No prophet of God in the Old Testament mentions anything about whether a man deserves to be saved or not. Jesus also, in none of the four Gospels, spoke anything about anyone deserving salvation. Yet, most churches build their teachings around the doctrine of “unmerited favor,” without any basis in the prophets or the words of Christ. This is a human invention, influenced by the enemy. People accept this teaching because it offers a false sense of security, suggesting that they can ignore God’s commandments and still obtain eternal life. However, this will not happen. The Father does not send to the Son those who know and yet disobey His laws. | “You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed.” Psalms 119:4
The obedience test that we, Gentiles, are facing is as rigorous as the one God gave to Israel on the way to Canaan. Of the 600,000 men who crossed the Red Sea, few reached the end approved. Their test was for an earthly homeland; ours is for eternal life, but in both cases, the criterion is obedience to God’s commandments. No matter how convincing it may be, we cannot be swayed by any argument to disobey God’s laws given to His prophets in the Old Testament. This is the test that, unfortunately, millions of souls in the churches have failed for centuries. They fell into the serpent’s trap and, therefore, are not sent to Jesus for forgiveness and salvation. The Father does not send declared disobedient people to the Son. | God led you all the way in the wilderness to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. Deuteronomy 8:2
There is no valid argument that justifies someone living in open disobedience to the laws that God gave to His prophets in the Old Testament. Claiming that the argument is biblical does not hold up, as Jesus, the only one who could inform us of any change or cancellation in His Father’s commandments, never said anything about it in the four Gospels. He also did not mention that men would come after Him with authorization to modify the Father’s laws. There is no way to justify this disobedience. The truth is that the person was deceived by the serpent’s lies, just like Eve in the Garden. No one will ascend without seeking to follow the same laws given to Israel, laws that Jesus Himself and His apostles followed. | “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word [the Old Testament].” John 17:6
The soul will never find peace with God while living in open disobedience to the orders He gave us through the prophets in the Old Testament, the same ones that Jesus and His apostles faithfully followed. Trying to bypass the Father and seek the Son for peace is futile, as Jesus made it clear that no one comes to Him unless sent by the Father. A person may be deceived by the serpent and believe, for a time, that they have found peace in disobedience, but they will soon realize the reality, and the problems will return. The Lord will never refuse peace, blessings, and salvation to any soul, but they must fully surrender to Him, in complete fidelity to His laws. Salvation is individual. Do not follow the majority just because they are many. | “All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.” Psalms 25:10
Obedience is everything to God. Everyone in the church knows this, and if asked, they will affirm that obedience is fundamental. But most do not obey, and the few who do, obey partially. This is due to three main reasons. First, it is easy to follow the impulses of the heart, which by nature desires to be independent of God. Second, it is difficult to go against the current of the crowd. And finally, faithfully obeying God’s demands causes conflicts and strong opposition within the family. That is why great blessings are reserved for the few who, despite all this, have decided to obey all the laws that God gave to the prophets in the Old Testament and to Jesus in the Gospels. | “You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed.” Psalms 119:4
The Bible states that the serpent was the most cunning of the creatures in the garden, not the most foolish. This is clearly demonstrated by the way the devil convinces millions to disobey God’s laws, given by the prophets, with simple and obvious lies, just as he did with Eve. None of Satan’s arguments have support in Jesus’ words, but it doesn’t matter, the people gladly accept his lies. Jesus never taught that His death would exempt people from following His Father’s laws, as people believe. What He actually taught is that no one comes to the Son unless the Father sends them, and the Father does not send declared disobedient people to Jesus; He sends those who seek to follow His laws, given to Israel, laws that Jesus Himself and His apostles followed. | “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.” John 6:65
One of the greatest benefits of following God’s laws is the spiritual barrier that the Lord places around those who obey Him. As long as the person remains on the path of obedience to all the laws given to the prophets and to Jesus, they will be under divine protection, far from the serpent’s deceptions. On the other hand, those who refuse to obey, for whatever reason, do not have this protection, and the devil can freely enter their lives. God can still protect them as Creator, but not as Father. Do not follow the majority just because they are many. Obey while you are alive. | “Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!” Deuteronomy 5:29
The only way to reach Jesus is through Jesus’ Father, and the only way to reach the Father is by uniting with the people He chose for Himself with an eternal covenant. Whether we like it or not, God did not choose many peoples, but only one: Israel. This is the only and true divine process to achieve salvation, for, as Jesus made clear, salvation comes from the Jews. Trying to bypass the process established by the Father to access the Son is futile. 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. | 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 advocates of the doctrine of “unmerited favor” claim that people can obey God, but not to achieve salvation, for if obedience is with the purpose of being saved, they would be trying to ”earn” salvation, which, according to them, is ”rejecting Christ” and leads to hell. But why would someone die to this world, not steal, not commit adultery, turn the other cheek, and follow all the orders of the Father and the Son, if all the while they have to remember that none of this contributes to their salvation? And for what reason would the Lord give us these commandments? Jesus never taught this absurdity. No one 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 just because they are many. | “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:12
God never abandoned Israel, though many individuals within Israel abandoned God. We Gentiles must accept this truth, for salvation comes from the Jews. Rejecting God’s Israel is rejecting the process the Lord established to bring blessings and salvation to all nations, as promised to Abraham in the perpetual covenant. There is no way to reach Jesus without going through this process. Jesus made it clear 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. Salvation is individual. Do not follow the majority just because they are many. Obey while you are alive. | 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. Deuteronomy 7:6
