Lesson 13

Most Christians take following Jesus and God seriously. If they follow the Biblist tradition, they will use only the Bible to form their beliefs and doctrines and if they follow the example of the Bereans, they will open-mindedly study the scriptures to discern the truth for themselves. Before Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible, there was no written record of God’s miracles, laws, plans, or interaction with humans. Mankind was left on their own to live the best they could. Following after Satan, their hearts were bent on sinning which led God to considerably limit a human’s lifespan. 

Genesis 6:3 New International Version

3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.”

Genesis 6:5 GOD’S WORD Translation

5 The Lord saw how evil humans had become on the earth. All day long their deepest thoughts were nothing but evil.

Between Abraham and Moses God had personal contact with very few people. When God inspired Moses to write the first books of the Bible he was giving laws and rules for the Isrealites to follow. Again the Isrealites proved beyond any doubt that even though humans had rules and a religion to follow, they were completely incapable of living lives free of sin. Like those who came before them, they could not live lives worthy of living with a perfect God.

Humans have proved they are sinners, needing to be saved from their sins and in need of a saviour. Humanity demonstrated that with or without laws to follow, they are incapable of living without sin. Humans need the salvation that only the cleansing blood of Jesus can provide. That cleansing comes only by believing in Jesus. Jesus brought a new and better covenant to cleanse Christians, one with laws written on their hearts. 

When we can only be saved by faith in Jesus, how could those before Jesus be saved?

Hebrews 10:8-10 GOD’S WORD Translation

8 In this passage Christ first said, “You did not want sacrifices, offerings, burnt offerings, and sacrifices for sin. You did not approve of them.” (These are the sacrifices that Moses’ Teachings require people to offer.) 9 Then Christ says, “I have come to do what you want.” He did away with sacrifices in order to establish the obedience that God wants. 10 We have been set apart as holy because Jesus Christ did what God wanted him to do by sacrificing his body once and for all.

Romans 3:23 New King James Version

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,