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[Newbie]

Christ (and thus Christianity) has only been around for around 2000 years. Even if you are a YEC, that leaves room for 4000 years of time before then. If you believe in modern science. That number of time humans have existed is 2-7 million years. Did all those people who didn't accept Christ since he wasn't yet born go to hell?

I have seen the argument that they were judged based off merit, but if you believe that, then why don't they do that anymore? That is a superior judgment system.

[jimwalton]

The direct answer to your question is "no".

1. In the gospels, there is a story of Jesus being visited on what is called the Mt. of Transfiguration by Moses and Elijah, visitors from heaven. Right there we already know that the answer to your question is no.
2. Jesus told a story of a rich man and Lazarus (Lk. 16.19-31). When the rich man died he was in a place of torment. When Lazarus died, the story relates that he was carried to Abraham's side.
3. Daniel 12.2: "Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt."
4. Romans 5.13. The accountability factors change based on the information people had available to them so that judgment is fair.

Those are just a few, but it should be enough to authenticate that the answer is no.

> Why don't they base off merit anymore?

God does judge by merit, with the understanding that the foundational piece is what nature a person has. There are only two choices for nature: a person either has a sin nature, or the nature of Christ. One's eternal destiny is not based on works (merit) but what nature they have. People who love God and have aligned their lives with his are given the nature of Jesus, and they will spend eternity with God. People who do not love God and do not wish to align with him retain the sin nature they were born with and will spend eternity separated from God, as they wish to be. After that principal division, rewards and punishments will be according to merit. There are degrees of reward in heaven (not levels of heaven) and degrees of reward in hell (not levels of hell).

2 Corinthians 5.10: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”

Degrees of reward in heaven:

Lk. 19.11-19 – rewarded with different amounts
Mt. 16.27 – rewarded according to deeds

Degrees of punishment in hell:

Mt. 11.22-24 – “more tolerable”
Mt. 23.14 – “greater condemnation”
Rev. 20.13 – “each in proportion to his works”
Lk. 10.12 – “it will be more bearable for Sodom than for that town”
Lk. 12.47-48 – beaten with few blows or more blows

The rewards and punishments will fit the infraction. People will only be accountable for what they knew and were capable of (Rom. 5.13).