You don’t need to be a theologian to conclude, without any doubt, that the most popular doctrine in most churches is false. Its catastrophic results speak for themselves. The doctrine of “unmerited favor” has led millions of souls into the fatal error of believing that they can, indeed, ignore the holy laws that God, our Creator, gave us through the prophets and Jesus, and still inherit eternal life. The sad reality is that this will not happen. Salvation is individual. No Gentile will rise without seeking to follow the same laws given to Israel, laws that Jesus Himself and His apostles followed. Do not follow the majority because they are many. Obey while you are alive. | “Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.” Psalms 119:4
Almost always, people who say that no one can obey God’s laws have never even tried. They like this phrase because it sounds convincing and seems to free them to continue in sin. But this argument does not fool God, who knows the true reason they do not follow His commandments. The truth is that no one will be blessed by God or saved by Jesus if they do not seek to follow all the laws He gave to the nation He set apart for His honor and glory. The Father observes the dedication of those who follow His laws, blesses them, and leads them to the Son. Any excuse for not obeying God is futile. | “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:12
Of the twelve men Jesus called to follow Him, all were Jews. Jesus could have called at least one Gentile, as a sign that in the future the majority of His followers would be Gentiles, but He did not. He wanted to make it clear that there is no relationship between Him and those outside of Israel. Any Gentile can follow Jesus and achieve salvation, but first, he must unite with Israel. To unite with Israel, one must follow the same laws that the Lord gave to the nation He set apart for Himself with an eternal covenant. The Father sees the faith and courage of this Gentile, despite the challenges. He pours out His love on him, unites him with Israel, and leads him to the Son for forgiveness and salvation. This is the plan of salvation that makes sense because it is true. | The foreigner who joins himself to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servant… who holds fast my covenant, these I will bring to my holy mountain. (Isaiah 56:6-7)
The possibility of Jesus’ Father sending a declared disobedient to His beloved Son to benefit from His blood is absolutely zero. Unfortunately, millions of souls in churches do not see something so evident and prefer to cling to the illusion offered by the false doctrine of “unmerited favor,” believing that they will rise with Christ even while living in open disobedience to God’s laws, given to the prophets in the Old Testament. Jesus never taught this, nor did He commission anyone to teach it. What Jesus taught is that no one comes to the Son unless the Father sends him, and the Father only sends those who seek to follow His laws given to Israel, laws that Jesus Himself and His apostles followed. | “And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.” John 6:65
In Jesus’ days, there were followers of various religions in Jerusalem, but Jesus never showed interest in them, for the Messiah came only for the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Nothing has changed today. In none of the gospels did Jesus imply that He would create a new religion for the Gentiles, separate from the religion of His ancestors. The Gentile who seeks salvation in Jesus must follow the same laws that the Lord gave to the nation He set apart for Himself with an eternal covenant. The Father sees the faith and courage of this Gentile, despite the challenges. He pours out His love on him, unites him with Israel, and leads him to the Son for forgiveness and salvation. This is the plan of salvation that makes sense because it is true. | “These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Matthew 10:5–6
The harsh truth is that millions of souls love the doctrine of “unmerited favor” because, though illusory, it gives them a false permission to love this world and still be welcomed into heaven. Unfortunately, Jesus never taught that such a possibility exists. If they truly want to inherit eternal life, they must set aside this fanciful gospel and cling only to what Jesus actually taught. What Jesus taught is that no one comes to the Son unless the Father sends him, but the Father does not send declared disobedients to Jesus; He sends those who seek to follow His laws, given to Israel, laws that Jesus Himself and His apostles followed. Do not follow the majority just because they are many. Obey while you are alive. | “And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.” John 6:65
If the doctrine of “unmerited favor” came from God, Jesus would have taught us everything about it, for He taught everything the Father commanded Him. He would have said that believing is enough to be saved, without the need to obey His Father’s laws, as this doctrine teaches. The warnings of the Sermon on the Mount would make no sense, such as the warning that merely looking with desire is adultery, or that hating someone is like killing; that we must forgive to be forgiven, and others. The truth, however, is that Jesus did not teach this doctrine, nor did He delegate anyone to teach it after Him. Salvation is individual. Do not follow the majority just because they are many. Obey while you are alive. | “The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.” John 12:48-49
Any effort to approach Jesus without going through the Father will be in vain. Someone may exalt Jesus for their entire life, but if the Father does not bring them to the Son, it will all be in vain. Jesus clearly said that no one comes to Him unless the Father brings them. To be brought to the Son and receive forgiveness and salvation, we must please the Father, and this is done through obedience to the same laws that were given to Israel, the nation chosen by God Himself. The Father sees the faith and courage of this gentile, despite the challenges. He pours out His love on him, unites him with Israel, and leads him to the Son for forgiveness and salvation. This is the plan of salvation that makes sense because it is true. | “This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless the Father has enabled them.” John 6:65
Follow Me! Every time Jesus called someone to follow Him, the invitation was always directed to members of His community, the people who, since the days of Abraham, followed the same religion, based on the perpetual covenant established by God. Jesus never called gentiles, as He came exclusively for His people, and this remains unchanged. However, the Lord does not show favoritism, and any gentile can achieve blessings and salvation by joining the Israel of God, following the same laws that the Father gave to His chosen people. The Father observes our faith and courage, even in the face of strong opposition, and we are sent to Jesus. This is the plan of salvation that makes sense because it is true. | “Jesus sent out the Twelve with the following instructions: Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Matthew 10:5-6
The Scriptures are full of wonderful promises that God made to the nation He set apart for Himself and sealed with the eternal covenant of circumcision. These promises are faithful and infallible, for God, unlike man, always keeps His promises. If you belong to the Israel of God, all these blessings are for you and your family. Any gentile can join Israel and be blessed by God, as long as they follow the same laws that the Lord gave to Israel. The Father sees the faith and courage of this gentile, despite the difficulties. He pours out His love on him, unites him with Israel, and leads him to the Son for forgiveness and salvation. | And God said to Abraham: You shall be a blessing. And I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Genesis 12:2-3
