Q&A – WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE “SAVED?” - 2

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Q&A – WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE “SAVED?” - 2

Revelation 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

In our last post, we discussed the problem of the western man’s empirical mindset.  It actually is a worldwide mindset within the church because western man has been responsible for most of the world’s evangelism; so the empirical mindset has been exported throughout the Christian world.

There is another problem with the last 2,000 years of evangelism; and that is, the gospel has been hijacked by Gentiles who have separated its message from its Hebrew roots.  What passes for the gospel, today, bears little resemblance to the promise within the Old Testament scriptures.  Today’s gospel message is a story of a free gift with zero responsibilities and zero consequences.  It is an empirical conclusion derived from praying a “magic prayer,” and, voila, you go to Heaven when you die.

The gospel understood by the Hebrew mentality was a promise of a kingdom ruled by the son of Elohim wherein righteousness, peace and joy prevailed.

Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of Elohim is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

18 For he that in these things serveth Messiah is acceptable to Elohim, and approved of men.

IAUE separated unto Himself a people who would hear His voice and keep His commandments. Time and time again, he expressed to them that obedience was better than sacrifice.  His laws made of the Hebrews a peculiar people who were not like the rest of the people on earth. They had a moral code that produced an ethical life of character and integrity; and most of all a constant consideration of the will of IAUE.  When they rebelled against the commandment of IAUE was when they ceased to be different from the world.  Love of the world was considered adultery against IAUE; and repeatedly, they were accused of being unfaithful to Him.  This concept was not lost in the New Testament.

James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with Elohim? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of IAUE.

Let’s just consider for a moment this issue of an empirical mindset.  Contemporary Christianity would tell you that “you must be born again,” to see the Kingdom of Heaven.  So, when you are born again…you are saved; thus, once born again, you can’t be unborn again.  Conclusion?  Once “saved,” always “saved.”  So, when you take that empirically-derived doctrine into James 4:4, this verse must either apply to the world or we just ignore it altogether…or more stupidly, you can be the enemy of IAUE and still be included in His Kingdom. I suppose you could also be like those who fought to keep the book of James out of the cannon of Scripture altogether.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Messiah Yahushua, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Messiah Yahushua hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, IAUE sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against IAUE: for it is not subject to the law of IAUE, neither indeed can be.

8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please IAUE.

The western mind reads verse 1, and gets excited that we are no longer condemned; but ignores the condition.  We must walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh.

The western mind reads verse 2, and appreciates that we are free from the law of sin and death; but fails to recognize that it is the LAW of the Spirit of life in Messiah Yahushua that frees us.  We aren’t just free.  We are freed by being placed under a different law, one that displaces the first law.

The western mind reads verse 4, and makes little of the fact that the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us IF we are walking after the Spirit.  Why does that work?  Verse 5 tells us that walking after the Spirit is a lifestyle that does not entertain the flesh at all.  Verses 6 and 7 tell us that the mind set on the flesh is death and is at war with IAUE.  Verse 8 tells us that the flesh is incapable of pleasing IAUE; and yet, contemporary Christianity is content to ignore all of this because A + B = C.  They prayed the magic prayer and they are going to Heaven when the die; so absolutely nothing else matters.  The only problem with that is…it isn’t the gospel.  IAUE sent His son in order to overcome the impasse to obedience in man. 

The contemporary Christian absolves himself/herself of any and all responsibility for obedience to the will of IAUE because of the empirical salvation they think they possess.  It is all academic to the contemporary believer. There is no “rubber meets the road” element or “the proof is in the pudding,” characteristic, or “put up, or shut up” in today’s gospel.

There is only one passage of Scripture in the New Testament where salvation is defined.

Luke 1:67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,

68 Blessed be the IAUE Elohim of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,

69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;

70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:

71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;

72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;

73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,

74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,

75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.

76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Master to prepare his ways;

77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,

78 Through the tender mercy of our Elohim; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,

79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

This is not just the Scripture, it is a recorded prophecy.  This is not simply the words of a man being inspired to record history or doctrine; but an actual recording of the very words being spoken through Zacharias by the Holy Spirit, Himself.  Let’s take a closer look at it, especially the parts I have underlined.

Verses 68 and 69 tell us that IAUE has redeemed His people and has raised up an “horn of salvation.”  A “horn” in the Scripture used in this context refers to a “kingdom.”  It is a realm under the jurisdiction of a king.  This realm is salvation.  Verse 70 tells us this is what was promised to the patriarchs and to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  This was the oath that held the Hebrew people together looking for the coming of the Messiah from their very beginning as a people.  It was why the northern kingdom of Israel, the ten tribes of Israel that rejected the promise and set up their kingdom around golden calf worship, was divorced from/by IAUE.

But what was this promise?  It was that the Messiah would come and set up a kingdom that absolutely and utterly would deliver them forever out of the hands of their enemies so they, completely devoid of any fear of the reprisal of their enemies, would be able to serve IAUE in holiness and righteousness forever.

Then Zacharias prophesies something very interesting about his son, John.  He said that he would prepare the way of the Messiah who would “give knowledge” of salvation through the “remission of sins.”  Most Christians think that forgiveness of sins IS salvation.  It isn’t.  In fact it only gives one the knowledge, the awareness of salvation.  Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:19-21, that it is our duty to tell others that they are already forgiven; that IAUE has already done what is necessary through the death and resurrection of His son, to restore them unto Himself.  If they don’t know they are forgiven, they won’t be aware of the salvation that has been made available to them.  That salvation is the freedom from all that has prevented them from being able to serve IAUE, combined with the power to do just that in holiness and righteousness.

We are forgiven that we might serve.  We receive the Holy Spirit that we might serve him faithfully with power. Salvation is not an academic or empirical fact.  It is something that can only be demonstrated by the outworking of the power of the Holy Spirit enabling us to refuse the flesh and to walk in the law of IAUE as directed to us by His Spirit.

James 2:14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

James clearly and indisputably declares that a “magic prayer” versus a lifetime of obedience to the will of IAUE will not produce the same results.  If faith in Yahushua as the Messiah exists, it will be evidenced by a life no longer lived according to the flesh…period.  That is the litmus test; and it is easily assessed in one’s own heart.  Are we one who believes the facts of Scripture and have claimed its “heavenly reward,” by mental assent; or have we lost our life to the gospel of Messiah and live for Him by following after the leading of the Holy Spirit with ready obedience to His every whisper?  If faith exists, it will produce the latter.

In the judgment, we are not going to be judged based on having prayed a “magic prayer” of “accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior.”

2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Messiah; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Master, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto Elohim; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

14 For the love of Messiah constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

It is a purely Gentile concept, divorced from the Hebrew Scriptures, that salvation is an eternity in Heaven with IAUE produced by the forgiveness of sins.  The forgiveness of sins only introduces us to the reality that IAUE has made it possible for us to walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh.  Man does not see that as a reward, but rather as a discipline. 

IAUE understands man better than man does.  He knows that true freedom and liberty for man is freedom from sinning; not just freedom from the guilt of sin.  THAT is the salvation that Yahushua paid to obtain through his shedding of blood, death and resurrection.  It is the freedom that produces a holy and righteous lifestyle; not in a future eternity; but right now.

We see in the close of the age, in the last chapter of the book of Revelation:

Revelation 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

Who will have the right to enter into city and to have access to the tree of life?  Those that do his commandents.  It does not say, “those who are born again,” or “those who were faithful members of their church,” or “those who prayed to accept Messiah.”  The ultimate manifestation of salvation…the eternal reward, is reserved for the obedient…for the ones who understood that IAUE sacrificed His son to change our lives, not just to give us some sort of free gift we can pocket now and take advantage of later.

Who do not have the right to the city and to the tree of life?  The dogs, sorcerers, whoremongers (fornicators and the sexually impure), murderers, idolaters and liars.

The difference is between what one does and does not do.

Matthew 13:41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.