The Salvation of Jews
Under What Conditions Could It Take Place?
Under What Conditions Could It Take Place?
PURPOSE
The purpose of this document is to explore the conditions under which a Jew may be Saved, considering the realities that:
(a) there is indeed Salvation outside the Roman Catholic Church, as the Vatican had to admit
(1); and
(b) there is no Salvation without the acknowledgment of the Messianic mission and function of Jesus.
(b) there is no Salvation without the acknowledgment of the Messianic mission and function of Jesus.
No, we are not attempting to start a new religion. There is really no need. As we have said, (2) Catholicism is the Faith which contains the greatest number of revealed truths in its Spiritual Treasury, once all the dross it has accumulated over the centuries is dispensed of, although it is not the only Christ centered faith (1) that may be lived to safely enter the Kingdom of God.
Although it is implied in the prior paragraph, we wish to clearly state that we are not proposing any alterations in or to the Sacraments (3) which now enrich the Spiritual Treasury of the Catholic Faith.
BACKGROUND
Recently we received a letter which we published, with our response, for the benefit of a small group of our readers. The letter and response follow:
From (Mr.) IW
Response:
If we consider what Jesus said:
and
It does not take a Vatican Council to ascertain what, right now, looks like the (potential) final destination of your Jewish friend. He may not have had the benefits of the Sacraments while journeying through Time, which may be translated into a lengthier period in Purgatory, but the (potential) final destination seems to be quite clear.
The KEY to salvation is to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah. Why? The Messiah is the Saviour; the One Who opened the doors of Paradise for wayward man. Whomever denies Him as the Messiah, it logically follows, cannot be saved for he is denying the only mean to return to Paradise.
Of course the "acknowledgment" must be by one's heart, not the mouth, which will show in the way one tries to live one's life: In harmony with law and the prophets, which is what Jesus came to give fulfillment.
It is amazingly simple. God willing, we will be expanding on the above in the near future.
Yesterday I was discussing False Messianism with a close friend of mine who is Jewish.
He said, "God does not like those who call themselves messiahs," and then he added (without any prompting or a hint from me) that the only true messiah is Jesus Christ.
I wanted to share that with you and have your feedback on it.
IW
He said, "God does not like those who call themselves messiahs," and then he added (without any prompting or a hint from me) that the only true messiah is Jesus Christ.
I wanted to share that with you and have your feedback on it.
IW
Response:
If we consider what Jesus said:
[16] So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your
Father who is in heaven. [17] Do not think that I am come to destroy the law, or the
prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. [18] For amen I say unto you,
till heaven and earth pass, one jot, or one tittle shall not pass of the law, till all be
fulfilled. [Matthew 5]
and
[32] Every one therefore that shall confess me before men, I will also confess him
before my Father who is in heaven. [33] But he that shall deny me before men, I will
also deny him before my Father who is in heaven. [Matthew 10]
It does not take a Vatican Council to ascertain what, right now, looks like the (potential) final destination of your Jewish friend. He may not have had the benefits of the Sacraments while journeying through Time, which may be translated into a lengthier period in Purgatory, but the (potential) final destination seems to be quite clear.
The KEY to salvation is to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah. Why? The Messiah is the Saviour; the One Who opened the doors of Paradise for wayward man. Whomever denies Him as the Messiah, it logically follows, cannot be saved for he is denying the only mean to return to Paradise.
Of course the "acknowledgment" must be by one's heart, not the mouth, which will show in the way one tries to live one's life: In harmony with law and the prophets, which is what Jesus came to give fulfillment.
It is amazingly simple. God willing, we will be expanding on the above in the near future.
INTRODUCTION
God Willed that we expand our response to the letter from Mr. IW.
With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we will attempt to do so through this document.
As it is always the case - we must resort to the Holy Scriptures where, with the Illumination of the Holy Spirit of God, we can find the Truth. Before we submerge ourselves in the Holy Texts there are two key realities that must be kept in mind throughout the reading of this entire document.
First of all, Jesus, His Mother and all His relatives were Jews and the greatest majority of His initial followers were also Jews. Secondly, the name/adjective of Christian was first used in Antioch [Acts 11:26] to describe/indicate the Jews, and the ever increasing number of non Jews, who began following His teachings as they acknowledged Him as the Messiah.
DETAILS
In our response to IW's letter we do not mention a baptism with water which has popularly become synonymous with being a Christian regardless if one follows or not the teachings of Jesus Christ. Therefore, we need to show and explain why it was not part of the simplified response.
Taking that lead, let us see what we find in the Holy Texts:
Acts 1, 5:
(Jesus speaking) [5] For John indeed baptized with water, but you
shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, not many days hence.
Mark 10, 38-39:
[38] And Jesus said to them: You know not what you ask. Can you drink of the chalice that I
drink of: or be baptized with the baptism wherewith I am baptized? [39] But they said to him: We
can. And Jesus saith to them: You shall indeed drink of the chalice that I drink of: and
with the baptism wherewith I am baptized, you shall be baptized.
Comments: It could be inferred that Jesus was talking about a baptism by blood - the martyrdom that awaited them. Let us remember that they received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost and their martyrdom was not be until much later.
Acts 9,17:
And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house. And laying his hands upon
him, he said: Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus hath sent me, he that appeared to thee in
the way as thou camest; that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy
Ghost.
Comments: This is a baptism by the Holy Spirit. We cannot find any reference to the effect where Paul had been baptized with water.
Acts 10, 44-48 and Acts 11, 16:
[44] While Peter was yet speaking these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them that
heard the word. [45] And the faithful of the circumcision, who came with Peter, were
astonished, for that the grace of the Holy Ghost was poured out upon the
Gentiles also. [46] For they heard them speaking with tongues, and magnifying
God. [47] Then Peter answered: Can any man forbid water, that these should not be
baptized, who have received the Holy Ghost, as well as we? [48] And he
commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Then they desired
him to tarry with them some days.
Comments: Baptism by Holy Spirit took place without the intervention of the water. The water was only an outward and symbolic manifestation of what already had taken place.
[16] And I remembered the word of the Lord, how that he said: John indeed baptized with
water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
Comments: It is obvious that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit of God is what really matters, with the baptism with water being an outward manifestation. We must remember that of the twelve Apostles that Jesus chose, we only know, with certainty, of two who were baptized with water by John since they were disciples of John first [John 1: 35-40]
Acts 19, 1-6:
[1] And it came to pass, while Apollo was at Corinth, that Paul having passed through the upper
coasts, came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples. [2] And he said to
them: Have you received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? But they said to him: We have
not so much as heard whether there be a Holy Ghost. [3] And he said: In what
then were you baptized? Who said: In John' s baptism. [4] Then Paul said: John baptized
the people with the baptism of penance, saying: That they should believe in him who was to come
after him, that is to say, in Jesus. [5] Having heard these things, they were baptized
in the name of the Lord Jesus. [6] And when Paul had imposed his hands on
them, the Holy Ghost came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.
Comments: Once again we see that the true/full Christian Baptism is by the coming of the Holy Spirit of God upon the individual being baptized.
It appears that, up to this point, for those who believed in Jesus, in words and deeds, there was the baptism of the Holy Spirit without the need of the baptism with water. Jesus is the Living Word [Act 10, 36] and the Living Water [Jn 4, 10], and His Words are Spirit and Life [Jn 6, 61-63], then the faith in Jesus is also faith in His doctrine, a form of Baptism with the Living Waters.
We find additional confirmation of this in the following texts:
John 7, 37-39: (On the day of the Feast of Atonement)
[37] And on the last, and great day of the festivity, Jesus stood and cried, saying: If
any man thirst, let him come to me, and drink. [38] He that believeth in me, as the
scripture saith, Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. [39] Now this he said of the
Spirit which they should receive, who believed in him: for as yet the Spirit was not given,
because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Obviously, we can engage in an alliance with Jesus, the Christ, by believing in His Word, which is the truth (sanctification process):
John 17, 17:
[17] Sanctify them in truth. Thy word is truth.
John 14, 6:
[6] Jesus saith to him: I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father,
but by me.
Then, to receive and believe revelation - His Word - is to be sanctified by Truth (to believe in Jesus whom is The Word and The Truth). And God reveals Himself and His truth to whomever He wants. This (receiving truth/revelations) is the requirement for receiving the Holy Spirit. Then, salvation is a matter of Grace, nothing to do with the works of our hands. It is a gift from the Father for those who believe in their hearts (as demonstrated in word and deed) The Truth. Those who, having received the gift of the Father, return to their past behavior, their last spiritual situation is worse than the previous one, by their rejection of the Holy Spirit of God (blasphemy against the Holy Spirit).
2 Peter 2, 20-21:
[20] For if, flying from the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ, they be again entangled in them and overcome: their latter state is become
unto them worse than the former. [21] For it had been better for them not to have known the way of
justice, than after they have known it, to turn back from that holy commandment which was
delivered to them.
Mt 12, 43-45:
[43] And when an unclean spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through dry places seeking
rest, and findeth none. [44] Then he saith: I will return into my house from whence I came out.
And coming he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. [45] Then he goeth, and taketh with him
seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last
state of that man is made worse than the first. So shall it be also to this wicked generation.
Such Words of warning apply to everyone, not only Jews.
CONCLUSION
From the above, we do not see any reason why a Jew, who believes that Jesus is indeed the Messiah and lives His teachings, teachings which, by His own words, are the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets, cannot be saved if all symbolic steps are skipped for one reason (sudden death) or another (psychological/cultural traumas).
We wish to acknowledge our appreciation to Mrs. R.M. of PR for the exhaustive research she made on the Holy Texts needed for the confirmation of what God had indicated to miguel de Portugal.
NOTES
(3) The Sacraments
Published on August 15th, 2013 - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
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