How were people saved in the old testament?

This question is a difficult one which puzzles the minds of many brethren in the faith. There are a lot of controversies surrounding this topic about the old testament way of salvation. There are some who believe that the way of salvation in the new testament is the same way as the old testament. But is this asseveration true? Others also are of the view that the way of salvation was by a strict adherence to the laws of Moses. But is this assertion also true? The old testament way of salvation is clearly revealed in the Holy scriptures for our spiritual edification. Let us dive right into God's word to find out for ourselves what the bible really teaches concerning this all important question.

Were the old testament saints saved by the works of the law?

God in his wisdom gave his laws to the children of Israel to obey. God's law was good, holy and just. The laws contained God's revealed will for them. But we know from the scriptures that they repeatedly broke God's law. In fact, it is written: For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all (James 2: 10). It was impossible for anyone of them to be saved by the law, because of the weakness of their human nature. The standard of God's law was perfect, and sinful fallen creatures cannot satisfy the demands of the law, hence the law could not save nor justify any.

The law was impotent to save any of the people under the law, because of the weakness of their flesh. If any of them could have perfectly fulfilled all the requirements of the law, then they could have been saved by the works of the law, but none of them could achieve such feat. Our beloved apostle wrote this by the leading of the Spirit: For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law (Romans 3: 28). So, the way of salvation was never by a strict adherence to the laws of Moses, for none of them was saved or justified by the law. So the question is this, if none of our father's were saved by the law, then why did God give them the law?

Why was the law given?

If the law could not be the means of their salvation, then why was the law given in the first place? God gave them the law primarily to point them to Christ that was to come: Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith (Galatians 3: 24). The law was not designed by God to be the means of their salvation, but was given to ultimately lead them to Christ for salvation. The law revealed their sinfulness, they saw how sinful they were through the mirror of God's law. The law was given to let them see the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and their need of a savior to save them from their sins.

 Paul defined the function of the law in these words: Because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin (Romans 3; 20). Through the law comes the knowledge or the consciousness of sin. The law made them sin conscious, it revealed how sinful they were before God, and also pointed them to Christ that was to come. The law was not given as a trajectory to their salvation, but was given to lead them to Christ. When you carefully study the sacrificial system, you will see that the whole system of animal sacrifices, were types and shadows of the anticipated Lamb of God that was to come. The law was given to lead them to Christ, and not as the means of their salvation, for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in God's sight.

How were the old testament saints saved?

The answer to this question can be found in the Holy scriptures. The way of salvation in the old testament is the same way in the new testament. Salvation has always been by grace through faith in Christ Jesus, and this makes the bible a unified book. The people in the old testament were saved by grace through faith in the promised Savior that was to come. Their faith rested in him alone and that was sufficient enough to secure their salvation. Adam and Eve were saved by grace through faith in the "Christ" that was to come. They looked forward to his coming in order to crush the head of the serpent, and bring salvation to his people, see (Genesis 3: 14-15). Another character was Abraham. Abraham lived so many years about 430 years before the law came into being. Abraham was not saved by the works of the law has some falsely teaches. Abraham was saved by grace alone, through faith alone, and in Christ alone. In Genesis chapter twelve God said to him: 

And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed (Genesis 12; 3). And "in you" referred to his "seed", see (Genesis 22; 18, Galatians 3; 16). God promised Abraham that through his seed, namely "Christ" all the families of the earth will be blessed. Abraham believed in God's promises respecting the Messiah to come by whom all the families of the earth will be blessed. His faith rested in him alone, he anticipated the time of his coming.

 Abraham's faith in the Christ to come secured his salvation and it was credited to him for righteousness, see (Genesis 15; 6). Jesus said to the Jews: Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad" (John 8: 56). Abraham looked forward to the coming of the Messiah, his seed, he was the sole object of his faith. He rejoiced at the thought of seeing him, yet he died without seeing him in the flesh, but his faith in him saved him eternally. So Abraham was not saved by works, but by faith in the Christ to come. Saints like Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Zechariah and all the other saints knew of the coming of the Messiah. They knew that the Messiah will come and will save them from their sins, and their trust was in him alone for salvation, see (Isaiah 53). 

Our father's looked forward in hope of the coming Messiah and their faith in him saved them. Simeon was promised by the Holy Spirit that he will not depart from the world until his eyes beholds the consolation of Israel, see (Luke 2: 25-30). Simeon made a remarkable statement in the verse thirty: For my eyes have seen Your salvation (Luke 2: 30). This tells us that Simeon and just like the rest of the old testament saints waited, they trusted in Christ for salvation, he was the object of their faith. Their faith in him alone for salvation was what saved them. 

Apostle Paul emphasized strongly that the, "just shall live by faith", see (Romans 1; 17, Galatians 3; 11). But the apostle wasn't inspired to pen that down, rather he quoted from the prophet Habakkuk in the old testament that the," just shall live by faith" see (Habakkuk 2: 4). This truth tells us that the way people were saved under the old testament was by faith and not by works. The old testament saints looked forward to the Messiah to come whiles we look back at the Messiah who has already come. The way of salvation is one and the same, which is by grace through faith in the person of Jesus Christ. God bless you

A thought to ponder 🤔 

The way of salvation is one and the same, which is by grace through faith in the person of Jesus Christ

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