Prior Book | Prior Chapter | Prior Verse | Next Verse | Next Chapter | Next Book | Viewing NASB and Amplified 2015 | |
NASB | Romans 2:16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Romans 2:16 on that day when, as my gospel proclaims, God will judge the secrets [all the hidden thoughts and concealed sins] of men through Christ Jesus. [Eccl 12:14] |
Bible Question: I dont know much about the bible, maybe that's why im so confused! But here is my question, I know that Jesus died for our sins and that we need to accept him as our savior to enter Heaven. But what about all the people before His time, were they saved? And how where they if they still had their sins on their souls. I believe that i do need to accept him and i do, I just dont understand about before him and why did God decide to send him down to earth to die for our sins? Why was it necessary? What needed to change? Was all these souls going to hell and God wanted to do something about it? |
Bible Answer: Hi, carrieb23! As Hank stated there was never a “before Jesus” time: In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things came into being, not one thing came into being Except through him. (John 1:1-2) I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. (Revelation 22:13) And all drank from the spiritual rock which followed them, and that rock was Christ. (1 Corinthians 10:4) I have heard that question posed by many throughout the years. Empathizing with our fellow man is the beginning of consciousness (spiritual awareness): we are becoming Christ’s disciples (John 13:35). If I understand you correctly, you did not mean to say that Christ had a beginning; what you meant to say is “What about the people that died before Christ, the Word (Something which has existed since the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our own eyes, which we have watched and touched with our own hands, the Word of life--this is our theme. That life was made visible; we saw it and are giving our testimony, declaring to you the eternal life, which was present to the Father and has been revealed to us. 1 John 1:1-2) So what did happen to those people? Were they simply interred and forgotten by God? And if Christ came to die for our sins, why did he not come sooner so that all of humanity would have the same opportunity? What does Jesus have to say about God’s Salvation Plan?: Jesus said: I am the resurrection. Anyone who believes in me, even though that person dies, will live, end whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this? (John 11:25-16) In all truth I tell you, the hour is coming-- indeed it is already here-- when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and all who hear it will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself; and, because he is the Son of man, has granted him power to give judgement. Do not be surprised at this, for the hour is coming when the dead will leave their graves at the sound of his voice: those who did good will come forth to life; and those who did evil will come forth to judgement. (John 5:25-29) Jesus is the resurrection! In Him all will have life! Foreshadow what Jesus’ resurrection means is Matthew 27:50-53). This passage clearly talks about those who died before Jesus was put to death on the cross. Though their resurrection was bodily (of the flesh only) it was a presage to the spiritual resurrection (as was that of Lazarus: John 11:1-45). There is awareness among the disciples as to the resurrection: 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; 1 Corinthians 15:50-58; Romans 10:6-7; there are many more passages which I will let you search out and study. I’ll leave you with this final passage: Christ himself died once and for all for sins, the upright for the sake of the guilty, to lead us to God. In the body he was put to death, in the spirit he was raised to life, and , in the spirit, he went to preach to the spirits in prison. They refused to believe long ago, while God patiently waited to receive them, in Noah’s time when the ark was being built. In it only a few, that is eight souls, were saved through water. It is the baptism corresponding to this water which saves you now--not the washing off of physical dirt but the pledge of a good conscience given to God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has entered heaven and is at God’s right hand, with angels, ruling forces and powers subject to him. (1 Peter 3:18-22) You may still have questions understanding God’s ways: read chapter 18 of Ezekiel, chapters 7 and 8 of Hebrews, chapter 2 of 1 Peter and Isaiah 52:13 through 53:12. Carrieb, when you search the Bible do it in the manner presented in James 1:5-8. God Bless! |