teaches us that we have the light of conscience and creation, they both tell us that we are gonna have to answer to someone eventually for our actions, therefore we are without excuse. God is perfectly just and will take into account every converging factor when He judges us.
2007-01-11 21:30:03 · answer #4 · answered by HAND 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good and honest people always went to heaven, Jesus highlighted the mistakes made by the majority of the people and showed them the way to salvation. It is my strong belief that God will not reject good and honest people from entering Paradise just because they believed in their lifetime in a different dogma or god; all God wants is for us to be exemplary beings.
2007-01-11 21:29:51 · answer #5 · answered by markos m 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They didn't. It's in the Bible. They gave offerings to God by burning a lamb once a month.
But that didn't work as people sinned anyway.
So Jesus gave up his life and shed his blood for us to be saved. Neat huh.
Read your Bible. I would go further but I have 3 teenagers wanting to use my computer.
Enjoy your day
2007-01-11 21:25:53 · answer #6 · answered by Mrssunshine 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They didn't. they went to a place known as "Abraham's Bosom". this was actually a "suburb" of Hades; where Jesus went when He was in the earth/grave for 3 days. Ephesians says He led the captivity captive...meaning He brought the righteous dead out of Hades & into Paradise, to be with Him.
2007-01-11 21:28:27 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
They didn't. All those lovely, moral pagans who lived before Jesus died are currently in Limbo, having the time of their lives conversing with other scholars like themselves.
Well, I don't believe that, but it's in several books.
2007-01-11 21:26:59 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you read the Bible you would know that Heaven is currently being built - people do not go to heaven or Hell but Paradise or Hades.
2007-01-11 21:25:57 · answer #9 · answered by Gladiator 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I Pet.3:18-19 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19 By which also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
I Pet.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.
The dead, spirits in prison, in bondage to sin, to them also was the gospel preached.
2007-01-11 21:33:25 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋