Grace in the Old Testament?

Some may be surprised to know that those in the Old Testament - as well as us on this side of Christ - lived according to the gospel, the good news of grace.

Abraham trusted God and believed God's promise and was thereby justified simply by believing vs doing anything righteous -- any good and right deeds. That is grace and good news aka the gospel. In fact, he was often unfaithful, unrighteous, and regularly acted out of fear instead of trust, yet God remained faithful to the promise he made because Abraham believed in/trusted God who made it.

Gal 3:8  And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham (before Christ's crucifixion actually occurred), saying, "In you shall (in the future) all the nations be blessed." 

And what is that blessing? That salvation - justification - by faith will be available to all nations, Jews and Gentiles alike. It is the good news that righteousness is a gift received by faith, not something we must earn.

Gen 15:6  And he (Abraham) believed the LORD (what the Lord promised), and he counted it (his belief/trust) to him as righteousness. 

Gen 12:2-3, 13:16, Gen 15:5, Gen 17:5-6, Gen 18:18, Gen 22:17-18, Gen 24:35, Gen 26:4,Gen 27:29, Gen 28:3,  Gen 28:14; Gen 35:11, Gen 46:3

The life of Joseph would also be an example of this good news. God was committed to and brought about Joseph's best even in spite of his poor choices -- as well as his father's and brothers' poor choices -- and in the midst of all the subsequent difficulties. Why? Because Joseph trusted God. Even in the midst of all Joseph's weaknesses and flaws, God was faithful to him and Joseph remained true to God i.e. full of faith/faithfulness. God's working in his life was not deserved i.e. not the result of Joseph being perfect in all his conduct. God's working was because of the kindness and wisdom of God i.e. by grace.


We are told in both the Old and New Testament that "the just shall live by faith" Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38

So what's the difference between the Old Testament (Covenant) and the New Testament (Covenant)?

The justification promised in the OT was accomplished and fulfilled in and by Christ. For us this is no longer a future promise but a past reality. Therefore we are not only justified by faith but also now have His Spirit of perfect love living in us -- the Spirit no longer just comes upon us but indwells us. Because of the work of Christ, when we accept his gift of perfect standing (righteousness) before God, we are declared clean vessels, fit for God to dwell in. Believers no longer look to the promise of a future event that will someday make them clean but to a past event that has already provided that cleansing once accepted.

As a result, His law is now written on our hearts and in our minds (Heb 8:10-12; 10:16-18). This was a promise made through the prophets and fulfilled in and by Christ. In other words because of the work of Christ for us -- he remembers our sins no more -- his Spirit is now living within us, reveals to us the significance and extent of that work, stirring in our hearts a love and trust for God and his word(s) we did not have before. His Spirit is now constantly revealing more and more of Christ to us in all His beauty, love, and glory (2 Corinthians 3:17-18) which causes us to trust him more and more, creating within us an increasing desire to obey him. It is God (by his Spirit) who now works from within us (not just on us as He did in the OT) both to will (desire) and do (empower to obey) of his good pleasure (Phil 2:12-13). To say it concisely, the things we are commanded to do we now want to do because we love and trust the one who commands us. This is now true of all believers. If it is not, we have not yet truly seen His love for us.

For a further discussion on the difference between religion and the gospel click here. 

For a discussion on the difference between cultural "Christians" and grace-driven believers click here.