How were people in the Old Testament saved?
Cary Green explains in this video that salvation in the Old Testament was accomplished in the same way that it occurred in the New Testament -- by grace alone, through faith alone, through Christ alone.
They knew that there was a coming Messiah. Paul talks about Abraham in Romans 4. Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV) - "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."
Salvation in the Old Testament was accomplished exactly the same way that salvation in the New Testament is accomplished. It's by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Now they didn't have the name of Jesus Christ, but they knew that there would be a coming Messiah. And so, and I love Paul's argument in Romans chapter 4 where he's basically saying that. And he picks out probably the greatest two Old Testament saints of all times.
He picks out Abraham and this is what he says in Romans 4. He says, What then shall we say that Abraham our forefather according to the flesh is found? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the scripture say? Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness.
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