End-times salvation of Israel

LAST week (Part III), I mentioned that the Holy Bible presents only one plan for the salvation of our souls. I ended my article last week with the following query: Do the Jews, God’s chosen people, need to comply with the Biblical passage on salvation as a passport to eternal life in heaven? The answer is yes. While the Jews are God’s chosen people, there is no Biblical verse that says that all the Jews are automatically saved. They are not exempted from the Biblical mandate that all (Jews and Gentiles alike) must accept Jesus as their Savior as a passport to salvation. Those who have accepted Jesus as their Savior are known as Messianic Jews.

*** Let me share with you some Biblical verses on salvation also applicable to Jews:

1. Jesus said: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6, NIV, underscoring supplied) The phrase “no one” refers to all – Jews and Gentiles alike.

2. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:22-23) No matter how religious we are; no matter how morally upright we think we are, the Bible says the same things for all mankind, including the Jews. We are all sinners and we are all need of a personal Savior. No amount of good deeds will erase our sinful nature.

3. “Repent ye therefore, and be converted that your sins be blotted out.” (Acts 3:19). There must be repentance before we can receive Jesus Christ as our Personal Savior and Lord. Repentance simply consists of two acts – turning from sin and turning to God.

4. “God commands all people everywhere to repent.” (Acts 17:30). Because in God’s sight, we are all sinners.

5. “We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags.” (Isaiah 64:6)

6. “… except you repent, you shall all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:3)

7. “…I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

8. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name (Jesus Christ) under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

9. “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5)

10. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

11. “…the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ Our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

*** The Jews described in the Bible as the chosen people of God do not have the option of designing their own plan of salvation. It will be recalled that Judaism, the religion of the Jews whose foundational teachings are based on the Torah, holds that man has no need to be saved from eternal damnation. The Torah which is the central reference of Judaism does not teach or mention that people are born in sin. Unfortunately, this is not what the Holy Bible says. The Bible says that we are all sinners but we can still seek repentance. In Proverbs 24:16, “The righteous fall even seven-times and still get up, but the wicked stumble in evil.”

*** The greatness of God’s love, patience, and forgiveness for man is very well demonstrated in the case of the Jews. Despite the unbelief, stubbornness, and disobedience of the Jews, God did not and will not reject and forsake them – up to the end times. God in his love and mercy for the Jews is not only saving a minority of the Jews. He has a great end-time plan for the salvation of his Jewish nation, Israel.

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This column continues to give out copies of the Holy Bible for free to those who cannot afford to buy their own copies. If interested, please send your letter-request to Ms. Nelly Favis Villafuerte, 5233 LRV Building, Fahrenheit St., Palanan, Makati City. Kindly mention if it is the Tagalog, English, Cebuano, or Ilocano Bible that is preferred.

Be joyful and forgiving!