How do Christians explain this - all religions have a look at this question?

Question

I just love asking questions about people's religious beliefs. Here is my newest one to all the Christians......

You believe the only way a person can go to heaven is by believing in Jesus and that he died on the cross to save you from your sins - Right? Consider all the people who died before Jesus ever lived or "died on the cross to save us." What did God do with all those people who never got the chance to accept Jesus as their savior in their lifetime?

I will love to hear all opinions and views about this question, but I am also looking for some specific verses from the bible dealing with this subject.

Answer 1

Heaven and Hell are both on earth. I really feel like laughing at all the religions (and I mean ALL) which talk about sinning and then doing something dumb like bathing in a holy river, or visiting some holy place or confessing to 'wash off' the sins. Indeed!

The universe works on the principle of cause and effect. If you throw a ball at the ceiling, it is going to come back and hit you on the head no matter how hard you pray or where you go to wash your actions away.

Answer 2

First not all persons will go to heaven. The bible says a selected few will be resurrected to heaven, ( born again as spirt persons )

Second, The bible says there will be a resurrection of righteous and un-righteous persons. This does not mean wicked people but the un-righeous would be persons that lived before Jesus can be resurrected at a later time. Job had knowledge of this, he asked God to hide him in hell ( grave ) and to remember him.
Also Mary had knowledge that she thought she would see Lazarus at the time of the resurrection before Jesus performed that miricle.

So by a persons life course, God will choose who will have the opportunity to live again, including we that are born after Jesus death, we also have that opportunity.

Answer 3

Do you know that Jesus lived in India? Read the book "Jesus Lived in India" by the German Rev. Holger Kersten.

1) Jesus was in Tibet during his early years. His special capabilities must have helped to achieve a higher state of mind with Buddhist teachings.

2) His performance like walking on water were commonly practiced by Buddhist monks.

3) After his Crucifixion he did not die on the cross. Instead he only fell unconscious. Blood patterns on the cloth covered him proves that his heart was functioning after he was brought down from the cross.

4) It is true that he was seen after Crucifixion. He came to his followers secretly before he left for East. He obviously could not appear in public due to the risk of recapture.

5) He lived a peaceful life there as St. Issa and died a natural death. His tomb still exist in Kashmir.

Following links will give you more information:

1) http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Lived-India-Before-Crucifixion/dp/1852305509

2) http://www.reluctant-messenger.com/issa.htm

3) http://www.sol.com.au/kor/7_01.htm

Answer 4

The New Testament (in 1 Peter, I believe) tells us that after His death and before His resurrection, Jesus "went to preach to the spirits in prison."

This "prison" is commonly known as the Limbo of the Fathers. (Although, presumably, it was also open to the souls of women.)

It was in this "prison" that the righteous ones who died prior to Jesus' birth were waiting for His resurrection.

Once the resurrection happened, the gates of Heaven were open, and the souls of those "in prison" were released.

Good question, by the way.

.

Answer 5

I AM NOT CHRISTIAN

And I was never able to comprehend it, it is very nice to think that there is someone who scarified for you, but yet... not logical at all.

Nothing in the bible is found speaking on the Crucifixion..

Surprisingly enough , there is also the BRNABA gospel in which Jesus says " I am only a human and not a God"..

Christians are exaggerating and over reacting.

Answer 6

Since the fall of man, the basis of salvation has always been the death of Christ. No one, either prior to the cross or since the cross, would ever be saved without that one pivotal event in the history of the world. Christ's death paid the penalty for past sins of Old Testament saints and future sins of New Testament saints.
The requirement for salvation has always been faith. The object of one's faith for salvation has always been God. The psalmist wrote, "Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him" (Psalm 2:12). Genesis 15:6 tells us that Abraham believed God and that was enough for God to account it to him for righteousness (see also Romans 4:3-8). The Old Testament sacrificial system did not take away sin, as Hebrews 9:1-10:4 clearly teaches. It did, however, point to the day when the Son of God would shed His blood for the sinful human race.
What has changed through the ages is the content of a believer's faith. God's requirement of what must be believed is based on the amount of revelation He has given mankind up to that time. This is called progressive revelation. Adam believed the promise God gave in Genesis 3:15 that the Seed of the woman would conquer Satan. Adam believed Him, demonstrated by the name he gave Eve (v.20) and the Lord indicated His acceptance immediately by covering them with coats of skin (v.21). At that point that is all Adam knew, but he believed it.
Abraham believed God according to the promises and new revelation God gave him in Genesis 12 and 15. Prior to Moses, no Scripture was written, but mankind was responsible for what God had revealed. Throughout the Old Testament, believers came to salvation because they believed that God would someday take care of their sin problem. Today, we look back, believing that He has already taken care of our sins on Calvary (John 3:16; Hebrews 9:28).
What about believers in Christ's day, prior to the cross and resurrection, what did they believe? Did they understand the full picture of Christ dying on a cross for their sins? Late in his ministry, "Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day" (Matthew 16:21). What was the reaction of His disciples to this message? "Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, '‘Far be it from you, Lord; this shall not happen to you!'" (16:22). Peter, and the other disciples, did not know the full truth, yet they were saved because they believed that God would take care of their sin problem. They didn't exactly know how He would accomplish that, any more than Adam, Abraham, Moses, or David knew how, but they believed God.
Today, we have more revelation than did people living before the resurrection of Christ, we know the full picture. "God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son" (Hebrews 1:1-2). Our salvation is still based on the death of Christ, our faith is still the requirement for salvation, and the object of our faith is still God. Today for us the content of our faith is that Christ died for our sins, that He was buried, and that He rose the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

Answer 7

If you read the book of Revelations you will see that on Jesus's return, those who accept him are granted eternal life, after a peiod of 100 years. The rest of the people are then taught the Christian way. It is up to them to accept the way or to reject them. If you reject it, you are then removed - not burnt forever in hell fire.

Answer 8

jesus revealed the highest that one born of the flesh can achieve he said that you see me do you shall yet do greater.
he said see me see my [our] father meaning with love for all gods created
jesus revealed we are all born again into a new body after mortal death ,he returned to prove his rebirth ,as we all are reborn
jesus revealed the narrow path to the highest heavens was in not judging ,that of loving god and neighbour [of good works]
but the nerrow path is not the only pathall paths lead to god.
even those who know him not can call him when the wide broad path leads into hell
thats when his qualities become important ,we can follow his lead or we can just love god and neighbour and get there as well ,but we dont need to yet are free to try
jesus loves us as god loves us as well ,we can call on god or christ or mahamoud or budda but christ assures us he will come
has promised to respond to all who call his name
can you beat that?

Answer 9

People in the middle east knew of nothing west of Europe and Africa. Why werent North and South Americans offered the chance to accept god? Because god has never spoken to anyone.

Answer 10

here is my opinion. its all a mistake. we were so young in our history like we were 2 year olds.ask a 2 year old wuy the sky looks blue.