Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

What happened to dead humans BEFORE Christianity was invented?

Options
  • 18-01-2009 1:48am
    #1
    no.1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29 ✭


    Where did humans go when they died before Christianity came to be? So Christianity is about 2000 years old give or take. And every human that ever lived before Jesus was born.... what happened to them? Did they go to god's heaven as well even though they didn't have a clue about him?


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    biko
    Registered Users Posts: 81,223 ✭✭✭✭biko


    Limbo?


  • Options
    #3
    oeb
    Registered Users Posts: 2,793 ✭✭✭oeb


    biko wrote: »
    Limbo?

    I thought the pope abolished limbo? :confused:


  • Options
    #4
    Húrin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,045 ✭✭✭Húrin


    They're all burning in hell and will burn for ever and ever.


  • Options
    #5
    chozometroid
    Registered Users Posts: 626 ✭✭✭chozometroid


    Depends on what Christian you ask as far as heaven goes.

    I do not believe anyone that has died is currently in heaven. We are all awaiting resurrection day.
    All that died before Christ are awaiting judgement like all who died after Christ. They will all be judged accordingly.


  • Options
    #6
    PDN
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,686 ✭✭✭✭PDN


    Our first service starts at 9.30am so I've not got time to go into this in great detail with Scripture references etc. So here is the potted version.

    As far as I understand the Old Testament they went to Sheol (Hebrew) also known as Hades (Greek). This had two sections: lower Hades (not nice) and upper Hades, also known as Paradise or Abraham's Bosom (nice).

    Those in the upper section were there by faith, trusting in God's Promises to send a Messiah as typified in the OT law and the sacrifices.

    When Jesus died and rose from the dead He took those in Paradise to be with God the Father (what we usually call heaven) where they are waiting for the future resurrection from the dead. All who die in faith in Christ now go straight to be with God.

    The wicked still go to lower Hades.

    At the end, when Jesus returns, several events will take place:
    1. The resurrection will take place & our souls & spirits will be reunited with our bodies.
    2. Those in heaven will return to earth with Christ. Then we will live with God in a new heaven on earth.
    3. Satan and his angels will be turfed into the Lake of Fire (hell) as will all the wicked people in lower Hades.

    This is my personal view and, while I believe it be the one that best fits with the various scriptures on this subject, I don't pretend to speak for all Christians and some will see things differently.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    UU
    Closed Accounts Posts: 879 ✭✭✭UU


    Ok that's interesting but I know this might be annoying but before Christianity existed, the former ones were Jewish but Judaism has always been a very small religion and was only really situated in Palestine. So what about the others like in different countries who were never subjected to Judaism? As Jews don't convert, how would they even be aware of Judaism? Also what about before Judaism even existed? Like when people were various forms of pagan and other did they all go to lower Hades?

    The difference between Christianity and Islam is that Muslims believe Islam was always there because Islam is not a new religion but the resurrection of the original faith of Abraham.

    Also, do Muslims all go to lower Hades on judgement day? I mean they believe in the god of Abraham as Christians do.

    I'm sorry if I'm being a pest asking such difficult question just I'm really curious.


  • Options
    #8
    PDN
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,686 ✭✭✭✭PDN


    UU wrote: »
    Ok that's interesting but I know this might be annoying but before Christianity existed, the former ones were Jewish but Judaism has always been a very small religion and was only really situated in Palestine. So what about the others like in different countries who were never subjected to Judaism? As Jews don't convert, how would they even be aware of Judaism?
    Quite simply, I don't know. The Bible tells us what happens to those who respond to the Gospel, and it tells us about those who reject the Gospel, but it doesn't give us much information on those who never heard the Gospel. We can trust God to judge righteously, but anything else IMHO is speculation.
    Also what about before Judaism even existed? Like when people were various forms of pagan and other did they all go to lower Hades?
    Before Judaism you had people like Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham etc who still trusted in God's promise of a coming Redeemer. So salvation was still by faith.
    The difference between Christianity and Islam is that Muslims believe Islam was always there because Islam is not a new religion but the resurrection of the original faith of Abraham.
    One of many differences, I would say.
    Also, do Muslims all go to lower Hades on judgement day? I mean they believe in the god of Abraham as Christians do
    Muslims, as with Jews, nominal Christians, Hindus etc will be judged by how they responded to the Gospel message. If they rejected the Gospel of Christ in order to remain in Islam then I believe they go to lower Hades upon their death, and then into hell on Judgement Day.
    I'm sorry if I'm being a pest asking such difficult question just I'm really curious.
    Not at all, genuine questions and discussion are always welcome on this forum.


  • Options
    #9
    Fanny Cradock
    Registered Users Posts: 10,245 ✭✭✭✭Fanny Cradock


    PDN wrote: »
    Not at all, genuine questions and discussion are always welcome on this forum.


    Very much so!


  • Options
    #10
    UU
    Closed Accounts Posts: 879 ✭✭✭UU


    Oh ok thanks PDN for that. I suppose to the Christian that they can only really suppose many things which are unclear and if there is a god then he'd be the judge ultimately, right?

    Oh actually about Hindus some actually were exposed to Christian teachings and the whole idea of Jesus being in India during his middle years. Well anyway I heard that some actually believe that he was a god too. Because Hindus don't believe in many gods like paganism for example as you'd be lead to believe but actually in one God Brahma but Brahma has many incarnations like Vishnu and Shiva and some Hindus believe Jesus was one of these many incarnations. Interesting, huh?

    Can I just ask also about repentance. Say somebody wasn't Christian for whatever reason - they were raised in a different religion, were never exposed to it or rejected it or whatever. Well say they lived a good life and were moral and like a good person. But they weren't Christian, and repented when they died their lack of Christian faith, would God be merciful to them? I suppose I'm asking the impossible because it's probably really hard to know but just wondering like what would your view be on it? I don't believe but I find it interesting to at least know about Christianity even though I know believe in it.


  • Options
    #11
    Fanny Cradock
    Registered Users Posts: 10,245 ✭✭✭✭Fanny Cradock


    UU wrote: »
    Oh ok thanks PDN for that. I suppose to the Christian that they can only really suppose many things which are unclear and if there is a god then he'd be the judge ultimately, right?

    Oh actually about Hindus some actually were exposed to Christian teachings and the whole idea of Jesus being in India during his middle years. Well anyway I heard that some actually believe that he was a god too. Because Hindus don't believe in many gods like paganism for example as you'd be lead to believe but actually in one God Brahma but Brahma has many incarnations like Vishnu and Shiva and some Hindus believe Jesus was one of these many incarnations. Interesting, huh?

    Can I just ask also about repentance. Say somebody wasn't Christian for whatever reason - they were raised in a different religion, were never exposed to it or rejected it or whatever. Well say they lived a good life and were moral and like a good person. But they weren't Christian, and repented when they died their lack of Christian faith, would God be merciful to them? I suppose I'm asking the impossible because it's probably really hard to know but just wondering like what would your view be on it? I don't believe but I find it interesting to at least know about Christianity even though I know believe in it.

    Sorry, are you asking what happens if they died without repenting? I'm assuming that you are for my post.

    Firstly, it is beyond us to know what a person truly thinks and feels. One can't pick out an individual and say that he is definitely saved or definitely not. No Christian is qualified to make such a judgement and none should.

    Secondly, though you will encounter different opinions on the matter, I believe that salvation is more complex then the the prevalence of the Christian message in the area of your birth. Salvation is an act of grace - and by grace I mean an 'undeserved kindness'. It doesn't' make sense that God would go to all the trouble of offering each one of us this undeserved kindness through Jesus for it to be undone by a simple matter of geographical location. I don't pretend to know how God decides the details, but there is no better or more just Being then Himself to ponder these things.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #12
    UU
    Closed Accounts Posts: 879 ✭✭✭UU


    Fanny Cradock wrote: »
    Sorry, are you asking what happens if they died without repenting? I'm assuming that you are for my post.

    Firstly, it is beyond us to know what a person truly thinks and feels. One can't pick out an individual and say that he is definitely saved or definitely not. No Christian is qualified to make such a judgement and none should.

    Secondly, though you will encounter different opinions on the matter, I believe that salvation is more complex then the the prevalence of the Christian message in the area of your birth. Salvation is an act of grace - and by grace I mean an 'undeserved kindness'. It doesn't' make sense that God would go to all the trouble of offering each one of us this undeserved kindness through Jesus for it to be undone by a simple matter of geographical location. I don't pretend to know how God decides the details, but there is no better or more just Being then Himself to ponder these things.
    No I'm asking say if somebody who wasn't Christian dies and say finds out that they really should have been Christian and they repent because they never had that faith when they lived, like would God then be merciful to them or would he reject them? Like I;m just wondering what Christians teach on the matter. Like say example, a Muslim from Saudi Arabia who was brought up Muslim since birth and was faithful and a nice person and helped other like was moral and they died and say Christianity was the right religion and they accepted that and repented for not being Christian would they be saved or damned? I'm probably asking too difficult questions for you though cos you wouldn't know the will of god it would be hrd to determine whether somebody is saved or not, right?


  • Options
    #13
    Húrin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,045 ✭✭✭Húrin


    UU wrote: »
    No I'm asking say if somebody who wasn't Christian dies and say finds out that they really should have been Christian and they repent because they never had that faith when they lived, like would God then be merciful to them or would he reject them? Like I;m just wondering what Christians teach on the matter. Like say example, a Muslim from Saudi Arabia who was brought up Muslim since birth and was faithful and a nice person and helped other like was moral and they died and say Christianity was the right religion and they accepted that and repented for not being Christian would they be saved or damned? I'm probably asking too difficult questions for you though cos you wouldn't know the will of god it would be hrd to determine whether somebody is saved or not, right?

    we are saved by grace, not our own works.


Advertisement