We firmly believe that grace existed before Paul, all the way back to the Old Testament era. Mid-Acts or Hyper-dispensationalists would deny this.
Romans 4:1-3: “What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”
Here, Abraham was not saved by works! He was saved by grace through faith.
Romans 4:6-8 shows us how David also was saved by grace through faith:
“Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.”
2 Peter 2:6: “And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds.”
Even Lot was saved through faith! A man who committed incest!
Hebrews 11:32-33, 39: “And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise.”
Samson was counted among the righteous as well, through faith, even though he was known to be a fornicator.
The thief on the cross is another example. He lived his life as a thief and obviously committed many crimes. Yet the moment he professes faith in Jesus, he is saved.
Covenant of grace, which is a Calvinist doctrine is not true either. It is weak dispensationalism. We believe in dispensational salvation, that there were different forms of salvation in different time periods. Covenant of grace believes that grace has been the one method of salvation from Adam until now. Salvation in the Old Testament is by works and faith, not works only, or faith only.
Let’s take Noah for instance. Was building an Ark really being saved by grace? No! That’s a lot of work. That’s salvation through works.
Let’s compare James 2:21 and Romans 4:1-3:
James 2:21: “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?”
Romans 4:1-3: “What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”
Abraham had faith and works. Early on, he had faith alone. Later, through his works, his faith was made perfect. Faith and works worked together in Abraham’s life. Today, in our time period, things are different. Our faith is made perfect through Christ.
The book of Psalm, written by David does not deny salvation by works. The following verse is utmost proof that salvation in the Old Testament is by works.
Ezekiel 18:21-24: “But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live? But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
How do we reconcile the verses that show that salvation is also by grace in the Old Testament? It is because God is gracious. He also gives salvation by grace since Jesus has not come to die for anyone’s sins yet. Exceptions only prove the rule.