As has been stated before and is obvious to all true believers, when God states something, we take it as truth. When He repeats something, we need to pay special attention; and when He makes a covenant, it is forever. (ESV all emphasis mine)
One example is Joel 2:32, Acts 2:21, and Romans 10:13. Each of these verses tells us that “All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
How about a verse that’s repeated four times? Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30, and Luke 10:27 all state, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your might.” A word or two may be different, but the meaning of each verse is very plain. Jesus specifically stated this is the first and greatest commandment. He further stated that the second was to “Love your neighbor as yourselves.” That would include everyone on earth as all are our neighbors on this planet. If we take a close look at the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:2-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21, we can see these two commandments cover all of the Ten.
One of the most familiar passages is a call to the Lord by King David in Psalm 51:10-12; “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right Spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your Salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.”
Not because he was a perfect, sinless person – because Jesus was the only person on earth that ever fit that profile – but because David was always prepared to accept responsibility for his sins that God referred to him as a man after His own heart in 1 Samuel 13:14. He did not try to blame anyone else for his shortcomings. In Acts 13:22, Paul states that because David had such a relationship with the Father, the Messiah was promised to come from his lineage.
For those who are saying that God has turned away from Israel and that His covenant with Abraham has been replaced with the Church post-Calvary, there are a couple of verses that need to be reviewed. Genesis 12:2-3; “And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you, I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” There is no time limit placed on this, and it applies today. God is able to make more than one covenant and honor each of them at the same time.
Next, Romans 11:25-27; “Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers; a partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way, all Israel will be saved; as it is written, ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will banish ungodliness from Jacob, and this will be My covenant with them when I take away their sins.”
Throughout all of history, Israel has had issues about turning away from God, then being disciplined, and then starting the cycle all over again. They were taken out of their land and scattered worldwide until May 14, 1948, when Israel again became a sovereign nation. The time is coming in the near future that 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-53 will take place, and the “fullness of the Gentiles” will have happened. Instead of just “Gentiles,” all who have received and accepted Jesus will be included in the Rapture. Then, God will turn His attention to His chosen, and by the end of the Tribulation, all the surviving Jewish people will know that Jesus – Yeshua – is their true Messiah.
Sadly, only about 1%-2% of the total worldwide population of Jews accept Jesus right now. Zechariah 13 tells us that during the “refining,” two-thirds of the people that are left here will perish.
Another point here: if the Jews have been “replaced,” why would Jesus set up His Millennial reign in the Temple at Jerusalem. Jeremiah 3:17-18; “At that time, Jerusalem shall be called the throne of the Lord, and all nations shall gather to it, to the presence of the Lord in Jerusalem, and they shall no more stubbornly follow their own evil heart. In those days, the house of Judah shall join the house of Israel, and together they shall come from the land of the north to the land that I gave your fathers as a heritage.”
Also, when the new Heaven and the new earth are made, it’s the Holy City of New Jerusalem that comes down from Heaven from God (Revelation 21). It’s not the new Rome, Washington D.C., Salt Lake City or Nome, Alaska. It will be Jerusalem.
To be a part of all this, our hearts must belong to our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Those who take their last breath here without the Savior will not be in that magnificent Holy City; rather, they will be in eternal punishment.
In 1899, there was a song released by E. A. Hoffman titled, “Is Thy Heart Right with God?” He wrote numerous other standards such as “Leaning on The Everlasting Arms” and about 2,000 more. Please consider the questions that this song presents to us.
1) Have thy affections been nailed to the Cross? Is thy heart right with God? Dost thou count all things for Jesus but lost? Is thy heart right with God?
R.) Is thy heart right with God, Washed in the crimson flood, Cleansed and made holy, humble and lowly, Right in the sight of God?
2.) Hast thou dominion o’er self and o’er sin? Is thy heart right with God? Over all evil, without and within? Is thy heart right with God? (ref)
3.) Is there no more condemnation for sin? Is thy heart right with God? Does Jesus rule in the temple within? Is thy heart right with God? (ref)
4.) Are all thy powers under Jesus’ control? Is thy heart right with God? Does He each moment abide in thy soul? Is thy heart right with God? (ref)
5.) Art thou now walking in Heaven’s pure light? Is thy heart right with God? Is thy soul wearing a garment of white? Is thy heart right with God? (ref)
Romans 10:9-13 gives the steps to make sure one is right with God. There’s nothing difficult about being saved other than what imperfect humans try to add to or take away from the simple steps. Satan turns people away with the lures of this world, giving the impression that this is most important of all. Heaven is forever, and this earth is temporary. Hell is also forever, and there is no pardon for anyone choosing to go there.
No one can buy or earn their way to Heaven (Ephesians 2:8-9), and contrary to Satan’s lies, there is no guaranteed time that one will be alive on this earth. I have witnessed death many times while in the medical and law enforcement fields, and I do not believe that any of them expected to not make it to the end of that day.
All who are prepared, all who have confessed and called out to Jesus to be their Savior, need not fear when they will depart from here. As Paul said, it’s to depart and be with Jesus (Philippians 1:23). All who will have received and accepted Jesus will be with Him forever, either through death or by the Rapture. Either way, it’s one last breath here, and the next instant, we will be in the presence of our Lord and Savior.
The most important issue right now is to make sure you are a part of the Savior’s precious flock (John 10). Then, no matter where He leads you, it will be absolutely perfect. Tomorrow could be too late. Call out now and have the faith that your heart is under the control of the One who paid our way in full.
Shalom! Maranatha!