Pre-Christ Grace

[Mushin Ronsha]

First off, while I am an atheist, I am asking this question with all due respect towards Christians and I look forward to hearing some interesting responses. I am trying to provoke a thoughtful discussion, not a fight.

With that said...

I am reading a book on the concept of Grace and something occurred to me: If accepting Christ is the only way to get right with God, how did people that lived in BC times get into heaven? If Christ died for our sins, who brought them salvation? Or, did Christ's death retroactively clear their record?

Thoughts?

[National Intelligence Director Phoenix]

First off, while I am an atheist, I am asking this question with all due respect towards Christians and I look forward to hearing some interesting responses. I am trying to provoke a thoughtful discussion, not a fight.

With that said...

I am reading a book on the concept of Grace and something occurred to me: If accepting Christ is the only way to get right with God, how did people that lived in BC times get into heaven? If Christ died for our sins, who brought them salvation? Or, did Christ's death retroactively clear their record?

Thoughts?

Hi Mushin. Thanks for your question. I'd first like to say that people from all walks are welcome to ask questions here. How else will you learn except that you ask?

Mushin. The answer to your question is dealt with in Romans 4 as the start. We read in that that Abraham was justified by faith. Faith in what? Faith in the promises of God. At this, you can look to the Hebrews 11 people and see all the people that had faith. They had the promises of God and trusted that God would fill those promises.

Thus, I say that they were saved looking forward to the cross. We're saved looking backwards to the cross. As Christians, we have to realize that whatever our soteriology is, it has to entail both the believers before Christ and the believers after Christ.

We can look at all stripes of believers, but it just seems that trust in the promises of God was the prerequisite. Take the book of Jonah. We don't see a serious doctrinal statement Jonah gives, but we see that Nineveh repented based on the preaching of Jonah and the city was spared.

Also, there is some typology. The OT sacrifices could never remove sin. They were always pointing to the sacrifice of Christ. I would also say that they were a bitter reminder of how serious sin was. God didn't just sweep it under the rug. Someone died because of sin.

I would also say that this might be a good time to consider your own worldview as well. After all, if what we as Christians believe is true, then it is the best news of all that God loves mankind and has provided a way for them to enter into an eternal relationship with him. Considering we're in the holiday season, this is especially a time to reflect on this truth and ponder that maybe there really is something to celebrate.

Hope this helps!