If we read Hebrews 11 we find that the characters mentioned had faith and their faith led to obedience to the will of God. Of course they were not saved by their obedience but they were either righteous or unruighteous.
[1] Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
[2] For by it the elders obtained a good report.
[4] By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
[5] By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
[13] 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.
[39] And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
All these men were declared righteous by God on the ground of the obedience to the Will of God. Those who lived under law were righteous if they kept it. 2Kings 14v3 15v3 34 18v3 22v2 2Chron 25v2 26v4 27v2 29v2 34v2 Those who were disobedient were declared evil in the sight of the Lord 2 Kings 13v2 v11 14v24 15v9, v18, 24, 28, 17v2 21v2, 20, 23v32, 37, 24v9, 19, 2Chron 33v22 36v5, 9, 12, Jer 52v2.
There were three schools of thought in Israel.
The Cabbalists thought that it was not so much the keeping of the law but the whole journey of a mans life that God declared eitheir righteous or unrighteous.
The Pharisees believed that it was the simple keeping of the law that made a man righteous. (This was Pauls theology before he was saved)
The Liberals believed that it was not just the law but the whole man that was declared righteous. Of course no man knew whether he was righteous in his lifelime.
When the OT men died they went to Abrahams bosom or to hell. Luke 15.
When Christ died he led Captivity captive and released all the righteous to enter glory based on the covenant which he accomplished at the Cross.
These are my thoughts for now.
Steve
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