Salvation in the Old Testament

1 John S. Feinberg, Salvation in the Old Testament Tradition and Testament . Essays in Honor of Charles LeeFeinberg. Chicago: Moody Press, 1981. Hbk. ISBN: 0802425445. [ ]3 Salvation in the Old TestamentJohn S. FeinbergJOHN S. FEINBERG ( , , University of Chicago;M. Div., Talbot Theological Seminary: , Trinity EvangelicalDivinity School) is professor of systematic theology at LibertyBaptist Seminary, Lynchburg, does the Bible teach about Salvation ? Ask this question of most people, and they willrespond with their understanding of the New Testament s teaching on Salvation .

2 One can searchfor hours and find little written about Salvation in the Old Testament . Biblical theologians tend todiscuss it more often than systematic theologians, but neither group devotes much attention to , if one were to peruse course outlines for most classes taught in seminaries or Biblecolleges in soteriology, he would find that the question of Salvation in the Old Testament receiveslittle or no treatment it is difficult to find discussions on the Old Testament s approach to the broad theme ofsalvation.

3 It is even harder to find treatments of the Old Testament s perspective on the specificmatter of Salvation of the individual. Although there are studies of such topics as corporateelection and national Salvation (especially when the topic is physical deliverance from some kindof bondage or evil),1 it seems that theologians and exegetes have tended to shy away from aconsideration of the Old Testament teaching about how an individual was to acquire spiritualsalvation. Why this should be so is not entirely clear.

4 Perhaps it has stemmed at least partiallyfrom a feeling, on the one hand, that the Old Testament really says nothing different than theNew on the matter of personal Salvation .[ ]Or perhaps it stems from a fear that what the Old Testament teaches about Salvation is soradically different from the teaching of the New Testament that close attention to it would onlyserve to confuse us about God s manner of dealing with personal Salvation , and might even leadus to the theologically damaging conclusion that God has been inconsistent in regard to thematter of view of these considerations.

5 I suggest that the study of Salvation in the Old Testament is moreurgently needed, and it is my intention to consider several issues related to the Old Testament steaching about the spiritual Salvation of the individual. Obviously, it would be impossible in astudy of this length to cover every relevant aspect of Old Testament teaching, but I should like toaddress three main topics. First, I want to consider the method of Salvation . Does Scripture teachmore than one way of Salvation an Old Testament and a New Testament way?

6 This matter is ofJohn S. Feinberg, Salvation in the Old Testament Tradition and Testament . Essays in Honor of Charles LeeFeinberg. Chicago: Moody Press, 1981. Hbk. ISBN: 0802425445. not only from the standpoint of coming to a proper understanding of scriptural teaching,but also because many have thought that dispensationalism involves or even necessitates acommitment to multiple ways of Salvation . What I shall argue in regard to the first issue is thatneither the approach of Scripture nor that of dispensationalism necessitates holding to multiplemethods of Salvation .

7 Second, I want to discuss the implementation of Salvation . To say thatScripture teaches only one way of Salvation is not to specify what it is or how it has beenimplemented at various times in history, especially during Old Testament times. Third, I want toconsider the relationship of Old Testament sacrifices to Christ s sacrifice and to discuss as wellthe exact soteriological function of sacrifices in the Old Testament system. Involved in thediscussion of the function of the sacrifices will be a treatment of their efficacy, especially in viewof the statement in Hebrews 10:4 that not all the blood of bulls and goats could take away sin.

8 THE METHOD OF SALVATIONHow many ways of Salvation does Scripture teach? Reading various theologians, one mightinitially assume that the question is a waste of time, for all seem to assert that Scripture teachesonly one way of Salvation operative in all economies and at all times. For example, afterpresenting opposing viewpoints, Hodge emphatically argues:[ ]In opposition to these different views the common doctrine of the Church has ever been, that theplan of Salvation has been the same from the beginning.

9 There is the same promise of deliverancefrom the evils of the apostasy, the same Reedeemer, the same condition required for participationin the blessings of redemption, and the same complete Salvation for all who embrace the offers ofdivine , Payne argues that in spite of some difference, the doctrine of regeneration is taught inthe Old Testament as well as in the New. He explains:This definition of regeneration as being in Christ by no means, however, eliminates thedoctrine of the new birth from the Old Testament .

10 There is but one, unified Testament , God ssole plan of Salvation , through which Christ offers a redemption that is equally effective forthe saints of both dispensations. Christ states that Abraham, in the patriarchal period, rejoicedto see His day, And he saw it, and was glad (John 8:56). Jesus was the Mediator of the oldertestament, as well as the newer (Heb. 9:15); and, since it is true that no man cometh unto theFather but by Him (John 14:6) and yet, since the saints of the older dispensation did indeedcome to the father (Ps.)