1. The Christian Faith Goes Back to the Beginning of Time.
- “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13 KJV). This NT verse is not a new revelation. The “name” of the Lord signifies his PERSON and POWER—not merely the name “Jesus.” When people in the OT trusted in the Lord, they were in fact trusting in Jesus, despite not knowing his earthly name. Besides, his name is “the Lord” (Exodus 3:13-15; 34:5-7; Deuteronomy 28:58; Isaiah 48:1-2).
- Since the fall of man, people have been getting saved the same way as today. “And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord” (Genesis 4:26).
2. Prophets Shared the Gospel Before the Scriptures Were Penned.
- “By FAITH Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh” (Hebrews 11:4 KJV). It wasn’t merely the fact that Abel offered “a more excellent sacrifice,” but that he did so by faith. His offering was a demonstration of his faith in his Savior.
- “That the blood of all the PROPHETS which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; from the blood of ABEL unto the blood of Zacharias,” (Luke 11:50-51 KJV). Jesus placed Abel in the category of the martyred prophets, which means Adam and Eve’s son was an early prophet who declared the gospel.
- “Whom [Jesus] the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of ALL his holy PROPHETS since the world began (Acts 3:21 KJV).
- “[God] saved Noah the eighth person, a PREACHER of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5 KJV). Without a doubt, Noah proclaimed the truth of the gospel before the scriptures were ever penned. “Noah found GRACE in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis 6:8). “And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I SEEN RIGHTEOUS before me in this generation” (Genesis 7:1). Noah was righteous in God’s eyes, not his own. Here we see grace and righteousness linked together. “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became HEIR of the righteousness which is by FAITH (Hebrews 11:7). Noah inherited his righteousness. He did not earn it; it was gifted through the very grace he found in the eyes of Jesus our Lord.
- The story of Job took place prior to when Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible. What Job knew he must have learned by the word of God spoken by others. Job even declared, “I have heard of thee [God] by the hearing of the ear” (Job 42:5). Job knew the words of the Holy One (Job 6:10, 23:12). He knew man was born in sin (Job 14:1, 4, 20:11); that Adam tried to cover his sin (Job 31:33). He spoke of hell (Job 21:30, 26:6). And he spoke of his Redeemer, Christ’s coming, and the resurrected body of the just (Job 19:25-26).
3. The Word of Faith We Preach Today Is the Same as the OT.
- “For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? But the word is very NIGH unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy HEART that thou mayest do it” (Deuteronomy 30:11-14 KJV). Moses testified that the word of God was not something that needed to be retrieved through a painstaking voyage. The word was already close by within the heart of the believer. The Apostle Paul referenced this scripture, substituting Christ for the word since Jesus is the living word (Romans 10:6-7). Paul confirms that the OT passage describes the same word of faith we preach today (Romans 10:8-9). The only difference is that the Old Testament saints did not know the name “Jesus.” But they did indeed know him!
- “Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify [indicate], when it testified beforehand the SUFFERINGS of Christ, and the GLORY that should follow” (1 Peter 1:10-11 KJV). The prophets proclaimed the Messiah’s suffering and future splendor. They just didn’t understand the timeframe or distance between his resurrection and rulership.
4. The Old Testament Itself Teaches Salvation Through Faith in the Lord.
- “And that from a child thou [Timothy] hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through FAITH which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15 KJV). The NT scriptures were not completed when the apostle wrote this statement. Naturally, the copy of the scriptures that Timothy possessed as a child did not contain the NT portion. Paul was clearly referring to the Old Testament scriptures. Which means the OT teaches the same gospel message we teach today. By attaching “Jesus” to Christ, the apostles were affirming that believers no longer needed to look FORWARD to Christ’s sacrifice. They were to look BACKWARD. Christ had come; he was Jesus of Nazareth.
A. Salvation Before the Law of Moses.
- “And he [Abraham] BELIEVED in the Lord; and he [the Lord] COUNTED it to him for righteousness” (Genesis 15:6 KJV). This means God placed righteousness in Abraham’s spiritual account. Abraham was not saved by religious works. The Apostle Paul quoted this passage as proof that salvation is by faith alone (Romans 4:1-5).
- “And this I say, that the covenant [that God made with Abraham], that was confirmed before of God in CHRIST the law, which was four hundred and thirty years AFTER cannot disannul [cancel], that it should make the PROMISE of none effect” (Galatians 3:17). To prove that salvation is by faith alone, God purposely saved Abraham 430 years before the Law was given. Furthermore, Abraham—the first Hebrew—was also saved before he was ever circumcised, another proof that salvation was not by any religious custom (Compare Genesis 15:6 and Genesis 17. See also Romans 4:9-13).
B. Salvation During the Law of Moses.
- “Blessed is he whose transgression is FORGIVEN whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth [charges] not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile [deceit]” (Psalm 32:1-2 KJV). During the period of the Law, King David wrote about the very salvation we preach today. The Apostle Paul quoted this passage (Romans 4:6-8).
5. OT People Were Saved on the CREDIT of God’s WORD.
- “Therefore by the DEEDS of the law there shall NO flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption [release] that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation [atonement] through FAITH in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission [pardon] of sins that are PAST through the FORBEARANCE [patience; mercy] of God” (Romans 3:20-25 KJV).
- “And for this cause [Jesus] is the mediator [go-between] of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption [payment] of the transgressions [sins] that were under the FIRST testament, they which are called might receive the PROMISE of eternal inheritance” (Hebrews 9:15 KJV). Jesus delivered on the promise that OT believers hoped in. It was as if God signed off on their salvation, knowing full well that Christ would one day make the payment!
*The author grants permission to use, copy, and distribute this lesson. It would make a great worksheet and answer key.
