A question I have about Christianity and what happened before Jesus was born and came to Earth..?

Question

Ok. Since I am a Christian, I believe that you must be saved to go to Heaven..I have a question about the period before Jesus was sent to the Earth to be crucified. Obviously, there were generations of people that lived prior to Jesus coming to the earth to live and then die for all of our sin. What happened to the people who lived and died before Jesus came to the Earth, if they had never heard of Jesus and never were given the opportunity to be saved, as salvation apparently was not talked about until AFTER Jesus came and died for our sin? Did they all go to Heaven? Or did they all go to Hell? I am very confused about this; any insight (no rude or stupid comments please) would be appreciated.

Answer 1

This is a very good question:

While Jesus was still in the tomb after crucifiction, he went to all those who died "all the way back to Noah" (which is a Hebrew saying that means all the way back to the beginning of time) and told them of the salvation now available, so that they could follow him; most did, of course.
You can read of this in Second Peter.

Answer 2

I believe that Jesus went to where they were inprisoned and set them free from eternal punishment. I am not positive the exact logistics, but the Word says part of his mission was to set the captives free.There was no salvation avalible to them until Pentecost, so even the disciples were not actually saved until they accepted Christ as savior and got the infilling of the Holy Spirit, after Jesus was gone.(Baptised with fire and Spirit.) I do believe that all the Old Testament saints have been given an opportunity to accept the reality of Christ. It would not be a very Just God, that would not give everybody at least a chance. I also believe that if a child or someone that has not been given the opportunity to accept the reality, will be saved by grace. How ever it works, it is God's business, and He is Just, and will work out the details. When Jesus was preaching, on Earth, none of those people had the Holy Spirit in them as Comforter and Teacher. Jesus taught in a manner that addressed them in the mindset they were in. If you read the Gospels, (Matt. Mark. Luke and John), then read the book of Acts, I know it will reveal the Truth to you. The Gospels were written in a mindset that ministers to the unsaved. it tells you what must be done to be saved. The book of Acts talks to the already saved people, and have the understanding to receive it.

Answer 3

Do you know the story about the rich man and Lazarus? Lazarus is at the Bosom of Abraham right? This is a place near Hell that before Jesus death the people who were found faithful in Gods eyes went. When Jesus was in the tomb, HE went into Hell took back the keys to death Hell and the grave, released all those in the Bosom of Abraham, and they went to Heaven, Jesus then walked out of the tomb, and latter ascended into Heaven so we could also one day.

Pastor Bill

Answer 4

The bible said before Jesus Christ had died, there was a place in Hell that wasn't hot called Abraham's Blossom. All of the believers was there until Jesus died on the cross. Before He came back to Earth, Jesus spend 3 days preaching to those people and everyone accepted Him as their lord and Savior and He took both all of them and Abraham's Blossom to Heaven. Then Hell became fully on fire.

Answer 5

Alize...A good question.
The arrival of Jesus was God's answer to solve the problem of Adam and Eve sinning [ disobeying] and the result of that being having to die. Genesis 2; 16,17
Then you have the prophecy at Genesis 3;15. The battle between Jesus and Satan.
Jesus has been in existence since long before he WAS SENT to the earth for us.
Proverbs 8; 22-31
Jesus was God's VERY FIRST creation, before even the universe.
This requires the true understanding that Almighty God [ Jehovah Exodus 6;3] and Jesus are two separate individuals.
The teaching that Jesus IS God himself is false.
Adam and Eve lost the right for us to live without death...forever.
Jesus bought [ paid for/ with his life] it back again.

Answer 6

Those people lived under the dispensation of Law. They needed to obey the laws of sacrifice to get restitution for their sins. Even the people whio lived at the same time as jesus were bound under OT Law. He didn't change or fulfill the law until the moment He died on the Cross. Those people still get into heaven as long as they lived their lives according to the Law and performed the ssacrifices correctly and etc.

Answer 7

Good question, You find the answer in 1 Peter chapter 3 verses 18 through 20.

Answer 8

Aha, good question. Wish I had a good answer. Just trust that God knows what he's doing and wouldn't leave the good, pious people who laid the foundation for Christianity ineligible for salvation. I'm sure there was a grandfather clause in there somewhere. (Humor too, is one of Gods great creations).

Answer 9

Two answers:...
1. General Revelation
2. Blood Sacrifice (Mosaic Law)

1.General Revelation:
Is a revelation of Law. It is God's revelation or manifestation of Himself as God and as the creator and the righteous judge, and of man as sinner and standing under God's divine judgment. The problem is that fallen man even perverts the clear message of general revelation and what is derived from it--natural theology (e.g., Rom. 1 and 2).
It is given to all people at all times and at all places. The three primary categories of general revelation are through nature, human history, and human nature--internally--for example, via conscience.

Answer 10

Jan has it right.
The bible says they were in a place referred to "Abraham's bosom" These were people under the law of Moses. They had blood sacrifices to cover their sins UNTIL Jesus came to them. Then they went to heaven.
Kind of amazing eh?
†