[MaxPowerPoker]

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1. Before Jesus, were all people sent to Heaven?

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No.

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Or were they all sent to Hell?

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No.

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If they were all sent to Heaven, then why would God send Jesus down? Why create this opportunity for people to go to Hell? Also, if they were all sent to Heaven, then who if not humans were in Hell before Jesus?

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Justification is where God declares that the righteous requirements of the law are satisfied for sinners on the basis of the righteousness of Jesus Christ. All who believe in Jesus have their sins imputed to Christ (they are crucified with him) and his righteousness is imputed to the believer. Our faith is counted as righteousness. Those in the Old Testament who beleive the promises of God had their faith counted as righteousness as well (Hebrews 11).

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2. I was always told by my Christian friends that those who did not have an opportunity to find out about Christianity and therefore can't accept Jesus (such as indigenous peoples in remote areas) are given the benefit of the doubt and get to go to heaven.

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This is simply not true. Romans 1 details the guilt of all of creation:

(Rom 1:18) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

(Rom 1:19) For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.

(Rom 1:20) For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Creation reveals certain things about God (his eternal power and divine nature) so that we are all without excuse. So when someone who has not heard the gospel dies and goes to hell, they are going to hell because they are guilty. Also in Romans 10 it says this:

(Rom 10:13) For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

(Rom 10:14) But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?

(Rom 10:15) And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"

While creation reveals truths about God that leave us without excuse, the gospel alone is the power of God for salvation to all who believe.