What way to salvation was Jesus preaching to the Jewish people
at the time when Messiah came to Israel?
How are we forgiven sins?
How do we do what God requires of us to be justified in God’s eyes?
Jesus was asked these questions very directly. Let us have a look at Jesus’ own answers without adding or subtracting from the answers. Inspect the Scriptures on salvation by Jesus’ own words and the words of the Apostles as well.
See the truth in context using these principles of Hermeneutics:
1. THE CLEAR INTERPRETS THE OBSCURE: No single verse of Scripture should be interpreted if it contradicts the overall message of the Scripture passage, especially if it is about the Gospel. When we are faced with an unclear verse, we find a clear verse to help interpret it. The more direct and clear verses are the ones to understand as the foundation of the truth, not the unclear verses, especially when taken out of context to a point of contradiction on the same topic.
2. SCRIPTURE INTERPRETS SCRIPTURE: Often Scripture interprets itself. In some cases, another Biblical writer interprets another Biblical passage. Teachings on a topic of the writers cannot contradict, otherwise we are interpreting incorrectly and need to dig a bit deeper, watch the exact words more closely etc. If Jesus taught one things and then later we read a Scripture in another book of the Bible from the same writer, or reads quoting what someone taught; they cannot contradict. If we see a contradiction, we are missing the context of the verses and need to find the proper context of each to see the truth. For example, if we read that Jesus said one thing in Matthew and what seems to be an opposing saying in another, we are missing proper context. If Paul wrote one thing to the Ephesians and another to the Corinthians that seem opposing, we have missed the proper context.
3. CONTEXT INTERPRETS SCRIPTURE: No single verse(s) in a chapter should be read without understanding the surrounding verses, the chapter being read, and the Book of the Bible the verses are read within. Sometimes cultural context matters as well. The point is that reading a few verses and making assumptions without seeing the actually context will produce very wrong interpretation, sometimes even a meaning opposite to the intent of the writer. Such should never be used to make doctrine, and this is especially true regarding salvation.
4. INTENT OF WRITER INTERPRETS SCRIPTURE: All Scripture has an INTENDED MEANING. There can only be ONE correct interpretation of verses, while it may have more than one correct application.
I have found in my personal studies on Scripture that whenever I read what seems to be a contradiction it gives me a red flag to pay closer attention in greater detail to the specific words and intent of the writer or the saying of the person quoted. and the context the verse(s) are read within. Doing so has thus far helped me see the truth and even greater truths that amaze me. The Holy Spirit guides when we seek the truth of Scripture.
What way to salvation was Jesus preaching to the Jewish people at the time when Messiah came to Israel?
People take the teachings of Jesus and come up with all sorts of ways to be justified with God. They take His words like ‘pluck out your eyes’ and ‘cut off your hand’ and then conclude that our works matter in being justified in God’s eyes. Is that true or is the context of those verses not being seen correctly regarding the intent of the writer or the intent of the sayings of the one saying something?
Did Jesus teach to the Jewish people at that time that it is their behaviour and works of the Law that would justify them? Well, if He did, it would not be opposing their wrong view of the Law of Moses. All through the Gospels we see that the Jewish people at the time of Christ’s first coming had fallen away from the truth about the Law and were believing that doing the works of the Law and keeping the Law is what justified them. The Pharisees leaders thought they were more holy than anyone else because they knew the Scriptures in-depth and made themselves look clean on the outside to others by their works of the Law following. But were they? Not according to Jesus!
Because of their wrong belief regarding the Law of Moses, Jesus called them ‘VIPERS’ and ‘HYPOCRITES’ headed for damnation in hell (Matthew 23). Clearly they got it wrong about the Law and justification with God. Israel had fallen away from the truth that it was the belief in the promised coming of the Messiah who would save them by paying for our sins one day in His blood (Isaiah 53). The animal sacrifices were only a temporary covering of sins, year to year, and never paid for the people’s sins (Hebrews 10). They were a temporary covering until the promised Messiah came. The promise in Old Testament Scripture foretold that the Messiah would come and be the final sacrifice for sins. The Animal sacrifices were a reminder of how terrible sin is to God and their need for a Savior Messiah.
Jesus Was Not Opposed To The Truth Of The Law Of Moses
Not at all. The Law is 100% absolute truth. What Jesus taught is that HE IS the foretold Messiah who has come to fulfill all the Law perfectly, as a spotless Lamb brought to sacrifice, never sinning (1 John 3:5, 1 Peter 1:18-19, Isaiah 53:9), in order to be the once for all perfect blood sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10) in payment for all sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2). Living on this side of the cross event Apostle Paul taught this very clearly as well writing,
“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.’ (2 Cor. 5:21 KJV)
Jesus claimed straight up that HE IS the foretold Messiah by quoting the Old Testament prophecy about the Messiah that would one day come to the Jewish people when He spoke to His fellow Jews, in the community He was brought up in by Joseph and Mary, in the synagogue in Nazareth, quoting Old Testament Scripture.
“16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, THIS DAY IS THIS SCRIPTURE FULFILLED IN YOUR EARS.” (Luke 4:16-21 KJV)
Jesus claimed this very directly to those whom He grew up with. To those who knew Him as the carpenter Joseph’s son it was hard to believe as we see in verse 22 where it reads they said to each other, “Is not this Joseph’s son?”. By claiming that this Scripture is fulfilled in Himself, Jesus was stating that He is the foretold Messiah to come and who was now among them in there own hearing! Jesus was basically calling Himself the only begotten Son of God, who is God, come to be this final sacrifice for the sins of humankind. That is why the Jews sought to stone Jesus on many occasions and kill Him claiming His teachings were blasphemy; because they would not believe the truth that He is the Messiah, the Christ. Again, this was all foretold in the Old Testament that this would be the case; and it all happened exactly as foretold so that we can all know Jesus IS that foretold Messiah.
John 3 And The Personal Interview Between Jesus And A Chief Pharisee, Nicodemus
One of the chief priests of the Pharisees was a man named Nicodemus. He had seen the teachings of Jesus when He preached to the people. He had seen all the miracles and healings and raising from the dead being spoken of. He knew that this man Jesus must be sent from God (John 3:2), but His teachings about justification, righteousness and claiming He is the Messiah come, caused great anxiety and confusion to Nicodemus. So much so, that he “came to Jesus by night” so the other Pharisees would not see him and went to Jesus to ask Him DIRECTLY what this all means. Think about that clear context for just a moment. If Jesus taught that works of the Law are required to be justified, why would Nicodemus be confused over Jesus’ teachings? I mean, following works of the Law is how the Pharisees and Jewish people at that time thought they were justified with God. See how this teaching by many today of ‘works required‘ for salvation is just not fitting here? How is a person justified with God according to Jesus’ teachings then? This is the very question Nicodemus had for Jesus.
This was a very intimate conversation with direct questions and Jesus gave direct answers. Being asked very directly and specifically like this, do you think that Jesus would only give a half answer? Certainly not and Jesus did answer Nicodemus’ questions about how a man is justified with God and no where does Jesus answer even mention doing good works of the Law. If doing works of the Law is part of how a person is saved why would Jesus leave that out of His answer to such a direct and honest question?
In John 3, we see that first Jesus answered Nicodemus that a person ‘must be born again in the Spirit’ (John 3:3-6) and then Jesus went on to tell Nicodemus HOW a person becomes born again in the Spirit,
“14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM should not perish, but HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM should not perish, but have EVERLASTING LIFE. 17 For God SENT NOT his Son into the world TO CONDEMN THE WORLD; but that the world THROUGH HIM might be saved. 18 He that BELIEVETH ON HIM is not condemned: but he that BELIEVETH NOT is condemned already, because he hath NOT BELIEVED in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:14-18 KJV)
Now that is a direct answer! Talk about over emphasizing the word believe as the foundation of salvation! Look how Jesus repeated Himself to get the point to Nicodemus and us all today learning from this passage. Jesus starts with the event in the Exodus from Egypt that Nicodemus would have known very well as a as Chief Pharisee. This is significant to understand as Jesus starts His answer to how a person is justified with God with verse 14. Let’s take a quick look in Numbers 21 about this event,
“And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.” (Numbers 21:5-8 KJV)
I ask you, did Moses say to them that they must DO THIS or DO THAT? Nope. As long as they beheld and looked upon, IN BELIEF, that looking at the risen bronze serpent on the pole would prevent death if bitten. Every word in Scripture is important and Bronze is a metal in Scripture that is associated with judgment. And that is what Christ did for us when He took the judgment for our sins upon Himself on the cross, in our place.
Jesus was telling Nicodemus what He, the Messiah, would soon do; be put up on the cross. During the Exodus, believing that looking at that bronze snake lifted on the pole; they would be saved. Do you see how significant this event is in the interpretation of John 3? YES! It was an event that God used to foreshadow what the Messiah would one day do. It was for the benefit of our reading today to see the truth about the cross event. It was their BELIEF ALONE that saved them from the deadly serpent. And today it is by our BELIEF on Christ, beholding what He did on that cross to pay for the sins of the whole world (1 John 22, Hebrews 10:10), that saves us from condemnation and from the devil’s false narratives. Interesting how the pole in Exodus had a serpent on it. Who is the serpent in Scripture? The bronze serpent on that pole represented our sin which needed to be judged. God is a God of pure judgment for sin. Looking at how much Jesus went through, we see that is how much GOD went through to redeem us which kept His character traits intact; 100% justice and judgment was paid, 100% mercy was done for us, and with 100% pure love for us. In some ways, I also look at this in a way that the cross event defeated the devil and his fallen angels who tempts us to sin.
The devil and his fallen angels are constantly trying to hide the truth from people on Earth. Using deep deception and cunning, they want us all to believe the lie that we are our own little gods that should rely on our works for salvation. Satan does not even care of people go to a church religiously as long as that Church teaches ‘work for salvation’, which is no salvation at all. To attend a church building based on a false gospel or where they use Jesus’ name but do not believe He is God. In fact, all world religions teach works for salvation or works from salvation as a requirement to be born again, except those that believe the true Gospel of grace through Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Jesus is the only one way back to God (John 14:6). Satan wants no one to be saved! Jesus’ finished work on that cross paid for all our sins and defeated the devil and as Apostle Paul wrote in Colossians 2:10-15, God made a shew of the devil and his angels by defeating them on that cross for us! He paid our sin debt COMPLETELY! Amen!
“10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: 11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, HE MADE A SHEW OF THEM OPENLY, triumphing over them IN IT.” (Colossians 2:10-15 KJV)
Wow! Look at that! The details of the cross event and how a person is saved eternally by belief on Christ! Jesus made a show of the devil and his fallen angels on that cross.
The Jewish people were relying on ‘works of the Law’ to be justified with God. Even later in John 3, we see John the Baptist state the same truth,
“He that BELIEVETH ON THE SON HATH EVERLASTING LIFE: and he that BELIEVETH NOT THE SON shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:36 KJV)
Keep in mind this is the Holy Spirit who told John the Baptist this truth. He was not in that private meeting between Nicodemus and Jesus! It is yet another confirmation that salvation is NOT by good works of the Law or by being a ‘good person’. Salvation is only by being born again in the Spirit by believing on Christ and His finished work on the cross, having paid for the sin of the whole world (1 John 2:2).
It was, and is today, an impossible task to keep all the Law of Moses. We cannot even keep just the Ten Commandments perfectly (James 2:10)! That is why we see Jesus saying things to the Jews such things as ‘pluck out your eye’, and ‘cut off your hand’ if it causes a person to sin (Matthew 5 & 18). That is why Jesus said to the Jews at that time, that even just looking a person with lust, is the same as breaking the commandment against committing adultery. That being in anger with a person wrongly, even not acting on that anger, is the same as committing murder in the heart, breaking the commandment to not murder (Matthew 5). Jesus then poured on the extreme truth of Law following for righteousness saying to them,
“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” (Matthew 5:44 KJV)
What enemies? The Romans! Imagine what they thought about that one. Love the ones persecuting them. This would show them how extreme truth of the Law will pierce a person to see the truth that we cannot keep all the Law. It will never make us righteous with God! After the cross event, God sent Paul to save the Gentiles and look what he wrote, what the risen Jesus told Him to preach,
“I do not FRUSTRATE THE GRACE OF GOD: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is DEAD IN VAIN.” (Gal. 2:21 KJV)
“Christ is become of NO EFFECT UNTO YOU, whosoever of you are justified BY THE LAW; ye are FALLEN FROM GRACE. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness BY FAITH.” (Galatians 5:4-5 KJV)
“The sting of death is sin; and the STRENGTH OF SIN IS THE LAW. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory THROUGH our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:56-57 KJV)
Through who? Ourselves by our good works? No! It is only THROUGH the finished work of Christ alone who died for our sins so we could be made righteous.
By seeing the direct truth of John 3, we can now see that Jesus was presenting to the Jewish people that relying on works of the Law for righteousness will end in utter failure. That their wrong belief about the Law will end in condemnation. Jesus was using the Law as intended, and showing the extreme truth of the Law. Apostle Paul wrote the same about the purpose of the Law,
“Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster TO BRING US UNTO CHRIST that we may be justified by faith. , BUT AFTER that faith is come, we are NO LONGER under a schoolmaster.” (Galatians 3:24-25 KJV)
“Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which NEITHER OUR FATHERS NOR WE WERE ABLE TO BEAR?“
(Acts 15:10 KJV)“Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for BY THE LAW IS THE KNOWLEDGE OF SIN.” (Romans 3:20 KJV)
Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians and states that The Law is a ministry of death (2 Corinthians 3:7) and a ministry of condemnation (2 Corinthians 3:7). And Paul was not only talking about the 613 Levitical ceremonial Laws as some will mention against the truth of these verses, because he mentions the Law ‘written on stones’ and so that must include the Ten Commandments as well.
Jesus was clear from the very day in the synagogue in Nazareth that He is the foretold Messiah and told Nicodemus when asked directly, to BELEIVE in Him; Jesus as Messiah, the only begotten Son of God. Everything that has been added to His answer to Nicodemus for salvation, whether it be water baptism, works required once believing on Christ as a requirement of salvation, religious rituals, do this, do that to remain saved, repent of every sin we commit or lose salvation, has all been added by man. But it is not the truth by the very context of John 3. We read earlier in the book of John,
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them THAT BELIEVE ON HIS NAME:” (John 1:12 KJV)
We see the very same thing later in John 6 when Jesus was talking with those who would not believe who Jesus claimed to be. In John 6, Jesus was asked very directly what a person needs TO DO to accomplish the works of God and Jesus answer is astounding truth! It goes against what one would expect because we have a fallen sinful nature before believing on Christ.
“28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?…35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he THAT BELIEVETH ON ME shall never thirst. 36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and BELIEVE NOT. 37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but THE WILL OF HIM THAT SENT ME. 39 And this is THE FATHER’s WILL which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is THE WILL OF HIM THAT SENT ME, that every one which seeth the Son, AND BELIEVETH ON HIM, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:28..35-40 KJV)
Again, see any WORKS in Jesus’ answer when asked so directly? NO. But we do read BELIEVE BELIEVE BELIEVE ON CHRIST!
“I AM THE DOOR: BY ME if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” (John 10:9 KJV)
Are we our own door by our works to be in a righteous standing before God? NO! It is only by the work of Christ that we can be made clean and deemed as righteous and complete in Christ in our Spirit (Colossians 2), sealed in salvation (Eph. 1:13-14, Eph. 4:30, 2 Cor. 5:21, 1 Cor. 15:1-4, Romans 5). Jesus is the door and HIM ALONE! We have NO part in being justified and made righteous before God, except to believe on Him and His finished work on the cross.
“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: HE THAT BELIEVETH IN ME, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth AND BELIEVETH IN ME shall never die. BELIEVEST THOU THIS? She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I BELIEVE that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.” (John 11:25-27 KJV)
Again here, we see Jesus stating about a person’s salvation that it is by BELIEF ON HIM, not by our works.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth MY WORD, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” (John 5:24 KJV)
“But these are written, THAT YE MIGHT BELIEVE that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and THAT BELIEVING ye might have life through his name” (John 20:31 KJV)
“And he said to the woman, THY FAITH hath saved thee; go in peace.” (Luke 7:50 KJV)
I could go on and on showing Scripture and the very words of Jesus regarding how a person is born again in the Spirit and saved and redeemed.
This is the clear and direct context from Jesus’ own words and later we see Apostle Paul stating the exact same thing. Salvation is by BELIEF ON the finished work of Christ – not by works of the Law.
“8 For BY GRACE are ye saved THROUGH FAITH; and that NOT of yourselves: it is the GIFT OF GOD: 9 NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should BOAST.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV)
Paul is saying that believing our works have anything to do with our salvation and justification is boasting in the sin of PRIDE. A very clear passage! Paul does go on in verse 10 to state we should have good works in love for others after saved by belief on the gift of salvation by belief on Christ, but that is about our walk as a person created in Christ. it does not negate the previous verse 8-9 that works do not save us nor keep us saved.
“O FOOLISH Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not OBEY THE TRUTH, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, CRUCIFIED AMONG YOU? 2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing OF FAITH? 3 Are ye so FOOLISH? having begun IN THE SPIRIT, are ye now made perfect BY THE FLESH? 4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. 5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the WORKS OF THE LAW, or by the hearing OF FAITH? 6 Even as Abraham BELIEVED God, and it was ACCOUNTED TO HIM for righteousness.” (Galatians 3:1-6 KJV)
Through what Spirit? Paul taught, through our born again Spirit with the Holy Spirit indwelling us and having had sealed us the moment we believed on Christ for righteousness.
“IN WHOM YE ALSO TRUSTED, after that ye heard the word of truth, THE GOSPEL OF YOUR SALVATION: in whom also AFTER THAT YE BELIEVED, YE WERE SEALED with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14 KJV)
Jesus’ half brother James wrote the same,
“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and YET OFFEND AT ONE POINT, HE IS GUILTY OF ALL.” (James 2:10 KJV)
“And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham BELIEVED GOD, and it was IMPUTED UNTO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS: and he was called the Friend of God.” (James 2:23 KJV)
SALVATION IS NOT BY WORKS NOR KEPT BY GOOD WORKS, NOR BY LAW KEEPING
Even ‘many wonderful works’ can end up in condemnation (Matthew 7:21-23) unless a person is born again in the Spirit by believing who Jesus is; THE CHRIST (John 3:14-18, John 6:37-40) who paid for the sins of the whole world on the cross (1 John 2:2), a once for all blood sacrifice in payment for our sins (Hebrews 10:10).
Lordship Salvation Is False. Good Works Matter After Salvation – But Not To Remain Saved
Once we are created in Christ with a new Born Again Spirit (Eph. 2:10) with the Holy Spirit indwelling us and we should have good works. Our core being has been completely changed! We are Heaven ready, all sins forgiven, made the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21) from the very belief on Christ for salvation and righteousness (Eph 1:13-14).
Jesus will reward us for our good works after salvation (1 Cor. 3). I think some read the Scriptures and do not see the proper context of passages regarding rewards and mixing them with salvation passages. They mix together Scriptures that are verses about our eternal UNION with Christ and our DAILY WALK with Christ after being saved. Yet, they are separate meanings based on the context.
Salvation Is Not A Reward (by our works). Salvation Is An Inheritance Which Is Freely Given By Spiritual Birth Into The Family Of God
The truth is that salvation itself is not a reward; it is an inheritance (1 Peter 1:3-4) for all whosoever will believe on Christ alone for our justification and salvation. A person born physically is not a child of God, they are a creation of God. Only when a person believes on Christ alone and accepts the free gift of salvation does a person become born again in The Spirit and then become part of God’s family, which is a Spirit nature. John stated this clearly,
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” (John 1:2 KJV)
