Only a Remnant of Israelites who Believe in the Messiah will Be Saved

The children of God are not those who are born of a physical birth, but those who are reborn with a birth that comes from God through faith in his Son Jesus Christ (the Messiah), regardless of whether they are Jews or Gentiles:

John 1:11-13 ESV
[11] He [Jesus] came to his own [Israel], and his own people did not receive him. [12] But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, [13] who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Jesus said once to the Jews who were not listening to him nor the words of God, that they didn't belong to God but to their father the devil, the father of lies. This clearly proves that not all Jews will be saved just because they are genetically Jews. Only those who sincerely believe that Jesus is the Lord and Messiah sent by God:

John 8:41-47 ESV
[41] (Jesus:) You are doing the works your father did.” They (the Jews) said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.” 
    [42] Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. [43] Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word.  
    [44] You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. [45] But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. [46] Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 
    [47] Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”

Moises talked to the Jewish people about the coming of another Prophet like him. In fact, he was talking about the coming of the Messiah. And he continued saying that any Jew who doesn't listen to the Messiah will be removed from being part of God's people:

Acts 3:22-23 ESV
[22] Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet (the Messiah) like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. [23] And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’

The apostles Peter and John spoke with conviction and boldness when they were arrested by the Jewish religious leaders for healing a cripple man, saying that there is no salvation for Jews except by believing in Jesus the Messiah:

Acts 4:11-12 ESV

[11] This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you (the Jews), the builders, which has become the cornerstone. [12] And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Jewish people's minds were hardened and that's why they cannot understand the truth of God's Word when they read the Scriptures to this day. But as soon as they believe and turn to the Lord Jesus, the veil in their eyes will be lifted:

2 Corinthians 3:14-16 ESV

[14] But their (Jewish people) minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. [15] Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. [16] But when one turns to the Lord [Jesus], the veil is removed. 

The apostle Paul explains in Romans chapter 9 that the Gentiles, who were not following God's Law, were made right with God because of their faith in Jesus. But the Israelites, who were keeping the Law, were not made right with God for not trusting in the Messiah:

Romans 9:30-33 ESV

[30] What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; [31] but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. 

   [32] Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone (the Messiah), [33] as it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

The apostle Peter writes that when we (whether Jews or Gentiles) believe and come to Jesus—who is the living cornerstone of God's temple, rejected by his people, but chosen by God for great honor—, we are then transformed into living stones, chosen people, and holy priests of God the Father, to offer him continual spiritual sacrifices through the mediation of Jesus, his Son and Messiah:

1 Peter 2:4-8 ESV

[4] As you come to him (Jesus), a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, [5] you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 

    [6] For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” 

    [7] So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” [8] and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

The complete remnant of Israelites will be saved after the complete remnant of Gentiles has been saved

Paul writes in Romans 11:25-26 that “some of the people of Israel (those who have yet to repent and be saved by faith in Christ Jesus) have hardened their hearts.” But they will be saved after the number of the Gentiles (the remnant of non-Israelites who repent and are saved by faith in Jesus) has come in. That is why Paul goes on to say that “then all Israel (the whole remnant of Israelites who repent and believe in Christ) will be saved.” And then he adds that God has not rejected the people of Israel, because He chose the ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. (Romans 11:1-10, 28-29)

‭‭‭‭Romans‬ ‭11:25‭-‬27‬ ‭ESV‬‬

[25] Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. [26] And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; [27] “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” Now here is something important to take in consideration. Notice that the verse 26 of Romans 11 is the Greek version of Isaiah 59:20 that says: Isaiah 59:20 ESV [20] “And a Redeemer will come TO Zion, to those in Jacob who TURN from transgression,” declares the Lord. The original verse in Hebrew is a bit different from the written Greek version. Here is saying in fact that NOT ALL Israel will be saved. Only a REMNANT of Israelites who REPENT will be saved at the coming of the Messiah and Redeemer.

In fact, Paul says in Romans 9:26, quoting the prophecy of Isaiah 10:22, that “though the children of Israel are as numerous as the sand on the seashore, only a REMNANT will be saved.”

Here is a good passage in Micah 2:12 which confirms and clarifies what Paul was referring in Romans 11:26 that “all Israel will be saved”, which in fact is saying that ALL the REMNANT of Israel who repent and believe in Christ will be saved:

Micah 2:12 ESV

[12] I will surely assemble ALL of you, O Jacob; I will gather the REMNANT of Israel; I will set them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in its pasture, a noisy multitude of men.

Paul continues writing in Romans chapter 11:

Romans 11:28-32 ESV

[28] As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. [29] For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. [30] For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, [31] so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. [32] For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all (Jews and Gentiles).

Here above it says that God will have mercy on ALL, yes, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. But this doesn't mean that all Gentiles and Jews will be saved. Only those of poor spirit, the meek, the merciful, who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the pure in heart, and the peacemakers will be saved and called children of God. (See Matthew 5:1-9.) Only those whether Jews or Gentiles who believe and receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and personal Savior, will be adopted as children of God. (See John 1:12-13; Romans 10:8-13.)

When will the complete remnant of Gentiles and Israelites be saved?

The following verses confirm that this will take place at the moment of the Rapture just after the Great Tribulation or Anguish perpetrated by the Antichrist, when EVERY PERSON in the world will SEE JESUS CHRIST coming from the clouds of heaven and mourn, including those who pierced or crucify him—the Jews.

Isaiah 59:20-21 ESV
[20]  “And a Redeemer (Jesus) will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression (sin),” declares the Lord.
    [21] “And as for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children’s offspring,” says the Lord, “from this time forth and forevermore.”

Zechariah 12:9-10 ESV
[9] “And on that day I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
    [10] “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him (Jesus) whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.

Matthew 24:29-31 ESV
[29]  “Immediately after the [great] tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
    [30] Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man (Jesus Christ), and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. [31] And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect [from all over the world], from the four winds [of the earth], from one end of heaven to the other.

Revelation 1:7 ESV
[7] Behold, he (Jesus) is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced (crucify) him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.

Revelation 14:9-16 ESV
[9] And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast (the Antichrist) and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, [10] he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. [11] And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”
    [12]  Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. [13] And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”
    [14] Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man (Jesus Christ), with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. [15] And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” [16] So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.

Christians must preach the Gospel to Jews and non-Jews now and wherever they are

There is no Scripture that says we must currently help Jews, so that they may believe and be saved, to return to the land that God had promised the Israelites in the Old Covenant or Testament. In fact, when Jesus the Messiah returns, everyone will see him coming, including Jews, wherever they are.

Revelation 1:5-7 NIV

[5] To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, [6] to him who has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power forever and ever! Amen. 

    [7] Look, he is coming on the clouds! Everyone will see him with their eyes, even those who pierced him (the Jews). And all the peoples of the earth will mourn over him. So it will be! Amen.

The present-day Israel of God is not a physical land called Israel. Israel is actually God's chosen people from among Gentiles and Jews who repent of their sins and give their lives to Jesus the Messiah in baptism.

Galatians 3:26-29 NIV

[26] You are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus, [27] for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  

    [28] There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 

    [29] And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring and heirs according to promise.

Jesus will return to reign for 1,000 years over the whole earth, not just over a small land like the present-day state of Israel. God does not need us to bring Jews to the physical land of Israel. This is not biblical, but simply a dogmatic biblical interpretation.

What God truly wants is for us to preach the Gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ to all the Jews we can, wherever they are. The Gospel is what the Jews need to hear so that some may be saved now. In fact, they must hear it now so that many may believe that Jesus is the Messiah when he comes and descends from the clouds.

Romans 10:14-17 NIV

[14] How then will they [the Israelites] call on him in whom they have not believed? And how will they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without someone preaching? [15] And how will they preach unless they are sent? For it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” 

    [16] However, not all Israelites accepted the good news. Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” 

    [17] So faith comes from hearing the message [that is preached] and the message that is heard is the word of Christ.

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Why Does God Love You?

○ According to the Bible, in the beginning God created man and woman in his image, with a pure heart, clear conscience and free will, to live in harmony and enjoy sonship and fellowship with Him eternally.

But because they once disobeyed God, sin entered their hearts, and they lost the privilege of being immortal and of having sonship and communion with God.

○ As a result of the transgression of the first man and woman, we have all inherited their sinful nature of thinking negative thoughts, speaking negative words, and doing negative actions.

The power of sin is ruling our minds and hearts to the point that we do things we don't want to do, and we don't do things we want to do. And this is why we are all guilty at some point of disappointing God, of hurting others, and of being hurt by others as well.

However, God didn't completely abandon us, as He sent prophets and gave us his commandments, the moral code to show us what sin is. But man could not follow the commandments by his own strength to have a pure heart and a clear conscience. 

○ Sin separates us from God's glory and brings us to eternal perdition. 

However, according to the law God gave to Moses, forgiveness of sins is only achieved through the shedding of blood. To achieve this, animals had to be sacrificed every year. But these animal sacrifices could not purify men's consciences.

○ That’s why God sent Jesus—his divine and only Son, Messiah and Co-creator—about 2,000 years ago on a special mission. 

Jesus came from heaven and became human like the first man before he sinned. In fact, he was the only man who was born of a woman and of God's Spirit. That’s why he was sinless and could redeem us from our sinful nature and eternal perdition.

At the age of thirty, Jesus was baptized in water as a sign of his commitment to reveal his divine glory and to be persecuted and killed for openly confessing who he was. And right after, he received the fullness of God's own Holy Spirit, which descended from heaven to anoint him and empower him to fulfill his mission on earth. 

In fact, Jesus' great mission was to take upon himself the death penalty, according to God's law, that we all deserve for being sinners and for breaking his commandments.

Jesus proclaimed God's truth, healed the sick, and freed those oppressed by the devil. He continually showed his love and grace to all, until out of envy one day he was arrested, falsely accused and mistreated by the Jewish religious leaders. They then handed him over to be executed by the Romans, at the end of his ministry three and a half years later.

Jesus was cruelly beaten and whipped, then crucified, mocked, and literally cursed on a cross. And after some long hours of pain and agony, he died without mercy, rejected by all and even without the Spirit of his Father. 

Jesus was tempted in all things but never sinned, as he remained obedient to God his Father and kept holy all the way until the end. And only out of love for his Father and love for us, he shed his blood all the way until death as an offering for sin, as the perfect Lamb of God that takes all our sins away. 

All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet God laid on his Son the sins of us all. He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.

Jesus’ sacrifice, bloodshed and death was able to remove the curse of sin's power, forgive all our sins, and heal all our hurts and diseases, so that we could be made righteous before God.

After Jesus died, God raised him from the dead on the third day,  because he never sinned. He appeared to his disciples with his new glorious body for a certain time, and right after he ascended into heaven at the right hand of God. Once there, Jesus sent us his Holy Spirit so that he could live in our hearts and work through us.

○ How can we be saved from the power of sin and hurts and diseases, and be made righteous before God?

• We must believe that God sent Jesus to save us from the power of sin through his death and resurrection. 

• We must repent wholeheartedly of our sins and turn to God so that He may remove our hardened hearts and give us a tender one.

• We must be baptized in water in the name of Jesus to bury our old sinful nature and rise with him, so that our sins may be washed away and we may have a new life, and so that Jesus, who gave his life for us, may become our personal Lord and Savior.

• We must receive the gift of God's Holy Spirit (God's spiritual presence) within us. By receiving this gift, we become a new creation—adopted children of God with a divine nature.

At that moment, God will heal and set us free, and help us do good because sin no longer has dominion over us. We have a new nature, the glorious nature of God, and we want to do what pleases Him. Consequently, we will be able to think faithbuilding  thoughts, say encouraging words and perform loving actions. 

○ What is God's will for us, his adopted and born again children? 

• God wants us to have a daily personal communion with Him and with Jesus, by praying in their Holy Spirit and meditating on their Holy Word, in order to receive more of their selfless love and to become one in mind and spirit with them. 

• God wants us to love all humanity with his selfless love, and especially those of the family of faith in Jesus.

• God wants us to proclaim boldly and faithfully the Good News of God's salvation (from the power of sin and eternal perdition) and reconciliation to Him, by his marvellous grace and through faith in Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection.

• God wants us to bless and heal those who need physical and/or spiritual healing, laying on hands and commanding healing to come in the name of Jesus and the power of God.

▪︎ God wants us to build one another up, equip new believers in the faith, and work together to advance God's Kingdom by bringing Jesus to many.

○ Jesus lived a holy life on Earth, constantly thanking and praying to God in the Spirit, and loving everyone. And also he lived in obedience to God, speaking his words of truth and showing his miraculous healing power, and dying for all humanity. 

If we follow Jesus' teachings, we will also live holy and obedient lives. And consequently, we will love God and anyone around, and fulfill Jesus' command to spread God's Good News everywhere and at every opportunity, so that many may enter his marvellous heavenly Kingdom.

God loved us so much that He sent his only Son Jesus to give his whole life for our sake, so that we might live eternally. Are you willing to give Jesus your whole life, to follow him and obey his commandments of loving God intimately and those around you as you love yourself?

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The Good News of Redemption and Reconciliation

God created man to live eternally and have fellowship with Him. But man was deceived by Satan, disobeyed God, and fell short of His Glory. That is why sin entered the heart of man and this was a great PROBLEM for all of us. 

But by his grace and mercy, God sent his Son Jesus the Messiah into the world, to be the perfect atoning Lamb who must suffer and die on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, and free us from the power of sin and our sinful nature. 

Because of Jesus' love and obedience to God his Father, He became the ANSWER to man's problem and, in fact, is the Good News of freedom and redemption from sin and condemnation for humanity.  So, whoever fully believes and repents and turns to God the Father, and buries his old self and resurrects in newness of life with Jesus through water baptism for the washing of sins, and receives the gift of the Holy Spirit through prayer, then he is made holy and becomes a completely new creation. 

Jesus reconciled us to God through his death and resurrection.  And when we believe the Good News and are baptized, then the Spiritual Presence of God comes to live in us and work through us. 

Jesus poured out his Holy Spirit upon us so that we could have constant communion with Him and with God the Father, praying in the Spirit and meditating on the Holy Word.  The Holy Spirit and the Holy Word in us will help us to faithfully love God in prayer and serve Him, by spreading the Gospel and making followers of Jesus wherever we are and at every opportunity. 

After the day of judgment of all humanity, God will receive and reward only those who believed and obeyed Him to the end, placing them in a new Heaven and a new Earth to be in communion with Him, the Lord God Almighty, and with His Son Jesus, the Lamb, forever and ever!  Amen.

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Jesus Reconciled Us to God

The main reason God sent Jesus was so that through his sacrifice we could be reconciled to God his Father.  Jesus in the beginning was a Spirit like his Father (John 4:24), but He became human to be able to pay the price of dying for us, so that we would be freed from the power of sin and the fear of death (John 1:14; Hebrews 2:14-15).

Once we turn to God, and are baptized in water into Christ Jesus, and receive the Holy Spirit, we are then set free from sin (John 3:1-8; Acts 2:37-39).  And therefore our friendship with God the Father is restored, and we have fellowship with Him and with his Son, through the Spirit and Word of God (John 4:23 -24; Luke 10:38-42; 1 John 1:3; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; Jude 1:20-21).

And the ultimate goal of receiving the Holy Spirit is so that we can obey the GREAT TASK of reconciling others to God the Father through the Spirit of Christ in us (Galatians 2:20; 4:6; 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 ).

Some Scriptures on Reconciliation

   "God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God."

Romans 5:8 - 11

   "Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. 

   "This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 

   "And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this Task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful Message of Reconciliation. 

   "So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin by making him sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ."

2 Corinthians 5:14 - 15 ,17 - 21

   "All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 

   "Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 

   "So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding."

Ephesians 1:3‭-‬8

   "For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross."

Colossians 1:19‭-‬20

   "Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts. In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. 

   "For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups.   

   "Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death. 

   "He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us."

Ephesians 2:11‭-‬18 

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"Once Saved, Saved Forever"... If We Live In Holiness

Someone has commented one of our posts, ‘Whom The Lord Loves, He Chastens’, saying: “A save person will be scourged/chasten by God, like loses his job, jailed and even physically killed if he deviates, and loses rewards in Heaven, but will not lose his salvation.”

It’s true that God chastens anyone who gets strayed from his will and circle of protection, and He will do whatever it is necessary so that he/she goes back to the right path, out of compassionate love. However He cannot not decide or interfere more than an earthly father would do, after trying his best to discipline and help his wayward son to follow and obey Him, so that he may enter in his eternal kingdom and reward in the judgement day.

“Once saved, always saved, even if you live in sin", is a current prevalent “God's extreme grace” doctrine, which is not supported by the Scriptures. On the other hand, we can perfectly remain under God’s amazing grace after we are born again, if we follow certain conditions expressed in the Scriptures.

Let’s have a review on that now…

Jesus came to set us free from the curse of sin offering himself to sacrifice and die for us; and now by grace we are saved through faith in his bloodshed and atonement for us (Ephesians 2:8-9). The blood of Christ has the power to redeem us from our past sins (Romans 3:24-25), the minute we repent towards God, we believe that Jesus is the Son of God who was raised from the dead, we confess Him publicly as our Master and Lord, and we get baptised in water of his cleansing blood (Romans 10:9-10; Acts 2:38).

Once we are baptised, we will then receive Jesus' Holy Spirit in our heart (Galatians 4:4-7; Ephesians 1:13-14), so that we may have personal communion with Jesus and his Father (1John 1:3), to bear fruit of righteousness and holiness and of service to God until the end of our life. God's purpose for creating us first and for redeeming us later is so that we may live for Him by loving and serving Him faithfully (John 14:20-26; Romans 6).

God’s grace is not a licence for us who once got born again by repenting towards God and baptising in Christ Jesus, to do whatever we desire or please. We still must fulfil the Law of the ten commandments of God in union with Jesus, in order to live a righteous and holy life, separated from the world, and obeying his main two commandments that hung all the law and the prophets—to love God with all our strength and our neighbour as ourselves (James 1:17-27; Matthew 22:36-40).

Of course, God in his wisdom and mercy has provided a comforter and helper, his own Holy Spirit (Jesus in us), to guide us and help us to focus and align our mind with his Word, so that we may know his perfect will for us individuals, to be able to live and walk and accomplish the mission of a real son/daughter of God on the Earth (Isaiah 11:2; Romans chapter 8, 12:1-2; 1Corinthians 2).

In Ephesians 2:8-10 and Romans 3:21-26 the apostle Paul says that we are saved by God’s amazing grace through faith in Jesus’ atonement and bloodshed. But we will be judged by our works of love or lack of love one day, since God has created us in Christ Jesus his Son so that we do good works, which He has before ordained that we should walk in them (Ephesians 1:3-14, 2:1-10; Colossians 2:6-7; 1John 1:1-11; Tito 3:3-7; Matthew 5:13-16, 25:31-46).

In Matthew 5:13-16 Jesus says to his followers that they were the salt of the Earth full of flavour of God’s Spirit. And also that they should let the light of Jesus' Holy Spirit in them shine before all men, that they may see their good works and thus glorify God the Father in Heaven. This call was not optional, but mandatory, in order to fulfil the mission of every son/daughter of God of being the Light and witness of Jesus to this world.

In Matthew 5:21-26 Jesus says that anyone who is angry with his brother without a cause, and also says to him, “You fool”, will be in danger of judgement and hell fire.

In Mark 8:34-38 Jesus says to his followers that anyone who would like to follow Him will have to deny his own will, suffer shame for his name and the Gospel’s sake, and obey his Words without reservation. He continues saying that whoever will not be willing to suffer for Him and will preserve his life, he will lose his eternal life. But whoever will be willing to suffer for Him and will lose his life, he will inherit his eternal life. And at the end He says that if we are ashamed to live and confess Him publicly, He will also be ashamed of us at his return when He will judge everyone. (See also Matthew 10:32-33; Luke 12:8-9; 2Timothy 4:1-8.)

In Matthew 10:32-33 Jesus says to his followers that if they confess Him before all men, He will confess them before his Father which is in Heaven. And if they deny Him before all men, He will also deny them before his Father which is in Heaven. In other words, when we don’t confess Christ publicly and continually, then we are denying Him, and we are in danger of not making it on the Judgement day (Romans 2:5-16).

 

In Romans 10:6-13 the apostle Paul says that if we believe that God resurrected Jesus His Son from the dead, and we confess Him publicly as our Lord and Master, then we will be saved. And this is true, we are saved the moment we believe and confess Him; and we will be saved for the rest of our days, if we continue believing and confessing Him before all men. This is what it really means, because if we don’t have fruits of repentance and of works of love, we are then deceived and dry and dead (John 15:1-17; James 1:17-27, 2:14-26).

In John 10:27-29 Jesus says that He gives full eternal life to those who have personal communion with Him by hearing his voice, and who continually follow Him. (See also John 17:3; 1John 1:3.)

In 1 John 3:10-18 the apostle John says that anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

In James 2:14-26 the apostle James clearly says that if you don’t show works of love toward others, your faith is completely dead. This means that you are not fully saved if you still live in sin. 

 

In 1 Peter 1:13-25 and 1 John 1:5-10 the apostles write that God is Holy and Light, and there is no darkness in Him at all. And because of that, we are supposed to live a holy life, as otherwise without holiness no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14-17). That’s why a real son of God must constantly abide in God’s Words, which are full of Spirit and Life. He must walk in the light if he wants to remain a real follower of Jesus, who will know the Truth to keep him righteous and saved from all sin. Otherwise if he still walks in darkness and lives in sin is not saved at all, because he is still a sinner, a slave of sin (John 6:47-63; 15:1-17; 8:31-36; 1John 2:1-6).

In Romans 2:5-16 the apostle Paul says only those who are persevering in well doing will obtain immortality and eternal life. And those who do not obey the Truth of God’s Word, but obey unrighteousness, will not be justified and saved, and will consequently be in anguish and in darkness, out of God’s presence in Heaven. Very sobering!

In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 the apostle says that we should bring our body into subjection and be a wholehearted disciple if we want to obtain one day the prize of an incorruptible crown (glorified, immortal body).

In 1 Corinthians 15:1-2 and Hebrews 3:12-19 the apostle says that we are continually saved if we keep firmly the Word and doctrine of our faith until the end (See also Matthew 24:13; Mark 13:13; Romans 8:16-18; Colossians 1:21-13.)

In 2 Corinthians 13:5-10 the apostle says to the brethren that they should examine themselves to verify if they are in the faith of Christ, except they have become reprobates, or in other words rejected by God, because of their continual lack of surrender towards Him.

In Philippians 3:7-21 the apostle Paul says that he was wholeheartedly consecrated to the faith of Christ, and consequently was willing to suffer anything for the Gospel’s sake in order to win Christ, if by any means he might attain unto the resurrection of the dead, as he was not completely sure about it at that moment. But he was always determined to fully forget his past and press toward the mark, and face any new afflictions or persecutions, to obtain the reward of the high calling of God in Jesus, which of course is the resurrection of his body into a glorified one—the crown of righteousness or the crown of life (1Corinthians 15:51-57; 2Corinthians 5:1-10; 2Timothy 4:8; Revelation 2:10).

In 2 Timothy 2:1-13 the apostle says that we should endure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, the same way he does to help the brethren to obtain the full salvation with eternal glory at the end of their lives. Later on he says that IF we are dead (buried and resurrected) with Jesus, we will also live (serve) with Him; IF we suffer (persecution), we will also reign with Him; IF we deny (don’t confess) Him, He will also deny (not confess) us before the Father (Luke 12:8-9). Jesus expects us to endure hardness and follow Him with all our hearts and capacity and at any cost, if we want to obtain the full prize of eternal life at the end of our days.

In Hebrews 10:26-31 the apostle says that if a brother sins wilfully after receiving the knowledge of the Truth (Jesus), and tramples the Son of God underfoot, and counts the blood of the Covennat by which he was sanctified a common thing, and despises God's Holy Spirit, he will be judged and punished with fire, the same way He judged and destroyed many rebellious and disobedient children of Israel in the past. At the end of this chapter, the apostle says that we are not like those who draw back from the faith unto perdition, but like those who believe to the saving of the soul.

In Hebrews 12:14-17 the apostle says that every brother should be in peace with all men and live in holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. Also he exhorts that no one departs from the grace of God by letting out a root of bitterness in his life and thus contaminating others around.

In James 5:19-20 the apostle says that if anyone errs from the Truth (Jesus), and someone else converts him, this one will save this soul from death (condemnation).

In 2 Peter 2:20-22 the apostle says that anyone who after escaping the pollutions of a worldly life through the knowledge of the Lord Jesus, entangles again in them and is overcome, the latter end is worse for him than the beginning when he was not saved yet.

In 1 John 5:16-17 the apostle says that if anyone sees his brother sin a sin which is not unto death (condemnation), he will ask to God for him, and He will forgive him and give him life again. But he also adds that there is a sin unto death or condemnation, which cannot be prayed for it.

In 2 John 1:7-11 the apostle says that we must be careful to not lose those things we have wrought in order to obtain the full reward of eternal salvation, because many deceivers have entered into the church of believers.

There are several verses in the Scriptures that in order to obtain the Crown of Life, which is the full salvation of our whole being (spirit, mind and body), we must be instruments of righteousness unto holiness (Romans 6:12-23), through the sanctification of the Spirit and faith in the truth of God's Word (2Thessalonians 2:13-17; Jude 1:20-21).

In other words, salvation is not a state of mind or a matter of one day repentance and confession, but a continual life of service to God and confessing Christ everywhere around. Otherwise we would be in danger to lose the gift of righteousness and eternal life (Romans 6; Mark 8:34-38). The purpose of Jesus’ atonement is so that God’s Spirit may live in us, to make it easier for us to be obedient and faithful until the end. Without the factor of surrender and obedience to God’s will and Spirit, our eternal salvation is not guaranteed.

In the book of Revelation, Jesus makes it very clear to the seven churches that only those who overcome (are faithful and endure until the end), their names will not be ERASED from the Book of (eternal) Life (3:5)… will not suffer the second death (condemnation in hell) (2:11)… and will receive the Crown of (eternal) Life (2:10; 3:10-11).

Adam was the first man and son of God on the Earth, and thus he was born of God in purity, without any sinful nature in him (Luke 3:39). But God gave him free will to obey Him or not, and as long he would obey Him, he would never die, he would live forever. But he ended up disobeying and lost his divine and immortal identity. As long as Adam was in harmony with God, he had all the blessings of the Kingdom in him, as he was part divine. But he lost the privilege of being a son of God because of his lack of fear of Him and his consequent disobedience (Psalm 111:10; Romans 5:12-14).

The same with the angels, which are also sons of God, born of God (Psalm 82), many of them rebelled and disobeyed and fell short of the glory of God, and they immediately died spiritually and lost their angelical, pure divine nature, and their place in the Kingdom (Revelation 12:7-10).

And what about JESUS himself, the only begotten Son of God the Father, full of wisdom and power, full of God's Word and Spirit (John 1:18, 3:34-35; 1Corinthians 1:24). He also was tempted in all things as a human being, although He never yielded to sin (Hebrews 2:14-18). 1 Corinthians 15:45 says that Jesus was the Last Adam, with the same characteristics of a man and son of God like Adam. But Jesus made it until the end instead, constantly subordinating to his Father, time and time again. At the Calvary, He asked his Father if He could be spared from such a cruel torture and death ahead, when He was transpiring blood. But after praying three times, He surrendered and obeyed his Father to go through all the painful sacrifice (Luke 22:39-46).

Jesus opted to fulfil his mission on Earth of a real Man and Son of God, just out of faith and obedience, and also out of love for his Father and for us all. Hebrews 5:5-9 says that He was bitterly praying and crying to his Father to spare Him from suffering and death, but He learned obedience through the things He suffered, even during such horrific and crucial moments; and He finally overcame and fulfilled his great redeeming mission on Earth (Romans 5:6-11; Philippians 2:3-16).

If Jesus had to learn obedience to fulfil the will of his Father, how much more we must learn obedience to fulfil our mission on Earth as sons of God. Romans 8:29 says that God predestined us to be conformed to the image of his Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. And 1 John 1:1-6 says that if we say we abide in Jesus, we must also walk as He walked, in complete submission and surrender to God’s will and commandments registered in the Scriptures.

And because Jesus obeyed his Father until the end, He was rewarded with the resurrection of his dead body into a super-powerful, glorified body. Plus his Father exalted his name above any power and authority in Heaven and on Earth, and sat Him on the right hand of his throne, and made Him Lord and God in office and King to reign over the Earth, along with his Father. Hallelujah! (See Philippians 2:1-18)

CONCLUSION

 

Faithfulness and obedience to God’s Word are the vital factors to obtain at the end of our life, the complete salvation that we once got by God’s grace (Ephesians 2:1-10; Titus 3:1-7), which is the reward of a Crown of Life, the new glorified and immortal body described in the Scriptures (2Timothy 4:5-8; James 1:12; 1 Peter 5:1-4; 1 Corinthians 9:24-27; 2Timothy 2:1-13; Romans 8:16-18; 1Timothy 6:11-16; Jude 20-25).

When we are saved through faith in Jesus’ sacrifice, then we are right away FREE from walking in darkness and living in sin. But the Word says that if we WILFULLY decide to live in sin again, then we are again slaves of sin, which means that we are not really saved. In other words we are not saved from the slavery of sin and spiritual death (John 8:31-36).

God is Holy and the same expects for us to be holy (1Peter 1:14-16). If we are living a life of righteousness and holiness, of communing with God by absorbing his Word and praying in his Holy Spirit, and being separated from the world and its sinful ways, and being faithful to confess Christ to others, then there is nothing to fear if we lose our salvation or not. Because we remain faithful and obedient to God's will, separated from sin and the consequence of sin which is spiritual death in hell, and consequently showing fruits of repentance and of many souls won for Him (Acts 26:15-20).

The fear of God is to hate evil (Proverbs 8:13), and if we really love God, we will hate evil and reject every sinful way, mindset and spirit with all our strength (Matthew 22:36-40). The life of a real son of God and disciple of Jesus is manifested and confirmed by his holy lifestyle—an active life of real commitment and consecration to please and fulfill God's will until the end of days.

Jesus says that He will vomit the lukewarm out of his mouth, unless they repent on time (Revelation 3:14-22). If we are not lukewarm, but real fighters of the Cross, and continue being so, then we will NEVER lose salvation. But if we wilfully DRAW BACK from the will of God, then we will be in danger of judgement and condemnation without a doubt (2Peter 2:20-22).

The Lord gave us free will, and because of that, WE ARE THE ONES WHO DECIDE IF WE WANT TO BE SAVED FROM SIN AND CONDEMNATION, OR NOT. It's nothing about obtaining perfection or even about God's personal perception, but about being faithful and obedient to love God and others around.

So yes, "ONCE SAVED, WE ARE SAVED FOREVER," IF WE LIVE IN HOLINESS until the end—by continually getting filled of God's nature and presence and power, through praying and obeying his Holy Spirit, and meditating and obeying his Holy Word! (See also Matthew 25; Luke 19:11-27; 2Thessalonians 2:13-17; Hebrews 5:8-9, 6:4-12; 1Peter 1:14-21, 4:17-19, 2Peter 3:3-7; Jude 1:1-4,20-25.) ◘

 

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