Were the Old Testament People Saved by Works?

“For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.”
Romans‬ ‭6‬:‭14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“We are no longer under the law but now, under Grace.” I have heard it interpreted as the entry of grace after Jesus lived on earth and died, and the disposal of the Law. This interpretation got me thinking. 🤔

❓ Have God’s children not been under grace since the days of Adam? If grace came only after Jesus died, does that mean there are people in the days written of in the Bible’s Old Testament that were saved by works, saved by keeping the law?

❓ In heaven, will there be two categories of the saved – saved by law and saved by grace? Is it even possible for anyone to be saved by keeping the law, and not through grace? (Read Jeremiah 13:23)

❓ Did people like Abraham, Enoch, Moses, Deborah, Rahab not gain their salvation by grace but by works?

How was Abraham Saved?

Scriptures say everyone that is saved receives salvation through Jesus Christ. Even those that never heard the name, “Jesus” are judged by the parts of the gospel they were exposed to, judged by the light shone their way.

Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given unto men, whereby we must be saved
Acts 4:12

for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves

who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them

in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel
Romans 2:14-16

Abraham and every faithful patriarch were saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Here’s how I came to this conclusion:

God preached the GOSPEL to Abraham (Read Galatians 3:8)
The blood of ANIMALS COULD NOT SAVE the Patriarchs (Read Hebrews 10:4)
Old Testament SCRIPTURES are about Jesus (Read Luke 24:27)
They were saved by GRACE through FAITH in JESUS (Read Romans 4:16, Galatians 3:7, Ephesians 2:8)

Was Salvation by Jesus Christ Mentioned in the Old Testament?

If the blood of animals could not save them, why did they kill and sacrifice all of them? God gave His people articles and festivals that pointed to Jesus Christ. Jesus had not come, but God taught them His plan of salvation by using symbols. Here are examples of such:

[A.] 👉🏾 The Articles of Furniture in the Sanctuary Service

Courtyard

Altar of Sacrifice (Read Exodus 27:1, Exodus 29: 38-39) where clean, unblemished animals were offered SYMBOLISE D 👉🏾 Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29)

Laver (Read Exodus 30:17-21) was where the hands and feet were washed SYMBOLISED 👉🏾 Baptism ( 1 Peter 3:21) and the Law (Read Exodus 38:8), the laver was made with brass mirrors, the law is the mirror (James 1: 23-25)

The Holy Place

Table of Shew Bread (Read Exodus 25:30) SYMBOLISED 👉🏾 Word of God ( Read Matthew 4:4, John 6:48, John 1:1,14)

Altar of Incense (Read Exodus 30:1) SYMBOLISED 👉🏾 Prayer (Psalm 141:2) and the Righteousness of Jesus (Ephesians 5:2)

7 Branched Lampstand ( Exodus 25:31-32) SYMBOLISED 👉🏾 Witnessing ( Matthew 5:14-16)

The Most Holy Place

The Ark of God (Read Exodus 25:10-22, Exodus 26:33-34) SYMBOLISED 👉🏾 the Throne of God where Mercy and Judgment are seen (Hebrews 4:16)

[B.] 👉🏾 Acted Prophecy in the Form of Festivals (Leviticus 23)

Feast of Passover (Read Leviticus 23: 4-8) on 14th day, 1st month POINTED TO 👉🏾 Jesus’ Death during Passover (Read 1 Corinthians 5:7)

Feast of Firstfruits / Waved Sheaf (Read Leviticus 23: 9-11) on the following day after the Passover Sabbath POINTED TO 👉🏾 Jesus as the First Fruit of those risen from the dead ( 1 Corinthians 15:20, John 20:17)

Feast of Weeks/ Pentecost (Read Leviticus 23: 15-16) on 7 Sabbaths after day of Waved Sheaf i.e. 49 days after POINTED TO 👉🏾 The Holy Spirit that came upon them in greater dimension on day of Pentecost (Acts 1:3-4)

Feast of Trumpets (Read Leviticus 23: 24) on the first day of the seventh month was preparatory to the day of Atonement which was on the tenth day of the same month POINTED TO 👉🏾 the call to prepare for the day of judgment, warnings from God (Read Hebrews 3:15).

Day of Atonement (Read Leviticus 16; Leviticus 23: 26-32) on the tenth day of the seventh month POINTED TO 👉🏾 the period of judgment. The first angel’s message of Revelation 14 tells us it has come (Read Revelation 14: 6-7).

The Feast of Tabernacles/ Jubilee (Read Leviticus 23: 33-44),
a period of celebration and jubilee for God’s people POINTED TO 👉🏾 the time Jesus will come to get all His people as promised (Read John 14:2-3), it points to the true jubilee when there is no more pain or sorrow (Read Revelation 21: 3-4) .

From Schematron

Why Do People Talk of “Grace” Like It Is New?

This is possibly because the Bible also says Jesus Christ is the “end of the law”.

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believes
Romans 10:4

Does this mean that before Jesus, there was law and now after Jesus, no more laws at all, all ended? Are we now lawless? No, Jesus is the fulfilling of the law, in Him we get righteousness. We no longer need the practices or items that pointed to Him since He already came ( Read Colossians 2:17) but we do still need the principles and laws that show forth God’s character in us.

Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
Matthew 5:17

For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Romans 8:3,4

From the moment Adam and Eve died, Jesus was the Seed promised (Read Genesis 3:15) to save all mankind, not some. God had mercy and showered grace from the beginning. All we have to do is accept the love He offers, allow Him to work in us to be like Him. When we accept His Grace and allow Him to cleanse and direct, we will then begin to do His will and obey His commands as a response to the love we have received, no longer condemned by the law but sanctified by our God. Will you accept His Love?

Such Love!