S A L V A T I O N I n O T & N T
There exists serious misconception re how God saved people in OT and NT times,
before Christ and after Christ
It is stated and believed by many, Law in OT and Grace in NT.
This is a deceptive picture of God’s character. God is always the same;
Mal.3:6 For I am the Lord, I change not.
Ps.89:34 My covenant will I not break
James 1:17 With God no variableness or shadow of turning
Hebr.13:8 Jesus the same yesterday, today and for ever
The divine essentials in salvation are:
1. Free deliverance, grace, and compassion
2. New life means, law abiding, ‘sin no more’
3. Provision for forgiveness through a sanctuary system.
I. Redemption
A. In OT times: Israel in Egypt, land of slavery, bondage, land of sin:
Rev.11:8 Christ crucified in “Egypt”
He came to the land of sin, planet Earth.
Exod.20:2; Deut.5:6 introduction before the Ten Commandments
a reminder of their deliverance from Egypt.
Before informed regarding obedience to God’s ten words, reminded of what
God had done for them. Grace before works.
This should have become the correct motivation for obedience.
We obey for reasons of what God has done for us.
Work from, because of deliverance, not towards, to gain deliverance.
Israel’s call out of Egypt not because of their righteousness
Deut.9:5, 6
But because of a promise given to Abraham Gen.12:7
God loved them: Deut. 4:37
7:7-9
33:3
But Israel did not understand, and remembered not God’s mercies
and grace, Psalm 106:6-8
Isa.64:6 our righteousness as filthy rags
57:12 they do not profit us
Deut.4:37 because of love and by a mighty hand, the hand of God
Israel brought out of Egypt.
9:26, 27 through God’s greatness and mighty hand
David in 1Chron.17:21 God redeemed His people out of Egypt
More in Exod.13:9 & 16
Deut: 7:8; 13:10; 15:15; 24:18:22; 26:5-9; 30:11
Matthew Henry: “Our gaining possession of the heavenly Canaan, as it must be
attributed to God’s power and not to our own might, so it must be ascribed to God’s grace and not to our own merit; in Christ we have both righteousness and strength, in Him therefore we must glory, and not in ourselves, or any suffering of our own.” (Vol.I, p.763)
B. Redemption in NT.
Rom.3:20, 28 not by human work or deeds
Gal.2:16 not by works of the law
Rom.5:6, 8, 10 while yet in bondage God loved us.
Before human obedience, divine love.
Redeemed through His blood: Eph.1:17
Col. 1:14
He redeemed us Titus 2:14
Cost of redemption 1 Peter 1:18-20
Before the foundation of the world Rev.13:8
“Before obtaining freedom, the bondsmen must show their faith in the great deliverance about to be accomplished” (PP278)
Israel during the Passover night, blood sign to be applied.
In the Passover night Israel stood equal with Egypt. Judgment was about Egypt, Ex.12:12
But Israel was also under judgment. The blood of the Lamb on the doorposts saved them from condemnation Ex.12:13; Rom.8:1
Faith in the blood of the Lamb saved them, same in the NT where Christ is the Lamb of God, John 1:29
Christ is our Passover, 2 Cor.5:7 & 8
Faith in blood first, not human works
This was already revealed in Gen.4:3-5 Abel’s blood sacrifice was accepted but
Cain’s non blood sacrifice was not accepted. Abel recognized the necessity of blood, God’s gift (Lev.17:11) Cain brought from his own works.
Here is already demonstrated, salvation is God’s way not man’s way. All the way through OT and NT this is the big difference. How do we try to be saved, God’s way or man’s way? God’s way will work; man’s way will be futile.
Faith was also essential in Eden. Adam and Eve receive life from God and a garden to live in. That was free grace. But to retain life and to remain in the garden they had to show faith in God’s word. When tempted by Satan they had to make a choice, show faith in God’s word or faith in the word of the serpent. They failed by showing faith in Satan and did eat from the forbidden tree.
They were given a second chance to show faith in God’s plan of salvation through the blood of a Lamb, type of the true Lamb of God, Christ. As shown here above, Abel showed that faith, Cain failed.
II. Human Response.
In OT times
After Israel’s deliverance the revelation of God’s law is introduced by what
God had done for them: Exod.20:2 & Deut.5:6 I am the Lord thy God which
have brought thee out……………. It is first deliverance by grace.
Obedience to law based upon love to God:
Deut.6:5 complete love
7:9 love & obedience
10:12, 13 love, fear and walk (Micah 6:8)
11:1&13 love and obedience
WHY?
Exod.20:8-11 He is our Creator
Deut.5:11 He is our Redeemer from Egypt, bondage
“By obedience the people were to give evidence of their faith. So all who hope to be saved by the merits of the blood of Christ should realize that they themselves have something to do in securing their salvation. While it is Christ only that can redeem us from the penalty of transgression, we are to turn from sin to obedience. Man is to be saved by faith, not by works; yet his faith must be shown by his works. God has given His son to die as a propitiation for sin….”(PP279 top of page)
“…….in return for His goodness and mercy, they were to exalt His name and make it glorious in the Earth” PK 16
God’s grace teacher for right living Titus 2:11, 12
Matthew Henry: This gospel revelation is to teach, and not by way of information and instruction only, as a schoolmaster does his scholars, but by way of precept and command, as a sovereign who gives laws to his subjects. It directs what to shun and what to do. The gospel is not for speculation only or chiefly, but for practice and right ordering of life, for it teaches us….”(see Titus above) Vol. VI p.866
That’s why the giving of the law happened after and not before the deliverance. God’s grace must be experienced first.
B. Response in NT times. Any change?
Matth.5:17, 18 He did not come to change or to destroy, but to do, to fulfill
To enforce them (Goodspeed)
Not to abolish them (NASB & Jer.B.)
“The dawn of the last days does not eliminate the need for law keeping. The law remains in force ‘until everything is accomplished’” (Evang.Com.p.729)
“The same cross of Christ, which frees us from the law’s condemnation, commits us to the law’s obedience” ( Dr.John Stott in THE CROSS OF CHRIST P.281)
John 14:15 & 21 If we love Him
1 John 2:3-6
1 John 5:2, 3 (Deut.30:11, NASB) they are not grievous, not too difficult and
not out of reach.
2 John 6 this is love to walk after His commandments.
Rom.3:31 Law not done away with,
We establish, KJV
We uphold the law. Mof.
This confirms the law. Goodspeed
We are setting the law on its right footing. Knox
We put the law in its proper place. Phil.
We are giving the law its true value Jer.B.
Do we then nullify the law through faith? May it never be.
on the contrary we establish the law. NASB
Rom.7:12 law is holy, just and good.
Love and obedience go hand in hand.
The NT does not undo what has been established in the OT.
One confirms the other and in Christ becomes more clear and visible.
From the law in stone OT, to the Messianic age NT, the law in the heart.
III Providing Forgiveness.
A. In OT.
After redemption from Egypt’s bondage and the giving of the law, followed the
setting up of the sanctuary system, Exod.25-30.
Israel failed initially because of their human promises, Exod.19:8 & 24:3, 7 which
they did not keep.
Forgiveness was not a part of the first challenge to obey the law and was based
on human faulty promises as stated in Ex.19:8; 24:3, 7.
Exod.23:21 and 32:10 forgiveness not included as an option, in their promise
“They could not hope for the favor of God through a covenant which they had broken; and now, seeing their sinfulness and their need of pardon, they were brought to feel their need of the Saviour revealed in the Abrahamic covenant, and shadowed forth in the sacrificial offerings.” PP372
In spite of the fact that mercy was mentioned in Ex.20:6 and Deut.5:10
as part of the second commandment, Israel still based their obedience upon their
strength and will.
They failed through the golden calf experience and were threatened to
be wiped out. (Ex.32:10)
This became the time to reveal God’s grace and mercy, Exod.34:5-7, and
followed by the same set of ten words on new tables of stone (covenant) and star-
ting a waiting period, until ratified at the cross by the blood of Christ.
A set of sacrificial rituals is introduced, teaching that through a substitute,
redemption from sin’s penalty is possible and forgiveness and atonement
is provided. As laid out in detail in Lev.1-4
Transfer of sin to the substitute, a lamb, iLev.4:4, 15, 24, 29, 33
Atonement and forgiveness follows: Lev.4:20, 26, 31, and 35
The blood on the altar is God’s gift Lev.17:11
This divine statement prevents the idea of man bringing to God a gift for divine appeasement like the heathen were doing. Presenting a gift in exchange for peace or atonement from God is not acceptable.
The sacrificial system was already known and practiced from the time of Abel throughout the Patriarchal time and after the 400+ years in bondage in Egypt given to Israel in the wilderness in a proper organized manner and a visible sanctuary/tabernacle as a focus or sacred centre.
Isa.53 predicts the coming of the real Lamb, Messiah, of God.
Daniel gives us time and place, Dan.9:24-27
B. In NT times.
John.1:29, 36 John the Baptist reveals the Lamb of God
Jesus reveals Himself in John 3:14-16
Paul deals with it theologically: Rom.3:23-31
2 Cor.5:19-21 Christ being our Sin bearer.
Eph.2:7-10 by grace through faith towards good works
Ib. 2:1-6 what we were and what we are now
John in 1 John 1:8-2:3 Sin not, but in case……
Recapitulation.
Deliverance/redemption is first, outside human effort, it is exclusively God’s work.
In OT times Israel delivered from Egypt’s bondage
In NT times delivered from our spiritual Egypt, bondage to sin, from what we were outside Christ. We are unable to redeem ourselves by whatever means!
The law of God transgressed can never be at the same time our
Redeemer and Saviour.
In OT Israel was challenged to love God, to fear Him and to walk with Him, after
experiencing redemption from Egypt.
They failed because of their own unsuccessful human promises and efforts.
They had a redemption experience, but failed to see themselves correctly.
They were restored in relationship with God through the revelation of God’s
character of mercy and grace towards the sinner. Ex.34:5-7
In NT we need redemption from sin first, not by our human works but based
upon the better promises than the human ones, of God’s grace and mercy
Hebr.8:6-9
Eph.2:8-10 saved by grace through faith.
This must create love and dedication towards God in the keeping of his
commandments. Salvation still comes from God, not from human works.
As Israel failed and was restored, so we in the NT may fail but will be
restored. Go home and sin no more. In case we sin we have an advocate.
1 John 1:9; 2:1, 2
Matthew Henry: “Our necessary dependence upon the divine power and goodness
should awe us into obedience. We do well to take heed of provoking
our protector and benefactor, because if our defense depart from us, and the streams of His goodness be cut off, we are undone.” Vol. I p.376
Pastor Jan.T.Knopper
September 2007
Edited August 2010
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