Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Did Everyone Before Jesus Go To Hell?


The short answer is, no. In fact, people before Jesus’ time were also saved by Jesus, just in a different way. Modern-day Christians are saved from their sin by confessing Jesus Christ as Lord, God, Savior, and King. He is the Messiah who came to rescue mankind. He is God put into human form and offered as a sacrifice for the sins of humanity to present them holy and blameless before God. Today, a person is saved by looking backwards to the cross and putting their faith in Jesus Christ.

How did this happen before people had ever heard the name of Jesus? What about all the people in the Old Testament? The people before Jesus’ time were saved by looking ahead to the coming Messiah and putting their hope in him, hundreds and thousands of years before Jesus came. The way this worked was by the sacrificing of animals. God had given clear instruction through Moses that the Israelites (God’s people) were to sacrifice bulls and goats, and they had to be pure, without any defect. In this way, the people’s sins were forgiven.

At this point, some may ask “Why did God make people do that? He seems bloodthirsty and violent, and that doesn’t sound like Jesus.” The Bible teaches that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Sin requires death. Because God is just and fair, when someone sins, death must occur. In fact, God shows mercy by giving the people a way where they themselves don’t have to die for their sins.

Also, we learn in Hebrews chapter 10 that these sacrifices served as a reminder of the people’s sin. When you have to slaughter an animal for something wrong you did, it makes you feel guilty; which is appropriate because you are. The continual sacrifice was a reminder to the people that they were sinful and needed God.

Lastly, the sacrificial system was foreshadowing the ultimate sacrifice Jesus would make. When people sacrificed animals on the altar in the Old Testament, they were hoping in a savior that was to come. By looking ahead and putting their faith in God, who would one day permanently forgive their sins with a once-for-all sacrifice, the people of the Old Testament were redeemed.