Christians: What was the world like before Jesus?

Question

Christianity is all about God's son Jesus Christ. But what about *before* Jesus? Was the world full of heathens? Did Jesus have to be born because the world had gotten so bad that God thought it was time for a human sacrifice (to himself?)?

How long to you believe humans have been on this planet?

Thanks all for the serious answers!

Answer 1

Judaism; my friend.
Judaism.
Even Jesus Himself practiced Judaism!

Answer 2

There is no 'before' Jesus. Jesus is God and therefore is eternal. Just because He gave up some of the glory He had in heaven and became a man doesn't mean He did not always exists in one form or another. Just because He allowed His human body to die doesn't mean He is dead and gone. He was resurrected to show us that we have eternal life; that death is not the end. He lived a perfect life as a man and died a sacrificial death because He knew no human being born of two human parents could do it. God loves humankind that much. He wants everyone to have the opportunity to live in heaven with Him if that's what they want to do. He is also the perfect gentlemen and will allow you to choose eternal life away from Him forever if that's what you want.
The world was and still is full of 'heathens'. Anyone who rejects God is just that and most people have rejected God. When sin came into the world the world became imperfect. The world has not gotten any worse, or any better for that matter, and never will until it is destroyed and remade in its original glory.
I believe man has been on the earth about six thousand years give or take a thousand years. We were created, not evolved, and that there is an end in the forseeable future.

Answer 3

The old testament in the bible is pretty much what the world was like prior to Jesus. People had to follow specific laws about sacrificing animals, where they worshiped, who could sacrifice and when, etc. Jesus was then born according to the new testament to save the world and be the final sacrifice so that the people wouldn't have to follow such strict laws anymore. Basically though it was all about believing and trusting in God and following his law. And I guess no one really knows how long people have been on earth, though most Christians believe it has been a lot less than millions or billions of years. More like in the thousands.

Answer 4

Around the point of 2 Samuel 5 (I think) was when the first bible verses started prophesising a future Messiah.

Before 2 Samuel 5, Judaism would save a person (animal sacrifices sufficient).

After 2 Samuel 5, looking forward to a future Messiah would save a person. Of course, the Jews before Jesus' time did not know personally that Jesus was the Messiah yet.

Answer 5

I'm sure humans have been on this planet for a few billion years. Remember that Christianity was created from the Jewish religion, so the world probably had at least some people who weren't heathens before Jesus got to this planet. And it seems your right. God had to sacrifice His own Son so we could enjoy eternal life with Him.

Answer 6

Considering that Jesus created the earth under the direction of God, from the time of Adam the existence of the Savior had been known. Christ is eternal and He has always existed. Take the words of Isaiah for example 600 years before Christ was born in the flesh. "For unto us a child is born, a child is given and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the ever lasting Father, the Prince of peace." Isaiah and all the prophets from the time of Adam knew of His existence and His coming.

Answer 7

It was basically the same.
Christianity wasn't mandatory in Rome until Constantine prayed to God and slaughtered thousands and won the battle.

I guess it all depends on where and what time period you are in.

The Dark Ages were pretty much terrible....and that was after Jesus.

IMO - Things are worse THESE DAYS then it was back then.
Pollution
Destruction of the Environment
Disesae
etc.

And the term "Pagan" wasn't introduced until after Christianity,.....
A loose definition of a Pagan would be "Non-Christian" or "Country Dweller" or plainly, "Citizen".

I do not believe that any other religion is of the "devil".
As long as the intention is GOOD, then thats ALL THAT MATTERS....

Answer 8

Collosian 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God and first of all creation. There is no world before Jesus but only the Father the Almighty One.

Answer 9

There was no world before Christ, through Him all things were created. If you mean Christ incarnate, simply read the OT. By tracing back to Adam, humans have been here roughly 6000 years.

Colossians 1:15-17

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Answer 10

As long ago as Genesis (however long ago that was) there were people who looked forward to the time when God would keep His promise to send a Redeemer.
You could refer to those people as "Christians", because, in a sense, they had faith in Christ even before He came. And, of course, the people who didn't understand them gave them a tuff time, but they hung in there.
Think of Abraham, who believed in God and it was counted to him as righteousness...how Christian is that?
Think of Job, who, even though he wasn't Jewish knew that his Redeemer lived, and that even though he would die and his body would become dust, yet in time he would stand in his flesh, and see God. Does that notion sound familiar? It ought to. It is what Christians believe.

Frankly, I personally have no idea how long humans have been on this planet. Posssibly for hundreds of thousands of years. Maybe longer. Maybe not. I don't know.
But I am content that God knows.