There are many that came before Jesus (i.e. Old Testament era), who were saved by faith in God, including David (Psalm 86:1-2), Isaiah (Isaiah 61:10) and Abraham (Genesis 15:6). For a more comprehensive list, read the famous Hebrews 11 passage on the faith of these Old Testament figures.How could they have been saved when Jesus had not yet died for their sins? The answer is that these figures had FAITH that God would, in His perfect time, provide them with a Messiah (a savior) to bring salvation from their sins (Zech. 9:9, Job 19:25-26, Gen. 3:15, Gen. 22:8, Isa. 53:5). The entire animal-sacrifice system (see Leviticus 16's description of the Day of Atonement or "Yom Kippur") pointed the fact that God would provide a Redeemer to shed blood in atonement for their sins, so if a person believed in a Messiah-to-come (and not in themselves or false idols), they would be indeed saved.
[Answered by Pastor HM, who is thankful Jesus came!]
