Could someone clarify OT justification for me?

[WoundedIcon]

I just learned for the first time that the people in the OT actually had their original sin remitted and possessed sanctifying grace (according to Aquinas). I know that it’s because Christ’s sacrifice is timeless, but it still kind of threw me for a loop. I never considered that people could actually be justified before then, and as an ex-Protestant it’s sort of confusing: I always thought they just had to be obedient under the Law and wait for Christ’s coming. How is our salvation, post-crucifixion, different from theirs? I would imagine our sacraments are far superior, but keep in mind I’m coming from a view where it wasn’t possible for them to be “righteous”. Were they adopted children of God too? Was their grace deifying (it would have to be, right?) This kind of throws my understanding of Christ’s purpose for a loop.

 

[Against_Heresy]

Firstly the people of God before Christ’s crucifixion were justified based on the anticipation of Christ’s sacrifice. Though unlike now even though their OT sacrifices were able to forgive sins (due to their power being based on the anticipation of the Cross) they were not able to take away the full guilt of sin.

Whilst us in the NT are justified based on Christ’s accomplished work and therefore can fully be removed of sin, guilt and be capable of entering heaven.

Since I know this much, I won’t go any further theologically since I might make an error.

 

[JerryZ]

I just learned for the first time that the people in the OT actually had their original sin remitted and possessed sanctifying grace (according to Aquinas). I know that it’s because Christ’s sacrifice is timeless, but it still kind of threw me for a loop. I never considered that people could actually be justified before then, and as an ex-Protestant it’s sort of confusing: I always thought they just had to be obedient under the Law and wait for Christ’s coming. How is our salvation, post-crucifixion, different from theirs? I would imagine our sacraments are far superior, but keep in mind I’m coming from a view where it wasn’t possible for them to be “righteous”. Were they adopted children of God too? Was their grace deifying (it would have to be, right?) This kind of throws my understanding of Christ’s purpose for a loop.

Well in the Old Testament there are plenty of people described as “Righteous”:

Genesis:
5:22 and Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:

6:9 These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, and [1] perfect in his generations: Noah walked with God.

15: 1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, Jehovah appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am [1] God Almighty; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

Job:
1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was [1] Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and turned away from evil

As you see there are plenty of examples of people that followed God’s will and were ready to enter heaven, but they had to wait for the arrival of the Redemer in order to be able to enter.
God had made the promise to Adam and Eve in the garden.

 

[guanophore]

Well in the Old Testament there are plenty of people described as “Righteous”:

Genesis:
5:22 and Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:

6:9 These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, and [1] perfect in his generations: Noah walked with God.

15: 1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, Jehovah appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am [1] God Almighty; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

Job:
1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was [1] Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and turned away from evil

As you see there are plenty of examples of people that followed God’s will and were ready to enter heaven, but they had to wait for the arrival of the Redemer in order to be able to enter.
God had made the promise to Adam and Eve in the garden.

And let us not neglect the parents of John the Baptist!

Luke 1:5-7
5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechari’ah, of the division of Abi’jah; and he had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

God’s plan of salvation has not changed. Human beings have always been saved by grace, through faith. We can see the evidence of this in Heb. ch…11. Though the gates of Hell were closed until Jesus ascended, such persons waited in the place of the “righteous dead”, called by the Jews “Abraham’s bosom”.

Oh and don’t you ever wonder what happened to the righteous who came out of the tombs when Jesus was raised?

Matt 27:51-54

51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom; and the earth shook, and the rocks were split; 52 the tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe, and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

Did He take them with Him when He ascended?

 

[PaulinePresbytr]

I just learned for the first time that the people in the OT actually had their original sin remitted and possessed sanctifying grace (according to Aquinas). I know that it’s because Christ’s sacrifice is timeless, but it still kind of threw me for a loop. I never considered that people could actually be justified before then, and as an ex-Protestant it’s sort of confusing: I always thought they just had to be obedient under the Law and wait for Christ’s coming. How is our salvation, post-crucifixion, different from theirs? I would imagine our sacraments are far superior, but keep in mind I’m coming from a view where it wasn’t possible for them to be “righteous”. Were they adopted children of God too? Was their grace deifying (it would have to be, right?) This kind of throws my understanding of Christ’s purpose for a loop.

They put their faith in the Messiah to come, something which had not yet happened. We put our faith in the historical event of the atonement and Jesus Christ our Lord.