How are people in the Old Testament even [music] saved? Like, if Jesus didn’t come yet, how can they have salvation? [music] And they didn’t even know his name. Stay tuned for this five good minutes.
Now, that is a [music] great question because sometimes people have this idea that people in the Old Testament are [music] saved differently than people in the New Testament. But the Bible does not teach two different ways of salvation. There is only ever been one way the sinners [music] are saved in the Old Testament or the New Testament, and that is through faith by God’s grace because of the finished [music] work of Jesus Christ. Old Testament believers were not saved by keeping the law. They [music] were not saved by doing more or making God happy by their performance. And neither are we. So, how were they saved? Well, they were saved by [music] having faith in the promises of God. Think of Abraham in Genesis [music] 15:6. Abraham heard God’s promises. God made a covenant with him. But then Abraham [music] believed God. And what did the scripture say? Well, in Genesis 15:6, it [music] says, “And it was added to him as righteousness.” The same way we see Paul make [music] the same argument about uh Abraham in Romans chapter 4. Abraham believed God and it was counted [music] to him as righteousness. So, how did Abraham become righteous? He became righteous by faith. By believing in [music] the promises of God. Another important passage to consider when answering these questions is Romans chapter 3 and verse 21. The apostle Paul makes [music] this argument in verses that we know very well. But he puts it so beautifully. He [music] says, “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the law and the prophets [music] bear witness to it. The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. [music] For there is no distinction. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace [music] as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Now listen. Whom God put forward as [music] a propitiation by his blood to be received by faith. That was to show God’s righteousness [music] because in his divine forbearance, he had passed over former sins. [music] It was to show the righteousness at the present time so that he might be the just and the justifier of the one who [music] has faith in Jesus. So God looked over former sins. [music] What does Paul mean by that? Did God make excuses for former sins? No. But he knew that Christ was coming to make atonement for all the sins [music] that his people made in the Old Testament. And even though Jesus had not died yet, God knowing his [music] promises put Jesus forward as that propitiation, that satisfaction that even though Christ had not died yet, all those Old Testament saints, if they believed, could be [music] saved through him. And now you may say today, Dan, what about [music] the Jews today? Are they still saved by having faith in the promises of God? I mean, they [music] reject Jesus Christ. If they reject Jesus Christ, then no, they are not saved [music] in the same way as those Old Testament saints were. Why? Because Jesus Christ has already come. And [music] that is the key point. That is the difference. You see, when Jesus came, the times [music] of ignorance that God calls were over. It was no longer a mystery. When Christ [music] came, it was revealed and proclaimed as gospel to the world. So no, the Jews today are [music] not saved by looking forward to the promise of a coming Messiah because that Messiah has already come and [music] his name is Jesus Christ. Acts 17:30 says this, “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands [music] all people everywhere to repent because he has fixed a day on which [music] he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed. And of this he has given assurance by raising him from the dead.” One simple way to say it [music] is this. The Old Testament saints were saved on credit, but we [music] are saved on debit. But in both cases, it is all the grace of God as fulfilled [music] by the finished work of Jesus Christ. This has been another five good minutes.