How do New Testament believers enter into salvation?
New Testament believers enter into salvation by faith alone, plus nothing. As Abraham was saved without law, sacrifice, or circumcision, so believers today enter in by faith alone, not by works or ritual. This is the connection Paul draws using Abraham as the example.
Les teaches that Abraham is the Old Testament example Paul uses repeatedly to show how salvation works. Abraham was saved by faith plus nothing: he did not sacrifice, was not circumcised, and had no law. He simply did what God said to do. That is the connection for us—just as Abraham was saved without benefit of law, sacrifice, circumcision, or any of those things, so New Testament believers also enter in by faith alone. Paul even says in Galatians that those who are of faith are children of Abraham, but this does not make Gentiles into Jews. A Gentile remains a Gentile, and salvation does not make a Jew out of anyone. The point is that faith plus nothing is how we enter in.
What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?