Nazarene Israelite Two House Congregation of Port Elizabeth

Faith is vitally important for salvation.

In the second part of Luke 18 verse 8 Yahshua our Messiah asked a burning question to His disciples (but also us His modern day disciples), saying: ‘However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?’Since the larger portion of Israelites from the lost ten tribes of Israel, have lost their identity, their culture, religion and language after they were scattered throughout mainly the western nations of the world (because of idolatry), and were subsequently taken captive by Esau (or more specifically Rome), they also lost the truth about such issues as faith and salvation.

However, we know that today there are still about 2 million Jews who have remained faithful to the covenant that YHVH made with them, together with the house of Israel at Mount Sinai, but we also need to pray constantly that they will retain possession of the Promised Land and remain Torah observant until Messiah returns one day, as that will ensure the resurrection of returning members of the house of Israel, who have returned to that same covenant through faith in Yahshua, whereby they also became heirs of the promise to live eternally in the Promised Land, as Spiritual children, but also as kings and priests under Messiah, as confirmed in Romans 11: 15, as follows:‘For of their (meaning Jewish Israel) rejection be the reconciliation of the world, what shall their acceptance be but life from the dead?’ Nevertheless, there are also presently a number of returnees from the lost sheep of the house of Israel, whom YHVH has also chosen (as confirmed in Romans 11: 5[1]) and is also busy to reconcile to Him and the house of Judah, in order to reestablish the tabernacle of David before Messiah’s return in the near future.

There is ample proof in the Scriptures that it is Elohim’s ultimate intention to give human beings eternal life, as Rav Shaul also testified  in Titus 1: 2, saying: ‘in the hope of eternal life, which Elohim, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago.’ Rav Shaul wrote further on this subject in first Timothy 2: 3 & 4, saying: ‘This is good and acceptable in the sight of Elohim our savior, (4) who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.’ The problem is that sin entered the world when Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden and as a result they doomed themselves and their descendants to death. Rav Shaul explains in Romans 3: 10 – 12  & 18, saying: ‘As it is written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;  (11) THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR ELOHIM;  (12) ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.” (18) “THERE IS NO FEAR OF ELOHIM BEFORE THEIR EYES.” Continuing in verse 23 Rav Shaul says: ‘For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of Elohim.’ He also lists the sins that result from our failure to conquer sin in Romans 1: 29 – 31, saying: ‘Being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, (30) slanderers, haters of Elohim, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, (31) without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful.’

Whereas Rav Kepha refers to these weaknesses as ‘fleshly lusts’ in first Peter 2: 11, Rav Shaul refers to them in Romans 7: 5 as ‘sinful passions’. He tells us in Ephesians 2: 1 – 3, saying: ‘And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, (2) in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. (3) Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.’  Even our best behavior and intensions fall far short of Elohim’s righteousness. Elohim’s Law sets a standard for our behavior; Elohim’s Law reflects His character – since He gave us His Law of love for our good (benefit). Rav Shaul wrote in the first part of Romans 6: 23, saying: ‘The wages of sin is death’– the penalty of Elohim’s judgment against Adam and Eve, but also against all of their descendants is death. He continues in Romans 5: 12 saying: ‘Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned.’ We all earned the death penalty because we all sinned and there is absolutely nothing we can do to escape the certainty of death. We cannot do any good works to save ourselves from our common fate. A father cannot offer his life for a sinning child, nor can a husband offer his life for his wife, because we all have sinned and need to pay for our own sins. There is absolutely nothing we could possibly achieve on our own to change our imperfect spiritual condition. We are definitely in a perilous position, but because of the promises made in Elohim’s word, we have sure and certain hope – Elohim will rescue us from ourselves. What marvelous news!

In fact Elohim’s plan of salvation for all mankind was finalized before the creation of the world, as Rav Kepha explains in 1 Peter 1: 18 – 21, saying: ‘Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, (19) but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Messiah. (20) For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you (21) who through Him are believers in Elohim, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in Elohim.’ Rav Shaul confirmed in Ephesians 3: 11 & 12, saying: ‘This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Messiah Yahshua our Master, (12) in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.’ Yahshua Messiah, Elohim in the flesh came to dwell among us (as recorded in John 1: 14). He took upon himself our humanity and shared with us ‘our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin(as per Hebrews 4: 15).’So, even though He was sinless, He gave His life to pay the penalty for our sins.  Colossians 2: 13 & 14 tells us that Yahshua nailed the indebtedness of our sin (our note of guilt) to the impalement stake. He paid the debt we incurred by breaking Elohim’s commandments, so that we might live. Elohim’s purpose in sending Messiah is summed up in John 3: 17, as follows: “For Elohim did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him.” Our salvation is only possible through Yahshua our Messiah, as also testified by Rav Kepha in Acts 4: 12, saying: “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved.”

According to Elohim’s plan of salvation we must be justified to be reconciled to Him. Justification is much more than Elohim pardoning our sins; in fact Elohim rescues us from our sin enabling us to trust and obey Him through His set-apart Spirit indwelling us. It is through Elohim’s grace that our sins are removed and the death penalty revoked. Rav Shaul explains in Romans 5: 17 & 18, ‘For if by the transgression of the one, death reined through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Yahshua Messiah. (18)So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men.’ Without Yahshua’s sacrifice and Elohim’s grace we are in bondage to sin and death. Sin separates us from Elohim, creating a dividing wall that must be breached by His grace.

Elohim’s plan of salvation requires that sin be condemned, as Rav Shaul explains in Romans 8: 3 & 4, in this way: ‘For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, Elohim did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, (4) in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.’  Even so, there are different dimensions to this condemnation; firstly, the penalty of sin condemns us to eternal death – a death penalty which could only be erased through Yahshua Messiah’s perfect sacrifice. Only Yahshua Messiah the word of Elohim who became flesh could die for mankind, since only His sinless life was worth more than the lives of all mankind together. The reason being that He is our creator as is also confirmed in Psalm 33: 6, as follows: ‘By the word of YHVH the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host.’  Rav Shaul wrote to the Ephesians in Ephesians 2: 4 & 5, saying: ‘But Elohim being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, (5) even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Messiah (by grace you have been saved).’ At one time we were sentenced to death, because of our sin – but those whom Elohim has justified, are as good as alive forever.

Rav Shaul continues in verses 8 & 9 of Ephesians 2, saying: ‘For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of Elohim; (9) not as a result of works, that no one should boast.’ Justification comes because Yahshua reconciled us to Elohim. Whereas our past sins separated us from Elohim – Justification brings us back to have direct access with Elohim through Yahshua our Messiah. Yahshua saved us from the consequences of our sin and rescued us from a world held captive by Satan.As a result Rav Kepha tells us in 2 Peter 1:  4 that we have ‘become partakers of the divine nature (of Elohim), having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.’Rav Shaul wrote in Romans 5: 1 & 2 that we who are in such a relationship, ‘having been justified by faith, we have peace with Elohim through our Master Yahshua Messiah, (2) through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of Elohim.’

However, because believers are living in grace, we still fail at times and commit sin. But, the Set-apart Spirit of Elohim indwelling us continue to lead us to repentance, as Rav Yochanan wrote in 1 John 1: 9, saying: ‘If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’  As believers we will not habitually get involved in sinful behavior, but our lives will begin to reflect the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5: 22 – 23, namely ‘love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.’The reason being as Rav Shaul wrote in Ephesians 2: 10, saying: ‘For we are His workmanship, created in Messiah Yahshua for good works, which Elohim prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.’  Obviously, we are not justified by our good works, as Rav Shaul reminded us in Galatians 2: 15 & 16, saying to Kepha in the presence of all:   “We are Jews by nature, and not sinners from among the Gentiles; (16) nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law  but through faith in Messiah Yahshua, even we have believed in Messiah Yahshua, that we may be justified by faith in Messiah, and not by works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified.” This is confirmed in Romans 3: 28, as follows: ‘For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.’ But, what is important to remember is: that if we belong to Elohim, we will always seek to please Him. Yes, we are not saved by good works, but Elohim has saved us in order that we may perform good works and not to continue sinning and do evil. Rav Shaul wrote in Titus 3: 4 - 6, saying: ‘But when the kindness of Elohim our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, (5) He saved us not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Set-apart Spirit, (6) whom He poured out upon us richly through Yahshua Messiah our Savior.’

Once Elohim calls us and we respond by obeying Him, He makes us His children. Rav Shaul compared the adoption of a child by a human parent, by describing this gracious act of Elohim in Romans 8: 15, saying: ‘For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Avinu! Father!”’  He continues in verses 16 & 17, saying: ‘The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of Elohim, (17) and if children, heirs also, heirs of Elohim and fellow heirs with Messiah, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.’  In Galatians 4: 3 Rav Shaul reminds us that before we are given Elohim’s grace we were “under the elemental things of the world.”  But once Yahshua redeemed us from our sins, ‘we (might)receive the adoption as sons’(verse 5), ‘therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son: and if a son, then an heir through Elohim (verse 7).  The Greek word for adoption used by Rav Shaul in both Galatians 4: 5 and Romans 8: 15 is ‘huiothesia’. Rav Shaul described the act of adoption as used in the upper classes of the Greek and Roman world, to these believers familiar with this practice. The adopted child was specifically and individually chosen by his/her adoption family and legal rights were conferred on the adopted child rendering the child a legal heir of the family. Consequently, when a child was adopted into a Greek or Roman family, the relationship became legally binding and the child was treated as if he/she had been a natural child of the family.  By explaining this in a way for these Roman and Greek believers in Messiah to understand, they realized that their place in Elohim’s household is for eternity, just as Elohim is eternal. 

Elohim chooses us in a similar way, specifically and individually and if we answer the call and are immersed into Yahshua’s saving name, He adopts us as His begotten children.  Yahshua described this to Nicodemus in John 3: 3 as being born-again from above. In this way we become the begotten children of Elohim, as Rav Yochanan wrote in 1 John 3: 1 & 2, saying: ‘See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of Elohim; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. (2) Beloved, now we are children of Elohim, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is.’  Even though we are now known as children of Elohim, we are not yet glorified. This will only happen at Messiah’s return, when our present bodies will be changed from physical mortal bodies to immortal spiritual bodies.  Rav Shaul therefore wrote in 1 Corinthians 15: 35, ‘But someone will say, “How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?”

Presently we are physical, made from dust (or earthy as described in verses 42 – 49); Rav Shaul tells us that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of Elohim (verse 50), which is spiritual and eternal. In verse 53 he says: ‘For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.’ Our final change will only occur when we are resurrected as first-fruits at Messiah’s return – that is when, we like Yahshua will be born-again from the dead, as Rav Shaul tells us in Philippians 3: 20 – 21, saying: ‘For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Master Yahshua Messiah;  (21) who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.’  Believers who trust and obey Elohim are already ambassadors of Elohim’s Kingdom on earth, as explained in 2 Corinthians 5: 20, in this way: ‘Therefore, we are ambassadors for Messiah, as though Elohim were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Messiah, be reconciled to Elohim.’  But, at this time we await Messiah’s return, when we will inherit immortality and the fullness of the Kingdom of Elohim. Brethren, it is as Rav Shaul wrote in Colossians 1: 12 & 13, we should be ‘giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. (13) For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.’ Those adopted children placed into Elohim’s Kingdom ‘share in the inheritance with the saints’ so long as we trust and obey our Father in heaven. It is because Elohim has saved us by grace, He views us as adopted children and salvation is accordingly an accomplished fact.

Rav Shaul explains in 2 Corinthians 5: 17, saying: ‘Therefore if any man is in Messiah, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold new things have come.’ He says further in 2 Corinthians 1: 21 & 22, ‘Now He who establishes us with you in Messiah and anointed us is Elohim, (22) who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge (or deposit).’ Therefore those under Elohim’s grace (forgiveness) are now seen by Elohim as His children, as witnessed in John 1: 12, in this way: ‘But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of Elohim, even to those who believe in His name.’  In fact Rav Shaul says clearly in Romans 11: 29, ‘for the gifts and the calling of Elohim are irrevocable.’  It is also for this reason that Rav Shaul says in Philippians 1: 6, ‘For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Messiah Yahshua.’  Because we are presently of flesh and blood, we sometimes miss the mark, but Elohim remains faithful. The account of the prodigal son in Luke 15 tells us that even if those of us whom Elohim has called and chosen fall short, we remain His children. Elohim expects his wayward children to come to our senses and return to Him. It is not Elohim’s intention to condemn individuals, but to save them. This is why we read His words in Ezekiel 18: 23, where He says: “Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares YHVH Elohim, “rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?”

In the account of the prodigal son, the wayward son finally came to himself, and said in verse 17 of Luke 15: “How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger!” When the son understood the foolishness of his ways, he repented and returned to his father. Like our Father in heaven, his father received him with joy and forgiveness.  The son’s attitude changed from being arrogant and haughty to become humble and repenting, as we read from verse 21 - 24, as follows: “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son. (22) But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; (23) and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and be merry; (24) for this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found,’ and they began to be merry.”   Once Elohim saves us, we become His children forever and he will continue to work with us until we are finally united with Him once we are born-again at Messiah’s return.

Messiah’s resurrection is our assurance of Elohim’s promise to us – that we too will be resurrected from the dead, as witnessed in 1 Corinthians 15: 51 & 52, in this way: ‘Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, (52) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.’ It is for this reason that Rav Shaul explained in 1 Thessalonians 4: 13 - 18, saying: ‘But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope. (This is talking about people who do not believe in Elohim’s coming Kingdom and as a result do not know what happens after they die.)  (14) For if we believe that Yahshua died and rose again, even so Elohim will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Yahshua. (15) For this we say to you by the word of the Master, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Master, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. (16) For the Master Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of Elohim; and the dead in Messiah shall rise first. (17) Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with Him in the clouds to meet the Master in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Master. (18) Therefore comfort one another with these words.’

The first resurrection when Messiah returns is yet to come – it is something we all wait for in hope, as Rav Shaul did when he wrote in 2 Timothy 4: 6 - 8, as follows: ‘For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. (7) I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; (8) in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Master, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day, but also to all who have loved His appearing.’ If we are truly Elohim’s children, we will center our lives around Messiah.Rav Shaul’s words in Philippians 3: 7 – 10 tells us what our attitude should be, saying: ‘But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Messiah. (8) More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Messiah Yahshua my Master, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Messiah, (9) and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Messiah, the righteousness which comes from Elohim on the basis of faith, (10) that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed in His death.’ Rav Shaul knew that he had not attained his goal yet, and he wrote further in verses 12 – 14, saying: ‘Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Messiah Yahshua. (13) Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead. (14) I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of Elohim in Messiah Yahshua (meaning eternal life).’

Those who accept YHVH our Elohim as their heavenly Father, who trust and obey Him and remain faithful to the end, will ultimately live forever, as Rav Kepha wrote in 1 Peter 5: 10, saying: ‘And after you have suffered for a little while, the Elohim of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Messiah, will himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.’  This is confirmed in Revelation 2: 7, as follows: ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the ecclesia. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of Elohim.’  Do you realize what fantastic future YHVH has prepared for those who trust and obey Him?

 

[1]Romans 11: 5, ‘In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time  a remnant according to Elohim’s gracious choice.’