Hebrews - Stones and Hearts - Part 1

"Though some of them were but weak, yet others of them had gained more strength; and they must be provided for suitably. And, as those who are grown Christians must be willing to hear the plainest truths preached for the sake of the weak, so the weak must be willing to hear the more difficult and mysterious truths preached for the sake of those who are strong." -CBS Commentary

When someone asks you how the people of the old testament could be saved what would your answer be? 

for me I would have said, by faith, OR by following the law. 
I guess it never occured to me that the law was NEVER intended to save.
That is what studying Hebrews has made clear to me. I sort of knew it in the back of my mind but it never made a strong impression on me until studying the work of Christ and the emphasis on the inadequacy of the law.  
the law was:
- a way to obtain God's favor
- served as a vehicle to turn an undisciplined company of slaves into a strong nation
- a "type" of the work of Christ to come (an old testament "type" is a physical manifestation of a   truth or principle)

It says in James 2, that Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness, and he was called a friend of God.

It has only been and ever will be FAITH that saves. 
and true faith is manifest in obedience.
I'm pretty sure we get to that later in Hebrews but we have only studied through chapter 10.

 The Law and the Gospel are the two main revelations of how to be in relationship with God and they are not meant to be easily understood. Let's remind ourselves of that when we get overwhelmed in the details of bible study or when we get bored of the big picture sermons.These topics are HUGE! The first (the law) was imperfect and replaced by the perfect (Christ's  sacrifice and new covenant). Its amazing to me that even the old testament Isrealites knew, through the prophets, that God preferred an obedient spirit to sacrifice. The new testament Jewish believers understood this too. In studying the law and the supremacy of Christ we are immersed at once into both the simplest and most difficult teachings of our faith.  It's just another reminder to always go into your study/church service with the humbleness to be awed, and teachable.