Bible Question:

In Romans five:thirteen, Paul says that until the Law, sin was in the globe; only sin is not imputed when there is no police force. Does this mean all who sinned before the Constabulary was given were not held accountable in regards to their sins? Before the Police, were people responsible for their sin? They all died due to Adam'south sin, but where did they get when they died--- sky or hell?

Bible Respond:

The meaning of Romans 5:xiii can exist confusing. It would appear the verse is teaching that earlier the police force people were not accountable for their sins, just is that true? The keyword in the verse is "imputed." Romans 5:thirteen says,

For until the Law sin was in the world, merely sin is not imputed when in that location is no constabulary. Romans five:13 (NASB)

So, did people go to heaven or hell subsequently expiry before God gave Moses the police force? Therefore, the question we desire to respond is, "Earlier the Law, were people answerable for sin?"

Before the Law Were People Accountable For Sin?

Sin Existed Before The Police

In lodge to respond the question, we must read the context. The context is the verses that come up before and subsequently Romans v:13. Verse 12 helps us to understand poetry thirteen. Romans five:12 is an important verse since information technology explains that sin entered the globe through 1 man, and consequently, every person sinned when this one homo sinned.  Verse 12 says,

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the globe, and decease through sin, and then death spread to all men, because all sinned . . . Romans v:12 (NASB)

In the verse that follows poetry 13, we are told the "ane human" is Adam. Verse 14 says,

Nevertheless decease reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the crime of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. Romans 5:fourteen (NASB)

Verse 14 helps us empathize the "one man" in poetry 12 is Adam. The sin he committed was eating of the tree of the cognition of good and evil. God had warned Adam that if he ate of that tree, he would die (Genesis 2:17). When Adam ate of the tree he died, both spiritually and eventually, he died physically.

The message of verse 12 is that when Adam sinned, he acquired the human race to get a race of sinners. Our sins demonstrate that nosotros practice sin (Romans iii:10), resulting in death. We sin considering we are sinners. Adam'due south sin is the reason for the hurting and suffering in this life. And so, every descendant inherited this nature to sin (Genesis 5:three; Romans v:xviii) because all humanity sinned in his loins when Adam sinned. (Meet this principle in Hebrews 7:7-10). For Romans 5:19 states,

For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners . . . Romans v:19 (NASB)

Genesis 4:7 illustrates homo's slavery to sin. This status exists within the states at formulation. Psalm 51:v says that by nature every newborn baby will have a desire to sin. Every baby is born a sinner and will sin! This occurs because Adam was the commencement human and represented humanity. So, sin entered the world considering of Adam.

Meaning of Imputed

In verse 13, Paul adds that sin existed in the earth before the Law came into existence. That is true considering sin began with Adam. So nosotros are told that sin is not imputed when there is no law. The word "imputed" in Romans five:13  is a most confusing word.  The Greek give-and-take that is translated as imputed means "to lay to account." In an ancient writing, this discussion was used in the argument, "hostage money to exist reckoned in the toll." Imputed is translated here every bit "reckoned." That is, imputed refers to monies counted in the cost in this analogy.[i] That is, sin was not counted confronting the people who lived from Adam to Moses, earlier the Law. Why? Considering they had non been given the Law, a list of sins or laws to obey. After the Police force, they finally had names for specific sins to avoid. For example, in Romans 7:vii, Paul illustrates his bespeak. He says,

. . . I would not take come to know sin except through the Police; for I would not have known about appetent if the Police force had not said, "Yous SHALL Not COVET." Romans vii:7 (NASB)

Romans v:xiii is non teaching that the people from Adam to Moses were not responsible for their sins. We must recall that Romans ii:fourteen-16 tells us that God'due south moral standard is written in our conscience. Our thoughts convict or defend our beliefs. Information technology also says that on the day of judgment, God will judge people according to their clandestine thoughts. That seems to imply that God will condemn people based on their conscience alert them to not commit sin. Thus, when they ignore their conscience and sin anyway, that will exist used to demonstrate they deserve hell.

The message is that people did not know they committed sin considering God did non given them an explicit list of sins to avert. John MacArthur states,

In other words, how tin can you be guilty for breaking a rule if there'due south no rule? Right? And then if yous have a period of fourth dimension from Adam to Moses where in that location's no law and death reigns and they're not dying because they broke a police force, so what is information technology nearly them that's causing them to die? Information technology isn't an human activity of sin they commit, it is what? The sin nature.[2]

People Sinned Between Adam and Moses

When people between Adam and Moses sinned, they still died and were punished. For instance, Genesis 4:7 tells us that God warned Cain to not sin. Genesis 4:9-16 reveals that because he sinned, he was punished. Genesis eighteen:20 says that the sin of the people in Sodom and Gomorrah was exceedingly grave. Then Genesis 19:23-29 teaches us that they were punished. Genesis 20:nine-11 records that Abraham sinned and was rebuked. Sin is recorded five more times in Genesis (Genesis 20:9; 31:36; 39:9; 42:22; 50:17).

The message of the volume of Genesis and Romans 5:12-14 is that people did sin and die. Why did they sin? Because Adam sinned, and consequently, all of his descendants became sinners, and sinners sin, incurring the punishment of death. Therefore, poesy fourteen says that decease reigned from Adam until Moses, even though they did not violate an explicit command such as the 1 given to Adam to not consume (Genesis two:17), and the Laws given to Moses.

Before the Police Did People Go To Hell or Heaven?

Now nosotros take two questions to answer. First, what is the answer to the question, "Before the Law were people accountable for sin?"  The answer is, "Yes!" Here are four examples.

First, Romans 2:14-xvi reveals that God's constabulary, His moral law, is written in our consciences. It convicts or defends our beliefs. God volition apply those occasions when the conscience is violated to condemn the unbeliever on judgment solar day. They ignored their consciences that urged them to not sin.

2d, Scripture clearly teaches that some people from Adam to Moses went to heaven and others were sent to eternal condemnation. For instance, Genesis 5:24 teaches that Enoch was a righteous homo. Therefore, "God took him." Hebrews 11:5-6 echoes the aforementioned truth. That occurred between the lifetimes of Adam and Moses.

Third, in Genesis 6:5-7, God told Noah that He would destroy the people of the globe with a overflowing. Then ii Peter two:4-5 reveals that the ancient world was judged. The potent implication is that they were sent to hell.

4th, in Genesis 19 we are taught that God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. Jude seven and ii Peter 2:6 reveal that Sodom and Gomorrah had indulged in gross sin. Equally a result, the people suffered the punishment of eternal fire. That would be the lake of fire, or hell.

Decision:

Therefore, what is the answer to "Before the Police did people get to hell or heaven? The answer is some people went to hell and some to heaven. God will employ their moral sense of correct and wrong that existed in their consciences on judgment solar day to sentence them to the constabulary of fire. That reveals that fifty-fifty those who take not known about the Bible or Jesus Christ can be sentenced to an eternal condemnation if they refuse to seek God and never respond correctly to their conscience. Just if they truly seek God, God will reveal Himself to them, simply as He did to the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts eight:25-xl. For God has promised in Jeremiah 29:12-14,

Then y'all volition phone call upon me and come up and pray to me, and I will hear y'all. You will seek me and detect me, when you seek me with all your center. I volition be found past yous, declares the LORD . . . Jeremiah 29:12-14 (NASB)

Fifty-fifty if you do not know the Bible, you can be rescued from hell. Visit Searching For God.

References:

1) James Promise Moulton and George Milligan, in The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1930), 204.
2. John MacArthur. Adam and the Reign of Expiry. GTY. Oct 31, 1982. (www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/45-43/adam-and-the-reign-of-death)

Suggested Links:

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