Can we name any souls who were saved under the Old Covenant?

I am beginning to think again.So, this question occurred to me,

• Can we name any souls who were saved under the Old Covenant?

and my initial answer came up with the obvious Abraham, among many others, e.g. David, Rahab, Daniel, etc.

However, this begs a question; if the Old Testament (Covenant) had the power to save some, why did God go to the trouble of establishing the New Testament (Covenant)?

Is it just a “better” or more effective method of salvation?

Wouldn’t this be analagous to saying that the “New” Synthetic motor oils are better and more effective at protecting engines from friction than the “Old” Petroleum based motor oils.

My motor oil analogy carries the implied meaning that many motors receive inherent benefits from petroleum based motor oils, and even to the point that many motors have been “saved” by petroleum based motor oils.

• I grew up with my father instilling this dogma into my preventative maintanence schedule.
• He would say, “Son…, you can run a motor out of gas, but you should NEVER run a motor out of OIL.”
• So, you see, I understand the value of the Old Covenant motor oil.

However, now the New Covenant motor oils have arrived, and if one wants to “really” save his motors, he must utilize this “New” means of salvation, which is brought through baptism into synthetic lubricants.

Nevertheless, here is the question again;

• Can we name any souls who were saved under the Old Covenant?

Please look at two passages that have bearing on this question, 2 Corinithians 3:9.

Is Paul’s statement universal? It appears to be so, and most disciples of Jesus seem to accept this statment as universal. And the context appears to command that we understand the universality of Paul’s point concerning the Old Covenant.

• How will this 2 Corintians passage affect our answer to the question at issue?
• This creates a conundrum for many of us, doesn’t it?

Here is another passage that may help or it may uncover some unresolved faith issues.

Look at Hebrews 11:39-40. We must understand the context of Hebrews 11. The writer of this letter is addressing doctrinal errors from the 1st Century Church. His focus is to answer faith issues for Jewish believers. He outlines God’s faithful from the “Old days”. We would say from the Old Testament. This passage is the “Hall of Faith”, and the final two verses from the chapter could turn your world upside down.

• What did the Hebrews writer mean?

Let me know what you think.

God bless,

DSM

p.s. Would you prefer that I provide the text of the bible passages or not? I am considering dropping the use of the biblical text and only giving the citations. Please weigh in, if you have a preference.