True believers, can you clear up my confusion?

Question

Christianity is about 2000 years old. Since only good and faithful Christians go to heaven, what happens to all the uncounted millions of people who lived and died before. Are they all condemned to eternal perdition through no fault of their own.

Answer 1

God certainly has a plan for all of those people.


Now, the REAL question is: what are YOU going to do about YOUR eternal soul?

Are YOU going to enter into (accept) the covenant of the New Testament for the salvation of your eternal soul and forgiveness of your sins thru Jesus, Son of the one true God?

Or not?

It's YOUR decision to make with your own free will.

Answer 2

John 3:13-17; Only Jesus had gone to heaven when the world got the bible 396 years ago here at 2007 after Chist.

Rev.21:1-6,12,13; No Satan 1000 years. Rev.12:7-12 [ Satan's short time ];
Rev.3:12;
The heavenly are with Jesus [ from Pentecost to Rom.16:20; John 39,40.44 ];
14:3 [ a place was prepared when Satan had his short time ]; Mark 13:27;
Matt.13:37-39[ the sower when Satan had his short time ];
Matt.24:3,14, 15 [ Dan.12:1-13; Michael give Satan his short time down ]; For
the world to be made known of the second coming of Jesus.
Matt.25:31-34; The sheep are separated from the goat in Satan's short time down.
The heavenly are the sowers of the word of God seed in the time of the end.
They are with Jesus at his 2nd coming for the 1000 year reign.
1Cor.15:22-28,51-53;
The resurrection goes back to Abel. All is made as new as before Eden.
2Pet.3:13; Rev.21:1-5; All possible are saved for the new earth.

Answer 3

Hi hironymus. God's salvation plan has always been a plan of Grace and not works. This was true in the Old Testament and it is true in the New Testament. Noah, David and Abraham were all saved by Grace, God's mercy. The importance of Christ's Crucifixion is that He would be the last sacrificial lamb. He would bear the sins of all that God chose. The sacrifices of the Old Testament were all pointing to Jesus and had nothing to do with Salvation. There were very few people saved in the Old Testament era. But after the Crucifixion, God would begin drawing multitudes to Him to be saved..

There is no one who is good or faithful. Even our thoughts are sinful. I myself have probably sinned at least a million times, be it by thought, the words of my mouth or my actions. The few good works any of us do is not enough to bring us Salvation.

Answer 4

For my best answer, read Ezekiel 18...

Paul takes up the question a little, as does the Hebrews writer, but I think Ezekiel 18 is probably the best indication on non-Jews before the Christian era.

Children are not held responsible for parents' sin.
Each person is judged based on their OWN actions.

Ezekiel 18:1 A message came to me from the LORD. He said, 2 “You people have a proverb about the land of Israel. What do you mean by it? It says,
“‘The parents eat sour grapes.
But the children have a bitter taste in their mouths.’
3 “You will not use that proverb in Israel anymore,” announces the LORD and King. “And that is just as sure as I am alive. 4 Everyone belongs to me. Father and son alike belong to me. People will die because of their own sins.
...
Eze 18:19 “But you still ask, ‘Is the son guilty along with his father?’ No! The son did what was fair and right. He was careful to keep all of my rules. So you can be sure he will live. 20 People will die because of their own sins. The son will not be guilty because of what his father did. And the father will not be guilty because of what his son did. The right things a godly person does will be added to his account. The wrong things a sinful person does will be charged against him.


Romans 2:14 (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, 15 since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.)

Answer 5

First of all - the only way I or you can get into heaven is through the death of Christ- not our goodness or even our faithfulness can do that- however to answer your ques. about people prior to Christ- those who believed- looked ahead to their salvation- and are saved. Abraham believed and it was credited to him as righteousness. David was a man after God's own heart- neither of these 2 men and countless others who believed would get into heaven on perfection- because they were men that sinned as well- read the book of Isaiah- and you will see many prophecies that talk about Christ's coming so people in the OT could have a belief that saved them-

Answer 6

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).

Answer 7

God is a God of Love and He knew that He would send Jesus to save the world from the beginning. Those who believed in God also went to heaven since Jesus died for all sin's past present and future. Those people who have not heard the Good News today but believe in God will still be saved. Those who hear the Good News and do not believe today or in the past or in the future will be lost. Those who did not believe in God in the past before Jesus are also lost.

Answer 8

Very interesting question. People are only responsible for the knowledge they have. We serve a just and fair God. There will be a Second Resurrection, (and this is reading into the text something that isn't there), God could very well give the opportunity for salvation during this time which of course (who would say no?) but nothing surprises me anymore concerning human nature.

I would say, everyone gets the chance to hear the Gospel and either accept or reject it.

Answer 9

Hey!! Guess what!! Haven't you heard? Didn't you know??
Its a fairy story. NO ONE goes to heaven when they die. No ONE!! How about that? did anyone think to check up on this so called fable? Thats been around, for how long?
How come no one bothered to question its authenticity??
Ecclesiastes chapter 9 verses 5-6, and v 10. psalms 6 verses 5, & chapter 88 verses 11-12, We do not go to heaven when we die, at all. No one has gone to heaven, only Jesus Christ, Gods Son has.

Answer 10

Romans 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

God is love & goodness.
Constructiveness. 1+1=2; is GOOD 1+1=3 is evil; that the difference matters is good... striving for true goodness - not for our own reward.

Abraham was called righteous by his faith.

Answer 11

Look to the bible. Abraham's time was far before this.

Gen 15-6
"Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness."

Even Jesus tells us in Mathew 8:11
"I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven."


Romans 4:3 NIV
"Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."