27 What shall I do to inherit eternal l

“What shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

There are some who believe that all they need to do for salvation, is to ‘accept J*e*s*u*s* in their hearts.’ But what did Yahshua our Jewish Messiah have to say about this vitally important subject? We read His answer when a (Jewish) lawyer posed this question to Him in Luke 10: 25 - 28, saying: “Teacher (or more correctly Rabbi), what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (26) And He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?” (27) ‘And he answered and said, “YOU SHALL LOVE YHVH YOUR ELOHIM WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” (28) And He said to him, “You have answered correctly; DO THIS, AND YOU WILL LIVE.” Now, this is certainly true for the house of Judah, since they have always been Torah observant, and even when they sin knows how to return to YHVH in ‘Teshuvah’ (repent from disobeying Elohim’s Torah and return to Torah observance).

But, in the case of the house of Israel, the answer to this important question comes from John 3: 16 – 18, as follows: “For Elohim so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. (17) For Elohim did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. (18) He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of Elohim.” These three verses are clarified in verse 36, in this way: “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of Elohim abides on him.” Because Yahshua was only sent for the lost sheep of the house of Israel, He replied to the Pharisees’ question in Matthew 9: 11 – 13, in this way: ‘And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, “Why is your Teacher eating with tax-gatherers and sinners?” (12) But when He heard this, He said, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. (13) But go and learn what this means, ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” To distinguish between the ways the two houses will be brought back into the Marriage covenant described in Jeremiah 31: 31 – 33, Yahshua told the following parables to His disciples and the Pharisees and scribes present. Starting in Luke 15: 4 - 7, He said: “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? (5) And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. (6) And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’” Yahshua continued telling His disciples, as well as the scribes and Pharisees the parable about the prodigal son in Luke 15: 11 – 32.

The parable is basically about us from the lost ten tribes of the house of Israel who asked the Father for our portion of our inheritance and then went away and squandered it on loose living. When this son comes to himself in the end of days, he decides to return to the Father, as prophesied by YHVH in Deuteronomy 4. Yahshua explained that when the prodigal son returns to his father, the elder brother (Judah) who remained with the Father ever since the days of Ezra and Nehemiah when the Jews returned to worshipping YHVH the Elohim of Israel over 2500 years ago, will be jealous when his younger brother returns in Luke 15: 26 – 32, saying: “And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things might be. (27) And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ (28) But he became angry, and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began entreating him. (29) But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you, and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a kid, that I might be merry with my friends; (30) but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with harlots, you killed the fattened calf for him.’ (31) And he said to him, ‘My child, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. (32) But we had to be merry and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.’” Judah is not pleased with us returning to YHVH after being away for so long, but if we return to full Torah observance they will eventually accept us, in time for Messiah’s return to rule the world from Jerusalem.

It is certain Elohim gives us eternal life out of His deep love for us, as Rav Shaul also explains in Ephesians 2: 1 - 5, 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. (4) 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).’ Continuing in verses 8 & 9, we read further, ‘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.’ Yes, we receive eternal life as a result of Elohim’s grace, through faith in Messiah Yahshua and not because of our works of obedience. But, what did Yahshua our Messiah have to say about the subject of eternal life; since as the author of our salvation, He is the authority on the subject, as witnessed in Hebrews 5: 8 & 9, as follows: ‘Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. (9) And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation.’ If we are saved by faith, why does this Scripture read, that Messiah became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him? How is it a gift, if we need to do something to receive Elohim’s promise? But, since Messiah is the author of salvation, let’s turn to the Scriptures to find the answer to these questions. Whilst Yahshua our Messiah was on earth, He had many disagreements with the religious leaders of His time. Even though He also disagreed with the Pharisees, the group who demanded strict obedience to their interpretations of Elohim’s Torah, He never said that obedience to Elohim’s Torah was wrong or unnecessary. In fact Yahshua said the exact opposite of what most so-called believers in Him believe today, as we read from Matthew 5: 20, as follows: “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

So we see that contrary to what Christianity teach, Yahshua’s interpretation of Torah for His followers was stricter than that of the scribes and the Pharisees, as He goes on to explain in the rest of Matthew 5. It is clear that the way the scribes and the Pharisees interpreted Torah in Messiah’s day was narrow enough for people who habitually obeyed Torah, but it was not narrow enough for returning Israelites, who used to believe that they are Gentiles and have forgotten Elohim’s covenant that He made with both houses at Mount Sinai. It is for this reason that as with all Jews, Yahshua set boundaries to safeguard His followers from breaking the commandments. One such a boundary is also used by us the Nazarene followers of Messiah, in that we teach that men or woman should never visit people of the opposite gender (other than their wives/husbands or own children) without another adult accompanying them. Another example may be seen in Jerusalem to this day, where every Friday afternoon, well before the Sabbath begins, boundaries (or gates) are set up in the streets of the Orthodox areas so that traffic are not allowed to go through the area. This is when the public domain becomes private domain. There is actually a reference in the Talmud in this regard, as follows: Talmud – Mas. Eiruvin 6a. 29 – 31: ‘Our Rabbis taught: How is a road through a public domain to be provided with an ‘eruv’ (boundary)? The shape of a doorway is made at one end, and a side-post and cross-beam are fixed at the other.’ In fact Yahshua made a specific reference to the cross-beam in Luke 9: 23, saying: “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Here Yahshua was saying that our cross-beams (boundaries) are to be picked up daily, to safeguard our Torah obedience, by the boundaries or gates that He set for His followers, as it will help us to remain within the private domain of Elohim’s household.

Messiah said that obedience is important, not only as an exercise of doing what is required of us, but because obedience can also teach us Elohim’s character traits of mercy, good judgment and faith. Yahshua made it abundantly clear that merely acknowledging Him as Master and Savior is not enough, when He said in Matthew 7: 21, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Master, Master,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.” This brings us back to the original question? If we have to do something to inherit eternal life, how can it be a free gift from YHVH? Are we not saved by simply believing in Yahshua our Messiah? What is meant by the word ‘belief’? The Webster’s Dictionary defines it as follows: ‘An assent (agreement) of the mind to the truth of a declaration, proposition, or alleged fact, on the ground of evidence distinct from personal knowledge; theol. Faith or firm persuasion of the body of tenets held by the professors of any faith.’ Yahshua our Messiah wanted us to understand that there is much more to receiving eternal life than simply a mental act or acceptance. Our belief that He is our Savior is more than a warm thought or intellectual idea. Yahshua explained that simply calling on His saving name, or even recognizing Him as our Master, is not enough to enter the kingdom of Elohim. Yahshua wants us to realize that Elohim requires us to show our faith in Him by obediently doing His will; He emphasized in Matthew 16: 24 & 25 that following Him requires a lot of effort and sacrifices, as follows: ‘Then Yahshua said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. (25) For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it.’ It is clear; to follow Yahshua takes much more than a mere intellectual conviction. Once we accept Yahshua’s way of life, we will of necessity change our priorities and outlook on life. Instead of spending Saturdays shopping, visiting friends and relatives, or playing on the beach, we will spend time worshipping YHVH our Elohim and rest from all our work. Yes, our lives will no longer be our own, as we need to dedicate it to the way of Elohim and do what He requires of us.

This demands that we lose our lives; and live a deeply committed life of obedience to Elohim, which demonstrates our faith in His salvation by our works. It is as Yahshua explained in the parable of the nobleman in Luke 19: 12 – 27. Yahshua likens His ascension to heaven by the parable of the nobleman who went to a distant country, to receive a kingdom for himself and then return. Upon his departure the nobleman gives his servants some money and instructs them to trade/invest it whilst he is away. When he returned, the nobleman called his servants together and asked them to tell him, how his investment increased in his absence. We see that he rewards two of his servants for increasing what he had given them. However, when the third servant stated that he was afraid of losing the nobleman’s money and hid it away instead of investing it, he said to him, as we read from verses 23 & 24, of Luke 19, ‘Then why did you not put the money in the bank, and having come, I would have collected it with interest?’ (24) “And he said to the bystanders, ‘Take the mina away from him, and give it to the one who has ten minas.’” The servants fear and lack of obedience proved his unfaithfulness to his master. The two closing verses of the parable shows that Yahshua Himself is represented by the nobleman, when He said in verses 26 & 27, “I tell you, that everyone who has shall more be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. (27) But these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence.” This parable is clear; whereas obedience and spiritual growth prove our faith or more specifically faithfulness to YHVH, but refusal to obey and lack of faith will result in condemnation. The point is: Do not say or believe in your heart, ‘that nobody is able to keep Torah’, without even trying. We need to study to get to a level of knowledge and understanding, where we will not easily be deceived as Rav Shaul wrote in 2 Timothy 2: 15, saying: “ Be diligent to present yourself approved to Elohim as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth.” When we understand the definition of grace we understand the dynamics of salvation. Grace is the unmerited power given unto man to accomplish (YHVH)’s will – as it is expressed in his Word – Torah. We are saved by the unmerited power given unto man to accomplish (YHVH)’s will, through something called (אֱמוּנָה) transliterated in Hebrew as “emunah” which has been translated “faith” in English, but actuality means a state of firmness, fidelity, steadfastness, or steadiness coming from the root word “emuwn” which means trustworthiness, trusting from the primitive root “'amein” which means, it is true, so be it. So “emunah” that we translate as “faith” is in reality living in a state of “amein” the power of absolute truth which cannot be worked up but is a “gift of YHVH.” You can work up confidence but faith is a gift from our Heavenly Father – that is where our boast is.

This parable in Luke 19 further teaches that eternal life is not the end; it is only the beginning. This is also what Rav Shaul insinuated in Colossians 1: 21 – 23, saying: ‘And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, (22) yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—(23) if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Shaul, was made a minister.’ It is important to note that the chance to receive eternal life is conditional – we need to remain holy (set-apart) and blameless before YHVH, and continue in the faith. We need to realize that when we are called and are immersed into Yahshua’s saving name, that it is only the beginning of Elohim’s work in our lives. More is required to receive eternal life; we cannot expect Elohim to hand it over to us, whilst we sit passively doing nothing. Yes, it is a gift and we cannot earn it, but we are also required to put the gift to work! After all it is as Rav Yaa’cov wrote in James 2: 17, ‘Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.’ Even though we read from Ephesians 2 earlier, Rav Shaul stating that we are saved by Elohim’s grace and not works, he concluded his comments, by saying in verse 10, ‘For we are His workmanship, created in Messiah Yahshua for good works, which Elohim prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.’ So we see that the purpose of receiving eternal life is that we may begin a life of good works.

We read about a young man who came to Yahshua in Matthew 19: 16, asking: “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” Yahshua answered the young man in verse 17, saying: “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” It is important to note that Yahshua did not say to the young man at this point, that he need not do anything, since eternal life is a free gift. No, He told him that he must obey the commandments of Elohim to receive the gift of eternal life. Also notice that Yahshua did not say obedience will earn the young man eternal life (as nothing can in fact earn it), but He made it plain that obedience is nevertheless required. Later when the young man was unwilling to sell his personal belongings and give it to the poor, and went away grieved because he was a rich young man, Yahshua said to His disciples in verses 23 & 24 of Matthew 19, ‘Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. (24) And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of Elohim.’ Yahshua’s disciples was astonished, when asking Him in verse 25, “Then who can be saved?” Yahshua answered in verse 26, saying: “With men this is impossible, but with Elohim all things are possible.” One thing is certain our best efforts will always come short, as shown by the rich young man’s lack of commitment.

No matter what we are willing to give up or do, we cannot earn Elohim’s gift to us; eternal life is impossible, other than by the grace and favor of Elohim. Even so, it does not release us from the requirement to obey. We read from the first Peter 1: 17 – 21: ‘And if you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each man’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay upon earth; (18) 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.’ So we see that even though salvation is free, it is by no means cheap! Our gift of life cost Messiah His life. He willingly surrendered His life so that we might enjoy the free gift of eternal life. However, Yahshua expects us to surrender our lives for salvation as well, as we read from Luke 14: 26 & 27, as follows: “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life (in comparison of his love for me), he cannot be My disciple. (27) Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”

Our love for Yahshua Messiah and the Father must exceed that of any other relationship in our lives. We read further from verses 28 – 33 of Luke 14 how Yahshua warns us to consider the cost of following Him very carefully before finally committing our lives to Him, in this way: “For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it? (29) Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, (30) saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ (31) Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and take counsel whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? (32) Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks terms of peace. (33) So therefore, no one of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.” Yahshua explained through an anecdote in Luke 17: 7 – 10 that we earn nothing through obedience, as follows: “But which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come immediately and sit down to eat?’ (8) But will he not say to him, ’Prepare something for me to eat and properly clothe yourself and serve me until I have eaten and drunk; and afterward you will eat and drink’? (9) He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he? (10) So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.’” When a servant does what is required by his master, he has simply done his duty. Similarly, we need to understand that obedience earns us nothing; as it is our duty and is required if we want to receive eternal life. When Messiah returns one day, He will reward each one of us according to our works. Only those who have kept His commandments may claim the right to eternal life.

It’s your duty to live by the Torah that is not anything to boast about. We cannot boast that we, by believing and obeying the Torah, have earned our salvation. Unfortunately this truth has been perverted to mean that if we claim to do anything that contributes to our own salvation, we are boasting. It was also for this reason that Rav Yaa’cov wrote in James 2: 19 – 22, saying: ‘You believe that Elohim is one. You do well; the demons also believe and shudder. (20) But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? (21) Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? (22) You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected.’ Abraham proved his faith by his works. Obedience is an expression of our faith in Elohim’s promises and is not an attempt to prove ourselves righteous or to earn Elohim’s favor. Rav Yochanan confirms in first John 5: 3 that faith does not contradict obedience, but that there is a clear connection between the two, in this way: “For this is the love of Elohim, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.” By obedience to Elohim, we show our faith in Yahshua, overcome the world and reach Elohim’s purpose for us. Rav Yaa’cov agrees that faith and obedience goes hand in hand in James 2: 23 - 26, as follows: ‘And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED ELOHIM, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,” and he was called the friend of Elohim. (24) You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone. (25) And in the same way was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works, when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? (26) For just as the body without the spirit (of Elohim) is dead, so also faith without works is dead.’ But what did Rav Yaa’cov mean by the underlined words in verse 26?

Even though there is a spirit in man[1], we need the Set-apart Spirit of Elohim to have eternal life, as witnessed in Romans 8: 11, in this way: ‘But if the Spirit of Him who raised Yahshua from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Messiah Yahshua from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.’ Rav Kepha also explained how those of us from the lost ten tribes, who are now returning to YHVH and Brother Judah through Yahshua, can have access to the Se-apart Spirit whom YHVH gives to those who obey Him in Acts 2: 36 – 39, saying: “Therefore let all the house of Israel (ten tribes) know for certain that Elohim has made Him both Master and Messiah—this Yahshua whom you crucified (by your personal sins). (37) Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Kepha and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” (38) And Kepha said to them, “Repent, and let each of you be immersed in the name of Yahshua Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Set-apart Spirit. (39) For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far off, as many as YHVH our Elohim shall call to Himself.” The two underlined sections in the quoted section shows clearly that we only need to immerse returning members from the house of Israel and not Jews. In addition, we should only immerse those whom YHVH calls and not those in our families, whom we want to, believe like we do! Rav Markus (Mark) confirms this in Mark 16: 15 & 16, saying: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. (16) He who has believed (in the gospel of the coming Kingdom of Elohim) and has been immersed shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.”

Our faith in the coming Kingdom of Elohim should be such that we already make Elohim King in our lives. That means that we let Him rule over us in this world, even though His Kingdom is not here yet. Once we make YHVH our King, we will start living by faith in Him and start obeying His commandments, which were all given for our good. At that point He will know that we believe in Him, if we like Abraham prove our faith by our works. Even though eternal life is a free gift, obedience is required. Yahshua specifically mentioned that we should keep Elohim’s commandments if we want to inherit eternal life. It is disturbing though to see from the parable of the ten virgins (which is suggestive of the lost ten tribes) that only half will be ready to meet the bridegroom at His return. I believe this has to do with the timing of the Feast Days that we are keeping according to the Hebrew calendar and the way in which we continue with the annual cycle of studying Torah. Because some keep to their own ‘more accurately computed calendar’ and do not follow Brother Judah’s annual Torah cycle, they might not be ready when Messiah returns, and as indicated in this parable, He might have to say to them, as recorded in Matthew 25: 11 & 12, “And later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Master, master, open up for us.’ (12) But he answered and said, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’” Think about it!

[1] Job 32: 8, “But it is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.”