Jesus vs. Moses: Different way of salvation?

Comment: The Old Testament is now for our learning (Rom 15:4). Its law of works has been nailed to the cross (Col 2:14). We no longer receive forgiveness of sins by its given commands (Heb 9:16). We now live under the law of Christ (1 Cor 9:21). Simply stated, we are no longer saved in the same manner today (Christ risen) as they were while Christ was alive in the flesh and before He came (OT). –Stephane Maillet, in the FB group, “Undenominational Christianity”

Reply: Stephane, I think we may be more in agreement than it seems. I believe that God has always saved people by grace through faith, even in OT times. The Jews, however, perverted God’s grace system into one of salvation by works (Rom. 9:30-33), which is no salvation at all, since the standard is the perfect holiness of God himself (Lev. 19:2), and no one could live up to that standard.

The Book of Romans indicates this by addressing the theme, “The righteous will live by faith,” quoting Hab. 2:4 in Rom. 1:17. Of course, their link to the sacrifice of Christ (animal sacrifices?) was different than ours (baptism in Jesus’ name).

Paul goes on in Rom. 4 to speak of the righteousness that comes by faith (Gen. 15:6) and true forgiveness (Ps. 32:1-2). We should abandon the comparison of “old law/new law,” for it seems to imply that Jesus is just another lawgiver. He is so much more: He is our Redeemer, our elder brother, and our King. These things Moses never was.