The Wonderful Dispensation of Grace

[Bob Hill]

I think you believers in God’s Word will agree that God didn’t choose us to be saved. He wants all to be saved, 1 Tim 2:3-6 “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who wills all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.”

He chose everyone who would believe in Christ to be holy and blameless. But, we disappoint Him.

Christ paid with His life. He made salvation certain with predestination. Eph 1:5 “having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will. And He did all this by His grace. Eph 1:6 “to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved.

So, God’s election is not to salvation. It is to perfection because we are in Christ. It is for our eternal security. We who trust in Christ as our Savior have this security. However, this is a spiritual blessing for the body of Christ alone.

In Christ,
Bob Hill

 

[Bob Hill]

Eph 1:5 “having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.
Now, in this verse, what is His will? I believe we can break God’s will down into 3 scriptural categories. His intentional will (thelayma), His circumstantial will (thelayma), and His ultimate, or determinate will or counsel (boulay).

When we look at His intentional will, the first thing we should see is this. We were created for His will (pleasure). The question we must keep in mind here, is: do we ever thwart God’s intentional will? I think we do.

In spite of that, it says in Rev 4:11 “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.”

But God still, as part of this, wants us all to love Him.

Mk 12:30,31 “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like it, is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.”

1 Co 16:22 “If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come!

Then, He wants us all to love one another.” John 13:34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”

1 Th 4:9,10 “But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; 10 and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more.

The question we must keep in mind here is, do we ever thwart God’s intentional will?

In answer, we see that He wills all to be saved. 1 Tim 2:4 “who wills all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” But, because man totally rebelled against God, in order to receive salvation, man must believe God and do what He says for salvation.

Mat 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”

Mat 12:50 “For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.” Heb 10:36 “For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.”

For us in this dispensation of grace, His will is found in Acts 16:31, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.”

Bob Hill

 

[godrulz]

I am sure you two have thought provoking content, but it is too much meat at one sitting. You are limiting your audience by writing theses instead of readable/respondable posts. It is helpful for those who will read it, but will be missed by those with limited time or who would rather read a whole book, not just long posts that do not cover all that needs to be covered about a subject. I have been guilty of the same, but hope to give smaller chunks so people do not gloss over it or choke on the big quantity of meat.

 

[Bob Hill]

Next, we see His will is that we be holy. 1 Th 4:3-8 “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. 7 For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. 8 Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.”

Do we thwart His will here?

My desire is to live in the will of God.

Bob Hill

 

[Bob Hill]

We find that God’s will is that we function in the local body. 1 Co 12:18,20-27 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.

But many are not obeying God in this way. I believe for us believers on TOL, that we should see this website as an opportunity to love those who have not trusted Christ as their Savior.

Bob Hill

 

[Bob Hill]

Would you agree that God’s will is that we all know the mystery?

It certainly is high on God’s program that He gave to Paul to preach.

Eph 3:8,9 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the Dispensation of the Mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ.

But, I’ve found in my experience as a pastor, that most Christians do not even know what the Dispensation of the Mystery is. Even though God inspired Paul to write many things about it in his epistles.

Bob Hill

 

[lightninboy]

http://davidsonpress.com/salvation/salvation2.htm

Now Paul begins to prove that justification through faith was experienced by Old Testament saints as well as being taught by such Old Testament prophets as Habakkuk. His first proof centers on Abraham who represents all the saints who lived before the law was given. How was Abraham saved? Paul; tells us in 4:1‑5,

What, then, are we to say about Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he would have had something to boast about—though not before God. For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."

Now to someone who works, wages are not considered a gift but an obligation. However, to someone who does not work, but simply believes in the one who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.

But what about those who lived after the Law? Were they saved by the works of the Law? No, says Paul. David who lived after the Law represents all who lived after Moses. David was justified through faith alone. Thus Paul states in 4:6‑8,

Likewise, David also speaks of the blessedness of the person whom God regards as righteous apart from works:

How blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven

and whose sins are covered!

How blessed is the person whose sins

the Lord will never charge against him!

By quoting from the Law (4:1‑5), the Writings (4:6‑8) and the Prophets (1:17), Paul demonstrates that the entire Old Testament from beginning to end taught the same gospel as he preached, i.e. salvation comes by justification through faith alone. And in case these passages were not enough, Paul even quotes Moses in Rom. 19:5‑9 as preaching the Gospel. And he gives the gospel call to come to Christ by quoting Joel 2:32 in Rom. 10:13. For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Since it is clear that Old Testament saints were justified by grace through faith, Paul assumes that they must therefore have the other elements of the application of redemption which he lists in Rom. 8:28‑30,

And we know that he works all things together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined, he also called; and those whom he called, he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Consider Abraham as an example. Was he effectually called? Yes, in Neh. 9:7 and Acts 7:3, 4 we learn that God called Abraham out of idolatry. Was Abraham justified? Yes, in Rom. 4:1‑4 we read of his justification. Will Abraham be glorified? Yes, in Matt. 8:11 Jesus pictures Abraham with the glorified saints.

It is an unavoidable conclusion that if Abraham experienced the salvation described in Rom. 8:30, then he likewise experienced what Paul elsewhere includes in the application of redemption: regeneration, adoption, sanctification, preservation, etc.

All the elements of redemption are necessarily connected to one another. Seeing Abraham was justified, this implies regeneration to produce the justifying faith needed (John 3:3, 5) and adoption as the consequence.

We would further point out that a close study of the book of Galatians will reveal the same teaching of the Apostle Paul: Abraham was saved through believing the Gospel. Old Testament saints were justified by faith apart from the works of the Law.

Yet we know that a person is not justified by the works of the law but by the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. We, too, have believed in Christ Jesus so that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law, for no human being will be justified by the works of the law. (Gal. 2:16). In the same way, Abraham "believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."

You see, then, that those who have faith are Abraham's real descendants. Because the Scripture saw ahead of time that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, it announced the gospel to Abraham beforehand when it said, "Through you all nations will be blessed." Therefore, those who believe are blessed together with Abraham, the one who believed.

Certainly all who depend on the works of the law are under a curse. For it is written, "A curse on everyone who does not obey everything that is written in the book of the law!" Now it is obvious that no one is justified in the sight of God by the law, because "The righteous will live by faith." But the law has nothing to do with faith. Instead, "The person who keeps the commandments will have life in them." Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written, "A curse on everyone who is hung on a tree!" This happened in order that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. (Gal. 3:6‑14).

But the Scripture has put everything under the power of sin, so that what was promised by the faithfulness of Christ might be given to those who believe. (Gal. 3:22).


There is one last argument which can be advanced to demonstrate that there has been and now is only one way of salvation: faith alone. In Romans 3:28, the Apostle concludes his argument which is found verses 21‑27 by saying,

Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Having stated his conclusion, he now deals with every important issue in the early church. This issue can be summarized as follows: Given the radical distinction between Jew and Gentile as manifested in the Old Testament, doesn't this imply that the Jew will have a different way of salvation distinct from a Gentile way of salvation? Doesn't the Jew‑Gentile distinction mean two different salvations as well? Maybe the Gentile, who is without the law and covenants, can be saved by faith alone. But the Jew must fulfill Mosaic righteousness as well. The Jew must have works as well as faith. Is this true?

Is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:

In verse 30, he states that God,

shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

Justification comes to Jew and Gentile only "by" or "through" faith. This much is clear. But what we want to point out is the reason Paul advances to prove there is only one way of salvation: by faith alone. The reason is given in the first part of verse 30:

since there is only one God who will justify the circumcised on the basis of faith and the uncircumcised by that same faith.

The Apostle argues that there is only one way of salvation which is by faith on the grounds that "God is one." Here we find the Apostle arguing from the unchangeable character of God. Because God has only one nature or character which never changes, there can be only one way of salvation for all peoples. Seeing there is only one God, there can be only one way of salvation. The only way to say that there has been or is more than one way of salvation is to imply that there are more gods than one. This is impossible.

Was God "one" in the Old Testament as well as in the New? Yes. Is this one God the same God for both Testaments? Yes. Then the way of salvation by faith must be the only way of salvation in both Testaments. The Old Testament saints were saved by faith apart from the works of the law.

At this point it is crucial to emphasize that the object and character of faith has always been the same throughout all the ages even thou there has been and now are varying degrees of understanding and knowledge in saving faith.

1. The object of faith has always been the same: The Lord Jesus Christ.
Some have mistakenly thought the faith in the Old Testament had God the Father as its object while faith in the New Testament has the Son of God as its object. But this assumption does not do justice to the Scripture or to the Lord Jesus.

We firmly believe that Jesus Christ has always been the object of saving faith throughout the centuries. Old Testament saints were saved by believing in Him.

1. Did not the Lord Jesus exist from all eternity before His incarnation (John 1:1‑18)?

2. Was it not the pre‑incarnate Christ who walked and talked with Adam and Eve in the Garden and preached the Gospel to them (Gen. 3:1‑15)?

3. Did not the pre‑incarnate Christ appear in human form to Abraham and promise him a son (Gen. 18:13, 17‑33 of John 8:56‑58)?

4. Did not the pre‑incarnate Christ appear in human form and wrestle with Jacob and bless him (Gen. 32:24)?

5. Did not Moses meet and believe in the pre‑incarnate Christ (Ex. 3:3‑6, 14 of John 8:58; Heb. 11:24‑27)?

6. Did not David exhort all to trust in the Son of God (Psa. 2:11, 2)?

7. Is it not true that the Lord Jesus is pictured as the Savior in Psa. 22, the Shepherd in Psa. 23 and the Sovereign in Psa. 24 (John 10)?

8. Is it not true that the Jehovah of the Old Testament in many instances is the Jesus of the New?

9. Are not we explicitly told that Old Testament saints trusted in Christ and received life from Him (I Cor. 10:4)?

10. Did not Abraham hear of Christ in the Gospel message which we heard from Christ (Gal. 3:8, 16)?

11. Did not the Old Testament prophets speak about Christ “by the spirit of Christ which was in them” (I Pet. 1:11)?

12. Did not Agur in Prov. 30:4 reveal that he knew of the Son of God?

13. Does not Heb. 4:2 explicitly state that Israel heard the gospel during the wilderness wanderings but that it did not profit them “not being mixed with faith” (4:2 cf. 3:16‑19)?

The Old Testament saints believed in the pre‑incarnate Christ. No one can read such passages as Psa. 2 without coming to this conclusion.

2. The character of faith has always been the same.
Again, some people mistakenly think that Old Testament saints were saved by looking forward to the coming of Christ as we are saved by looking back to the work of Christ. But again we cannot agree with this notion.

1. Saving faith has as its object the person of Christ who accomplished redemption. Faith does not have as its sole or chief object the work of Christ. After all, where do we ever read in the Bible “Believe that Christ died for you”? We are told to “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 16:31).

2. We are not saved by looking back to the work of Christ. We are saved by looking up, believing and calling upon His name for salvation (Rom. 10: 13). Saving faith is always a personal and immediate closing with Christ or coming to Christ (Matt. 11:28).

We must conclude that Old Testament saints were not saved by looking forward to the work of Christ. They were saved by looking up in present‑tense faith to Jehovah Jesus. Here are a few of the Old Testament. invitations to faith which emphasize this truth.

Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else (Isa. 45;22).

Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price (Isa 55:1).

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool (Isa. 1:18).

Be wise now therefore, 0 ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.

Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him (Psa. 2:10‑12).

Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass (Psa. 37:5).

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths (Prov. 3:5, 6).

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call (Joel 2:32).

3. We must make the distinction between the quality of faith and the degrees of understanding faith.

The quality of the faith of Old Testament saints was equal to or, in some cases, greater than the faith of most New Testament believers.

The faith of Old Testament believers was personal, vibrant, strong and triumphant. For this reason the New Testament writers could put forth the Old Testament saints as the Christian’s example of triumphant, conquering, and persevering faith (see Heb. 11). Some of the saints were called upon to do great works. They accomplished them through their mighty faith.

But to say that the quality of the faith of Old Testament saints was equal to or greater than faith today is not the same as saying that their faith had the same content. They knew so little compared to what we know today. They lived in the shadows of the cross. They did not understand Christ's propitiatory death (I Pet. 1:9‑12). Thus their appeal for divine forgiveness was based on God’s merciful attributes instead of the blood of Christ (Psa. 51 cf. I John 1:7‑2:2). Their faith was simply that God was merciful and He would take care of the sin problem somehow.

An illustration of the difference between the quality of faith and understanding in faith can be drawn from the present conversion experience of sinners. If you, as the reader, have seen saved by God’s grace, perhaps you can answer these questions based on your experience.

1. How much do you know today of Christ as compared with what you knew of Him at conversion?

2. Is it not true that you have grown in your understanding?

3. Do you feel that you knew so little of the riches of God in Christ Jesus when at first you believed?

4. But is it not the case with some of you, that while your understanding has increased, the quality of your faith has decreased? Your heart has grown cold even though your knowledge has increased? Do you miss the vitality, zeal, and warmth of your first love? Others of you can humbly confess that the quality of your faith has increased along with your knowledge. To Him alone belongs the glory for this singular mercy.

5. Was this not the case with Old Testament believers? We confess, "How little they knew." But we also urge, "How mightily they believed." In the words of Hebrews 11:32‑38,

And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell you about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. Through faith they conquered kingdoms, administered justice, received promises, shut the mouths of lions, put out raging fires, escaped death by the sword, found strength in weakness, became powerful in battle, and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead through a resurrection. Others were brutally tortured but refused to accept release, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Still others endured taunts and floggings, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned to death, sawed in half, and killed with swords. They went around in sheepskins and goatskins. They were needy, oppressed, and mistreated. The world wasn't worthy of them. They wandered in deserts, mountains, caves, and holes in the ground.

If any doubt remains concerning the quality of the faith of Old Testament saints, we would suggest spending time in the book of Psalms. There you will find Psalms which parallel every experience in the Christian life. Your heart cannot but pray these inspired prayers and praise. You will feel one with the Psalmist in his devotions.

If you read the Psalms regularly or any portion of the Old Testament, you will have to confess, "Oh, that my faith was as strong vital and warm as theirs."

Argument 3: Salvation has only one basis: The work of Jesus Christ.
We have already demonstrated that Old Testament saints were justified through faith apart from the works of the Law. But we must ask, "On what grounds or basis were they justified?"

The Apostle Paul answers this question in Romans 3:24‑26,

By his grace they are justified freely through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God offered as a place where atonement by Christ's blood could occur through faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because he had waited patiently to deal with sins committed in the past. He wanted to demonstrate at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the person who has the faithfulness of Jesus.

Justification comes to a sinner by grace. It cannot be earned as Paul pointed this out particularly when discussing Abraham's justification in Romans 4:4, 5,

Now to someone who works, wages are not considered a gift but an obligation. However, to someone who does not work, but simply believes in the one who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.

Elsewhere, the Apostle establishes the truth that grace and works can never be mixed together.

But if this is by grace, then it is no longer on the basis of works. Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace. (Rom. 11:6).

But on what basis is grace given to justify the ungodly? It is on the basis of "the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 3:24). How and in what way the work of Christ is imputed to us has already been discussed in the chapter dealing with justification. Therefore, it is sufficient to say that the only way for sinners to be saved in any age is through the grace which flows out of the saving work of Christ.

Argument 4: Salvation has essentially one content.
Have we not already virtually proven this proposition? Old Testament saints must necessarily receive and experience essentially the same salvation which is offered in the Gospel because of:

(1) the unchangeable character of God

(2) the eternity of the cross

(3) the depravity of man

(4) the unity of the Testaments; and because

(5) Salvation has only one Author: God

(6) There is only one way of salvation: faith

(7) Salvation has only one basis: grace through Christ.

Seeing there is only one Savior, and only one way of salvation there can be but one salvation. The fact that Paul taught the Old Testament saints were justified by grace through faith on the basis of Christ's work, is sufficient grounds to see them receive the rest of the application of salvation.

But we must carefully point out that we said that Old Testament saints "essentially" possessed the same salvation. "Essentially" is not the same as "Exactly" or "Completely."

The age of the New Covenant is superior to the Old Covenant in many ways. Read the book of Hebrews where there is a full display of the superiority of the New Covenant over the Old. Therefore, we would naturally assume that New Covenant salvation must be superior over Old Covenant salvation. And, indeed, it is.

But, at this point, we must make the distinction between the experience of salvation itself and the believer's enjoyment of it and assurance about it. Essentially, salvation is the same in all ages. But until Christ came, there could not be a full enjoyment or assurance of one's full salvation.

The Old Testament saints did not possess the light of the New Testament. Their conscience was never at rest not knowing of the ultimate sacrifice of the Lamb of God. That this is true is seen in Hebrews 10:1‑25 where we read,

For the law, being only a reflection of the blessings to come and not their substance, can never, by the same sacrifices repeatedly offered year after year, make those who come near perfect. Otherwise, would they not have stopped offering them, because the worshipers, cleansed once for all, would no longer be aware of any sins? Instead, through those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year after year, for it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

For this reason, when Christ came into the world, he said,

"You did not want sacrifices and offerings,

but you prepared a body for me.

In burnt offerings and sin offerings

you never took delight.

Then I said, 'See, I have come to do your will, O God'

(in the scroll of the Book this is written about me)."

In this passage he says, "You never wanted or took delight in sacrifices, offerings, burnt offerings, and sin offerings," which are offered according to the law. Then he says, "See, I have come to do your will." He takes away the first in order to establish the second. By his will we have been sanctified once for all through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ.

Day after day every priest stands and repeatedly offers the same sacrifices that can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, "he sat down at the right hand of God." Since that time, he has been waiting for his enemies to be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

The Holy Spirit also assures us of this. For he said,

"This is the covenant that I will make with them

after those days, declares the Lord:

I will put my laws in their hearts

and will write them on their minds,"

and,

"I will never again remember their sins

and their lawless deeds."

Now where there is forgiveness of these sins, there is no longer any offering for sin.

Therefore, my brothers, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), and since we have a great high priest over the household of God, let us continue to come near with sincere hearts in full assurance of faith, because our hearts have been sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Let us continue to hold firmly to the hope that we confess without wavering, for the one who made the promise is faithful. And let us continue to consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another even more as you see the day coming nearer.

In this passage, we are told that the Old Testament saint did not have a conscience liberated from being smitten by sin because: (1) he did not know of Christ's death and (2) the need for continual animal sacrifices.

But we who live after Christ know that His sacrifice was final and efficacious (vs. 10, 12), and thus a new and living way is opened for us (v. 12) so that we may have boldness to enter into God's presence without fear through the saving work of Christ (v. 19).

Old Testament believers did not have the enjoyment and assurance of salvation which is possible for the New Testament believer. They had essentially the same salvation as we do but they could not understand, enjoy or gain much assurance from it. This is the area where the superiority of New Covenant salvation outshines Old Testament revelation.

In conclusion, salvation is one in author, means, basis, and essential content. In every age sinners have been justified by grace through faith on the basis of Christ's work. In the Old Testament as in the New Testament,

"Salvation is of the Lord."

 

[Bob Hill]

Think about this!!

After we “make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ among you, the hope of glory”, what do you think the majority of all Christians know about “what is the dispensation of the mystery”?

Bob Hill

 

[lightninboy]

Part 3: Answering the Difficult Questions
from Studies in the Atonement by Dr. Robert A. Morey

Objection 1: The Holy Spirit did not savingly indwell people in the Old Testament.
Until Pentecost, it is argued, the Holy Spirit only came “upon” believers. John said that the Holy Spirit had not be given before Pentecost in John 7:39. If this is true, how could salvation in the Old Testament be the same as in the New?

1. It is not true that the Holy Spirit is said to only come “upon” Old Testament believers.
Objection 1: Indwelling of the Holy Spirit

Objection 2: Old Covenant vs.
New Covenant

If you turn to Gen. 41:38 you find that the Holy Spirit was “in” Joseph. If you compare Num. 27:18 with Deut. 34:9 you will find that the Holy Spirit came “upon” Joshua because the Holy Spirit was “in” him beforehand. Daniel was a man in whom the Holy Spirit indwelt (Dan. 4:8, 9, 18; 15:11, 14; 6:3). The Apostle Peter states plainly in I Pet. 1: 11 that the Spirit of Christ was “in” the Old Testament prophets. The Apostle Paul in II Cor. 4:13 clearly quotes Psa. 116: 10 as proving that David along with New Testament believers possessed the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist had the filling of the Holy Spirit from a child (Lk. 1: 15). Jesus taught that Old Testament believers experienced regeneration by the Holy Spirit for not only does he invite Nicodemus to receive the new birth (John 3:3, 5) but he also tells him that it is Old Testament teaching John 3: 10). In John 14:17 Jesus said that the Holy Spirit already indwelt this disciples. The King James Version reads “shall be in you” but the better Greek reading shows “is in you.” J.C. Ryle comments, “He is actually in you now, and shall always be in you, and never leave you.” In John 20:22, Jesus communicated the Holy Spirit to His disciples. In addition to the above plain statements of Scripture, Rom. 8:9‑11 and I Cor. 2:10‑16 make the indwelling of the Holy Spirit essential to salvation. No one could be saved without the indwelling of the Spirit.

2. It is not true that Pentecost was the first occasion of the indwelling of the Spirit or that salvation for the disciples began at Pentecost. We must understand the meaning of Pentecost as follows:

A. The words of Jesus -- (Lk. 24:46‑49; Acts 1:8)

Jesus taught that Pentecost would mean power for the preaching of the Gospel. Not once is salvation or the indwelling of the Holy Spirit mentioned in connection with Pentecost. The disciples were already saved (Lk. 10:20; John. 15:13, 4, 5; 17:14, etc.)

B. The account given in Acts -‑ (Acts 2:1‑4)

There is not one word about salvation or the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The key phrase of Pentecost is found in verse 4: “filled with the Holy Spirit.” The phrase means they were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and does not mean the indwelling or sealing of the Holy Spirit for salvation. Examine the following passages:

1. The same group of disciples were again “filled with the Holy Spirit” in Acts 4:31.

2. Stephen was a man “filled with the Holy Spirit” and that meant he was filled with spiritual power (Acts 6:5 of 6:8, 7:55, 56).

3. Peter was “filled with the Holy Spirit” for his preaching (Acts 4:8). Throughout Acts there are numerous examples.

4. Paul commands us as Christians “to be filled with the (Holy) Spirit” (Eph. 5:18).

5. A Biblical theological approach would see a gradual unfolding of the concept of being Spirit‑filled in order to speak God’s word. Notice the connection between “filling” and “speaking” in Num. 11: 25; Lk. 1: 15; Matt. 3:16; Acts 51:8; 4:8 and Eph. 5:18, 19.

3. John did not in fact say that “the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified” because the word “given” is not in the Greek. Thus John was not referring to the normal saving operations of the Spirit in bringing sinners to salvation. But rather, he was referring to the unique and special outpouring of the Spirit of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit was poured out abundantly by Christ as His reward from the Father for His obedience in life and death (Acts 2:32, 33). It is better to read John 7:39,

“The Holy Spirit had not yet been poured out.”

Objection 2: The Old Testament saints were under the Old Covenant while we are under the New Covenant. It only stands to reason that they could not have partaken of New Covenant blessings before the New Covenant was instituted.
1. The New Covenant was revealed in the Old Testament, thus it is not uniquely a New Testament Truth (see Jer. 31:31‑34; Ezk. 11:19‑21; 36:26, 27).

2. The Old Testament believer, by virtue of the eternity of the cross, received New Covenant blessings from God because to God these blessings were secured for them in Christ.

A. Did not the believer in the Old Testament experience regeneration (see John 3:3, 10; Deut. 10: 16 cf. Col. 2:11; Deut. 30:6; Jer. 4:4; Ezk. 18:31, etc.)?

B. Did not God write His Law on their hearts (see Psa. 3 7:3 1; 40:8; Isa. 57:7)?

C. Did they not receive forgiveness of their sins (see Psa. 32: 1, 2, 103:1‑14, 10‑12, 130A Isa. 1:18, 38:17; Micah 7:19, 8:18; etc.)?

Scofield taught that the sins of Old Testament believers were not really forgiven but that they were only “covered” until Christ died (see Scofield’s N. 1 P. 110 and N. I p. 649).

But if “covered” does not mean unconditional and full forgiveness, then we are not yet forgiven because James 5:20 says,

you may be sure that whoever brings a sinner back from his wrong path will save his soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

D. Did not God preserve His saints in Old Testament times (Psa. 37:23‑28)?

E. Were not the Old Testament saints “in Christ” as we are told that the Spirit of Christ was “in them” and that they received life from Christ (I Pet. 1: 11; 1 Cor. 10:4)?

Was it not by virtue of their union with Christ that they were saved? They were “in Christ” thousands of years before He came just as truly as we were “in Him” thousands of years after He died, even from all eternity.

In summary, Old Testament saints possessed New Covenant blessings by virtue of their union with their Covenant Head, the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no Biblical warrant for the teaching that Old Testament saints were saved by works and that they did not possess the same essential salvation as we do today. They were saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

 

[Bob Hill]

Here are a number of passages showing there was grace outside of Paul’s commission from God.

Luke 2:40 And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

John 1:14 The Word Becomes Flesh
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:16,17 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Acts 4:33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.

Acts 11:23 When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.

Acts 15:11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they."

Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.

Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 10:29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?

Hebrews 12:15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;

Hebrews 12:28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

Hebrews 13:9 Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.

Hebrews 13:25 Grace be with you all. Amen.

James 4:6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."

1 Peter 1:2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

1 Peter 1:10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you,

1 Peter 1:13 Living Before God Our Father
Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

1 Peter 3:7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

1 Peter 4:10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

1 Peter 5:5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."

1 Peter 5:10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

1 Peter 5:12 By Silvanus, our faithful brother as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.

2 Peter 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,

2 Peter 3:18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

2 John 3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

Jude 4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Revelation 1:4 Greeting the Seven Churches John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,

Revelation 22:21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

In Christ my Savior,
Bob Hill

 

[Bob Hill]

In the Theological Lexicon of the NT, “Oikonomia is the activity of the oikonomos (Luke 16:2-4), in the form of the dispensation of salvation . . . In the papyri, oikonomia certainly refers to the act of administering . . . f.n. 24 Eph 1:10. Oikonomia can be translated either ‘plan, dispensation, strategy’ . . . that is secret, a revealed mystery . . . the business activity of an administrator”

In the Exegetical Dictionary of the NT . . . oikonomia is, office of administrator, administration

Lange’s Commentary V. 11 “What is the dispensation of the Mystery . . . The ‘mystery’ here is not merely the calling of the Gentiles (ver. 6), but as in ii. 3; here ‘the actual accomplishment of the plan hitherto formed in secret’ . . .

Ellicott: ‘The dispensation (arrangement, regulation) of the mystery (the union of Jews and Gentiles in Christ, ver. 6), which was to be humbly traced and acknowledged in the fact of its having secretly existed in the primal counsels of God, and now having been revealed to the heavenly powers by means of the Church.’ So Meyer, Alford and most.”

Lutheran scholar, Lenski “We again meet the question as to whether oikonomia is passive, ‘the dispensation’ or arrangement made by God, or active, ‘the administration’ Paul carries out in his office. . . . It was, indeed, ‘the administration of (nothing less than) the mystery’ so long hidden in God.”

Ernest R. Campbell “and to enlighten all men regarding the dispensation of the mystery . . . . The thought that Paul wants to get across to all men is ‘what’ (tis) the dispensation of the mystery really is”

H.C.G. Moule D.D. “as to what is, in its amazing fact and character, the dispensation, the world-wide distribution, as God designs it, through His servants, of the mystery, the Secret of a world’s covenant-blessing in Christ”

E. K. Simpson “The reading fellowship of the AV has been replaced on good authority by dispensation, the topic in hand.

J. Armitage Robinson “to bring to light what is the dispensation”

Charles H. Welch “The dispensation of the Mystery is said to have been hid in God from the beginning of the world. The words ‘from the beginning of the world’ are in the Greek apo ton aionon ‘from or since the ages’.”

I still believe this is the best translation of oikonomia.

I have been teaching Greek for 45 years. I got my Greek, both classical and NT at UCLA.

In Christ,
Bob Hill

 

[Bob Hill]

God’s will is that we teach The Mystery to others. 2 Ti 2:1-2 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

Do we have many teaching the mystery? No!! Why not? They seem to want pablum.

Bob Hill

 

[lightninboy]

http://www.wcg.org/lit/law/circumcision.htm

Circumcision:
A Test Case for Evaluating Old Testament Laws

Abraham

In the first biblical mention of circumcision, God made a covenant with Abraham and his descendants. God said to Abram, "I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless." God then explained his part of the covenant -- he would be the God of Abraham's descendants and give them the land of Canaan (Genesis 17:1-8); God then further explained Abraham's part of the covenant (verses 10-14). "This is...the covenant you are to keep." Every male was to be circumcised, and this physical rite was to be "the sign of the covenant" with God, and it was "an everlasting covenant."

Every male in Abraham's household was to be circumcised immediately, and from then on every new baby boy was to be circumcised on the eighth day. Whether they were Hebrews or whether they were purchased as slaves, the men had to be circumcised. If they were not, they would be cut off; they had broken the covenant.

Moses

The custom was probably continued when the Israelites lived in Goshen. But Moses, reared in the court of Pharaoh and later a refugee in Sinai, did not circumcise his own son. Zipporah had to do it (Exodus 4:24-25). Under the leadership of Moses, the entire nation of Israel did not circumcise their male infants in the wilderness. Joshua had to reinstitute it (Joshua 5:2-8).

It is not clear why these lapses under Moses occurred, but it is clear that the omission had to be corrected before the plan of God proceeded. God could call Moses even when he was a covenant-breaker, but his son had to be circumcised before Moses could do his job. Nor would God allow the Israelites to live in the promised land unless they were faithful to the covenant God had made with Abraham.

Since circumcision was already a requirement for the Israelites, it is natural that it was included within the old covenant laws (Leviticus 12:2-3). Also, people had to be circumcised to participate in the Passover (Exodus 12:44, 48).1 Even gentiles had to be circumcised if they wanted to worship God by means of this festival.

However, circumcision was not merely a physical and external practice. It symbolized something internal. God described idolatry and disobedience as a result of an uncircumcised heart (Leviticus 26:41); he described repentance as a circumcision of the heart (Deuteronomy 10:16; 30:6). Of course, this spiritual meaning did not eliminate the need for the physical practice; the Israelites were to obey both the letter of the law and its symbolic meaning.

Controversy in the early church

The Law and the Prophets consistently upheld the need for circumcision, and the intertestamental period did, too. Circumcision was one of the Jewish customs forbidden by Antiochus Epiphanes (1 Maccabees 1:48). Hellenizers who tried to surgically reverse their circumcision were considered to have "abandoned the holy covenant" (verse 15).

Circumcision was so important to Jewish self-identity and worship that faithful Jews were willing to die rather than abandon this physical reminder that they were God's covenant people. The books of Maccabees record their eventual victory. Circumcision and other Jewish customs were enforced and were emphasized as religious obligations for Jewish people.

John the Baptist and Jesus were circumcised (Luke 1:59; 2:21). Jesus' only comment about circumcision was favorable: It was part of "the law of Moses," and the Jews were willing to circumcise children on the Sabbath. Since it was a religious rite, it could be done on the Sabbath (John 7:22-23), just as priests could "desecrate" the Sabbath to perform sacrifices (Matthew 12:5).

Stephen mentioned the covenant of circumcision that God had given Abraham (Acts 7:8), but he criticized the Sanhedrin for having uncircumcised hearts and ears (verse 51). They were physically circumcised, but not obedient to what God had told them through Jesus. Physical circumcision should have been followed by a circumcision of the heart.

The biggest controversy about circumcision came when the gospel began going to gentiles. Circumcised believers (i.e., Jews) were astonished when the Holy Spirit was given to Cornelius (Acts 10:45). Circumcised believers criticized Peter for going to the house of an uncircumcised person and even eating with gentiles (Acts 11:2-3).

The problem surfaced again when more and more gentiles began responding to the gospel by believing in the Lord Jesus (verses 20-21). Later, some Jewish believers came to Antioch and taught that the gentiles had to be circumcised or else they could not be saved (Acts 15:1). They also said that the gentiles should obey the entire law of Moses (verse 5). In Antioch, this would not have included sacrifices (unless they were to travel to Jerusalem), but it would have included other Jewish customs traceable to the five books of Moses. By "circumcision," these messianic Jews meant full proselyte status, since circumcision implied all the other laws (Galatians 5:3).

Argument of the Judaizers

The Jerusalem conference concluded that circumcision was not required for gentile believers. They did not have to obey "the law of Moses." Today, we understand that circumcision is not required for gentiles, and we take it for granted. But perhaps we will better understand the significance of this decision if we try to argue the case for circumcision. Luke does not report the actual arguments used by the Judaizers, but they could have made a strong case:

"Circumcision goes back to God's eternal covenant with Abraham, in which God promised to be the God of his descendants. These gentiles are claiming Abraham as their spiritual father. He is the father of the faithful, and Genesis 17:12 tells us that all who are his descendants, whether physically or otherwise, fall under the covenant of circumcision. If they really have the faith that Abraham did, they will be willing to do what Abraham did. If they really have a covenant with the same God, they will gladly accept the sign of that covenant. The covenant was revealed as everlasting, not a temporary arrangement. It was commanded by God himself.

"God has called these people, and that is good. But just as our ancestor Israelites could not inherit the promises until they were circumcised, so also these gentiles cannot inherit the spiritual promises (salvation) unless they are circumcised. Until they are circumcised, they are strangers to the covenant of promise. We should not allow them to participate in the bread and wine with us until they are circumcised; even though they have believed in Jesus our Passover, they should not partake of the meal or receive the benefit of his sacrifice unless they are circumcised. There is solid scriptural precedent and support for this. The example of the ancient Israelites was written for our admonition.

"Circumcision is not only a physical command from God; it also has important spiritual symbolism. It pictures repentance, but this symbolism doesn't eliminate the need to obey God physically, too. In fact, if these people really were obedient to God, they would not want to spiritualize away God's command to be circumcised. Isaiah clearly said that when the good news of salvation is preached, only circumcised people will be able to enter the daughter of Zion, which is the Church today. These gentiles are being grafted into Israel, and they therefore need to keep Israelite laws.

"What advantage is there in being circumcised? Much in every way! It is our nation that has the promises and covenants, and our Lord said that salvation is of the Jews. The only thing Jesus said about circumcision was positive. And he said that if something causes sin, we ought to cut it off. Circumcision helps us picture that important truth, but we lose its symbolic value if we abandon the practice. Circumcision has value if a person observes the law, and we certainly don't want to encourage these new converts to be lawbreakers. Our Messiah specifically said that he didn't come to do away with the law, and none of it would pass away. He fulfilled the symbolism of sacrifices, but that doesn't do away with our need to obey the plain and clear commands of God.

"God justifies people by faith, but the faith isn't genuine if these people aren't willing to obey clear commands of God in the God-breathed Scriptures that are able to make us wise for salvation. No one should rely on circumcision as a guarantee of salvation, of course, but neither should we reject it. Abraham believed first, and then he obeyed. That's what these gentiles need to do to be saved. Keeping God's commands is what counts."

Would we be able to answer such an argument without the writings of Paul? We'd have, of course, the conclusion of the Jerusalem conference, but then right after that we would read that Paul circumcised Timothy (Acts 16:3). Paul was accused of teaching against circumcision (Acts 21:21), but that was clearly a false accusation. From Genesis to Acts, the Scriptures are supportive of the rite of circumcision except for one chapter. Although Acts 15 gives us the overall conclusion that circumcision is not required for gentiles, it does not answer all the specific arguments that the Judaizers could have had.

However, Peter, Barnabas and Paul radically reinterpreted the law of circumcision by keeping the spiritual meaning but rejecting the physical rite. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, they explained that Abraham received the promises by faith before circumcision; therefore the circumcision of the most-respected patriarch, although commanded as an everlasting covenant for his physical heirs and extended household, cannot be a requirement for salvation. Why? Because Peter, Barnabas and Paul saw a dramatic discontinuity between the old and the new. Even a ritual confirming the promises, a ritual given hundreds of years before Sinai, could simply be swept aside, as a requirement for salvation, by the new situation that Jesus had inaugurated.

Few among us would have been so bold.

Many Jewish Christians could have been deeply troubled by the conclusion that circumcision was simply not required. An ancient and culturally important religious law was rejected without even a hint that Jesus was against it in any way. Why was this necessary? Let us now see what Paul later wrote, and understand his rationale for the discontinuity between old and new.

Circumcised in and by Jesus Christ

Paul examines the example of Abraham again, and notes that Abraham was accounted righteous even while he was uncircumcised (Romans 4:9-10). Even though he later received a physical sign or seal of his righteousness, his righteous status before God did not depend on circumcision (verse 11). He is the father of all who faithfully live as he did before he was circumcised (verse 12) -- and that was an exemplary faith, since Abraham packed up and moved without knowing where he was going.

To the Corinthians, Paul made it clear that if a person was called while uncircumcised, he should not attempt to change his anatomy (1 Corinthians 7:18). And his reason is surprising: "Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God's commands is what counts" (verse 19). The surprise is that circumcision had been one of God's commands, and yet it doesn't count. The law of circumcision was a religious rite that had nothing to do with our moral responsibilities to our neighbors.

Paul explained circumcision in greatest detail in his letter to the Galatians. They were being misled by a Judaizing heresy that demanded that gentile believers follow up their faith with physical compliance with old covenant commands. But Paul explained that it is wrong to view physical circumcision as necessary because that would imply that faith in Christ was not enough. "If you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all" (Galatians 5:2).

Paul himself did not forbid circumcision; we have already noted that he circumcised Timothy, whose mother was Jewish. But he explains that Titus, a gentile, was not circumcised (Galatians 2:3). It was not a requirement for salvation, nor a requirement for leadership within the Church. Circumcision is permissible as a voluntary practice, but it should not be taught as a requirement. It does not enhance anyone's standing before God. It should not be done as a commitment to old covenant laws, which was the issue in Acts 15 and Galatians 5:2-3.

Circumcision was only the beginning of the messianic Judaizers' demands. What they were really insisting on was the whole law of Moses as a requirement (Galatians 5:3). They were insisting on the Mosaic covenant. Faith in Christ is great, they probably said, but we have to add to our faith some works as specified by the authoritative writings of Moses. Not so, said Paul. "In Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love" (verse 6).

Because the gentiles were uncircumcised, they were once considered excluded from the covenants of promise and cut off from God. But now, through the blood of Christ, they have been brought near to God (Ephesians 2:11-13). In Jesus' own flesh, by his own obedience to old covenant rules, he has abolished the commandments and regulations that had separated Jews from gentiles (verse 14-15). He gave all ethnic groups access to God and made them fellow citizens with each other; it is in Christ that we are being built together as a spiritual temple for God (verse 19-22).

Paul also warned the Philippians about the circumcision advocates. "Watch out for those dogs," he said, using Jewish slang for gentiles in reference to the Judaizers (Philippians 3:2). They are evil men, "mutilators of the flesh" -- a Greek view of the rite of circumcision. It is believers who are the true circumcision -- all "who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh" (verse 3). Paul himself was circumcised (verse 5), but he counted it as loss for the sake of Christ (verse 7-8). His righteousness did not come from the law, but from faith in Christ (verse 9). Justification by faith has rendered the rite of circumcision obsolete. The principle of salvation by faith, which Abraham received before his circumcision, gave Paul the logical foundation for saying that obedience to a clear command of Scripture was not necessary for salvation. A physical requirement cannot supersede a promise of God given through faith.

The eternal validity of God's law

God, the perfect and unchangeable Lawgiver, changed a fundamental aspect of his law -- not only circumcision, but also sacrifices and temples and priesthoods. The infallible Scriptures contain commands that are obsolete.

But didn't Jesus say, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished" (Matthew 5:17-18).

Laws regarding sacrifice continue to be valid, but we actually obey them through faith in Jesus Christ, who was sacrificed for us.

God's law is to be written on our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

God's law did not originate with Moses -- since sin existed before Moses and sin does not exist without law, law existed before Moses (Romans 5:12-14). God's law existed, and the people transgressed it. God's law does not depend on its Mosaic administration. There is a law behind the law of Moses.

However, many of the Mosaic rules, especially those concerning the way we should treat other people, are still valid applications of the spiritual purpose. Jesus explained them in the Sermon on the Mount, for example.

In summary, laws can remain on the books, and remain valid in purpose, and yet we may no longer be required to keep them in the letter. A simple citation of Matthew 5:17 does not automatically prove that an Old Testament law must be administered in the way it was under Moses. The law of circumcision illustrates the new covenant approach to old covenant laws.

Since the Israelites did not practice circumcision in the wilderness (Joshua 5:5), and uncircumcised people could not partake of the Passover, only the generations that left Egypt kept the Passover. There may not have been enough lambs in the desert to keep an annual slaughter for the whole congregation (Numbers 11:13).

 

[lightninboy]

http://www.scionofzion.com/otsaints.htm

How were the Old Testament Saints Saved?

By Dr. Ken Matto

One of the seemingly big discussion topics among Christians is that Christ went to the cross about 33 AD and afterward when He returned to Heaven, He sent the promise of the Holy Spirit upon all the Elect of God. Now it is easily gathered from the New Testament the way the New Testament Saint was saved but the big question is, how was the Old Testament Saint saved? Was the Old Testament Saint saved through the animal sacrifices? It seems many Christians believe that the animal sacrifices played a part in the salvation of the Old Testament Saints. When we look at the three verses from Deuteronomy we see the word “Saints” being used. This is the first usage of the word “Saints” in the entire Bible. The word “Saints” in Hebrew carries with it the meaning of “holy.” In verse 2 it is the popular word “qodhesh” which is used throughout the Old Testament for “holy and holiness.” In verse 3 it is the adjective “qadhosh” which is translated “holy.” Now the first two questions that we must ask is, did the animal sacrifices take away sin? Could they make a person holy?

The Animal Sacrifices

As we see in these verses that the Law had only a shadow of things to come. The sacrifices which were offered under that system were not of a permanent nature but only of a temporary nature. They were also only representations of what was to come. This is very important to keep in mind when trying to understand the nature of those sacrifices. The sacrificial system was not designed to remove sins from the person bringing the offering. It was a temporary foreshadow of the permanent atonement which would come through the Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary on behalf of His Elect. We read in verse 4 that it is not possible for the blood of animals to make atonement and remove sins from anyone. Only the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ had the ability to remove sins forever, once and for all, from the people that God would choose for salvation.

The Great Day Of Atonement

In Leviticus 16, we read about the Great Day of Atonement. It was a time when two goats were chosen, one was to carry the sins of Israel into the Desert and the other was to be sacrificed as a burnt offering for the sins of Israel. After this ceremony, the people were to follow up with a day of fasting. This is the only time in the Mosaic Law that fasting was commanded. Now it looks like the Great Day of Atonement was the way that Israel was given forgiveness for their sins. However, as we keep in mind what we read previously, that the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sin. A goat cannot atone for the sin of any human being. If they could, then anyone can buy a goat and after a life of sin, kill the goat and get to Heaven. However, that cannot be, so this means that God has another reason for devising this ceremony. The reason is that this day too is looking forward to the Great Day of Atonement. The one in Leviticus was only a temporary foreshadow of the Great Day of the Atonement which the Lord Jesus accomplished on Calvary for His Elect.

Why the Law if it could not save a soul?

In order for God to show the human race how wicked they were, He gave us the Law to show us that we could not keep it. Cruel? Absolutely not! God did this out of compassion because if there was no law to compare our actions to, then there could be no standard by which to compare our lives to. God allowed the Law to come into existence to show that we needed a Savior. No human being alive could ever please God with enough good works because every good work we do is still tainted by sin.

The Apostle Paul gives an excellent summary of why God gave the Law. It was given to the world to drive the Elect to Christ whereby they would receive Grace but the unbeliever who is not justified through Grace will still be culpable to the demands of God’s righteous Law. We read that after a person becomes saved, they are no longer under the Law. This does not mean we live a lawless life but what it means is that since Christ fulfilled the requirements of the law through His atonement on Calvary, the Christian is no longer accountable for their sins. They have been washed clean for all eternity. This is the essence of salvation. It is this great truth that many Christians have a hard time with simply because they do not really know what happened at Calvary and the real significance of their salvation in Christ.

Quick summary up to this point
1. The Blood of Bulls and Goats cannot remove sins.
2. The Sacrificial System was only a foreshadow of the sacrifice of Christ.
3. The Law was written to drive the Elect to Christ.
4. The Great Day of Atonement was only a foreshadow of Christ’s day on Calvary.
5. The term “Saint” is used in the Hebrew Scriptures, not just the New Testament.

God has one salvation plan

Rom 8:9 KJV) But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Throughout the entire Bible, we see there is only one salvation plan. We already have seen that the animal sacrifices were not actual atonements but they were only foreshadows leading up to the sacrifice of Christ. Now if there is only one salvation program in the Bible, then it must also apply to those who were born before the cross. To better understand the continuity of Scripture, it is never a wise practice of breaking up the Bible into two separate sections. The Old Testament and the New Testament are intimately entwined in each other. In essence, one cannot be removed from the other and then to expect a proper understanding of Scripture. The Bible is one cohesive book. There is much salvation Scripture in the Old Testament. These verses sound very New Testament in Nature, yet were written hundreds of years before the Cross.

While the Tabernacle and Temple systems were in place, it was not God’s timing to fully manifest Grace at that time. Always keep in mind that God reveals things fully in His own time. (Gal 4:4 KJV) But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,. God had a timetable in the sending forth of the Lord Jesus Christ and that timetable would also be used when it was time to manifest fully, Grace as God’s salvation plan. So now if the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified approximately 477 years after the book of Malachi was written, then how were the Saints in the Old Testament Saved?

Old Testament Salvation

For many years I was taught that the Old Testament Saints were looking forward to the cross and the New Testament Saints looked back at the cross. Well I have come to the point of abandoning that thought. As New Testament Christians we surely look back to the cross but in reality, did the Old Testament Saints really look forward to the cross? No they did not because they did not understand such a concept.

(1 Pet 1:10-12 KJV) Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: {11} Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. {12} Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

Here we read in these verses that the Old Testament prophets prophesied Grace, they had taught it but did not understand it, simply because it was not the time to be revealed yet. Remember Hebrews 9:8, because that is an important verse. We see the revelation of these things was to happen after the resurrection of Christ. Once Christ was resurrected and God’s salvation plan was now finished, then came the time of the revealing of the salvation program of God which was Grace. All well and good, but how were the Old Testament Saints saved? Let us see the simplicity whereby God gives us the answer to this.

It is written

In John 19:30, the Lord Jesus Christ in His agony on the cross said, “It is Finished.” This meant that the salvation program of God was now completed for His Elect. Okay, we see the completion but when did it begin? Did it start when Christ came on the scene? So then the question remains, how did the blood become applied in the Old Testament, when Christ died about 477 years after the last stroke of Malachi? Let us see!

Now I want to state something which may sound heretical but it is not. We have all heard that Christ was the final sacrifice for sin. That statement and ones like it are an open ended statement. Christ was not the final sacrifice for sin but Christ was the final sacrifice for the sins of the Elect alone! The unbeliever will be the final sacrifice when they are judged and cast into Hell at the Great White Throne Judgment. The unbelievers have no Savior and that is why they must pay for their own sins. Now the following verses will become clearer when we apply that distinction. The unbeliever will continue to sin after receiving the knowledge of Christ but because they are non-elect, they have no substitutionary sacrifice for their sins, this is why it says there is no more sacrifice for sins. They must stand for their own sins without a mediator.

(Heb 10:26-27 KJV) For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, {27} But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

Temporary Spirit

There are many who like to use the idea that the Holy Spirit did not indwell people in the Old Testament but rather He temporarily abode on certain people. Whenever we accept a doctrine or teaching like that we must see if it has a basis. Based on what we read concerning God’s timing it behooves us to repeat the verse which deals with this subject:
(Heb 9:8 KJV) The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:

We have seen that Grace was fully operational in the Old Testament and if it was, then the method of salvation was no different for them as it was for us. This means those who were saved before the cross were indwelled with the Holy Spirit as we are or else they were not saved. I want to name some Saints in the Old Testament who were absolutely saved and there is nothing written in conjunction with the theory that the Holy Spirit only abode on them and not indwelled them.

Abraham
Moses
David
Joseph
Bezaleel
(Exo 31:2-3 KJV) See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: {3} And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,

THE SPIRIT CAME UPON

In many places in the Old Testament we will find phrases like “the spirit came upon” or “the spirit rested upon,” or a phrase similar to these two. It seems they convey an idea that the Holy Spirit had come upon them but in these instances did not indwell them. We are going to look at quite a number of Scriptures and as we look at them we are going to see that when the Holy Spirit came upon someone, even a believer like Moses, it was for a different purpose than salvation. When the Holy Spirit came upon or rested on someone, there was always some type of task in view which required the intervention of the Lord to accomplish. (John 15:5 KJV) I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

By these revealing verses, we see that the Holy Spirit was not only active in spiritual regeneration AKA salvation, but He was also active in physical creation.

Summary

We have a come a long way and we have seen that the Holy Spirit not only indwells a person upon salvation but He also comes upon a person to empower them to do a certain job or perform a function like Saul did in his early years in office as King. Eventually God removed all contact with His Spirit from Saul and a demon then became his guide. The Holy Spirit, as we have seen, was active in the physical creation of the world and universe, as well as being involved in the individual lives of people that were empowered to do certain things, such as the 70 elders which were given the spirit of leadership. We have also seen that no one can become saved outside of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and those who became saved during the Old Testament were saved in the same manner as those after the cross. That is because the works of the Lord Jesus were, in principle, finished from before the foundation of the world. Since the Bible reveals this truth, it is very simple for us to see that God has only one salvation plan running through the entire Bible, and every saved person has become saved in the same manner, through Christ, whether before the cross or after the cross, simply because they were named before the foundation of the world, before one person was created.

 

[lightninboy]

http://www.biblebb.com/files/macqa/1301-T-14.htm

The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr.

Question

Since people can be saved only through Christ, how did the Old Testament saints get saved?

Answer

Through Christ. Through Jesus Christ.

Question continues

But, Christ did not die until after they died.

Answer

Oh, you mean, what did they have to do at the moment to be saved?

Everyone is saved through Christ. He died for the sins of the world. For them, it was future. For us, it is past, but it was still through Christ. It was His death, His sacrifice. It atoned for the sins of the OT saints as well as the NT saints. And, every time they sacrificed a lamb, and every time they sacrificed a ram, and every time they sacrificed a turtle dove or a pigeon, every time they sacrificed any animal, it was the picture of Christ, the picture of Christ, the picture of Christ. So, they had to know that there was coming one who would pay the penalty for their sins, one ultimate sacrifice. Christ, alone, can save.

Now, the means for salvation has always been the same: Faith. And, at any given point in the unfolding revelation of the Word of God, salvation came through faith, believing God. Abraham believed God. It was counted him for righteousness. What did he believe? He believed as much as God had revealed. And, God had revealed even by that time that he was sinner and that the only savior was God, and that God would pay the penalty for his sin. Now, he didn't understand all there was to know about Jesus Christ, but he understood enough to know that he was a sinner and needed a savior and God would provide a savior. That is why it says in Hebrews 12, that Moses could foresee Christ, even Moses.

So, I believe, the OT people were saved by faith in God. They believed God’s word as much as was revealed to them, and knew their own sinfulness. In fact, the reason they would carry out the sacrifices, and the reason they would do all the things God told them to do was an outworking of an inward faith. It was not to earn salvation. It was to demonstrate the reality of it. They were saved by faith in Christ. They didn't know who Christ was. And, they didn't know specifically when and how and all of that, but they believed God. They were sinful, and God would have to provide a sacrifice for them.

 

[lightninboy]

http://www.exchangedlife.com/QandA/OTSaintsSaved.shtml

Question:

If the Bible says that salvation is only in Christ, then how were the Old Testament saints saved since they were before Christ?

Answer:

This is a common question and a very valid one. It is commonly taught that the Old Testament saints were under a different dispensation and therefore were saved under the Old Testament law rather than New Testament grace. As we will see from scripture, this is not the case at all. The Old Testament saints were saved just as we are today. One of the primary principles of scripture is that God does not change. God did not change His plan half-way through history and try something new. It may be a new revelation to man, but the plan of God has always been the same. The Bible tells us that we were redeemed in Christ before the foundation of the world. The law and works does not redeem anyone, nor has it ever redeemed anyone.

The primary purpose of the law in the Old Testament was to show the world that they were guilty before God and how it is impossible to keep the law – and even if you could, it still would not justify a single person. The law opens our eyes by showing us the knowledge of sin. The law does keep us civilized, but its primary purpose is to open our eyes to sin.

The Old Testament saints were not saved by keeping the law nor were they saved by the sacrifices they performed. The Bible tells us that the sacrifice was a yearly reminder of sin and that it foreshadowed the true sacrifice that was to come in Jesus Christ. The Old Testament saints were saved by faith just as we are. They had faith in the coming Messiah that was yet to be revealed; we have faith in the Messiah who has been revealed – Jesus Christ. There were many wicked men who kept the sacrifices of the Old Testament, yet they will not have salvation. In salvation, faith always comes first and then works follow. Works are the evidence of faith but works never produce faith.

The Bible makes it clear that it is IMPOSSIBLE for the Old Testament sacrifices to take away sins. The yearly sacrifice was a continuous reminder of the presence of sin so the people would not forget and it was a foreshadow that pointed ahead to the sacrifice that Jesus would one day make. Those who obeyed the law as an act of faith, were justified in Christ by their faith in God’s plan of redemption. Those who had no faith only performed a ritual that had zero eternal benefit. Many kept the law out of a fear of consequences so they would not be cut off from their people (which was God’s warning), but fearing judgment does not save them anymore than scaring people with hell today. There is a place for explaining the consequence of hell, but no one is saved by running away from hell. The Bible says that it is the goodness of God that leads you to repentance. We have faith and turn to a loving relationship with God that is offered through the cross.

So we can see from scripture that both the Old and New Testament saints obtain salvation through the completed work of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.

Eddie Snipes
Exchanged Life Outreach

 

[Damian]

I am sure you two have thought provoking content, but it is too much meat at one sitting. You are limiting your audience by writing theses instead of readable/respondable posts. It is helpful for those who will read it, but will be missed by those with limited time or who would rather read a whole book, not just long posts that do not cover all that needs to be covered about a subject. I have been guilty of the same, but hope to give smaller chunks so people do not gloss over it or choke on the big quantity of meat.

Agreed. And I don't think you have been guilty of the same. But you are short on scriptural support.

 

[lightninboy]

http://www.loveintruth.com/amf-docs/otsaints.htm

How Old Testament saints were saved
by Dr. Andrew Fountain

This article is adapted from a sermon preached to Jarvis Street Baptist Church by Dr. Andrew Fountain. Many Christians are a little confused about how Old Testament believers were saved. The first problem we have is that in Old Testament times they didn’t know about Jesus’ death on the cross. Yet Acts 4:12, says of Jesus, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” How could people living in Old Testament times be saved if they didn’t know the name of Jesus? The second problem is the place of animal sacrifices. Did those sacrifices take away sin? Were people saved by sacrificing sheep, bulls, and goats?
We will try to deal with these two problems, and the errors we can fall into when trying to understand salvation in the Old Testament. One extreme position says, “In the Old Testament people were saved in a completely different way. Now we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ, but then, they were saved by the sacrifices.” The other extreme, which we will talk about later, is a failure to distinguish between the outward and the inward in the Old Testament covenants. One view sees no similarity between Old Testament and New Testament ways of salvation, the other view sees no difference between them.

The meaning of circumcision

“Stiffnecked” is a picture from an agricultural society where animals such as horses, or donkeys, or oxen were used for plowing and pulling things. A horse has a bridle and a bit in its mouth. When you want it to turn you turn its head by pulling on the reins. The horse should then turn its head and go in the direction you want it to. A stiff-necked animal is the one who will not turn, goes its own way, and keeps its neck stiff. This is a picture of a stubborn person who wants to go their own way and is not willing to submit to God. The uncircumcised person is someone who is stiff-necked and stubborn and wants to go his own way. On the other hand, someone who has a circumcised heart is obedient. They are submissive and willing, they trust the Lord like an obedient animal, trusting its master.

This is spelled out many times in the Old Testament . They did not have to guess what circumcision symbolized because God told them many times. For example, in Ezekiel 36:26, God says to them “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” He goes on to explain in v. 27: “I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you will keep my judgments and do them.”

So Ezekiel equates this circumcised heart to having the Spirit within us. God will put his Spirit within us. This idea of an obedient, regenerated heart is even clearer when we look at Romans 2:25. Paul explains: “For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.”

Nicodemus should have known about this. In John 3 Jesus says to Nicodemus, “You must be born again.” When Nicodemus doesn’t understand, Jesus says, “Are you a teacher in Israel and you don’t know these things? You have never read Jeremiah and Ezekiel? Don’t you know the difference between an uncircumcised and a circumcised heart? Don’t you know about this new birth through the Spirit?” Nicodemus should have understood these things because they are taught in the Old Testament. Although they were in picture language to start with, they were explained. It wasn’t long before God was explaining very clearly what he meant by their hearts being circumcised or uncircumcised.

How much did these Old Testament saints really understand? They must have had some difficulty in coming to a full understanding of what was entailed in their salvation. Our understanding of Old Testament teaching is enlightened by the commentary of New Testament writers. Abraham clearly knew that there was more than the physical reality. We know he looked beyond the literal promises because Hebrews 11:9 says of him, “By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” He knew that there was a coming city, a new Jerusalem. The land in which he dwelt physically, the land of Canaan, was not the fulfillment of the promise—there was something more in the future. Abraham knew that he should look beyond the sign, to the future.

To summarize, there were two aspects to the promise to Abraham: the outward and the inward. The outward was temporary; it lasted until the time of Christ and then fell away. The inward aspect of the promise is everlasting.

I don’t want to offend any non-Baptist readers, but those who believe in infant baptism have a problem here. They confuse the sign with the reality. They look at the promise in the time of Moses, which says “This promise is to you and your children and your children’s children,” and they say “Well, if we are Christians the promise must be to us and to our children.” What they don’t understand is that the external promise to the external children was a picture of a spiritual promise to spiritual children. When Paul talks about his children, who is he talking about? Those he had led to the Lord are his spiritual children, and, in the same way, all who believe can be described as the spiritual children of Abraham.

What did Old Testament believers actually have to do to be saved?

If Old Testament believers didn’t know the Name of Jesus, what was required of them to be saved? What Abraham did was to cast himself totally on the Lord and trust him. He did not know how God was going to save him, but he trusted that God would find a way. We know now that the way that God found to save Abraham was through Jesus Christ and His death and resurrection. However, Abraham did not know that, he just trusted blindly that God would find a way. The important thing is that the faith he had is the same faith as ours. We may have more knowledge now about how faith works, but still the core of our faith today is coming to God as our only hope and looking to him for shelter.

In Isaiah 32:2, God is described as a hiding place from the wind and a cover from the tempest, as rivers of water in a dry place, as a shadow of a great rock in a weary land. Those are wonderful words, and they perfectly describe the faith of an Old Testament believer. God was for them a hiding place from the wind, a cover from the tempest, and a refuge. Their faith is the same as our faith. We now know it is Christ who provides that shelter. Nevertheless, at that time they were looking for a shelter in the same way. Anyone who cried out to God for shelter and came to him in Old Testament times would be saved. When we come to him for shelter from the storm, he will never turn us away. He has made provision through his Son Jesus. They didn’t know the details then, but all they had to know was that God was merciful and if they cast themselves on him then he would show mercy. Jesus says, “Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” That is what Abraham did. He came to God and demonstrated his faith by following God’s commands, and God gave him rest.

How did it work after Moses gave the law?

After Moses had given the law, the Israelite nation had the sacrificial system to follow. Did the sacrifices really save them? Did killing all of those bulls and sheep really wash their sins away? In Hebrews 10:4 we read, “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.”

That is pretty clear, isn’t it! All the blood that was shed didn’t take away a single sin! It was only a picture of salvation in Jesus Christ. So could a true believer in the time of Moses ignore the sacrifices? No they could not because they were commanded to sacrifice, and because it was part of what God commanded them they had to do it in obedience. They might not have understood exactly what was going on, but in Hebrews 4 we are told that their obedience had to be mixed with faith for it to be effective. If they just killed the animal and said “Well, that’s done with,” then it would not have done any good. But if, when the animal was killed, they trusted that somehow God would provide a way, not because of anything that they had done but because they were casting themselves on Him, then they would be saved.

Unfortunately though, this wasn’t the case with most of the Israelites. They came out of Egypt and when it was time to go into the promised land they didn’t trust in God and his promises. They said “The giants of the land are too great for us,” and so virtually every one of them died in the wilderness. Were their sins forgiven? No, because they didn’t have faith. In fact, the vast majority of Israel from their inception through to the time of Christ were not saved; only a small remnant were ever saved because they were the only ones who had true faith. Sacrifices divorced from faith couldn’t save them because they were only a picture or a pointer to God.

The application to us

Paul’s argument is that we who believe that Jesus was raised from the dead, that he died for our sins and was raised for our justification, have the same belief that Abraham had. Now, of course, Abraham did not know about Jesus, but we have to have the same trust in God and cast ourselves on him believing that he will raise us up. If you are not a Christian, there is no great, marvellous, incredible thing that you have to do to become one. All you have to do is trust God and say to him, “I can’t do anything myself. I just want to trust that you will be my shelter, and you will provide a way for me. You will deal with my sins. I don’t understand all the theological details of the atonement, exactly how Jesus Christ redeemed me, but I just know that you provided for me. I am trusting in you and not in myself, because you are the one who can do the impossible. You did the impossible with Abraham. You did the impossible by raising Jesus from the dead.” God never turns away any who come to him asking him to forgive them and casting themselves on his mercy. Jesus says, “Come to me all you who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.”

You may ask, “Don’t I have to bring forth fruit?” You are right, you do, but that is the other side of the coin. When you are born again and have a circumcised heart and the Spirit living in you, the Spirit will bring forth fruit. The sign that someone has a new heart is the fruit of obedience and the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, and rest. Fruit is not something that you have to try to work up but is something that the new life in you will produce. The fruit doesn’t save you, but it shows that you are saved and that you are a new creation in Christ.

 

[Damian]

So Ruckman is "KJV only," but where is it said that he is racist?

Sad to say, I have relatives who converted to a virulent form Baptist fundamentalism and subscribe to Ruckman's teaching. Years ago they provided me with his literature and I subsequently read a couple of books by him. I would say that his teaching has strong affinity with the racism of KKK and can be properly classified as "hate" material.

 

[lightninboy]

http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=15459

Old & New Testaments unified on saving faith, Block says
Mar 17, 2003
By Jeff Robinson
Baptist Press

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)--Persons were saved during Old Testament times by the same means as those in the New Testament -- by grace through faith in Jesus Christ -- a professor at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary told a group of college students.

Daniel Block, professor of Old Testament interpretation at Southern Seminary, addressed the topic of salvation before the time of Christ, pointing to Christ as the only way for all time, during the "Give Me An Answer Collegiate Conference" which drew more than 1,000 collegians to the Louisville, Ky., campus Feb. 21-22.

Some Christians falsely believe that Old Testament saints were saved by keeping the law. Others say they were saved by "doing the best they could." Still others believe those who lived during Old Testament times were not saved at all, Block said.

One of the keys to understanding salvation through Christ as being consistent with Old Testament teaching is in seeing that Israel's covenant God "Yahweh" is the same eternal God as Jesus Christ.

"There is salvation by no other way than by the grace of God who revealed himself in person as Yahweh in the Old Testament and provided a way of forgiveness that was fulfilled and completed in the incarnate Son of God, Jesus Christ, in the New Testament," Block said. "The two names refer to the same person.

"The question, 'What about before Christ?' is an earthly question. With God, that question is irrelevant because there is no 'before.' God lives in the eternal present, and Jesus Christ was sacrificed in the eternal present (1 Peter 1:17-21). Thanks be to God."

The most frequent answer Block hears to the question is that people in the Old Testament age were saved through obedience to the law. Most Christians say this even while quoting the apostle Paul in Romans 4:1-3, which says Abraham was saved by faith, Block said.

"Many of us wouldn't believe [that Abraham was saved] unless it is affirmed in the New Testament. The witness of the Old Testament is rarely enough," Block said.

When Scripture says "there is salvation in no name other than Jesus," this does not mean the name "Jesus" by itself holds a mystical power that saves, Block said. Rather, it is the divine person behind the name -- God -- who saves. God is the same both in the Old Testament and New, he said.

A clue to seeing this truth is found in the meaning of the name of Jesus -- "Savior," Block said. "Jesus" is the Greek form of the Hebrew name "Joshua," which is short for "Yahweh has saved," he said.

"But curiously the name is never used of God in the Old Testament. And when the angel tells Joseph that Mary's child shall be called 'Jesus,' he is in effect affirming the saving action of Yahweh, though now it is not a matter of saving his people from the sins of others in Egypt but from their own sins."

That the names are the same is even more apparent in John 18, Block said. There, Judas and a group of soldiers come to arrest Jesus, and when the men tell Christ that they are seeking "Jesus of Nazareth," the Lord replies, "I Am."

Most English translations render this "I am he," but the pronoun "he" is not part of the Greek construction, Block said. A more accurate reading is simply "I Am." The soldiers drew back and fell to the ground because the Lord's answer echoes Yahweh's self-introduction in the Old Testament. Jesus hereby claims to be the "I Am" of Exodus 3-4, he said.

Block said the fact that Jesus is the same as Yahweh of the Old Testament seems to be Paul's point in Romans 10:1, 8-10 where the apostle begins in verse 1 by writing, "Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for [the Jews] is that they may be saved," and goes on to say in verse 12, "The same person is Lord of all, bestowing His riches on all who call on him. And whoever will call upon the name of the Lord [Yahweh] will be saved."

How should readers of Scripture reconcile Old Testament sacrifices which individuals and priests carried out for the remission of sins with Hebrews 10:4 which says, "It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins"?

The sacrificial system took away sins by pointing to the true sacrifice, Christ, "the lamb slain before the foundation of the world," Block said. While the sacrifices themselves did not remove sins, when they were brought in faith and by persons whose lives were pure and clean before God, God accepted them on the basis of Christ's atoning death, which was foreknown by God. As the Book of Hebrews insists, this is the only sacrifice that could actually take away sins, Block said.

"There is no contradiction here at all between [the Old Testament declarations and those in the New Testament]," Block said. "There's only one sacrifice for sin and that is the sacrifice of Christ slain before the foundation of the world."

Christ came in New Testament times and both fulfilled and clarified the redemption typified in the tabernacle/temple ritual and anticipated in the Old Testament.

"For clarification we need to wait until the New Testament when the seed -- now capital 'S' -- of the woman defeats the devil and death itself on the cross," Block said.

As in the New Testament, salvation was by faith alone, Block said. He pointed out that the law was given after the salvation of the Israelites when they miraculously crossed the Red Sea. God gave the law so that Israel might live as those set apart as the covenant people of God, he said.