The doctrinal journey of salvation is more significant than the experiential journey of salvation. With the passage of time, the memory of our experience may fade. And not many of us have a “powerful” experience of salvation. But the doctrinal aspect of our salvation journey never changes. Thus, it is important for us to understand the doctrinal journey of salvation.

In Galatians 4:1-5, Apostle Paul explained the doctrinal journey of salvation through the Old Testament.

In Galatians 4:1-2, Apostle Paul used the illustration of a child in a Jewish home. The child, although an heir, did not have ownership, power or authority yet. He was “undertutors and governors.” As a child, his life was controlled by those above him. In this sense, this child “differeth nothing from a servant.” (The Greek word for “servant” means slave.) But as he grew, a time, as appointed by his father, would come when he would become different from a servant and would have the full position and status of an heir. 

Apostle Paul explained that the Jews started their salvation journey with the doctrines in the Old Testament, which involved animal sacrifices. i.e. “the elements of the world” (Gal 4:3). These animal sacrifices were not meant to be permanent, but were “child-like” elements of the world that pointed to the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The Old Testament teachings are not wrong, but played the very important function and purpose of pointing to the first coming of Jesus at a time as appointed by the Father, i.e. “when the fulness of the time was come” (Gal 4:4). And on reaching “the fulness of time,” God sent His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, thus ending the Old Testament witness and believers were no longer “in bondage under the elements of the world” (Gal 4:3). The Son Jesus Christ came “to redeem them that are under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Gal 4:5).

The Ten Commandments in the Old Testament play the very important part of convicting us that we have sinned against God and thus drive us to the Saviour.

Today, second-generation Christians grow up learning the gospel and the Word of God from a young age. They are like the Jews who grow up in homes that are established by God. Although they grow up learning the doctrines, it is only when they accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour that they experience this doctrinal journey of salvation.