I love your site and am blessed every day by your gift. The more I learn, the more I want to learn. I have a question concerning the answer you gave to the person asking about faith vs. works in the Old Testament and post rapture. You answered with: Old Testament Judaism is a faith plus works religion. They were required to obey the Law as evidence of their faith (Exodus 19:5-6), and could lose their salvation for disobedience. Please explain to me why in Romans it states the opposite. We know that scripture does not contradict scripture, so what am I missing here?
Abraham lived several hundred years before the Law was instituted. Obedience to the Law was not part of his covenant with God like it was with the Jews after the Exodus from Egypt. Paul, who was writing to Christians after Jesus had paid our debt of sin and fulfilled the Law, used Abraham as an example to show that faith was the key to righteousness, not keeping the Law.
You’re right in saying the Bible does not contradict itself, but it does show there have been different requirements for a relationship with God through time. Circumcision was required of Abraham (Genesis 17:10-12). Obedience to the Law was required after Israel became a nation (Exodus 19:5-6). Belief in the Lord’s death and resurrection is required of the Church (1 Cor. 15:3-4). But the common thread of all is that we’re justified by our faith.