#1 What happened to the people who died before Christ died for the world's sins?

They were either saved or condemned. Look at Noah (Gen. 6-9)

How were they saved before Christ?

Genesis 3:15 look forward to God's promise

Genesis 15:6 faith credited as righteousness

Jonah 3 Ninevites believed God

Galatians 3  NOT by the Law 

Ephesians 2:8-10 NOT by doing "good works" 

Romans 3 Justified by God a righteousnesss from Him through faith/left the sins committed before Christ unpunished until Christ

Romans 4 by faith 

Romans 9 by God's mercy/choice 

Hebrew 4 heard the gospel, like us

Hebrews 9:15 Christ died for their sins (and ours)

Hebrews 11:1,6 By Faith

What if they weren't saved?

Numbers Destroyed in the desert for unbelief

Luke 16:19-31 hell

I Peter 3 Sent to prison (hell)

Revelation 20 Judged and sent to hell 

Answer

Basically people who died before Christ died on the Cross for the world's sins either went to be with God or to be judged by God--destined for Heaven or for Hell. However, it is not about what they did. It is about what God did. God is Love and He is full of mercy, so some God chose to save, just like He chooses to save us. He worked in us and them to impell them to faith. If someone believed in God, that person would be declared righteous by God--God would look and see their faith and say because of what Christ is going to do, I say they are righteous. Instead of believing in what Christ did, like we do to be saved, they believed in what God promised to do. They believe looking forward, we believe looking backward. They were saved by believing God in what He had already said He would do. In fact, Christ's death was so powerful that it covered even all the sins of the people before Christ. The same righteousness of Christ that God imputes to us is the same righteousness that God credited to the people before Christ's death. People who believed in God then obeyed God because of their faith, just the way we believe in God and show it by obeying Him.  They were not saved by obeying; they just showed they were saved through faith in God and His Promises by obeying. They willl be in Heaven with us. For those who did not believe in God and His promises before Christ died for the world's sin, they went to hell. When Christ comes back, the ones who did not believe in God and His Promises will be judged and sent to the lake of fire forever. 

If you have any questsions on my answer or have heard a different answer, just leave it as a comment. Thanks. 

Grace and Peace

Pastor Anthony