Eliyahu said:So do you believe that much knowledge is necessary for the salvation?
Were the OT people saved by their works, while NT people are saved by grace?
Do you know that even the people in OT era were saved by the redmption of the shadow of Christ?
Read Luke 16:31, why did Jesus say this?
31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead
Eliyahu,
bmerr here. The knowledge required for one to be saved can be found in the very first gospel sermon ever preached (Acts 2:21-36), which teaches the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, and our guilt in bringing it about, and in Peter's instructions to those who believed his message concerning how to respond to it (Acts 2:37-38).
People of all times have been saved, either eternally, or from enemies, or diseases, etc, by doing what God told them to do. OT saints certainly looked for and hoped in the promise of a Redeemer Who would atone for their sins. Even Job, before the Law of Moses hoped in the promised Christ (Job 19:25).
Concerning works, neither works of the Law (Rom 3:23), nor works of our own righteousness, or merit (Titus 3:5) have ever gained anyone the salvation offered by God. However, the Bible is clear that some works are required for our justification (James 2:24; Acts 10:35). Works of obedience are the only kind of works that can fit the bill, being neither works of the Law, nor works of merit, yet complying with the fact that Jesus only saves those who obey Him (Heb 5:8-9).
The reason Jesus said what He did in Luke 16:31 is that the OT was sufficient to lead any honest person to recognize the Savior (Gal 3:24), and if one would not believe God's word, they wouldn't be persuaded by anything, even one rising from the dead.
In Christ,
bmerr