Paul refers to the time before the coming of Christ. The coming of faith is seen as being identical with the coming of Christ who is the object of faith.1 This does not mean that faith did not exist before his coming (Galatians 3:6–9; Romans 4:1–25). In this verse he uses the term faith to represent the inauguration of a new era in redemptive history, the time of greater fulfilment.2
23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed.