SAVED LIKE WHOM? by steve finnell

Was Abraham, Noah, Moses, Enoch, and Elijah saved? Yes, they were. Can men today be saved like these men? No.

 Abraham, Noah, Moses, Enoch, and Elijah were saved without believing Jesus was the Son of God. They were saved without confessing Jesus as Lord. They were saved without believing that God raised Jesus from the grave. They were saved without being baptized into Christ. The were saved without being baptized in water for the forgiveness of their sins. Can men living today be saved like theses men? No, they were all saved before the new covenant was in force.

Was the thief on the cross saved? Yes. Can men today be saved like the thief? No. The thief did not believe in his heart that God raised Jesus from the dead. He was not baptized for the forgiveness of his sins. He was not baptized into Christ. The thief was saved before the new covenant was in force.

THE NEW COVENANT TERMS FOR PARDON

1. Faith: John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.(NASB)

2. Repentance: Acts 3:19 Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;(NASB)

3. Confession: Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (NASB)

4. Water Baptism: Mark 16:16 He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved...(NASB)