Many Jews recognized, and Jesus confirmed, that John the Baptist was the one who would come in the spirit of Elijah, as prophesied in the Old Testament. Jesus Himself relied on the prophecies to show that He was the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Prophecies are essential to know what comes from God and what comes from the enemy. Neither in the Old Testament nor in the words of Jesus are there prophecies about sending someone, within or outside the Bible, to teach the doctrine of “unmerited favor,” used by millions to live in disobedience to God’s Law. 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. | “Notwithstanding they would not hearken unto me, but rebelled against me, and walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them.” Ezekiel 20:21
Many in the church think that the salvation of Gentiles began only after Christ returned to the Father, but this is not true. Two thousand years before Jesus was born, when God set apart a people for Himself and chose Abraham and his descendants, He also included the Gentiles who lived with Abraham in the eternal covenant sealed with the sign of circumcision. Nothing has changed. Today, we Gentiles are saved in the same way, by following the same laws that the Father gave to the chosen nation. The Father sees our faith and courage despite the challenges, unites us with Israel, blesses us, and sends us to Jesus for forgiveness and salvation. This plan of salvation makes sense because it is the true one. | “One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the Lord.” (Numbers 15:15)
We may not know much about the devil, but Jesus taught us that he is the father of lies. We also know that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Any teaching that is not in complete alignment with the words of Jesus, who is the truth, is a sign that it comes from the devil, whose language is lies. Millions in churches live in open disobedience to God’s laws given to the prophets in the Old Testament, based on the doctrine of “unmerited favor,” something Jesus never taught, and therefore comes from the enemy. 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, 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
An extraordinary thing Jesus said is that His sheep do not follow another voice, only His. This means that any doctrine that did not come from the lips of Christ must be ignored by those who are part of His flock. It also means that everything necessary for salvation is in the four Gospels. The doctrine of “unmerited favor” is not in the Gospels, but arose after Jesus’ ascension. Though popular, this teaching comes from the serpent, with the same goal as in Eden: to make people disobey God. 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. | “He that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.” John 10:2-5
The sacrifice of Jesus is a gift from God to His faithful children, who love Him and show this love by striving with all their strength to obey His holy and eternal laws. Every human being is born in sin and needs Christ, but God does not send everyone to Christ, only those who please Him. The only way to please God is through fidelity to His instructions. No drop of the Lamb’s blood will be applied to those who live in declared disobedience to the laws that the Lord gave to the prophets in the Old Testament and to Jesus in the Gospels. Do not follow the majority just because they are many. Obey while you are alive. | “My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God [Old Testament] and do it.” Luke 8:21
Many Gentiles in churches know the laws of God revealed in the Old Testament, but still do not obey them. They feel safe ignoring the commandments because they have accepted the false doctrine of “unmerited favor”. With this false hope, they conclude that obedience is optional, something extra, since, for them, salvation is assured, whether they obey or not. The truth, however, is that at the final judgment they will have a bitter surprise, for this idea is not taught by Jesus in the Gospels. We are saved by pleasing the Father and being sent to the Son, and the Father is pleased with the Gentile who follows the same laws given to the nation set apart for His honor and glory. | “My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God [Old Testament] and do it.” Luke 8:21
Be careful how you read the Psalms! God did not inspire them to be admired as poetry, but as life instructions for the true children who wish to please the Lord and receive blessings, protection, and salvation from Him. When someone reads that the happy man is he who delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on it day and night, but he himself ignores the laws that God gave to the prophets and Jesus, he is, in fact, attracting the opposite of what he read. And he is also accumulating evidence against himself for the final judgment. Do not follow the majority just because they are many. Obey while you are alive. | “Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.” Psalms 119:4
If the doctrine of “unmerited favor” came from the Father, when the rich young man asked Jesus what he should do to be saved, Jesus would have said that nothing could be done, for trying anything would be seeking to earn salvation, which would result in condemnation. However, Jesus did not give this absurd answer. Instead, He said that the young man needed to do three physical things: obey God’s Law, detach from wealth, and follow Him. The idea that the Gentile does not need to obey God’s laws to be saved finds no support either in the Old Testament or in the words of Jesus. Do not follow the majority just because they are many. Obey while you are alive. | “My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God [Old Testament] and do it.” Luke 8:21
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
