This ought to be an important question to us Christians to investigate, since the so-called new testament has two different answers to that question.

Peter, who is the only one to whom Jesus gave “the keys of the kingdom of Heaven” (Matth.16:19) – gives us this, quite unknown fact, concerning that point of time: “You know that it was no perishable stuff … that bought you freedom from the empty life you inherited from the fathers. The price was paid in precious blood, as it were of a lamb without mark or blemish – the blood of Christ. PREDESTINED BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, he was made manifest in this last period of time for your sake.” 1.Pet.1:18-20.

God, who knows both the past and the future, knew from the beginning that Jesus would be victorious when he offered his life. HE ALSO KNEW BEFORE THE CREATION OF THE HUMAN BEINGS, THAT THEY WERE TO FALL IN SIN. And because of that, the Father and the Son – before “the foundation of the world” – had to make a covenant through which Jesus made it clear that he was willing to die for mankind, to make them survive after the fall of man. Everything had to be arranged in advance. “The covenant in the blood of Jesus”, had to be made before Adam and Eve fell into sin, as Peter says it: “He was predestined to do it.”

But this is not what Christianity teaches us. Matthew does not describe the covenant in the blood of Jesus, as a NEW COVENANT, but only as «the blood of the covenant”. But the Letter of the Hebrews – on a far later point of time, introduces the interpretation that claims that Jesus, WHEN HE DIED made the NEW COVENANT, described in Jer.31:31-34, with mankind. BUT IF THAT HAD BEEN TRUE, NOBODY WHO LIVED BEFORE THE DEATH OF JESUS, COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED.

THE NEW COVENANT is besides a quite different covenant, from “the covenant in the blood of Jesus, shed for many for the forgiveness of sins” – which the Father and the Son made in advance, “before the foundation of the world”.

When the new covenant is made, God will “set his law within them and write it on their hearts”, Jer.31:33. Because of this, they do not sin anymore. “No longer need they teach one another to know the Lord ; ALL OF THEM … SHALL KNOW ME, says the Lord.” Verse 34.

The people with whom God makes this new and eternal covenant, have been through the Lord´s judgment , and are pronounced to be saved: “I will forgive their wrongdoing and REMEMBER THEIR SIN NO MORE.» Verse 34.

At that time following prophecy is also being fulfilled: “The nations raged, but thy day of retribution has come. Now is the time for the dead to be judged ; now is the time for recompense to thy servants … and the time to destroy those who destroy the earth.” Rev.11:18.

It is about time for us now, to call this dangerous wrong interpretation to an account. This is the greatest reason for Jesus – on the judgment day – to say to lots of Christians: «I never knew you ; out of my sight you who did against the Law !» Matth.7:23.