Those who were saved before Christ were saved because of an oath; those who were saved after him were saved because of a covenant. The Epistle to the Hebrews makes this distinction when it bases the faith of believers of the old covenant on the oath that God made to Abraham (Heb. 6:17–18). However, the assurance of the believers of the new covenant rests on a testament that is the achieved work of Christ (Heb. 7–9).
