Jesus died on the cross only 2000 years ago, thus there was much time that occurred before His death. How were people saved prior to His death?
We know from John 3:16 that salvation is it by belief (faith) in Him.
John 3:16 NKJV reads, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
That belief brings about righteousness, which is a free gift.
Romans 5:17-18 NKJV reads,
17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.
And we know that the righteous alone will see God.
Hebrews 12:14 NKJV reads, “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: …”
Since only the righteous will see God, then there either had to be a way to be righteous before Christ; otherwise none were saved. Thanks be to God that He did make a way before Christ.
We know from the text in the book of Romans that Abraham was justified (made righteous) by faith.
Romans 4:3 NKJV reads, “For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’”
Abraham is the father of us all according to the book of Romans—he is the father of our faith.
Romans 4:13-16 NJKV reads,
13 For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect,
15 because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.
16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all …”
This means that our faith, even through Christ, is of the same faith as Abraham.
As such, we are saved exactly the same way now as those who died before Christ was crucified.
The only difference is in the degree of revelation that people had prior. We are called to believe what God tells us and put our faith in Him, no matter that degree of revelation.
But wasn’t that degree of revelation substantial prior to Christ’s ministry and death? To some degree, but it is more in regard to specific information, but not the promise of a coming Messiah.
The first promise of Messiah comes in Genesis 3 immediately after the fall of man.
Genesis 3:15 NKJV reads,
15 And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.
Loosely paraphrased, this verse says that from Eve will come One (her Seed) that will fix what the serpent brought about with man’s sin. God is going to fight for us and win the battle in our stead.
All persons from the point of that promise were aware. We know that some of the earliest people mentioned in the Bible walked with God as Abraham did. Enoch and Noah were a few that did.
Genesis 5:22-24 NKJV reads,
22 After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters.
23 So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years.
24 And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.
Genesis 6:9 NKJV reads, “This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.”
Genesis 24:40 NKJV, in speaking of Abraham, reads, “But he said to me, ‘The LORD, before whom I walk, will send His angel with you and prosper your way; and you shall take a wife for my son from my family and from my father’s house.”
It comes down to belief. To those that believe God, it will be accounted to them as righteousness. All people in all times are saved the same way.
Habakkuk 2:4 states “…But the just shall live by his faith.”
Version History
1.00 – December 9, 2018
1.01 – September 2, 2019
1.02 – November 16, 2019
1.03 – November 6, 2020
Walking with God in The Way 