Salvation for those who died before the time of Christ is the topic, today. A “Yahoo! Answers” fighter using the ID “Keller” (Level 1 with 105 points, a member since June 22, 2014) posted the following:
Christians: What happened to those who died before the time of Christ?
Since Christianity technically wouldn't have existed or been heard of anywhere, how was it expected for people to lead a Christian lifestyle thus granting them a place in Heaven?
Were they accepted into Heaven by deafault? If this were the case, then they could commit any kind of evil during their time on Earth and get away with it, which doesn't sound fair to me.
Hell (man's common grave) wouldn't have existed either since it was first mentioned in Genesis 3:19 which is after the creation of humanity.
This leaves two options: Either everyone went to Heaven no matter what crimes they committed or they simply ceased to exist when they died - there was no afterlife. Neither of those two scenarios seem 'perfectly moral' as God is supposed to be, to me.
Which is right, or is there a third explanation?
THE GOLDEN ARROW: And the LORD God said unto the woman, what is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. (Genesis 3: 13-16, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: Expulsion from Eden (05/05/2014); Blasphemy Against the GODhead (05/06/2014); Covenants and Relationships (01/29/2014); Salvation is Conditional? (01/30/2014); Those Who Never Heard? (06/07/2013); If You Are Sent… ? (06/08/2013); How Was GOD Known Before Jesus? (10/06/2012); Jesus, King of Earth? (10/07/2012)
“Keller”, here are a few points you should find helpful:
(1.) For those who are a part of the kingdom of GOD in Christ, the sacred precepts, principles, and divine processes for Christian belief all appear within the chapters of Genesis. However, their divine nature and operation can not be understood immediately by those who lack spiritual discernment (i.e., the ability to use ones own spirit content from GOD to recognize and respond to spirit matter in such life experience as events, messages, motives, objects, other persons, purposes, and utterance). Where one relies only upon finite human notions such as intellect, logic, mathematics, philosophy, reason, and science, they are repeatedly overwhelmed by such elements as diversity, subtlety (i.e., barely visible differences; hidden shifts in meaning and value), and suspensions of temporal order (we say, past, present, future).
(2.) Salvation from GOD first appears in the holy writings with the accounts of Creation and judgment that feature Adam as a single created being existing in two forms (male and female). Their transgression of divine law (the expressed will of GOD), along with violation of a relationship with divinity that could only continue through intimacy and trust, threatened divine order for heaven, the earth, and the entire universe.
(3.) Christ was first proclaimed and promised through a statement from GOD to a different living creature, the serpent (we say, the devil, the Adversary, the Fallen Angel). The word of GOD spoken as an expression of divine wrath uttered in judgment, and in rebuke of sin, was overheard and received by Adam as promise, prophecy, and a sure word of divine intent. Sin had first been discovered among the holy angels who voiced opposition to the continued existence of divine law not realizing that that was also opposition to the continued existence of GOD, and all Creation. The serpent introduced Adam and the entire sphere of earth to the non-material, non-spirit influence we now call sin.
There is far more to be said, correctly understood, and spiritually apprehended. For example, (4.) Adam was granted a priesthood modeled after that in heaven that was to be an inheritance for the sons of GOD upon the earth. All mankind was to hold that GOD is providing for mankind’s release from sin, and that this includes that divinity eventually would appear incarnate (having the form of man, as an offspring of Adam), would endure suffering as a holy sacrifice, and would accomplish reconciliation between GOD and all the created beings and living creatures. Those who would be saved as the offspring of Adam would receive salvation by looking forward to the Advent (we say, coming) of the Holy One, and through sacred operations that centered in faith, hope (we say, expectation), and divine love seen in such spiritual elements as forbearance, forgiveness, humility, longsuffering, wisdom, and wrath against sin.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
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