Chapter 11 of Hebrews is called the "Faith Chapter" in the Bible.  But it isn't talking about faith in Christ--because he hadn't come yet.  It is a list of people in the Old Testament who believed in God's promise that a Messiah, a sacrificial Lamb was coming.  

They believed the sacrifice for sin was coming in the future.  We believe He has come in the past.  But it's all about Jesus.  He died for all of our sin.  Both those people in the past, and those who believe now.

They believed God, and it was counted to them as faith. Galations 3:6.  God promised to send a redeemer who would save them from their sins.  Some people have the idea that people in the Old Testament were saved by their yearly sacrifices.  No.  They weren't.  They were saved by faith.  Everyone is saved by faith.

You either believe in the promises of God and have faith in him, or you don't.  God said He would send a permanent sacrifice for our sin.  And He did.  Jesus.  God's only son.  Whosoever believes in Him is saved.  And has the gift of eternal life.  Jesus said,"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me."  John 14:6

People like to think that if they are good people, that that is enough.  It doesn't work that way.  The creator, God, made us.  He made us perfect--and gave us free will. We messed up.  We choose what we do, and you can't undo the sin you commit by doing something good to balance it out.

All sin is against the will of God.  God says there is a penalty for sin. We don't like to talk about hell, but there it is.  Christ, however, said, "I will pay their penalty for sin."  And he did.  But you have to repent and take his Spirit into your life.  You have to have faith that God will do what he says he will do.