To the Jew First, and Also to the Greek
to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." Romans 1:16
The question before us demands an answer.
It is apparent that to some Christians, a simple "because GOD said so" is not sufficient. I say this based on the following personal observations that I have been able to pick up from various people over the last twenty-five years. Some will say, "I don't want to offend"; others have said, "I don't think it's necessary"; while yet others have actually spoken these words to me, "I don't think it's for today."
In addition to the above, here are some other reasons that I believe people use as excuses for not practicing "to the Jew first" in their own lives.
1. There may be some misinformation about The Scriptures.
2. The individual may be unaware that The Bible actually invites us to be a faithful witness to Jewish people.
3. Perhaps there exists either covertly or overtly some form of prejudice (anti-Semitism).
4. An individual may feel that he or she may not have enough knowledge of Holy Writ to be effective for Our Lord.
5. Or, a person might be just plain 'afraid' to speak to a Jewish person about their Messiah.
Before we go any further let's establish the Biblical identity of the Jewish people.
In DEUTERONOMY 7:6 we read:
"FOR THOU (THE JEWISH PEOPLE) ART A 'HOLY' PEOPLE UNTO THE LORD THY GOD: THE LORD THY GOD HATH 'CHOSEN' THEE TO BE A 'SPECIAL' PEOPLE UNTO HIMSELF, ABOVE ALL PEOPLE THAT ARE UPON THE FACE OF THE EARTH."
The usual connotation of a Jewish person is that he or she belongs to 'the chosen people', but in actuality according to our Scripture the Jewish people are not only 'chosen', but they are also 'holy' and 'special'.
In Zechariah 2:8 we read that The LORD Himself tells us, "for he that toucheth you (the Jewish people) toucheth the Apple of His (The LORD's) Eye."
In The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter 10 and verse 6, we read that our LORD Jesus Christ spoke of the Jewish people as "the lost sheep of the house of Israel", and He commissioned His disciples to "go" and "preach" saying , "the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
The Jewish Apostle Saul-Paul who was sent by our LORD to the Gentiles (non-Jewish people) to preach and witness of GOD's love, said:
IN ROMANS 1:16
"For I am not ashamed of The Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of GOD unto salvation to every one that believeth; 'to the Jew first', and also to the Gentile".
Yes, the Apostle Saul-Paul was instructed to go to the Gentiles, yet everywhere he went, according to The Scriptures, he first presented The Good News of Salvation "to the Jew first". Therefore, when we are confronted in Romans 1:16 that The Gospel is to be presented "to the Jew first", and for the most part it is not part and parcel of Christianity, we would naturally ask ourselves, WHY NOT ?
I believe that if you do not place "to the Jew first" in your witness, prayer life, financial support, and in your life as a believer in general; and I repeat, if you do not, you probably do not have a place at all for GOD's 'holy', 'chosen', 'special' PEOPLE, that is, the Jewish people.
Even Jesus our LORD in The Gospel according to Luke 24:46-47 said, "Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ (Messiah) to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His Name among all nations (Gentiles), BEGINNING AT JERUSALEM (the Jewish people)".
Please remember what Romans 3:9 tells us, "For we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin".
SO, WHY TO THE JEW FIRST ?
Because, GOD said so, and this of course is found in Holy Writ: also, because Jewish people should have an opportunity 'TODAY' to hear that Yeshua (Jesus) is The Promised Messiah (Christ). I hope that you are interested in being obedient to GOD's Word.
If you believe that The Gospel of Christ 'IS' the power of GOD unto Salvation - for EVERYONE that believeth, then you must recognize that the Jewish people are part of EVERYONE. Furthermore, The LORD instructs you to place "to the Jew first" in your life of service unto our LORD, that is, in your prayers (see: Romans 10:1) and in your financial support (see: Romans 11:30-31, and Romans 15:26-27).
The LORD Himself has a very special blessing for you as you obey Him. Remember, that if you DON'T put "to the Jew first" in your program of service unto our LORD, you probably will leave the Jewish people totally and absolutely out of your life as a witness.
Once the Biblical principle of "to the Jew first" takes hold of your life and you put into practice the admonition thereof, don't try to reform or convert your Church or Fellowship. Remember, that Jewish Evangelism for all practical purposes is 'NOT' an integral part in the average Church or Fellowship, and you might even find that there is no interest whatsoever in reaching Jewish people with The Gospel. Usually a Church or Fellowship Missionary Budget speaks for itself. However, The LORD might just use you as an instrument to help others in realizing that "to the Jew first" is for TODAY AND NOW.
In Genesis 12:3 we read, "And I will bless them (you) that bless thee (the Jewish people). Take hold of this promise of blessing as you practice "to the Jew first".
The LORD bless you in your new awareness and challenge of "to the Jew first".
Pray For The Peace Of Jerusalem:
They Shall Prosper That Love Thee".
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How can we be reasonably certain about ourselves, as well as others, without being guilty of judging? To answer this, let's take our own case first, there are several "tests" that we can take to determine His presence within us: (all Scripture quotes from KJV Bible). 1. Romans 8:16 tells us: "The Spirit Himself [thus] testifies together with our own spirit, [assuring us] that we are children of God." 2. The entire book of First John was written as a "test" for determining the reality of salvation. Verse three of Chapter one tells us: 3. 1 John 5:13 informs us that the entire Book of 1 John was written so that we can know that we possess eternal life in Christ. Do you know for absolute certainty that, if you were to die tonight, you would go to Heaven? 4. The Word of God teaches that the Bible is incomprehensible to the "natural man"-the unsaved individual. It is a spiritual book and the unsaved person is not only spiritually blind, but 1 Corinthians 2:14 tells us that he "is incapable" of knowing that which is spiritually discerned. Do you understand the Bible? Does it make sense to you and speak to your heart? Does it convict you of your sin and teach you the right way? 5. The Bible is very clear that an unregenerate individual will not seek God (Rom.3:11). Are you painfully aware of your sinful nature and cry out to God from your heart for forgiveness when you sin? If so, this is one of the signs of having been born again. Is your soul, your conscience, sorely vexed when you see sin in the culture
around you? When you see blatant sin in public, or on TV, or in Entertainment,
or anywhere else you encounter it, do you feel a severe vexation in your spirit?
The Bible says of Lot, who was foolish enough to live and do business in Sodom:
"(God) delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed
his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds)" [2 Peter 2:7-8]
If your heart is "vexed" by the terrible sin in our daily culture, that
is a good sign you are saved. If your spirit is not vexed by this sin, that
is a good sign you are not saved. 6. The Bible says that an unregenerate individual is a slave of Satan and incapable of doing anything about it (Eph.2:2). Have you been able to turn your back upon this world and its sinful ways? Are all of your close friends Christians? If you have been born again, your unsaved friends will drop you like a bad habit! (Just as an illustration, spray a small amount of "WD-40" lubricant on a surface wet with water and watch how fast the water retreats! A genuine dose of salvation is like the WD-40 where reprobate buddies are concerned.) 7. Do you love--really love--Christians and would rather be with them than anyone else? Can you meet a total stranger, find out that they are a believer, and then have instant fellowship with them? Is there "something" in your heart that draws you to them and establishes a closeness which cannot be explained any other way? [We alluded to this feature in Paragraph 2, above] 8. Do you actually enjoy giving to the Lord's work? Do you give generously of your time, talent, and treasury? 9. Do you sin less now than you did prior to receiving Christ? 10. Have other people seen the "fruit of the Spirit" at work in your life? That is, can they see genuine love, joy, peace, long-suffering, etc., (Gal.5:22), being wrought in and through you by God's Holy Spirit? Do they sense that you are a different person from the one you used to be? 11. Have you experienced persecution because of your faith in Christ? (Former friends who back away because of your testimony for Christ, are a subtle form of persecution). 12. Are you eagerly expecting and anticipating the any-moment return of Jesus Christ for His Church? If you can truthfully answer "yes" to these questions, you are a child of God and the Holy Spirit dwells within you! If you cannot truthfully answer "yes" to these questions, then you are probably not saved and you need to go to the bottom of this page to the Salvation message and go through the steps in honesty and sincereness of heart so you can be saved!"You must be born again"The Bible is very clear on the necessity of a person being "Born Again" if they are to receive eternal life. Jesus coined this term, in John 3:3-7, when he told Nicodemus, "You must be born again" to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Since this necessity is so critical, Satan has attacked it with all his might for two thousand years, causing most "Christian" churches to stop teaching this doctrine, even though no one can be saved without undergoing this wondrous spiritual conversion. However, Satan's most effective weapon against being Born Again has been, and still is, confusion.
Fortunately, Jesus
lovingly made this transformation process very simple, so simple
that even those who are retarded or not educated can understand.
There are several steps to becoming Born Again, listed below:
1.
Understand that ALL
men ever born are sinners. Romans 3:23, says,
"For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."
This message that all men are sinners is amply repeated
through Scripture
. This means you are a sinner in the eyes
of an angry God, Who must punish all sin. Do you believe you are
a sinner?
2. Since man is an imperfect sinner,
and God is a perfect God, no man can save himself. Jesus made
this fact very plain in Matthew 5:48, when He said, "Be ye,
therefore, perfect, even as your Heavenly Father is perfect."!!!
You must also be very sorry for your sins, and want to have them forgiven. This is known as Repentance. The word Repent means to both be very sorry for your sins, and to want to not sin anymore. Repentance means the desire to turn your life around 180 degrees. This does not mean you will never sin again, but it does mean that sin will become the exception in your life, not the rule. 3. When the sinless Son of God, Jesus Christ, shed His precious blood on the cross at Calvary, He died for the sins of His people in their place as a sacrificial substitute. And in doing so, He suffered the wrath of God the Father upon their sin. He paid the penalty for that sin in His own body and purchased their eternal redemption. This enables Him to give as a free gift His own holiness and righteousness to those who believe in Him and trust Him for salvation. making them absolutely perfect in God. s sight! Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." None of us deserve to be saved; in His love and mercy God extends grace to those who will believe. Grace is defined as "undeserved favor" and perhaps this little acrostic will help you to remember its meaning: G od. s Riches At Christ. s Expense. [The true meaning of GRACE]
4. In Ephesians 2:8-9, the
Apostle Paul reiterates this teaching that eternal life with God is a
free gift. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that
not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; Not of works, lest any man should
boast." No man can stand before God in eternity, and boast that they 'earned'
their way to Heaven. All people in Heaven will be there only because of Jesus'
FREE
Gift,
which He obtained from God because of His substitutionary death
sacrifice on the Cross. Rather than punishing each person's individual
sins, God heaped all those sins on Jesus on the Cross Isaiah 53:2-12]
Now, you are probably thinking, 'How can I obtain this free gift of eternal life'? Again, the Bible is not silent. In Acts 16:25-33, the jailer anxiously asked Paul, "What must I do to be saved"? Paul answered "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved ..." verse 31". You must BELIEVE on Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. To truly believe, you must place your complete faith and trust in Christ and rely upon Him as your only hope of salvation and eternal life. This is a matter of the heart and you cannot hope to deceive God by putting on an act because He knows everything about you. Many people mistakenly think that by merely believing the facts concerning Jesus Christ. s death, burial, and resurrection, they will be automatically be given the gift of eternal life. But such is not the case. Preachers call that a "head knowledge and not a heart knowledge." Salvation is freely given, but only to those who are genuine believers.
5. In John 1:1, 14, we see that
Jesus Christ is God, equal with God, present with God from
before the beginning of time, and the actual Creator of the
Universe. He is 100% God and 100% human at the same time, which
is why He used both titles during His ministry, Son of God and
Son of Man. To become Born Again, you must believe this doctrine about
Jesus Christ.
Verse 14 is most important, the
teaching that Jesus God became man. This teaching becomes a point of
separation between the followers of Christ and Antichrist. In 1 John
4:1-3, we see that anyone who denies that Jesus has come in the
flesh is the spirit of antichrist. That is just what the Gnostics
of that day were saying, i.e., that Jesus the human was not
God Messiah come in the flesh; rather, the 'Christ Consciousness' the
'Messiah' Consciousness, came on Jesus at His baptism and left
Him on the Cross; they believe Jesus was not God and Man. The
New Age Movement and Freemasonry have resurrected this blasphemy with
a vengeance.
6. Isaiah
53:6 foretells exactly what Jesus Christ did for us on the Cross; "the Lord [God
the Father] has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." Praise God!! Only the
Wisdom, Grace, and Power of God Almighty could conceive of such a gracious Plan
of Salvation!! God's Nature is such that sin must be punished.
Period! But, God set up a Plan whereby an innocent
substitute was to be punished instead of the guilty person. In
the Old Testament, God allowed the lamb to be the substitute sacrifice for sin;
Jesus then became the ultimate substitute sacrifice, for all the sins of the
world.
His was the
Perfect sacrifice, that never needs to be repeated, and that saves
all people forever more.
You must believe in, and understand,
this principle of Substitute Punishment, before you can become
Born Again. And, you must believe that Jesus Christ became the
Perfect Substitute Punishment for YOU, before you can become Born
Again.
Now that you understand these
Truths, and believe them for your life, you now need to understand
how you can obtain this FREE Gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ.
After all, if I were to attempt to give you a FREE gift, that
gift would not become yours if you were to refuse to reach out
and take that gift from my hand. So it is here. You must reach
out and take this FREE Gift of Eternal Life from the hand of Jesus
Christ. How is this done?
Through
Saving Faith .
Notice I
said Saving Faith . There are types of
faith that will not get you saved. You may have 'head knowledge' faith
that merely intellectually assents to the facts of Jesus Christ's
person, but that is not Saving Faith. You may be in a 'church'
or a cult that teaches many truths about Jesus Christ, but who
teach that you must do many things to earn your way to Heaven.
This is not Saving Faith. Saving Faith is trusting in Jesus Christ, and Him ALONE, for your Salvation.
If you
think you need to do anything for Salvation except trust in Jesus work on the
cross, you are guilty of violating Ephesians 2:8-9 and Isaiah 53:6.
Most cults
and false Christian religions err at this point; they add things
that are "necessary" for Salvation, or they offer a
counterfeit way to Heaven, i.e., Salvation by Baptism.
Do you want this Gift
of Eternal Life that Jesus left Heaven and died on a cross to
give you? If your answer is, 'Yes', you can immediately have Eternal
Life. Let me clarify exactly what this involves. First, you are going to transfer your trust, your hope of eternal life from what you have been doing to what Jesus Christ has done for you on the cross. Jesus will take your sin and transfer TO YOU His right standing with God the Father, what we call His righteousness . This means that though we have failed repeatedly to keep God's commandments, Christ perfectly obeyed all the laws of God. He lived the perfect life, so He could be the perfect, innocent substitutionary sacrifice that God would accept for your sins, and the sin of the entire world, for all who will believe.
Are
you willing to repent of your sins right now, and become
a responsible member of God's forever family, following Him and serving Him
as a member of His forever family, following Him and serving Him as
a member of His body, the Church? If your heartfelt answer
is, "Yes", then we can go to Him now in prayer, and we can
tell Him that you want to cease trusting in
anything else for Eternal Salvation, especially in what you can do for yourself.
You can place your trust in Him and Him alone for
salvation. Before we pray this simple prayer, I need to point our
that the Lord Jesus Christ is looking at your heart more than
His is listening to your lips. As He promised, "Ye shall
seek Me, and find Me, when [after] ye shall search for
Me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13).
Jesus Christ is right with you right
now. You are not talking to anyone now, but to Him. If you really
want to be Born Again, into the Eternal Family of God through
Jesus Christ, pray this prayer, from your heart. How can you know for sure that you have been born again? Please do not expect any "earth-shaking" experience, because in the majority of cases it comes about in a rather peaceful way, a sense of relief and a load lifted. There will be no fireworks or brass bands playing, just a wonderful calm that is deep down inside. But with the passing of time, I have found that one of the best indicators of the New Birth is a genuine understanding of the Word of God. Prior to being Born Again, the "natural man", as the Bible calls him, (a lost person), cannot understand the Bible because it is spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14). Indeed, it is foolishness to him! So when the Word begins to make sense, to speak to your heart, and convict you of sin in your life, it is a very good indicator that you have the Holy Spirit of God residing within you. You see, a Christian obtains a new spiritual nature by the New Birth, but he does not get rid of the old nature he was born with. That is why it is so vitally important that we "grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). We must cooperate with the Holy Spirit as we walk through this sinful and spiritually defiling world around us. The Holy Spirit literally takes up residence within us when we are Born Again and will never leave us nor forsake us. Another wonderful evidence of genuine salvation is found in the "fruit of the Spirit" (Galatians 5:22) that will take place in our daily lives as the Holy Spirit works within us. His presence will be manifested to the outside world by means of the love, joy, peace, longsuffering, faith, etc., they see in us! Then, the Bible tells us in Romans 8:16 that, "The Spirit itself (lit. Himself) beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." In other words, the Holy Spirit living deep within us tells us that we belong to God.
But, He has done
much more!! In Revelation 3:20, Jesus promised, "Behold, I stand at
the door and knock [He has been knocking at the door of your heart,
and you have just opened that door to let Him in]; if anyone
hears and listens and heeds My voice, and opens the door I WILL come in
to him and will eat with him, and he will eat with
Me." Jesus Christ has just entered INTO YOUR HEART through the work
of the Holy Spirit, to live in your heart for the rest of your
life!! What great news, for now we have the same Holy Spirit power
within us that raised Jesus from the dead [Romans 8:11].
In fact, read Romans 8 to see all the advantages we have because
the Holy Spirit indwells us daily. |
The Bible says there is only one way to Heaven
Jesus said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me." (John 14:6)
Good works cannot save you.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Trust Jesus Christ today! Here's what you must do:
Admit you are a sinner.
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Romans 3:23)
"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" (Romans 5:12)
"If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." (1 John 1:10)
Be willing to turn from sin (repent).
Jesus said: "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." (Luke 13:5)
"And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:" (Acts 17:30)
Believe that Jesus Christ died for you, was buried, and rose from the dead.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners. Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." (Romans 10:9)
Through prayer, invite Jesus into your life to become your personal Saviour.
"For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:10)
"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13)
What to pray:
Dear God, I am a sinner and need forgiveness. I believe that Jesus Christ shed His precious blood and died for my sin. I am willing to turn from sin. I now invite Christ to come into my heart and life as my personal Saviour.
"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:" (John 1:12)
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)
If you have received Jesus Christ as your Saviour, as a Christian you should:
Read your Bible every day to get to know Christ better.
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." (Psalms 119:105)
Talk to God in prayer every day.
"And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." (Matthew 21:22)
"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." (Philippians 4:6)
Be baptized, worship, fellowship, and serve with other Christians in a church where Christ is preached and the Bible is the final authority.
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:" (Matthew 28:19)
"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." (Hebrews 10:25)
"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" (2 Timothy 3:16)
Tell others about Christ.
"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." (Mark 16:15)
"For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!" (1 Corinthians 9:16)
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." (Romans 1:16)
Verses about salvation
1. All men are sinners:
Rom.3:23 For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God
Eccl.7:20 Not a just man on earth, that...sinneth not
Isa.64:6 All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags
Rom.3:10 There is none righteous, no not one
Jam.2:10 Whoever shall offend in one point (of law), guilty of all
1Jn.1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves
2. Salvation by grace (undeserved mercy), not works:
Eph.2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith, not of yourselves...not of works
Mk.10:25-27 Who can be saved? With men it is impossible
Rom.3:20 By deeds of law shall no flesh be justified in His sight
Rom.11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works
Gal.2:16 Justified by the faith of Christ and not by works of the law
2Tim.1:9 Saved us, not according to our works, but according to His grace
Tit.3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done
3. Salvation only through Jesus:
Acts 4:12 None other name...whereby we must be saved
1Tim.2:5 One mediator between God and men...Christ Jesus
Jn.3:16 God...gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should...have everlasting life
Jn.3:36b He that believeth not the Son shall not see life
Jn.8:24 If ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins
Jn.10:1 He that entereth not by the door...but climbeth up some other way...is a thief and a robber
Jn.10:9 I am the door: by Me if any man enter in...be saved
Jn.14:6 I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by Me
1Cor.3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than... Jesus Christ
1Jn.5:12 He that hath not the Son of God hath not life
4. Believe on Jesus:
Jn.3:16 Whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life
Jn.11:25,26 I am the resurrection and the life...whosoever believeth in Me shall never die
Acts 16:31 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved
Rom.10:9,10 If thou shalt...believe in thine heart...thou shalt be saved
1Jn.5:1a Whosoever believeth Jesus is the Christ is born of God
5. Receive Jesus:
Rev.3:20 If any man...open the door, I will come in to him
Jn.1:12 But as many as received Him...power to become sons
Gal.4:6 God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your heart
Eph.3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith
6. Eternal Salvation:
A. You can never lose it, even if you make mistakes and fall:
Psa.37:24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord unholdeth him with His hand
Jn.3:36 He that believeth on the Son...hath everlasting life
Jn.6:37 Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out
Jn.10:28 I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand
Rom.8:38-39 I am persuaded that [nothing] shall be able to separate us from the love of God...in Christ Jesus
1Cor.3:11-15 [If works are] wood, hay and stubble...shall be burned, yet he himself shall be saved
1Cor.5:5 Destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved
Heb.13:5 I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee
2Tim.2:13 Though we believe not, yet He abideth faithful
1Jn.5:13 Ye may know that ye have eternal life
B. But the Lord will chasten you for wrongdoing:
Psa.89:30-34 If they break My statutes...I will visit with the rod...(but) My lovingkindness will I not utterly take away
Heb.12:5-8 Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth
Rev.3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten
7. Receiving Jesus guarantees eternal life in Heaven:
Rom.6:23 The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ
Jn.11:26 Whosoever...believeth in Me shall never die
Jn.14:2-3 In My Father's house are many mansions
1Pet.1:3,4 Incorruptible inheritance reserved in Heaven for you
1Jn.5:11 God hath given to us eternal life...in His Son
(See Rev.21:1-27 and 22:1-5 for a description of Heaven)
8. The results of being born again:
A. Spiritual rebirth makes you a new creature:
Jn.3:3b Except a man be born again, he cannot see Kingdom
Mat.18:3 Be converted and become as little children
Jn.1:13 Born, not of blood, nor of the will of man, but of God
Rom.12:2 Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind
2Cor.5:17 If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature
1Pet.1:23 Born again, not of corruptible seed, but...by the Word of God
B. You will desire to work for Jesus:
Eph.2:10 We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works
Tit.2:14 (Jesus) gave Himself for us (to) purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works
(See also Eph.4:21-24; Col.3:8-10; Tit.3:8; Jam.2:18.)
9. Sin brings about spiritual death; but Jesus died in our place, taking our punishment:
Isa.59:1 Your iniquities have separated you and your God
Rom.6:23 The wages of (penalty for) sin is death
Rom.5:8 While we were sinners, Christ died for us
2Cor.5:21 He hath made Him (Jesus) to be sin for (in place of) us
1Jn.1:9 If we confess our sins, He [will] forgive and cleanse us
1Jn.2:1-2 We have an advocate...Jesus Christ. He is the propitiation for...the sins of the whole world
10. In the Mosaic law, blood is payment for sin; Jesus' death paid that price in full:
Lev.17:11 It is the blood that maketh atonement for the soul
Heb.9:22 Without shedding of blood is no remission [of sin]
Mat.26:28 My blood...shed for the remission of sins
1Jn.1:7 The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin
Jn.1:29 The Lamb of God, which taketh away sin of the world
Eph.1:7 We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins (See also 1Jn.2:12)
1Pet.1:18-19 Ye were redeemed...with the precious blood of Christ
11. All men are not saved sons of God in their natural state:
Eph.2:2,3,12 Ye were children of disobedience, children of wrath, aliens and strangers without Christ
Mat.7:13 Wide is the gate...that leadeth to destruction, and many... go in thereat
Jn.3:19 Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light
Jn.8:44 Ye are of your father the devil
Jn.8:47 Ye hear (God's Words) not, because ye are not of God
12. The self-righteous refuse Jesus' salvation:
(See Matt.5:20; Matt. 9:10-13; Matt. 21:31; Luke 18:9-14; John.5:39-44; Rom.10:3; 1John.1:9,10.)
13. New Testament examples of salvation:
Lk.19:1-10 [Conversion of the corrupt tax-collector, Zaccheus]
Acts 9:1-22 [Conversion of apostle Paul] (See also Acts 6:8-14; Acts 7:57-60; Acts 8:1-4; Acts 26:9-11.)
Acts 10:1-8 [Conversion of Roman centurion Cornelius]
Acts 13:1-12 [Conversion of governor of Cyprus, Sergius Paulus]
Acts 16:13-34 [Conversion of the merchant Lydia and Roman jailor]
Eternal Punishment
The Bible is clear about the eternal nature of the punishment of the wicked. "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal" (Matt. 25:46). It is easy to see that Life is the same in duration as is the Punishment of the wicked. If one is temporary, so is the other. If hell is temporary, heaven is also temporary.
The New Testament use of the words eternal and everlasting makes it clear what they mean. It is "everlasting punishment" (Matt. 25:46). The fire is "everlasting fire" (Matt. 25:41). There will be "eternal damnation" for some (Mark 3:29). Now consider how other verses use these words.
1. God is everlasting. "According to the commandment of the everlasting God" (Romans 16:26). Does everlasting mean unending or temporary? Will God cease to exist?
2. The Holy Spirit is eternal. "Who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God" (Heb. 9:14). Is the Holy Spirit temporary? When the world ends will he go out of existence?
3. Redemption is eternal. "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption or will he have to be offered again? Is his work of redemption completed or was it for just for a brief time?
4. Salvation is eternal. "He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him" (Heb. 5:9). Will obeying him still bring unending salvation?
5. The kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. The faithful will be in "the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:11).
If eternal punishment is temporary, does that mean God, the Holy Spirit, salvation, and the kingdom are temporary and will cease to exist? The same words in both Greek and English are used to describe the future punishment of the wicked that are used to describe God, the Spirit, salvation, and the kingdom. "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matt. 25:41).
To The Jew First
Click...SALVATION IS OF THE JEWS
PEACE OF JERUSALEM SCRIPTURES:
(2 Chronicles 6:6)
Yet I have chosen Jerusalem, that My name may be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.
(2 Chronicles 7:16)
For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.
(2 Chronicles 33:7)
He even set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever;
(Psalm 87:3)
Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God!
(Psalm 122:1-4)
I was glad when they said to me, Let us go into the house of the LORD. Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem! Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together, where the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, to the testimony of Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
(Psalm 122:6-8)
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces. For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, Peace be within you.
(Psalm 132:13)
For the LORD has chosen Zion;
He has desired it for His dwelling place:
This is my resting place for ever and ever; here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it
(Psalm 137:5-6)
If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill! If I do not remember you, let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth-- if I do not exalt Jerusalem above my chief joy.
(Isaiah 62:6-7)
I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; They shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the LORD, do not keep silent, and give Him no rest till He establishes and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
(Isaiah 65:17-19) Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more.
(Ezekiel 5:5)
Thus says the LORD GOD: This is Jerusalem; I have set her in the midst of the nations and the countries all around her.
(Zechariah 12:3)
On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves.
(Zechariah 14:2)
I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it;
(Zechariah 14:3)
Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. On that day, His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.
(Zechariah 14:6-9)
On that day, there will be no light, no cold or frost. It will be a unique day, without daytime or night time a day known to the LORD. When evening comes, there will be light. On that day, living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea and half to the western sea, in summer and in winter. The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day, there will be one LORD, and His name the only name.
(Revelation 21:2)
I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
(Revelation 22:20)
He who testifies to these things says, Yes, I am coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
