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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Heaven before Jesus	Jennifer	Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Question: This question may be silly. But here is goes if Jesus died on the cross for our sins and was resurrected and assended to heaven and by following his teaching we have the opportunity to also go to heaven. What then happened to those who lived before Jesus. If they were good people did they go to heaven. Was it the same as the heaven as post Jesus. If so why was it necessary for Jesus to die on the cross. If there was no heaven then what happened to those peoples souls. Just wondering
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Jennifer: The righteous of the Old Testament look forward to the coming of the Messiah. Thus, they awaited Jesus from what is called Abraham's Bosom. This is also sometimes called the Limbo of the Righteous. As taught by the Scriptures and the Church, Jesus, between his death and resurrection, descended into Abraham's Bosom and lead the Old Testament saints to heaven. Yes, heaven is heaven, it is the same. It was necessary for Jesus to die on the cross because sin must be punished. Jesus took that sin upon himself and took our punishment for us so we could have eternal life. This act of Jesus on the Cross applies to everyone whom God saves. For us, we look back to the Cross. It is the one Cross and Resurrection of Christ that saves regardless of whether they lived on this earth 10,000 years ago, or 10,000 years from now. The merits of the Cross are retroactive. As for the existence of heaven, if there is no heaven or hell then God is a liar since His Word clearly teaches the existence of both. Since it is not possible for God to lie, there is a heaven and hell because He says so. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Heaven before Jesus

Jennifer

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Question:

This question may be silly. But here is goes if Jesus died on the cross for our sins and was resurrected and assended to heaven and by following his teaching we have the opportunity to also go to heaven. What then happened to those who lived before Jesus. If they were good people did they go to heaven. Was it the same as the heaven as post Jesus. If so why was it necessary for Jesus to die on the cross. If there was no heaven then what happened to those peoples souls.

Just wondering

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Jennifer:

The righteous of the Old Testament look forward to the coming of the Messiah. Thus, they awaited Jesus from what is called Abraham's Bosom. This is also sometimes called the Limbo of the Righteous.

As taught by the Scriptures and the Church, Jesus, between his death and resurrection, descended into Abraham's Bosom and lead the Old Testament saints to heaven. Yes, heaven is heaven, it is the same.

It was necessary for Jesus to die on the cross because sin must be punished. Jesus took that sin upon himself and took our punishment for us so we could have eternal life.

This act of Jesus on the Cross applies to everyone whom God saves. For us, we look back to the Cross. It is the one Cross and Resurrection of Christ that saves regardless of whether they lived on this earth 10,000 years ago, or 10,000 years from now. The merits of the Cross are retroactive.

As for the existence of heaven, if there is no heaven or hell then God is a liar since His Word clearly teaches the existence of both. Since it is not possible for God to lie, there is a heaven and hell because He says so.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum