Developing a
Systematic Messianic Theology

Humanity
Man in the Image of God   Sin   Repentance, Atonement, Forgiveness   Redemption   Election   Free Will   Man’s Moral Duty   Faith and Works   Securty of the Believer   Eternal Life

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How to Have Eternal Life

What I Used to Believe and Teach   •   What I Now Believe and Teach

What I Used to Believe and Teach

For over 35 years, I taught the traditional Christian “Romans Road,” believing it was the core message of the Gospel, but I was terribly wrong! This is “Romans Road” version of the Gospel as I used to teach it:

The Complete Jewish Bible   New American Standard Bible REALIZE THAT NO ONE IS GOOD ENOUGH TO GO TO HEAVEN Fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They deal corruptly, their deeds are vile, not one does what is right. From heaven ADONAI observes humankind to see if anyone has understanding, if anyone seeks God. But all turn aside, all alike are corrupt; no one does what is right, not a single one. (Psalm 14:1-3; Psalm 53:1-3) As the Tanakh puts it, "There is no one righteous, not even one! No one understands (Romans 3:10) The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God,” They are corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice; There is no one who does good. God has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men To see if there is anyone who understands, Who seeks after God. Every one of them has turned aside; together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one. (Psalm 14:1-3; Psalm 53:1-3) As it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one!” (Romans 3:10) SEE YOURSELF AS A SINNER … since all have sinned and come short of earning God’s praise. (Romans 3:23) … for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) UNDERSTAND WHERE SIN CAME FROM Here is how it works: it was through one individual that sin entered the world, and through sin, death; and in this way death passed through to the whole human race, inasmuch as everyone sinned. (Romans 5:12) 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. (Romans 5:12) NOTICE GOD’S PENALTY FOR SIN For what one earns from sin is death; but eternal life is what one receives as a free gift from God, in union with the Messiah Yeshua, our Lord. (Romans 6:23) For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23) REALIZE THAT THE MESSIAH DIED FOR YOU But God demonstrates His own love for us in that the Messiah died on our behalf while we were yet sinners. (Romans 5:8) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) TAKE GOD AT HIS WORD Take God at His word, and claim His promise for your Eternal Life today! For what does the Tanakh say? “Avraham put his trust in God, and it was credited to his account as righteousness.” (Romans 4:3) … whoever calls on the name of ADONAI will be saved. … (Joel 2:31-32) For God so loved the world that he gave his only and unique Son, so that everyone who trusts in him may have eternal life, instead of being utterly destroyed. (John 3:16) I have written you these things so that you may know that you have eternal life — you who keep trusting in the person and power of the Son of God.  (1John 5:13) For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” (Romans 4:3) … whoever calls on the name of the LORD Will be delivered … (Joel 2:31-32) For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16) These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. (1John 5:13) Trust in the Lord Yeshua, and you will be saved (Acts 16:31) Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved (Acts 16:31) The promises of the Bible are pretty incredible. So incredible, in fact, that even most religious people either don’t understand or don’t believe them. That’s simply because most religious people fail to recognize a terribly important fact: True Biblical Faith is not a religion. Yes, you read that correctly. I said, “True Biblical Faith is not a religion.” All of the religions in the world (including many “Christian denominations”) have one thing in common. They are all about one thing: “What can I do so God (or the gods) won’t be angry and punish me?” That is exactly why I say that true Biblical Faith is not a religion. True Biblical Faith, when correctly understood, is not about what we can do for God, but rather it is all about how much God loves us, how much He has done for us, and how we respond to His great love. How much God loves you Here is how it works: it was through one individual, Adam, that sin entered the world, and through sin, death; and in this way death passed through to the whole human race, inasmuch as everyone sinned. (Romans 5:12) As the Tanakh (the Hebrew Bible) puts it, “There is no one righteous, not even one!” (Romans 3:10; Psalm 14:1-3; Psalm 53:1-3) … all have sinned, and come short of earning God’s praise. (Romans 3:23) We all, like sheep, went astray; we turned, each one, to his own way; yet ADONAI (God) laid on Him (Yeshua) the guilt of all of us. (Isaiah 53:6) But God demonstrates His own love for us in that the Messiah died on our behalf while we were yet sinners. (Romans 5:8) For God so loved the world that he gave his only and unique Son, so that everyone who trusts in him may have eternal life, instead of being utterly destroyed. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but rather so that through him, the world might be saved. Those who trust in him are not judged; those who do not trust have been judged already, in that they have not trusted in the one who is God's only and unique Son. (John 3:16-18) How much God has done for you … God’s love for us has already been poured out in our hearts through the Ruach HaKodesh [Holy Spirit] Who has been given to us. For while we were still helpless, at the right time the Messiah died on behalf of ungodly people. Now it is a rare event when someone give up his life even for the sake of somebody righteous man, although possibly for a truly good person one might have the courage to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in that the Messiah died on our behalf while we were still sinners. Therefore, since we have now come to be considered righteous by means of his bloody sacrificial death, how much more will we be delivered through Him from the anger of God’s judgment! For if we were reconciled with God through his Son’s death when we were enemies, how much more will we be delivered by his life, now that we are reconciled! And not only will we be delivered in the future, but we are boasting about God right now, because He has acted through our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, through Whom we have already received the reconciliation. (Romans 5:5-11) For what one earns from sin is death; but eternal life is what one receives as a free gift from God, in union with the Messiah Yeshua, our Lord. (Romans 6:23) For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. (John 3:16-17) How you respond to God’s great love For God so loved the world that He gave His only and unique Son, so that everyone who trusts in Him may have eternal life, instead of being utterly destroyed. (John 3:16) Everyone who calls on the name of ADONAI will be delivered. (Romans 10:13) For what does the Tanakh say? “Avraham put his trust in God, and it was credited to his account as righteousness” (Romans 4:3) “Trust in the Lord Yeshua, and you will be saved, …” (Acts 16:31a) What, then, does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”— that is, the word about trust which we proclaim, namely, that if you acknowledge publicly with your mouth that Yeshua) is Lord (ADONAI) and trust in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be delivered. For with the heart one goes on trusting and thus continues toward righteousness, while with the mouth one keeps on making public acknowledgement and thus continues toward deliverance. For the passage quoted says that everyone who rests his trust on Him will not be humiliated. (Romans 10:8-11) For God’s wisdom ordained that the world, using its own wisdom, would not come to know Him. Therefore God decided to use the “nonsense” of what we proclaim as His means of saving those who come to trust in it. (1 Corinthians 1:21) But this is precisely why I received mercy—so that in me, as the number one sinner, Yeshua the Messiah might demonstrate how very patient He is, as an example to those who would later come to trust in Him and thereby have eternal life. (1 Timothy 1:16) And without trusting, it is impossible to be well pleasing to God, because whoever approaches Him must trust that He does exist and that He becomes a Rewarder to those who seek Him out. (Messianic Jews [Hebrews] 11:6) Rejoice in this, even though for a little while you may have to experience grief in various trials. Even gold is tested for genuineness in fire. The purpose of these trials is so that your trust’s genuineness, which is far more valuable than perishable gold, will be judged worthy of praise, glory, and honor at the revealing of Yeshua the Messiah. Without having seen Him, you love Him. Without seeing Him now, but trusting in Him, you continue to be full of the joy that is glorious beyond words. And you are receiving what your trust is aiming at, namely, your deliverance. (1 Kefa [Peter] 1:6-9) I have written you these things so that you may know that you have eternal life—you who keep trusting in the Person and power of the Son of God. (1 John 5:13) Yeshua said: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” (John 14:15) Yeshua said: “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.” (John 15:10) So whoever disobeys the least of these mitzvot (commandments) and teaches others to do so will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever obeys them and so teaches will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matthew 5:19) And He [Yeshua] said to him, “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.” (Matthew 19:17) “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” (John 14:21) If you believe right now with all your heart that Yeshua [“Jesus”] of Nazareth is Israel’s Messiah, the eternal Son of God (ADONAI Himself come in the flesh), and that He loved you so very much that He offered Himself as the perfect and complete sacrifice for the payment of your entire debt of sin (all your sin—past, present, and future), then you will trust Him (and Him alone) to save you from the wrath of God and give you the free gift of eternal life. This kind of belief does not mean a simple acknowledgement of the historical fact of the death, burial, and resurrection of Yeshua, but a complete and absolute trust in the fact that He is exactly who He claims to be — the God of the Bible come in the flesh — to the extent that you rest your fate for all eternity solely upon His person, His word, and His completed work of redemption on your behalf! If this is true of you, then you can know with absolute certainty that right now — not some day in the future, but this very minute — you have, as your permanent possession, God’s gift of eternal life, and that you can never lose that gift, nor can it ever be taken from you. How can I say that with such certainty? Because Yeshua HaMashiach [Jesus the Messiah] said it, Yeshua HaMashiach is God [ADONAI, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob] Who has come in the flesh, and God cannot lie. Just look at the promise from Yeshua’s own lips: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only and unique Son, so that everyone who trusts in Him Him may have eternal life …” (John 3:16). Now ask yourself this simple question: “How long does eternal life last?” Ten minutes? Twenty years? Until the next time I sin? Until my faith waivers? Until I stop believing? Until I get tired of being a Believer and decide to quit? Until I decide give the gift back to God? My dear friend, listen to me very carefully! If at any single instant of your life you have eternal life, and any time after that very instant you no longer have have eternal life, the only possible explanation is that somehow your eternal life came to an end — that which was eternal ceased to be eternal — an absolute impossibility! Anything that is eternal can never end, and anything that can ever end was never eternal in the first place! Don’t let anybody deceive you: the only way that it is possible for you to ever lose your eternal life is if you never had it! [MORE] Yeshua said that if would trust Him as your Savior you would have eternal life. Satan said, “Has God really said …?” (Genesis 3:1) Who are you going to trust, Satan or God Himself? If you have decided that you want to have eternal life and a covenant relationship with the Creator of the Universe through His Son Yeshua, here’s what’s next.

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However…

What I Now Believe and Teach

That’s what I used to teach. But, I was wrong! “Roman’s Road,” no matter how important, is simply not the core of the Gospel! At no place in the four Gospel accounts is it ever recorded that “Yeshua went up on a hill, and He sat down, and began to teach His disciples, ‘believe in Me for the forgiveness of your sins, so that you can have a personal relationship with Me and go to heaven when you die.’” Nor is that message ever taught by any of the Apostles in the entire collection of Apostolic Writings (identified as the “New Testament” in Christian Bibles). [See “True” Gospel.]

All believers, and most unbelievers, are familiar with John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” Just look around the stands at almost any sporting event and you will see someone holding a sign that says “John 3:16.”

But what does it mean to “believe in Him,” and what else did Yeshua say was necessary to gain eternal life?

To “believe” in Yeshua (or Jesus, if you prefer) means far more than simply acquiescing to the historical fact that he lived a sinless life, was murdered at the hands of a corrupt Sanhedrin with the help of a Roman tyrant, and was resurrected from death three days later. To “believe” in Him is to trust Him, and Him alone, for your eternal destiny. It means to believe and accept as absolute fact everything that He said about Himself, and to accept and obey everything that he instructed us to do and be.

What did He say is necessary to gain eternal life? (All emphasis added.)

And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” And He said to him, “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.” [Referring to the 613 commandments enumerated in the Torah.] (Matthew 19:16-17; see also Mark 10:17-31)

An expert in Torah stood up to try and trap Him by asking, “Rabbi, what should I do to obtain eternal life?” But Yeshua said to him, “What is written in the Torah? How do you read it?” He answered, “You are to love ADONAI your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and with all your understanding; and your neighbor as yourself.” “That’s the right answer,” Yeshua said. “Do this, and you will have life.” (Luke 10:25-28 NAS)

One of the leaders asked him, “Good rabbi, what should I do to obtain eternal life?” Yeshua said to him, “Why are you calling me good? No one is good but God! You know the mitzvot — ‘Don't commit adultery, don't murder, don't steal, don't give false testimony, honor your father and mother, …” He replied, “I have kept all these since I was a boy.” On hearing this Yeshua said to him, “There is one thing you still lack. Sell whatever you have, distribute the proceeds to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come, follow me!” (Luke 18:18-22)

He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. (John 3:36, emphasis added)

Yes, indeed! I tell you that whoever hears what I am saying and trusts the One who sent Me has eternal life — that is, he will not come up for judgment but has already crossed over from death to life! (John 5:24)

You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. I do not receive glory from men; but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves. I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God? Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses (the Torah), you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words? (John 5:39-47) [“Believing” the Torah assumes obeying it!]

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. (John 10:27-28)

“Hearing” and “following” assume obeying.

If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” (John 14:15)

If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.” (John 15:10)

So whoever disobeys the least of these mitzvot (commandments) and teaches others to do so will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever obeys them and so teaches will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matthew 5:19)

And He [Yeshua] said to him, “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.” (Matthew 19:17)

“He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” (John 14:21)

What are the commandments of Yeshua that He requires us to keep, and why does that commit us to obeying the Torah?

If Yeshua is God the Son from all eternity, and if all physical manifestations of God are in the “Person” of God the Son [see Theophany], then:

• It was Yeshua Who walked in Eden with Adam and Eve. (Gen. 3:8)

• It was Yeshua Who established the covenant with Noah. (Gen. 6:18-19; Gen. 9:1-17)

• It was Yeshua Who called Abram out of the land of Ur. (Gen. 12:1-4)

• It was Yeshua Who walked alone between the pieces of the covenant animals. (Gen 15:9-17)

• It was Yeshua Who promised the land to Abram and his descendants forever (Gen. 12:7; Gen 15:18) and later confirmed that covenant with Isaac (Gen. 17:21) and Jacob (Gen. 35:11-12).

• It was Yeshua Who promised Abram he would have a son. (Gen. 5:1-5; Gen. 17:17-22; Gen. 18:10)

• It was Yeshua Who established the covenant of circumcision with Abram. (Gen. 17:1-15)

• It was Yeshua Who had lunch with Abraham near the oaks of Mamre. (Gen. 18)

• It was Yeshua Who met in the wilderness with Hagar. (Gen. 16:7-11).

• It was Yeshua Who called to Abraham from heaven. (Gen. 22:11,15)

• It was Yeshua Who confronted Balaam. (Num. 22:22-25)

• It was Yeshua Who spoke with Elijah. (2Kings 1:3,15)

• It was Yeshua Who appeared to David above Jerusalem. (1 Chron 21:15-16)

• It is Yeshua Who encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them. (Psalm 34:7)

• It was Yeshua Who struck 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. (Isa. 37:36)

• It was Yeshua Who appeared to Moshe in the burning bush. (Exod. 3:2).

• It was Yeshua Who wrote the commandments in stone with His finger. (Exod. 31:18; Deut. 9:10).

• It was Yeshua Who dictated the very words of the Torah to Moshe. (Exod. 24:1-4).

• It was Yeshua Who said, “If you love Me you will keep My commandments” (the ones that he dictated to Moshe). (John: 14:15).

• It is Yeshua to Whom the Jewish people have been praying since he first appeared to Avram approximately 4000 years ago!

• It is Yeshua who commands us to keep all of His 613 commandments which apply to us. Not all 613 commandments apply to any individual or any class of people; not all apply outside the Land of Israel; not all apply without a Temple and Levitical priesthood in place; some apply only to men and others only to women; some apply only to employers and others only to employees; some apply only to farmers and others only to merchants.

• It was Yeshua Who said, “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law [Torah] until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Matt. 5:17-19) [See Theophany.]

How would you rather be seen in the Kingdom of Heaven [same as the Kingdom of God]; as “least” or as “great?”

Have I abandoned the teaching of salvation by grace through faith and embraced a system of works? By no means! But I do, however, completely and absolutely reject the Church’s false teaching of a grace which embraces no responsibility!

The Master’s own brother Ya'akov went to great lengths to address this very issue:

What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works?[1] Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and be filled," and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, "You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works." You believe that God is one.[2] You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "and Abraham believed God [not in God], and it was reckoned to him as righteousness," and he was called the friend of God. You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. 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? For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. (James 2:14-26 NAS)

If we truly believe Yeshua, then we believe all that He taught, and we strive to follow His teachings. As we have seen, whenever anyone asked Him what was required to have eternal life, He never said that we were only to believe in Him, but always indicated that our belief must be accompanied by obedience to the teaching of Moshe (Moses), the Torah.

See also “Why Should I Obey Torah?”

Please read my article on the “True” Gospel.

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  1. “Works” … deeds or actions; in this case, obedience to the commandments of Torah, all 613 of them. [RETURN]

  2. The Shema, the foundation of Hebrew faith, starts out: “Shema, Yisrael: ADONAI Elohenu, ADONAI Echad” (Hear, O Israel: ADONAI is our God, ADONAI is One). (see Deut. 6:4-9) Before chapter and verse indicators were added to the Scriptures, whole sections were referenced or referred to by just the first few significant words. When Ya'akov made reference to referenced the phrase ”God is one,” he was indicating the entire passages of Scripture referenced by the entire Shema: Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Deuteronomy 11:13-21, and Numbers 15:37-41.  [See also Judaism 101.] [RETURN]

Eagerly watching for the return of Mashiach,
speedily and in our day!!

Page revised on Friday 28 August 2015