Date

8-20-2026

Department

Rawlings School of Divinity

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Bible Exposition (PhD)

Chair

Robert Wayne Talley

Keywords

Salvation, Old Testament Elective Grace, triune God, Proto-Trinitarian

Disciplines

Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion

Abstract

The doctrine of salvation in the Old Testament (OT) remains a contested topic in biblical theology, particularly its coherence with New Testament (NT) soteriology. Much of this debate centers on the tension between distinct redemptive administrations across history and the specific means of salvation, such as the relationship between covenantal obedience and elective grace. This dissertation addresses whether OT believers were saved differently from NT believers or if a unified redemptive pattern spans both Testaments. The dissertation asserts that Old Testament believers were saved in the same manner as New Testament believers: by God’s elective grace through faith in YHWH, who is implicitly the triune God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), with an anticipation of eternal life. Faith in YHWH presupposes the same redemptive object as NT faith in Christ, though not fully revealed historically. To support this, the study explores three theological-literary case studies that consist of Abraham’s faith in Gen 15:6 as paradigmatic saving faith (cf. Rom 4:3), the translations of Enoch and Elijah (Gen 5:24; 2 Kgs 2:11) as demonstrations of God’s sovereign elective agency that transcends the curse of mortality, and YHWH’s confession as Savior in 1 Chr 16:23–36, framing divine kingship soteriologically. These three case studies are analyzed canonically in Genesis, 1–2 Kings, and 1 Chronicles, using proto-Trinitarian language from Gen 1:26, Isa 6:8, and Isa 63:9–10. The methodology employs canonical-theological hermeneutics based on historical-grammatical foundation, utilizing the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. The dissertation challenges views emphasizing messianic anticipation (e.g., Gen 3:15), covenantal obedience (e.g., Exod 19:5–6), or dispensational law-keeping, aligning instead with continuity and Christological fulfillment. OT faith encompassed YHWH’s promises, implicitly including Christ as mediator, trusting the covenantal God who is undivided in essence yet exists eternally in three co-equal persons. Contributions include clarifying OT-NT continuity, correcting misconceptions about OT faith’s object, and strengthening Christian proclamation from all Scripture. Through primary texts and contemporary scholarship, this study affirms God’s unified redemptive plan, equipping the church for theologically deep, pastorally confident articulation of salvation history.

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