Everyone believed in those days. I don't think there was a single account of an atheist. The righteous of the OT were chosen by God to do specific tasks, just as our Lord Jesus Christ chose His apostles, including +Paul.
According to +Paul, no one can be righteous because all have sinned (through Adam). We are made righteous by baptism, yet as far as I know the OT righteous were not baptized. In fact, Christ specifically went to pull the rigtheous out of hell -- but one can ask if they were rigtheous, why were they in hell to begin with? And why were Adam and Eve among the righteous?
Yet, clearly, Job is not portrayed as someone who was anything but perfect in God's eyes.
EVERYONE believed in those days??? In what? Was one either an atheist or a believer?. I must not know what you mean. Did God go around in the OT and slay true believers? Was Judas a believer?
Christ specifically went to pull the rigtheous out of hell -- but one can ask if they were rigtheous, why were they in hell to begin with? And why were Adam and Eve among the righteous?
Those are good questions. I have to admit that before this thread I really knew nothing about this whole idea of Christ going down into hell. Is there a difference between hell and purgatory? My vague understanding of purgatory is that it is not as bad as the classical "hell", and is where most saved people go for "refinement" before they are worthy of going to heaven. If they are different places, then I don't understand why icons of the faith like Peter and John the Baptist would go there instead of purgatory, or really, why not straight into heaven?
Yet, clearly, Job is not portrayed as someone who was anything but perfect in God's eyes.
Well, when you put it that way, I think everyone can agree. :)