Gentile Salvation Through Christ in Old Testament Prophecy
The concept of Gentile salvation through Christ is rooted in Old Testament prophecy, which foretold a universal scope for God's redemptive plan. The Gospel, understood as good tidings of great joy for all people, was preached even under the Old Testament [3]. This salvation is ultimately "of God" and "by Christ alone" [5].
One significant prophetic thread is found in the promises made to Abraham. The Scripture, "foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles through faith," preached the Gospel beforehand to Abraham, declaring, "In you shall all the Gentiles be blessed" (Galatians 3:8) [2]. This blessing of Abraham was intended to extend to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, enabling them to receive the promise of the Spirit through faith (Galatians 3:14) [1]. Charles Hodge emphasizes that the covenant made with Abraham, which promised redemption on the condition of faith in the one through whom all nations would be blessed, is the same covenant under which believers are saved today. This covenant predates the Mosaic Law and could not be invalidated by it [6].
Prophecies also explicitly speak of the salvation of the Gentiles. Isaiah 45:22 and 49:6 are cited as predictions of Gentile salvation [5]. The Psalms contain prophecies such as, "Ask of Me, and I will give Thee Gentiles as Thine heritage, and as Thy possession the bounds of the earth," which early Christian writers like Tertullian understood as referring to Christ and the calling of all nations to God's kingdom [12]. Tertullian argued against the notion of two Christs, one for the Jews and one for the Gentiles, by pointing to the Creator's intention to call all nations to His kingdom [10].
The New Testament affirms that this salvation, which God purposed from eternity and accomplished through Christ, was sent to the Gentiles [13]. The apostles, such as Peter, understood that there is only one way of salvation for both Jews and Gentiles: "through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 15:11) [7, 8]. This grace, or "loving-kindness of God," is manifested through Christ [4]. The Gospel reveals God's method of saving sinners, demonstrating that justification is by faith, a principle evident in Abraham's life even before the Law was given [11]. While the Old Testament revealed the promise, the Gospel brings "life and immortality to light" through Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 1:10) [3, 9].
Sources
- Galatians “that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. -- Galatians 3:14”
- Galatians “Galatians 3:8 (Geneva1599) — For the Scripture foreseeing, that God would iustifie the Gentiles through faith, preached before the Gospel vnto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all the Gentiles be blessed.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Gospel, The — Is good tidings of great joy for all people -- Lu 2:10,11,31,32. Foretold -- Isa 41:27; 52:7; 61:1-3; Mr 1:15. Preached under the old testament -- Heb 4:2. Exhibits the grace of God -- Ac 14:3; 20:32. The knowledge of the glory of God is by -- 2Co 4:4,6. Life and immortality are brought to light by Jesus through -- 2Ti 1:10. Is the power of God to salvation -- Ro 1:16; 1Co 1:18; 1Th 1:5. Is glorious -- 2Co 4:4. Is everlasting -- 1Pe 1:25; Re 14:6. Preached by Christ -- Mt 4:23; Mr 1:14. Ministers have a stewardship to preach -- 1Co 9:17. Preached before”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Loving-Kindness of God, The — Is through Christ -- Eph 2:7; Tit 3:4-6. Described as Great. -- Ne 9:17. Excellent. -- Ps 36:7. Good. -- Ps 69:16. Marvellous. -- Ps 17:7; 31:21. Multitudinous. -- Isa 63:7. Everlasting. -- Isa 54:8. Merciful. -- Ps 117:2. Better than life. -- Ps 63:3. Consideration of the dealings of God gives a knowledge of -- Ps 107:43. Saints Betrothed in. -- Ho 2:19. Drawn by. -- Jer 31:3. Preserved by. -- Ps 40:11. Quickened after. -- Ps 119:88. Comforted by. -- Ps 119:76. Look for mercy through. -- Ps 51:1. Receive mercy through. -- Isa 54:8. Are ”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Salvation — Is of God -- Ps 3:8; 37:39; Jer 3:23. Is of the purpose of God -- 2Ti 1:9. Is of the appointment of God -- 1Th 5:9. God is willing to give -- 1Ti 2:4. Is by Christ -- Isa 63:9; Eph 5:23. Is by Christ alone -- Isa 45:21,22; 59:16; Ac 4:12. Announced after the fall -- Ge 3:15. Of Israel, predicted -- Isa 35:4; 45:17; Zec 9:16; Ro 11:26. Of the Gentiles, predicted -- Isa 45:22; 49:6; 52:10. Revealed in the gospel -- Eph 1:13; 2Ti 1:10. Came to the Gentiles through the fall of the Jews -- Ro 11:11. Christ The Captain of. -- Heb 2:10. The Author of. -- Heb 5:9”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 74: gospel had been already revealed in the law and the prophets; and his definite object, in Gal. iii. 13-28 , is to prove that the covenant under which we live and according to the terms of which we are to be saved, is the identical covenant made with Abraham, in which the promise of redemption was made on the condition of faith in Him in whom all the nations of the earth were to be blessed This is a covenant anterior to the Mosaic law, and which that law could not set aside or invalidate. The covenant of grace, or plan of salvation, being ”
- Acts (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Acts 15:11: But we believe,.... Who are circumcised; the Arabic version adds, "and are sure"; for what follows is a sure and certain article of faith: that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ; not through circumcision, or by any works of the law, moral or ceremonial; but through the grace of Christ undertaking for them, assuming their nature, and dying in their room and stead; through his redeeming, justifying, and pardoning grace: salvation is by Christ; Jehovah the Father appointed him to be his salvation; he sent him, and he came to save sinners; and he has obtained sa”
- Acts (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Acts 15:11: Through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved - This seems to be an answer to an objection, "Has not God designed to save us, the Jews, by an observance of the law; and them, the Gentiles, by the faith of the Gospel?" No: for we Jews can be saved no other way than through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ; and this is the way in which the Gentiles in question have been saved. There is but one way of salvation for Jews and Gentiles, the grace, mercy, or favor coming by and through the Lord Jesus, the Christ; this is now fully opened to the Gentiles; an”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 45: light through the Gospel,” ( 2 Tim. 1:10 ). Paul does not mean by these words that the Fathers were plunged in the darkness of death before the Son of God became incarnate; but he claims for the Gospel the honourable distinction of being a new and extraordinary kind of embassy, by which God fulfilled what he had promised, these promises being realised in the person of the Son. For though believers have at all times experienced the truth of Paul’s declaration, that “all the promises of God in him are yea and amen,” inasmuch as these”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 3: Tertullian — CHAP. XXI.--THE CALL OF THE GENTILES UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE GOSPEL FORETOLD. (part 1): So you cannot get out of this notion of yours a basis for your difference between the two Christs, as if the Jewish Christ were ordained by the Creator for the restoration of the people alone(6) from its dispersion, whilst yours was appointed by the supremely good God for the liberation of the whole human race. Because, after all, the earliest Christians are found on the side of the Creator, not of Marcion,(7) all nations being called to His kingdom, from the fact that God set up ”
- Romans (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Romans 1:17: For therein - In the Gospel of Christ. Is the righteousness of God - God's method of saving sinners. Revealed from faith to faith - Shown to be by faith, and not by the works of any law; for Abraham, the father and founder of the Jewish people, was justified by faith, before even the law was given; and by believing, in reference to the spiritual object held forth in the various ordinances of the law, and now revealed under the Gospel, he and all his believing descendants have been justified. And thus the faith of the old covenant led on to the faith of the new coven”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 3: Tertullian — CHAP. XII.--FURTHER PROOFS FROM THE CALLING OF THE GENTILES.: Look at the universal nations thenceforth emerging from the vortex of human error to the Lord God the Creator and His Christ; and if you dare to deny that this was prophesied, forthwith occurs to you the promise of the Father in the Psalms, which says, "My Son art Thou; to-day have I begotten Thee. Ask of Me, and I will give Thee Gentiles as Thine heritage, and as Thy possession the bounds of the earth."(9) For you will not be able to affirm that "son" to be David rather than Christ; or the "bounds of the ear”
- Acts (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Acts 28:28: Be it known therefore unto you,.... Unbelievers and despisers, take this along with you at parting, and do not say you were never acquainted with it: that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles; meaning the Gospel, which is a publication and declaration of that salvation, which God contrived from all eternity; made provision for, and secured in the covenant of grace; which he appointed, called, and sent Christ to effect, in the fulness of time; and which he has accomplished, by his obedience, sufferings, and death; even a full, complete, spiritual, and eterna”