Before Jesus died for our sins, could people be saved? How?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Christians speak of salvation in Jesus Christ, but what about those who lived before the earthly life of Jesus? How did those people find salvation? The Bible indicates that faith in God and His promises has always been the means of salvation. At the Fall, when Adam and Eve sinned, God promised a way to salvation that pointed to Jesus (Genesis 3:15). Prior to Christ taking on human form, Old Testament saints such as Abraham, placed their faith in God Who counted it to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6; Hebrews 11:8-10). God gave Israel the Law to reveal His holiness and righteousness to them (Leviticus 18:4) and uncover their own sin (Romans 7:7), but salvation did not come through adherence to the Law. The New Testament reveals the only means to salvation: Jesus (John 3:16, 14:1). Jesus is the Messiah the Old Testament pointed to (John 5:39). Scripture teaches that Jesus’ death for humanity’s sin was efficacious for all human beings who lived before, during, and after His time on Earth.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Salvation has always been the same: By God’s grace through faith. The major difference is that before Christ’s earthly life, salvation was found through faith in God and His promises. Adam and Eve had faith in God and fellowship with Him (Genesis 3:8-9), and Abraham trusted the Lord by faith (Genesis 15:6).
• After Adam and Eve sinned, God promised that a descendant of the woman would ultimately defeat sin and Satan, bringing redemption to humanity; this refers to Christ (Genesis 3:15; see Romans 16:20).
• God gave the Law to guide His people and reveal His standards, but the Law itself could not save anyone (Deuteronomy 27:26; Psalm 143:2). Salvation comes through trusting in God.
• Psalm 2:12 notes, "Blessed are all who take refuge in him." This "refuge" was faith or trust in the Lord. This was not an ambiguous idea of God, but faith in the one God who created the heavens, the Earth, and everything in them.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• The promise made in Genesis 3:15 pointed to the coming of Jesus Christ, who would fulfill God’s plan of salvation for all who believe (Galatians 4:4-5; 1 John 3:8). Until Jesus came, died, and rose again, people were saved by having faith in God and His promises, including Messianic promises.
• Hebrews 11 provides an entire chapter of people before Jesus, who followed the Lord by faith, not knowing the details of the Christ who would come.
• With the coming of Jesus, the content of faith became more specific, growing from belief in God to acceptance of the Son whom He sent as Savior (John 3:16; John 6:29). The promised Messiah had arrived (Matthew 16:16-17; Luke 2:11). Jesus was the fulfillment of the Old Testament sacrificial system, the one Savior who permanently restores relationship with God (Hebrews 9:11-15; Hebrews 10:10-14).
• Jesus spoke of this with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus: "And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, [Jesus] interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself" (Luke 24:27). God’s teachings revealed through Moses and the Prophets had been fulfilled in Jesus. Faith would need to be found in Him, the fulfillment of God's previous revelations concerning the Lord's Messiah.
• With the completion of the New Testament writings, we now have far more information than previous generations about Jesus. As Hebrews 1:1-2 says, "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world." We have all that is necessary to believe in Jesus Christ by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9).

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Prior to Jesus, salvation was based on faith in God and His plan. Ultimately, it was still based on the death and resurrection of Christ, though God's followers did not know exactly how that would look. Today, knowing that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3-4), the content of our faith is more specific. However, faith is still the requirement for salvation, the object of our faith is still God, and the completer of our salvation is still Jesus.

Here are some Old Testament people who demonstrated faith in God:

Abel offered a pleasing sacrifice to God by faith (Hebrews 11:4; Genesis 4:4).

Enoch walked faithfully with God and was taken by Him (Hebrews 11:5; Genesis 5:22-24).

Noah obeyed God’s instructions to build the ark (Hebrews 11:7; Genesis 6:22).

Abraham trusted God’s promises, counted righteous because of his faith (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:20-22).

Sarah believed God’s promise of a son despite her old age (Romans 4:19-21; Genesis 21:1-2).

Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in faith, trusting God’s covenant (Hebrews 11:20; Genesis 27:27-29).

Jacob blessed his children and trusted God’s promises (Hebrews 11:21; Genesis 48:15-16).

Joseph trusted God’s plan through slavery and imprisonment (Genesis 50:20; Acts 7:9-10).

Moses led Israel out of Egypt by faith (Hebrews 11:24-27; Exodus 14:13-14).

Rahab protected Israelite spies, showing faith in God’s deliverance (Hebrews 11:31; Joshua 2:12-14).

Gideon led Israel to victory by trusting God’s guidance (Judges 6:36-40; Hebrews 11:32).

Barak followed God’s command to defeat enemies (Judges 4:6-10; Hebrews 11:32).

Samson acted in God’s strength at times of faith (Hebrews 11:32; Judges 16:28-30).

Jephthah led Israel to victory trusting God (Hebrews 11:32; Judges 11:29-32).

David trusted God in life-threatening situations (Psalm 23:1-4; 1 Samuel 17:37).

Samuel obeyed God’s call as a prophet from a young age (1 Samuel 3:19-21; Hebrews 11:32).

Elijah acted boldly in faith, trusting God for provision and miracles (1 Kings 17:1-6; Hebrews 11:32).

Elisha followed God’s call faithfully (2 Kings 2:9-15; Hebrews 11:32).

Daniel maintained faithful prayer even under threat of death (Daniel 6:10; Daniel 6:16-23).

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to worship idols, trusting God to deliver them (Daniel 3:16-28).

All these Old Testament people encourage us that we are all saved by grace through faith in God. Their lives show that faith is active—trusting God leads to obedience, perseverance, and reliance on His promises, even when circumstances are uncertain or threatening. Just as they looked forward to the fulfillment of God’s plan, we now live in the light of Christ, placing our faith in Jesus as the ultimate completion of God’s promise of salvation.

UNDERSTAND

• Salvation has always been by God’s grace through faith, even before Jesus came.
• Old Testament believers were saved by trusting God and His promises, looking forward to the Messiah.
• Salvation was ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, but before He died for our sins, people were still saved by faith in God even if they did not have the full picture of redemption.

REFLECT

• How does knowing that salvation has always been by faith affect the way you trust God?
• In what ways can you follow the example of Old Testament believers who trusted God despite not knowing the full picture of salvation?
• How does understanding that faith in God was sufficient before Jesus died for our sins challenge or encourage you?

ENGAGE

• How do we see God’s promise of the Messiah fulfilled in Jesus, and how does that connect to the faith of Old Testament believers?
• In what ways can we encourage one another to have active faith, like the examples in Hebrews 11, even when outcomes are unclear?
• How does the continuity of salvation by faith from the Old Testament to today shape our understanding of God’s plan and His grace?