Heavenly Pilgrim said:
HP: There is no doubt that those that entered into a hope of eternal life in the OT did it via repentance and faith. Just the same, there were other conditions placed upon them, were there not, that without which forgiveness, at least as a general rule, would not be garnered. If one does not take that position, are we to say that the ceremonial law with all its demands were not obligatory on them but rather were simply optional? I believe one would have a hard time convincing Uzzah of that.
Again, interesting point, however no matter how obediant they were to the law, the law still had it's limitations. For one it could never "save" you in the since of eternal security. It also only covered sin and had no power against the guilty stain.
Heavenly Pilgrim said:
HP: No, but one cannot be righteous and not be in a right relationship with God. If one is righteous he could not be a sinner, so I would conclude that indeed they were in a right relationship with God.
I don't follow your logic here, Abraham lied about his wife yet was righteous because of his faithfullness. This makes me conclude "could not be a sinner" means they commit sin but their sin's are forgiven???
Heavenly Pilgrim said:
It seems to me to be a over-simplification to simply say that there has only been one plan of salvation from the OT to the NT and that was simply comprised of repentance and faith. It would seem to me that there is a world of difference between what a Jew went through and we as NT believers are required to do in order to enter into and maintain a right relationship with God. Something was nailed to the cross that I do not see as optional for those in the OT, that was required out of them that is not required out of us. I am listening to see what some of the rest of you are thinking.
God chose a people to be His, yet they faild and broke every covenant He made with them. I guess I have trouble seeing the "Law" as ever being a means of salvation. As Bob said, it has always been the looking glass to make sin visible to us.
Here is my simplified one plan of salvation.
Ge 3:22 (KJV) And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil:
and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
Rev 22:2 (KJV) In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river,
was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Now the plan is about getting to the tree. What we need is a way...
Jn 14:6 (KJV) Jesus saith unto him,
I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Now here is my curve ball, could I be wrong about obeying the law being sufficient for salvation?
Rev 22:14 (KJV)
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.