Who will be saved?
Salvation does not come through human obedience to the letter of the law. “But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the word of faith that we preach) because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation.” Romans 10:8 – 10, NET. Therefore, as Paul established, salvation enables believers to do good and live life to God’s glory. Those who do not have salvation can do what is right and commendable in human eyes. However, proper living and obedience to the letter of the law are not acceptable to God. God’s salvation is through Jesus Christ, not through human efforts, no matter how good they are.
The Jewish zeal for God was commendable. Nevertheless, they were sinful humans who needed salvation only God could accomplish. Humankind became a sinner by nature in the Garden of Eden. Because of sin, humankind became utterly helpless to do anything concerning their acquired nature. The life of sinful humankind had to die an eternal death. The human spirit, or life, that God put in Adam at the creation became a sinner irrevocably. Adam’s deliberate decision in the Garden of Eden was on behalf of the whole of humankind. An option to reverse the initial decision did not exist. Because humankind could not reverse its decision, God had to act on its behalf. The sin of humankind separated it from God. Because he loves humankind, God determined he would remove sin from humankind and restore it to himself as his children. God gave the law to the Jews so they would understand that their fulfillment of the law could not make them righteous because they could not render perfect obedience.
The Jews misunderstood righteousness and holiness. They believed that their careful obedience to the letter of the law made them righteous and, thus, acceptable to God. The same misconception exists in Christianity today. The Jewish members of the body of Christ convinced the Gentile Christians that they must obey the law of Moses as proof that God made them righteous. The result was only confusion. Accordingly, Christians erroneously concluded that the righteousness of God, Jesus Christ, qualifies them for heaven. They think that obedience in the flesh to the letter of the law makes them fit for heaven.
However, righteousness from God became humankind’s possession on the cross at Golgotha. Our experience of righteousness does not qualify us for heaven; it demonstrates our qualification for heaven. We are righteous in Jesus. In Him, we are justified, sanctified, and glorified and, therefore, are qualified for heaven.
Continued in the next blog.
