Our sins are forgiven 2
Sorry OMYA,
I forgot to add in my previous post, we might keep sinning because of the sin nature in us.. but now we choose to not sin. Our reason for our actions in thought, speech and behaviour has changed. As believers we no longer act to please ourselves but to please our Lord.. becoming a christian involves an inward change. Knowing my sins are forgiven doesn't give me the right to keep on sinning.. on the contrary.. now that I have a personal relationship with God and know how much the sins in my life cost him.. I choose to live and make choices to bring pleasure to him. The bible now.. be it Old or New Testament now helps me live a life that is pleasing to God.. my sins are forgiven, I have strength to cope with temptation and daily I still need to totally depend on him.
That is what being a Christian is all about.. it's not something I achieve.. it's something He does, and my life is now lived in total dependence on Him.
oh.. and in answer to your question about the OT believers.. no they didn't go to Hell. According to Hebrews 11 their faith saved them, just like mine saves me. Yet just as it's all God's doing for me, so it was for them. I look back on the cross, they looked forward to the cross. The Bible is very specific that their perfection and ours would be the same.. only in the cross. (Hebrews 10.. entire chapter.. and Hebrews 11 entire chapter)