Jews' Salvation: Faith Alone Or Not?

The question of whether Jews are saved by faith alone is a complex and multifaceted one, with different religious traditions offering varying interpretations. Christians often refer to the concept of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, as outlined in the New Testament. However, this raises the question of how Jews, who do not universally accept Jesus as the Messiah, fit into this framework. Some Christians assert that Jews need to accept Jesus as their saviour to attain salvation, while others propose alternative interpretations, such as the idea that Jews are saved through the promises made to them by God, which are irrevocable. This divergence in views highlights the complexities within Christian theology regarding the salvation of Jews and the ongoing dialogue between different Christian denominations on this topic.

The Jews are God's chosen people, but that does not guarantee salvation

The concept of salvation is a complex and multifaceted topic within the realm of theology, and it is often approached differently by various religious denominations and sects. The question of whether Jews are saved by faith alone has been a subject of much discussion and debate among theologians and religious scholars. While some argue that salvation is attained through faith in Jesus Christ, others propose alternative interpretations.

In the Christian context, the notion of salvation is intimately tied to the figure of Jesus Christ. According to certain Christian beliefs, salvation is achieved through faith in Christ as the Messiah and Redeemer. This belief stems from the understanding that Jesus' sacrifice on the cross atoned for the sins of humanity, providing a path to salvation for both Jews and Gentiles. This perspective is reflected in the New Testament, particularly in passages such as Romans 3:28-30 and Acts 4:12.

However, it is essential to acknowledge that this interpretation is not universally accepted, even within Christian circles. For instance, the Catholic Church has issued statements suggesting that Jews can attain salvation without explicit faith in Jesus Christ. This stance acknowledges the unique covenant between God and the Jewish people and recognizes that their participation in God's salvation is through the promises made to them, rather than faith in Christ.

Moreover, it is worth noting that the concept of salvation in Judaism differs significantly from the Christian understanding. In Judaism, the belief in original sin and the need for salvation from eternal damnation are not inherent to their theological framework. Instead, Judaism emphasizes personal responsibility, prayer, repentance, and good deeds as a means of obtaining forgiveness for sins and maintaining a relationship with God.

While it is acknowledged that the Jews are God's chosen people, as stated in Deuteronomy 7:6, this does not inherently guarantee their salvation. Both Christians and Jews would agree that salvation is not solely dependent on lineage or ethnic identity. Instead, it is generally accepted that a personal relationship with God and adherence to His commandments are essential components of attaining salvation.

In conclusion, the question of whether Jews are saved by faith alone is a complex and multifaceted issue that cannot be answered with a simple yes or no. The interpretation of salvation varies across different religious traditions, and even within the same tradition, there may be diverse perspectives. Ultimately, the understanding of salvation is a deeply personal and spiritual matter that is shaped by one's faith, beliefs, and interpretation of sacred texts.

Salvation is found only in Jesus Christ, for both Jews and Gentiles

In the Old Testament, the Law was established with Moses and the Israelites, and it included sacrifices of sheep and oxen to remind them of sin. These sacrifices pointed towards the final sacrifice to come—the Lamb without blemish or defect, Jesus Christ. The Jews of the Old Testament were trusting in the Messiah and His work, even though many of the details remained hidden from them.

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ is revealed as the Messiah, and He proclaims, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). This includes both Jews and Gentiles. The apostle Paul emphasizes that salvation is found only in Jesus Christ, stating, "For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law" (Romans 3:28).

Paul further explains that before Christ's first coming, Jews were saved by faith in God's promise to bring the Messiah. Now, a Jew is saved by faith in the fulfilment of that promise—that Jesus is the Messiah. Apart from this faith, no Jew or Gentile can be saved.

The New Testament also teaches that everyone, Jew and Gentile alike, has sinned against God (Romans 3:23), and that "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). It proclaims that "salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

While the Jews are indeed God's chosen people, it is only through Jesus that they, like anyone else, can find God's forgiveness. As Paul writes, "There is neither Jew nor Gentile [...] for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28).

Thus, salvation is found only in Jesus Christ, for both Jews and Gentiles. It is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone, that anyone can be saved.

The Law and the Prophets testify to the doctrine of faith alone

Paul's task was not to abolish the Law but to offer a teaching about it. He was not saying that the Law is being destroyed and that grace was replacing it. Rather, he was expounding upon what the Law already teaches. Paul argues that the Law and the Prophets were witnesses to the doctrine of faith alone apart from the Law.

The Law and the Prophets teach that God imputes the righteousness of Christ and his fulfillment of the law to ungodly sinners who merely trust him for it. This is a biblical teaching.

The doctrine of justification by faith is the heart of the gospel. It asserts that the righteousness required for our justification, for our right standing and our righteousness before God, is not a righteousness we perform, even by the grace of God. The righteousness that God requires for our justification is not a righteousness that we perform, even by sovereign grace, but it is the righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed to us by God. It's called an alien righteousness.

Yes, I believe in sanctification. Yes, I believe that sanctification, that is, my performed righteousness, is a necessary evidence of the authenticity of my faith, which unites me to Christ, who is my righteousness. Yes, I believe there should be holiness of life, and you can go to hell for not being a holy person because the holiness that you lack shows you are not trusting God and thus not united to Jesus.

God requires a perfect righteousness. We cannot perform it. You will not even perform it sufficiently in heaven because, in heaven, there will be a continuity with your life here. Therefore, you'll always be a forgiven sinner, always forever. Even when you are perfect in heaven, you'll be you. You take you to heaven. You are you from the cradle to the grave. And from the grave to eternity, that's you. It's all you. And you're a sinner, and you'll always be a forgiven sinner who stands righteous before God on the ground of the righteousness of Christ, which you have by faith alone.

The Law and the Prophets also teach that faith is not the righteousness. Faith is the instrument by which we get attached to God, or Christ, who gives us external, alien righteousness that is not our own.

The Law and the Prophets teach that faith alone justifies, and yet the faith that justifies is not alone. True faith in Christ always bears fruit as evidence of its presence.

The Jews tried to be saved by works, but they failed

The idea that Jews are saved by faith alone is a contentious issue in Christian theology. Some Christians believe that Jews can be saved without faith in Jesus, which contradicts the traditional understanding of salvation through faith in Jesus as the Messiah. However, it is important to note that this notion of Jews being saved without faith in Jesus is not universally accepted among Christians and is considered heretical by some.

According to the Christian concept of salvation, all people, including Jews, need to be saved from their sins and can only attain salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. This belief is based on Jesus' statement, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). This statement is understood to include both Jews and Gentiles, implying that being a descendant of Abraham or following Jewish law is not sufficient for salvation. Instead, salvation is achieved through faith in Jesus as the Messiah.

The apostle Paul emphasized this point in his epistles, arguing that salvation is by faith alone, apart from the Law. He used Abraham as an example, stating that Abraham was justified by his faith, not by his works or lineage (Romans 4:2-3, Galatians 3:6-7). Paul's message was a radical departure from the belief held by some Jews that they could be saved by their works or by their physical pedigree.

Despite the teachings of Jesus and Paul, some Jews during the time of Jesus and afterward continued to believe that they could be saved by their works or lineage. However, this belief was misguided, as Israel's pursuit of righteousness through works failed to attain salvation. As Paul wrote in Romans 9:31-32, "Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works."

In summary, while some Jews may have believed that they could be saved by their works or lineage, this belief was incorrect. The Christian understanding of salvation, as taught by Jesus and reinforced by Paul, is that salvation is attained through faith in Jesus Christ alone, regardless of one's heritage or adherence to Jewish law.

God has always preserved a remnant of believing Jews

The remnant, then, is the real people of God, a concept we also find in the New Testament, “a remnant chosen by grace” (Rom. 11:5). In the New Testament, Paul explains that this was true even before Jesus came:

> "I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal." (Rom. 11:4)

> "In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s gracious choice." (Rom. 11:5)

The remnant is a living reflection and continual reminder of the unmerited favour of Almighty God. The number of the remnant is always small. In Zechariah 13:8, it is a third of all Israel. In Isaiah 6:13, it is only a tenth of the total, and in Ezekiel 5:3, the remnant is pictured as only a few hairs wrapped in a fold of a garment.

The majority of physical Jews have been unbelieving and thus rejected by Jehovah, but grace and mercy have been given to a godly group, the remnant. There never has been nor ever will be a complete end to Israel. The spiritual (believing, righteous by faith) remnant is those Jews who have in the past or will in the future place their trust in the Messiah, regardless of whether they lived before or after the Cross, for "there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

When the Messiah returns to set up His righteous kingdom, He will regather and cleanse the final Jewish remnant and fulfill God’s covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

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