Several readers have asked me how the people in the Old Testament—like King David—were saved. A common misconception is that the Old Testament way of salvation was by keeping the Law. But we know from the Bible that that is not true. Paul wrote:
“But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for ‘the just shall live by faith.’”
Galatians 3:11
Paul is quoting Habakkuk 2:4, from the Old Testament, so we know he is not teaching a NEW way of salvation. Thus, salvation by faith, apart from the works of the Law, is definitely an Old Testament principle. The Bible teaches us that the purpose of the Law was to serve as…
“…a tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by FAITH.”
Galatians 3:24
The New Testament reiterates over and over again that being made righteous is NOT by following the law. Paul stated quite plainly:
“Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”
Romans 3:20
The Law was never intended to save anyone; but rather, the purpose of the Law was to give us a “knowledge of sin.” Both testaments are about Jesus Christ, our Savior! The Old Testament points us towards the cross and the redemptive work of Christ and the New Testament points us back to Him.
There is no doubt in Scripture as to the Old Testament way of salvation!
Romans Chapter 4 is a key to this understanding, where Paul makes it very clear that salvation has always been the same…by grace alone;
through faith alone;
in Christ alone!!!
Paul points us to Abraham, who was saved by faith:
“What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’”
Romans 4:1-3
Paul is again quoting the Old Testament, this time from Genesis 15:6. As an aside, we also know Abraham could not have been saved by keeping the Law because he lived 400 years BEFORE the Law was given by God to Moses!
In Romans 4, Paul also uses the example of David as being justified by faith and NOT of works, when he quotes Psalms 32:1-2:
“But to him who does NOT work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.””
Romans 4:5-8
In the remainder of Romans Chapter 4, Paul continues to establish that the Old Testament way of salvation was through faith alone.
“Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.”
Romans 4:23-25
Those in the Old Testament —like Abraham and David—placed their faith in God for salvation, and share the same way of salvation we do.
So why the confusion? Well, throughout history, the enemy has clouded the message of the Gospel because he hates God, he hates God’s creation, and he hates humanity who are created in God’s image. He has successfully integrated the false doctrine of works into salvation. This is not only an insult to the work of Christ; but it is a lie designed to send people to hell for eternity.
The Bible’s clear message is that the way of salvation has always been by grace through faith.
The Old Testament teaches us of God’s promise that a Saviour WOULD come. Folks looked FORWARD to the coming Messiah and were born again by believing in faith that He WOULD come to save them:
“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”
Isaiah 53:5-6
The New Testament teaches us of a Saviour who ALREADY came. Today, we look BACK on the life, death, and resurrection of the Savior and are saved by believing in faith that Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection ALREADY purchased our redemption.
“if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
Romans 10:9-10
The Gospel is spoken of in the earliest recorded scriptures. As early as Genesis 3:15, we see God’s promise of a coming Savior. And whether we believe that Genesis or Job is the oldest book in the Bible (there are plausible arguments for both) it’s clear that redemption of mankind was believed by Job to be in a coming Redeemer:
“Oh, that my words were written! Oh, that they were inscribed in a book! That they were engraved on a rock With an iron pen and lead, forever! For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth.”
Job 19:23-25
There is no other way, and there never has been any other way for mankind to be reconciled to God except by grace through faith in Jesus!
“This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone. Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.’”
Acts 4:11-12 (citing Psalms 118:22)
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8 Responses
Would adulterous by a Christian be equal to Dave d’a adulterous? Can adulterous baby a Christian be forgiven?
Thank you for the questions! Hopefully this response is helpful.
The questions you’re asking: Is a Christian’s adultery like David’s? And can it truly be forgiven? The answers require us to start where the Bible starts—with how anyone has ever been made right with God.
From the beginning, salvation has always been by grace through faith. Genesis tells us that Abraham “believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). That is not a different gospel—it is the same one. Old Testament believers trusted that God would send a Savior. We look back and trust that Jesus Christ has already come, died, and risen. The direction of faith changed—but the object never did.
So when a person is truly born again, something radical happens. Your soul and spirit are made alive in Christ. Your identity is no longer rooted in Adam, but in Him. Scripture puts it plainly:
“Whoever is born of God does not commit sin… because he is born of God” (1 John 3:9).
That verse isn’t pretending believers never struggle—it’s revealing something deeper. At your core, your new nature does not sin. You’ve received, so to speak, new “spiritual genetics.” Your spirit is in Christ. It cannot sin because it is born of Him.
But your flesh? That hasn’t improved one bit.
This is exactly the tension Paul the Apostle describes in Romans chapter 7: “the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice” (Romans 7:19). The born-again believer now has a new desire—to live righteously—but still carries a flesh that pulls in the opposite direction. Add to that an active enemy, and the struggle is real.
That brings us to adultery.
King David committed adultery—and far worse when he tried to cover it. A Christian today who commits adultery is not walking in their new nature—they are yielding to the flesh. In that sense, yes, the sin is the same. And Jesus Christ raised the standard even higher: “whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28).
The outward consequences between people may differ—looking versus acting—but before God, both reveal the same issue: a heart stepping out of fellowship with Him.
So can a Christian be forgiven?
Absolutely—if they repent.
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
That promise isn’t partial. It doesn’t exclude certain sins. It doesn’t expire. It is grounded in the finished work of Christ.
The model for that kind of repentance is found in Psalm 51. After his sin, David didn’t justify himself—he broke before God: “Create in me a clean heart, O God… Restore to me the joy of Your salvation” (Psalm 51:10, 12). That is what real repentance looks like—not just regret over consequences, but a return to God Himself.
Here’s the truth many believers miss: it is a miserable thing to be born again and live out of fellowship with God. Not because God has turned away—but because you’re living contrary to who you now are. He loves you too much to leave you comfortable in sin.
Adultery—whether in the heart or in action—is serious. It damages lives and relationships. But it is not beyond the reach of grace. The cross was not selective in what it covered.
So yes—David’s sin and a Christian’s sin are of the same kind. And yes—a Christian who falls into adultery can be fully forgiven and restored.
The difference is not in the severity of sin—but in the response to God.
And the hope is this: in Christ, restoration is always one step of repentance away.
Blessings,
Kimberly Faith
Thank you for reminding us that it is by grace that we are saved not works .
Praise God!
Thank you for your response.
You are so welcome. I hope it was helpful. Have a blessed weekend.
Very clear. Thanks
Thank you so much for that confirmation—-I asked God to help me make it simple! I want to be able to give folks a link to this devo when they email me with this question. Have a blessed day!