SoteriologySoteriology

The Doctrine of The Doctrine of SalvationSalvation

How are we Saved?How are we Saved?

The FAITH “Key Question” . . .The FAITH “Key Question” . . .

““In your personal opinion, what do In your personal opinion, what do you understand it takes for a person you understand it takes for a person to go to heaven?”to go to heaven?”

Possible Answers:Possible Answers:

FaithFaith

WorksWorks

UnclearUnclear

No opinionNo opinion

The “Faith” AnswerThe “Faith” Answer

““The only way we may be saved from the The only way we may be saved from the penalty of our sin is to believe in the One penalty of our sin is to believe in the One True God who made Himself known to us True God who made Himself known to us by coming to us in the Person of Jesus by coming to us in the Person of Jesus Christ, the God-Man, the one who died on Christ, the God-Man, the one who died on the cross for our sins and rose again from the cross for our sins and rose again from the grave. We must repent and believe the grave. We must repent and believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and receive Him that Jesus Christ is Lord and receive Him as our own Personal Lord and Savior. as our own Personal Lord and Savior. There is no other way we may be saved.”There is no other way we may be saved.”

Now, imagine your friend Now, imagine your friend asks you these asks you these questions . . .questions . . .

But what about those who lived before Jesus came?

What about those who lived before the cross?

What about those who lived in the “BC” part of the time-line?

They can’t receive Christ as Lord and Savior because Jesus Christ has not yet come, right?. . .

How would you respond?How would you respond?

“Salvation in the Old Testament”

Israel My Glory

(December 1994 / January 1995)

The SeedThe SeedThe foundation upon which redemption would The foundation upon which redemption would rest was God’s promise of a rest was God’s promise of a comingcoming seedseed. In . In addressing Satan in the immediate aftermath of addressing Satan in the immediate aftermath of the fall, the Lord said . . . the fall, the Lord said . . .

Genesis 3:15Genesis 3:15. . .. . .

““I will put enmity between you and the I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”shall bruise His heel.”

The line of the promised seed was The line of the promised seed was announced in announced in Genesis 12:2-3Genesis 12:2-3 . . . . . .“ “ . . . and in you (Abraham) all the . . . and in you (Abraham) all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”families of the earth shall be blessed.”The identity of the line of the seed to be The identity of the line of the seed to be blessed was particularized in blessed was particularized in Genesis Genesis 17:1917:19:: ““and you shall call his name Isaac; I and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him.”descendants after him.”

The SonThe Son

And so, through the And so, through the seedseed ofof AbrahamAbraham grew the promise. The line of the grew the promise. The line of the promised seed flourished until it produced promised seed flourished until it produced its final fruit in its final fruit in thethe SonSon..Galatians 3:16Galatians 3:16 . . . . . .““Now to Abraham and his Seed were Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, the promises made. He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as of many, but as of ‘And to seeds,’ as of many, but as of one, ‘And to your one, ‘And to your SeedSeed,’ who is ,’ who is ChristChrist.”.”

The SinnerThe Sinner

The window to salvation, from the The window to salvation, from the manward side, is opened in a phrase manward side, is opened in a phrase associated with Abraham’s acceptance of associated with Abraham’s acceptance of God’s promise of an heir—His promised God’s promise of an heir—His promised seed: seed: “And he believed in the Lord; and “And he believed in the Lord; and he he countedcounted it to him for it to him for righteousnessrighteousness”” (Genesis 15:6).(Genesis 15:6).

Romans 4:1-5Romans 4:1-5 verifies that Abraham’s faith verifies that Abraham’s faith was was notnot placed in a righteousness-reward placed in a righteousness-reward relationship.relationship.

Saving faith would not be forged by Saving faith would not be forged by observing laws, traditions, or even the observing laws, traditions, or even the repetitious sacrifices that would be the repetitious sacrifices that would be the evidenceevidence, but not the , but not the meansmeans, of faith., of faith.

Point of Point of Romans 4:1-5Romans 4:1-5: Abraham was : Abraham was justifiedjustified (declared righteous before God) (declared righteous before God) byby faithfaith, not by , not by worksworks..

Today justification (to be declared Today justification (to be declared righteous) is righteous) is alsoalso by faith, but with this by faith, but with this important difference: important difference:

Whereas Abraham believed God Whereas Abraham believed God wouldwould give him a son . . . we believe God give him a son . . . we believe God hashas givengiven us His Son, and that by us His Son, and that by faithfaith in Him in Him we are saved . . .we are saved . . .

Therefore, the basis of saving Therefore, the basis of saving faith, Old Testament or New, is faith, Old Testament or New, is always in always in thethe SonSon..

The question is only whether The question is only whether one is looking one is looking forwardforward to His to His coming, or coming, or backback to the to the Redeemer who has come . . .Redeemer who has come . . .

Time Before Christ(OT believers looked forward)

Time Since Christ(NT believers look back)

1000BC. . . 500 BC... 100 BC…..0 …100 AD…500 AD…2003 AD

Salvation in the Old TestamentSalvation in the Old Testament

Therefore, salvation in the Old Therefore, salvation in the Old Testament occurs the Testament occurs the samesame wayway as in as in the New Testament.the New Testament.

We are “saved by We are “saved by gracegrace through through faithfaith . . . not of works” (Ephesians 2:8- . . . not of works” (Ephesians 2:8-9).9).