In one of my classes the other day, someone brought up a very interesting topic. If Christians believe that only people who believe in Jesus and accept his as their savior go to heaven, what about all the millions of people that came before him?
Did they just...die...and that's it?
That doesn't exactly seem fair to me.
Could somebody try explaining it to me?
2007-09-28 09:26:35 · 7 answers · asked by Vanny 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Some religions farbricate dramas and complicated theologies to make their GOD exclusively for them.
They would have us think that they are somehow so special as compared to the Billions who lived before.
.
2007-09-28 09:35:17 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's another, rather gaping hole in the whole biblical story. The way this piece of biblical fiction was cobbled together, there was no thought about the souls of the people who lived before Jesus. The writers had to make a choice. If Jesus was not there at the very beginning, but rather, was "sent" by "god" at a later time as the "savior", then this necessitated that all the people who lived before that time were just out of luck. Pretty nice isn't it? This action by "god" to send Jesus in the first century AD, and basically say the hell with all the people who lived in the previous 4000 years is inexplicable, ridiculous, and incredibly unchristian. No "loving god" could possibly do such a thing. This alone is tantamount to proof that there is no "god."
2007-09-28 09:32:57 · answer #2 · answered by Milepost 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
God basically had the same plan for all His people, those chosen out for salvation were saved by faith, and looked forward to the coming redeemer. Those who died before Christ, were justified by faith, believing God and what He said.
Gal 3:6 Even "as Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness,"
Those who were chosen out for salvation before Christ went to a place called paradise, those not saved went to Hades. Both are basically waiting places until Heaven and Hell were opened up through the work of Christ. We see this spoken of in Luke 16:19 - 31. I tend to believe this is an actual event, not a parable.
2007-09-28 09:39:37 · answer #3 · answered by BrotherMichael 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Well, we can look at the lives of the people who obeyed God in the OT and see what happened with them. Paul speaks about this very thing in the book of Hebrews, specifically in Hebrews 11, as below. All these people had faith, and it was credited to them as righteousness.
"Hbr 11:4 ¶ By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
Hbr 11:5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
Hbr 11:6 But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Hbr 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
Hbr 11:8 ¶ By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
Hbr 11:9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as [in] a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
Hbr 11:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker [is] God.
Hbr 11:11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
Hbr 11:12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, [so many] as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
Hbr 11:13 ¶ These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of [them], and embraced [them], and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth."
2007-09-28 09:47:05 · answer #4 · answered by FUNdie 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You're a little confused my friend.
There were no people before Christ.
He is Alpha and Omega-the beginning and the end.
2007-09-28 10:32:45 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Jesus visited them in hadies so they would have a chance to accept him.
2007-09-28 09:33:10 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
Luke 3
6And all mankind will see God's salvation.'
2007-09-28 09:31:52 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋