Did Old Testament Saints Have the Same Righteousness as We Do?

Different Dispensation, Same Age

There are dispensations, eras, seasons and times. There is a time appointed for everything, as Ecclesiastes 3 rightly says. There is a set time of favour and mercy (Psalm 102:13), and a set time of judgement (Psalm 75:2) amongst others. A season can last as short as a month and as long as a year. Eras define seasons. Inasmuch as a lot happens in times and different seasons can run concurrently, eras give summary and pattern to the outworking of the seasons and times. Dispensations are characterized by a life-altering destiny-defining moment for the rest of the age. For instance, when Adam sinned, all our original destinies were altered.

There was a dispensation of innocence where righteousness was not fully established in the life of Adam. God could come to Adam in the cool of the day but Adam hadn’t found how to approach God yet. Then there was a dispensation before the Law was given. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job and Judah etc did not have the law but God was with them. It was a dispensation of conscience. The Law brought a new dispensation where the entire justice system of God was revealed to man objectively. Jesus brought about the new dispensation of Grace when He died and rose again.

However, there hasn’t been a change to this age. We are still in the same age, whether you were born at the time of New Testament or the Old. The dispensation has changed but the age has not. To say nothing has changed will be a fallacy that does not acknowledge the work of Jesus on the Cross. To treat as though it’s an entire new age is the other extreme of the error. It is the same age. Therefore, the standard and requirement for everyone in this age remains the same, regardless of the age.

Avoiding Both Extremes

Jesus’ death and resurrection did not bring us into a new age. Sin is not dead. We are dead to sin but sin is not dead. Jesus has all authority but the devil still has powers. We are not living at the time of Millennial rule. The world is still evil and corrupt. God’s judgement still exists, just like in the Old Testament. He hasn’t changed although Jesus’ sacrifice did change us. To now paint God as only a Loving Father who has no power to kill or judge evil because of Christ’s example is making mockery of God who has never changed throughout all ages. Jesus’ first coming is Grace and Truth. His second coming is Righteousness and Justice.

Avoid the other extreme, where we act as though Jesus’ death on the Cross changed nothing. “God forgave before Jesus died”. Yes, it’s just like credit and debit. Those before Christ were debited and those after Christ were credited. Thus, forgiveness, for both those before and after Christ, was only possible because of Jesus’ death that satisfies God’s justice. “If death is conquered why do we still die?” To leave this corruptible realm and overcome death by resurrection, just like Christ did. Let’s not act as though Jesus’ death changed nothing.

Same Righteousness

Since we are all in the same age, the same standard of Righteousness is required of us all. In fact, the same standard of Righteousness will be required in all ages to come. My righteousness is no different from the righteousness of Abraham. If it was, why would God choose a man in an old dispensation to be the father of all who believe?