Faith That Looks Forward
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God." - Ephesians 2:8
Have you ever wondered how people were saved before Jesus came to earth? It’s a fair question. We know the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, but what about those who lived before that?
Here’s the truth: people have always been saved by grace through faith. That’s how God has worked from the beginning. Ephesians 2:8 reminds us, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.”
Salvation isn’t something we earn, it’s a gift given to those who trust in Him. Long before Jesus was born in Bethlehem, people like Abraham experienced this grace by faith. Romans 4:3 tells us, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” Abraham lived by faith, trusted in God’s promises, and was saved by that faith, even though he lived over 1,600 years before Jesus was born.
The difference is that while we look back to the cross, those in the Old Testament looked forward to it. Their faith pointed ahead to the promise of a Savior, while ours looks back on what Jesus has already done. In many ways, their faith is remarkable.
Think about it, they didn’t have the Bible laid out as we do. They didn’t have the full picture of God’s promises fulfilled. They couldn’t just turn the page and see the prophecies come to life. They had to hold on to God’s word, trusting that He would keep His promises in His time.
When we read Isaiah’s prophecy about a virgin bearing a son, we can flip over a few pages and see it fulfilled in the Gospel of Luke. “And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger” (Luke 2:7). The promises God made and fulfilled are right here in front of us. We can see how God’s story unfolds, and it builds our faith.
Yet, the same faith that saved Abraham saves you today. It’s faith in God’s grace, faith that trusts God will do what He said, even when we don’t yet see it. So, hold onto that hope. Whether you’re looking back at the cross or forward to His return, know that your faith is built on God’s unbreakable promises.
Have you ever wondered how people were saved before Jesus came to earth? It’s a fair question. We know the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, but what about those who lived before that?
Here’s the truth: people have always been saved by grace through faith. That’s how God has worked from the beginning. Ephesians 2:8 reminds us, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.”
Salvation isn’t something we earn, it’s a gift given to those who trust in Him. Long before Jesus was born in Bethlehem, people like Abraham experienced this grace by faith. Romans 4:3 tells us, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” Abraham lived by faith, trusted in God’s promises, and was saved by that faith, even though he lived over 1,600 years before Jesus was born.
The difference is that while we look back to the cross, those in the Old Testament looked forward to it. Their faith pointed ahead to the promise of a Savior, while ours looks back on what Jesus has already done. In many ways, their faith is remarkable.
Think about it, they didn’t have the Bible laid out as we do. They didn’t have the full picture of God’s promises fulfilled. They couldn’t just turn the page and see the prophecies come to life. They had to hold on to God’s word, trusting that He would keep His promises in His time.
When we read Isaiah’s prophecy about a virgin bearing a son, we can flip over a few pages and see it fulfilled in the Gospel of Luke. “And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger” (Luke 2:7). The promises God made and fulfilled are right here in front of us. We can see how God’s story unfolds, and it builds our faith.
Yet, the same faith that saved Abraham saves you today. It’s faith in God’s grace, faith that trusts God will do what He said, even when we don’t yet see it. So, hold onto that hope. Whether you’re looking back at the cross or forward to His return, know that your faith is built on God’s unbreakable promises.
Subscribe
If you were blessed by or directly benefited from this content, please subscribe to receive receive daily devotions to your inbox.
No Comments