Let it be clear: the devil is just a creature, like any other. Contrary to what some believe, God is not competing with the devil for the souls of the gentiles. The serpent inspired men to create a false plan of salvation that exempts gentiles from obeying God’s eternal laws, something Jesus never taught. But if someone prefers to listen to the serpent, God will not stop them, just as He did not stop Eve. The truth, however, is that our salvation comes from following the same laws that the Father gave to the nation chosen for His honor and glory. The Father is pleased with our faith and humility, unites us with Israel, and leads us to Jesus. This is the plan of salvation that makes sense, because it is true. | The gentile who joins himself to the Lord, to serve Him, being in this way His servant… and who keeps My covenant, I will also bring to My holy mountain. (Isaiah 56:6-7)
Many do not like the idea that God chose only one people for Himself, but the reality is that the Lord acts according to His will, in the time and manner He decides. Both the Old Testament and the words of Jesus in the Gospels affirm that there is no relationship with God outside of Israel, the nation He set apart for Himself and sealed with the eternal covenant of circumcision. God chose this path so that each person could choose between eternal life and death. Gentiles can join Israel and be blessed by God, as long as they follow the same laws given to Israel. The Father sees the faith and courage of the gentile; He pours out His love on him, unites him with Israel, and sends him to the Son for forgiveness and salvation. | The gentile who joins himself to the Lord, to serve Him, being in this way His servant… and who keeps My covenant, I will also bring to My holy mountain. (Isaiah 56:6-7)
Many churches preach about sanctification, but the type of sanctification they teach does not include obeying God’s holy and eternal Law. This form of sanctification, wrapped in disobedience, is an offense to God. The first step to sanctify oneself in a way that truly pleases God is to be faithful to all His laws, given to us in the Old Testament. Those who take this initial step receive God’s approval and the presence of the Holy Spirit as a constant guide in the ongoing process of sanctification. Salvation is individual. No gentile will ascend 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. Obey the Law while you are alive. | “Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.” Psalms 119:4
When Jesus said that He did not come to destroy, but to fulfill the Law of God, He made it clear that, contrary to what some imagined about the Messiah, even He would fulfill God’s laws, like all Jews. However, the promoters of the doctrine of “unmerited favor” like to attribute words to Christ that He never said, suggesting in their teachings that He would fulfill the Father’s laws on behalf of the gentiles, exempting them from God’s commandments in the Old Testament. Jesus never taught anything so absurd. 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. | The gentile who joins himself to the Lord, to serve Him, being in this way His servant… and who keeps My covenant, I will also bring to My holy mountain. (Isaiah 56:6-7)
When Peter asked Jesus what the apostles would gain for having left everything to follow Him, Jesus replied that, in addition to blessings on earth, they would also receive eternal life as a reward for their obedience. In other words, according to Jesus, who knows the hearts, by obeying, Peter and the other apostles earned what they desired (this connection is clear). If the proponents of the doctrine of “unmerited favor” were right, Jesus would have rebuked the apostles for expecting something in return for their obedience. This doctrine does not have even a drop of support in the four Gospels. Salvation is individual. Do not follow the majority just because they are many. Obey God’s Law while you are alive. | “Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.” Psalms 119:4
The promoters of the doctrine of “unmerited favor” like to say that this teaching comes from the Holy Spirit, but that is a lie. Jesus explained that the Holy Spirit would remind us of everything He Himself taught and no one else. He also told us that the Spirit would convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. How does this work of God’s Spirit align with disobedience to God’s Law, as practiced by churches that accept this doctrine? Jesus never taught that His death would exempt gentiles from following the laws that the Father gave us in the Old Testament, laws that He, His relatives, friends, and apostles faithfully followed. Salvation is individual. Do not follow the majority just because they are many. Obey God’s Law while you are alive. | “Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.” Psalms 119:4
The only way to reach the Son of God is through Israel, the people chosen by God. All of God’s promises, delivered by the prophets in the Old Testament and by Jesus in the Gospels, were made to the Jews and to the gentiles who joined Israel. In His wisdom, God chose one nation to carry out the plan of salvation. As He Himself declared, Israel was not chosen because it was great and strong, but because it was small and weak, so that His name might be exalted. Jesus did not create a new religion for the gentiles, but maintained the plan of salvation that always existed. Any gentile can join Israel and be saved by Jesus, simply by following the same laws that God gave to Israel. | The gentile who joins himself to the Lord, to serve Him, being in this way His servant… and who keeps My covenant, I will also bring them to My holy mountain. (Isaiah 56:6-7)
At birth, Jesus was already part of the religion of His parents and many generations before them. As He grew, Jesus remained faithful to Israel and never suggested that He would found another religion for the gentiles. Indeed, the reality in the Gospels is that there were few times Jesus even spoke with gentiles. The possibility of a gentile being saved by Jesus, outside of Jesus’ religion, is nonexistent. Like it or not, in His ministry, He was clear in saying that He came only for the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The gentile who wishes to be saved by Christ must follow the same laws that the Father gave to the nation chosen for His honor and glory, laws that Jesus Himself and His apostles followed. 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 most desperate people at the final judgment will be those who expected to be saved; those who heard the numerous warnings about obeying God’s laws and yet chose not to obey. It will not be the wicked, for they already know beforehand what awaits them, but rather those who knew the commandments of the Most High in the Old Testament, but chose to follow the majority, because it was more convenient. But there is still a little time. The gentile who wishes to be saved by Christ must follow the same laws that the Father gave to the nation chosen for His honor and glory, laws that Jesus Himself and His apostles followed. Salvation is individual. Do not follow the majority just because they are many. Obey God’s Law while you are alive. | “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:44
The idea that gentiles belong to God’s people simply because they use God’s name when they pray and sing is an illusion. Whenever the Old Testament or the words of Jesus refer to God’s people, the mention is clearly to Israel, the nation chosen by God through the eternal covenant of circumcision. The only way to become part of God’s people is by joining Israel, as God never called other nations His people. Any gentile can join Israel, as long as they follow the same laws that the Lord gave to Israel. The Father sees the faith and courage of this gentile; 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 gentile who joins himself to the Lord, to serve Him, being in this way His servant… and who keeps My covenant, I will also bring to My holy mountain. (Isaiah 56:6-7)
