Were the people born before Christ damned from the start?

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VincentJoe

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Christians, you believe you need to know Christ's glory in order to be saved, right? (thus the name CHRIST-ians) I mean it's not just believing in 'the right' God or being a good person, you truly need to 'know Christ' in order to go to heaven, right? So were all the people who were born and died before Christ's time damned because they never could know Jesus? Did they get a free 'pass' to heaven or something? OR is this just another massive loophole in religious history (like fossils, whales having finger bones, and carbon dating) please explain...
 
Not at all.

The Catholic Church believes that those who die never hearing of Christ but have sought the truth and does the will of God as they understand it can be saved. See Romans 2:13-16.

If they died before Jesus died for our sins and opened the gates of heaven for us, then they waited in what is called in the Old Testament Abraham's bosom or Sheol.

Catholics believe that after Jesus died on the cross, he descended into Sheol, the place of the dead. While there He freed the holy souls who awaited their savior in Abraham's bosom.

So Noah, Abraham, Moses, the Prophets, and even Adam and Eve may be in heaven.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 632 and following: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt2art5.shtml#p1

With love in Christ.
 
The Scriptures especially in the Gospels and the Epistle of Peter tell us that Jesus went to Paradise to set the captives free. That were those who were there whom Jesus preached the Gospel to when He died and went to the lower reaches of the earth.
 
Some christians believe that word for word-- that you have to know Christ's glory from the start to achieve salvation. But not all Christians believe this-- many believe that God is merciful towards His creation, regardless of how they choose to worship... and why would He only welcome certain people?
 
Christ's deat covered all mens sins, past and present.
The knowledge that a messiah would come predates Jesus birth by 4000 years. They may not have known all the specifics, like his name, but the idea was well known among Jews and other early people who served god.
 
yes lol islam is indeed the right religon if u dnt kno tht well chances are u will suffer punishment in hell in the hereafter ull wish ur never brought 2 this world jews are the first ones to go 2 hell second is christians and the list goes on trust me convert 2 islam or thy shall suffer therein tormant
 
old testament saints weren't saved in the same sense as todays Christians. their sacrifice only postponed their sins until Christ came. then all sin was nailed to the cross, past present and future.
 
I don't know for sure. You need salvation from God to be a Christian, but we can only receive that salvation now because Jesus died on the cross. Before that there had not been a sacrifice made so that people could receive salvation. But the Bible does mention a lot about sacrificing animals before Jesus came, so I think that probably acted as the sacrifice people made for their sins before Jesus came.
 
There's two answers to this; pick the one you like most. First is that our religion is based on the idea that Jesus died, was buried and returned alive after death and it's generally thought that during the three days of death Jesus' spirit was in Sheol or hell or whatever and gave the people there from the past the option to become his followers.

The second is God is a just and loving God, who knows the hearts of all men. He did the right thing with the souls of the people previous to Christs sacrifice.
 
Were the people born before Christ damned from the start? no

Christians, you believe you need to know Christ's glory in order to be saved, right?
for those who die after jesus death and resurrection from the dead yes

(thus the name CHRIST-ians) I mean it's not just believing in 'the right' God or being a good person, you truly need to 'know Christ' in order to go to heaven, right?
according to god yes

So were all the people who were born and died before Christ's time damned because they never could know Jesus? no


Did they get a free 'pass' to heaven or something? no

is this just another massive loophole in religious history (like fossils, whales having finger bones, and carbon dating) please explain...

no not a loophole

Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

they are judged by their heart intent toward god

Rom 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
Rom 2:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
Rom 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
 
No.
Because the forgiveness of sin came by the spilling of blood of a pure and spotless lamb as an offering to God because the penalty of sin is death. That's why the law required sacrifices. Up until the time Jesus died on the cross, sacrifical lambs were a temporary covering for one's sins. Also up until the time of Jesus, no one went to Heaven. All went to a place called Abraham's Bosom. When Jesus died on the cross He became the permanent and final sacrifice for our sins so we don't have to go and sacrifice lambs anymore. And now Heaven is open.
 
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