SALVATION

Matthew 19:16–29

And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” 17 And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19 Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 20 The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 

There is a lot to unpack from this exchange between Yeshua and this man with a question. First, obedience to the commandments grants one eternal life. Second, receiving eternal life apparently does not require perfection. But, to be perfect requires giving everything. 

I think it would be helpful to pause here and define salvation. The Jewish belief in salvation is twofold. First is the collective salvation of the Israelite people. The salvation of the seed of Abraham. This is expected to occur when Messiah comes and restores the ten tribes back to their land, destroys the wicked and establishes YHVH’s kingdom on earth. The second belief is that people are responsible for their own salvation. Through obedience to YHVH’s Law and commandments as contained in the Torah, Repentance upon failure, prayer, charity and study one can have a right relationship with both God and his neighbor. There is a belief that each of us will face YHVH’s judgement for our lives and we will merit our reward for our good and our evil.

Salvation was offered by YHVH to Abraham and his descendants. A covenant was made by YHVH to Abraham. It is recorded in Genesis 12,

Genesis 12:1 Then the LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country, your kindred, and your father’s household, and go to the land I will show you.

2 I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth

will be blessed through you.

Notice that Abraham obeyed YHVH and left everything behind. This covenant had only one condition. That condition was that Abraham leave everything behind and follow YHVH. These words were echoed by Yeshua to the man “come follow”.

Israel was a descendant of Abraham and the son of this very promise. Israel’s sons became the twelve tribes of Israel which became the Israeli people and nation. The significance of this is that salvation came into the world like a mustard seed. It was tiny. It was one man. Then it was a group of tribes that were the descendants of brothers, the sons of Israel.

The Israeli people suffered captivity in the land of Egypt. But, they were collectively saved by YHVH through His sending of the prophet Moses. At this time, through Moses, YHVH chose to add conditions to the covenant that He made with Abraham. Salvation began to be understood as both individual and corporate (sometimes the penalty for individual disobedience was swift). Conditions were added, to the covenant that YHVH had with Abraham. But in every way it remained in effect and unchanged. The covenant of YHVH is eternal.

YHVH gave Moses His Law and commandments. YHVH separated the tribe of Levi to serve him as a priesthood and ordered the construction of the tabernacle of His presence. YHVH laid out blessings for Israel if they obeyed his Law and curses if they did not. Obedience to YHVH’s Law was required and necessary If they were to survive and prosper as the people of YHVH. This is how the children of Abraham came to be the servants of YHVH and guardians of his Torah (instructions). There were times that Israel disobeyed and did not follow the instructions given to them and they suffered the consequences. But, YHVH was patient with them, disciplining them and calling them back to His Law and His covenant which He had made with their Fathers.

From the time of the giving of the Law forward there was no other method, process or way to avail ones self to God. There was one way to salvation and that was (and is) through repentance from sin and obedience to YHVH’s Law. The word translated as sin in scripture is many times, the Hebrew word for lawlessness. The very definition of sin is transgression of the divine Law. Salvation was through the seed of Abraham (Israel) just as it says in the covenant that YHVH made with Abraham “all the families of the earth will be blessed through you”.

 Because YHVH is merciful he made a provision that non Israelites that wanted to serve Him could do so.

The Ger Toshav or righteous foreigners.

Isaiah 56:6 And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD to minister to Him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be His servants—all who keep the Sabbath without profaning it and who hold fast to My covenant—7 I will bring them to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar for My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations.” 8 Thus declares YHVH who gathers the dispersed of Israel: “I will gather to them still others.

A careful reading of the above verse offers us a clue. ”Those that love the Lord, keep his sabbath without profaning it and that hold fast to my covenant, I will make them joyful in My house of prayer”. No uncircumcised male could ever enter YHVH’s house of prayer (the temple). Keep reading to see the significance of this.

Please keep in mind that Yeshua did not disagree with any of the terms of YHVH’s covenant, or His Law. His disagreement was with the added traditions of the oral Torah. This is why he railed against the scribes and Pharisees. He despised their unlawful changes to YHVH’s Law.

NO sign, no covenant.

Genesis 17:9 God also said to Abraham, “You must keep My covenant—you and your descendants in the generations after you. 10 This is My covenant with you and your descendants after you, which you are to keep: Every male among you must be circumcised. 11 You are to circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and this will be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.

12 Generation after generation, every male must be circumcised when he is eight days old, including those born in your household and those purchased from a foreigner—even those who are not your offspring. 13 Whether they are born in your household or purchased, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh will be an everlasting covenant

(Remember “everlasting covenant”). This means no one is authorized to nullify the covenant ever! It will never be repealed.

14 But if any male is not circumcised, he will be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”

The sign of the covenant withheld.

Joshua 5:2 At that time the Lord told Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites once again.” 3 So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites on the Hill of the Foreskins. 4 This is why Joshua had to circumcise them: All the men old enough to fight when they left Egypt died on the journey through the desert after they left Egypt. 5 Now all the men who left were circumcised, but all the sons born on the journey through the desert after they left Egypt were uncircumcised. 6 Indeed, for forty years the Israelites traveled through the desert until all the men old enough to fight when they left Egypt, the ones who had disobeyed the Lord, died off. For the Lord had sworn a solemn oath to them that he would not let them see the land he had sworn on oath to give them, a land rich in milk and honey. 7 He replaced them with their sons, whom Joshua circumcised. They were uncircumcised; their fathers had not circumcised them along the way.

The reason the Israelites did not circumcise in the wilderness was because they had broken their covenant. They worshipped a golden calf and therefore they were not allowed to be sealed to YHVH by circumcision. That generation had to die off and the next generation was again sealed to YHVH by circumcision before they could enter the promised land. 

(As an aside, it is my personal belief that the Temple was taken from Israel for the same reason. They rejected Yeshua, their Prophet and Messiah thereby breaking the covenant. I believe that it will be restored to them when they repent and receive his teachings. This is my opinion only and not verified in scripture to my knowledge).

The Passover is the gateway.

The passover meal was another Holy institution ordained by YHVH For the Israelite people who were in covenant with Him. It had very specific rules. One of the rules concerned people that dwelt with the Israelites. Many of those people were worshipers of YHVH and wanted to be included in the Holy Passover celebration because it was an appointed time for the covenant people to meet with YHVH. Below is the instructions given by YHVH concerning them.

Exodus 12:47 The whole congregation of Israel must celebrate it. 48 If a foreigner resides with you and wants to celebrate the LORD’s Passover, all the males in the household must be circumcised; then he may come near to celebrate it, and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised man may eat of it. 49 The same law shall apply to both the native and the foreigner who resides among you,”

Many people believe that the above passage pertains to the law concerning the passover only. In light of the above verses it appears to me that indeed, one that accepts circumcision and partakes of the passover accepts the covenant in its entirety along with its laws and commandments.

So, from this it seen that if a man wished to participate in the passover he would need to receive the sign of the covenant (circumcision) thereafter he could take part in it. Having been circumcised and partaking in the passover the law applied to him in full. In effect he had become a full member of the covenant congregation and was bound by the Law and entitled to its promises and inheritance (“he shall be like a native of the land”) Circumcision and partaking of the passover was never mandatory for the sojourner (ger toshav). It is not required to obtain eternal life. It was and is acceptable for them to obey the laws laid out in the Torah concerning a resident alien. They could worship outside the Temple but not in it. Nor could they participate fully in every facet of covenant life. But, if they did receive circumcision and participate in the passover they in essence became full members of the covenant. So, the way of salvation was open to all. After the coming of Yeshua and Israel’s rejection of his teaching, his Apostles were authorized to preach this salvation to the world. The mustard seed has now grown into a tree that encompasses the world and all mankind through obedience to the Law. Still the option to engage fully into the covenant like the native born is open, if you are willing. Yeshua said,

Matthew 5:17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Remember, The Temple, it’s priesthood, the sacrificial system and circumcision were all in effect when Yeshua preached in Jerusalem. He was fully aware of and consenting of these things. He told people to do as the Law prescribed. He did not relax even the least commandment.

Luke 5:12 While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” 13 And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him , saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 And he charged him to tell no one, but “go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a proof to them.”

There are those that will obey the commandments. Then, there are those that will obey the commandments joining themselves to YHVH’s, covenant and follow Yeshua’s teachings. They will reject the man made traditions of the oral Torah (the leaven of the pharisees). They will obey the teachings of Yeshua because he is the prophet of Deuteronomy 18:18 and they recognize that his words are from YHVH. 

Deuteronomy 18:18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.

John 14:24 Whoever does not love Me does not keep My words. The word that you hear is not My own, but it is from the Father who sent Me.

John 10:1 “Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever does not enter the sheepfold by the gate, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 But the one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen for his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will flee from him because they do not recognize his voice.”

Neither Prophet nor apostle is greater than the words of YHVH. The covenant of YHVH stands. The Law of YHVH stands and the words of Yeshua stand because they are the words of YHVH. Any man presumptuous enough to teach that his own words nullify even a single word given by YHVH is either ignorant or evil. Neither Paul of Tarsus or Joseph Smith have any authority to change one letter (Their claims hold equal validity, which is none. They are both self proclaimed and nullify YHVH’s covenant and Law. If you believe Paul you might as well believe Joseph Smith, as their authority is based on their own unsubstantiated claims of personal revelation that someone decided to elevate to the status of biblical scripture).

A false Apostle or prophet they will not follow. Anyone that nullifies or invalidates YHVH’s Law is false. I will leave you with these words of Yeshua to think on.

Matthew 5:17 Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. 18 For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

19 So then, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do likewise will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 7:13 Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it. 15 Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So then, by their fruit you will recognize them. 21 Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’