“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth,” Hebrews 11:13.

Here is a verse, girls and boys, that I wish you to learn and understand. Many Christians are confused as to how the OT saints were converted. I recall a breakfast table discussion with a very dear friend on the matter of the faith of the OT saints  and he argued that they were saved as a result of their offering the lambs and other animals required of God on the altar in the temple. That notion was the result of his early years under ‘dispensational’ teaching in a Brethren Assembly. 

Our text shows that such teaching is wrong!

1. PLEASE SEE HOW THE HOLY SPIRIT HERE ‘DEFINES’ THE FAITH OF THE OT SAINTS.

They saw the promises of God, were persuaded that they were true and trustworthy, and embraced them to their hearts. That is how sinners were saved in the past and how they are saved still!

God’s promises are set forth in the gospel. “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us,” 2 Corinthians 1:20. God’s merciful promises are set forth in Christ. They are ‘yea and Amen’ - absolutely certain and faithful. 

They are worthy of our faith. “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief,” 1 Timothy 1:15. Do you believe that and have you embraced them by faith?

2. AS A RESULT THEY DIED IN FAITH

That is, they died believing God would fulfil that which He had promised. It is said of Abraham that he was: “ . . . fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform,” Romans 4:21. It is by believing the gospel promises that we go to heaven.“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust,” 2 Peter 1:4.

3. THEY DIED ‘NOT HAVING RECEIVED THE PROMISES’

Boys and girls, that is how Christians depart this world today. They have not received what God has promised but they leave this world TO GO TO RECEIVE THAT PROMISED!  Death is to be “absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord,” 2 Corinthians 5:8. 

And even then, there is not an entering into all that God has promised. When Christ returns, more of God’s mercy is enjoyed, 1 Thess 4:15-17, Rev 20:6, 21:1-7.

God’s wonderful promises are opened up for us, like birthday presents, one at a time until we finally enter upon the eternal state of everlasting bliss.