Any hope for the Jews ?

[Guest yod]

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

(Acts 4:12)

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)

And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life: and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

(1 John 5:11-12)

I would like to point out that EVERY verse in the Bible which makes Yeshua the exclusive way to the Father was spoken by a jew to other jews.

The question of the original church was whether a GENTILE could even be saved!!

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Hebrew first and also to the Hellenist.

[Anne]

All I know is the Isrealites are the children of God, they were his first born as it were, and He will never turn His back to them. When they cry for help he will hear them in his time

[Mikeyjay]

When Jesus was preaching that there is NO other way but by Him...

do you think He was preaching to Gentiles???

NO!!!

he was preaching to the Jews.

There is no other way to the Father but by Jesus !!!

[Guest shiloh357]

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

(Acts 4:12)

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)

And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life: and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

(1 John 5:11-12)

I would like to point out that EVERY verse in the Bible which makes Yeshua the exclusive way to the Father was spoken by a jew to other jews.

The question of the original church was whether a GENTILE could even be saved!!

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Hebrew first and also to the Hellenist.

Well said, Yod!! Thanks!

[ayin jade]

Excellent Yod

[penfold]

Just like anyone who is not believing in jesus as messiah they are going to get the 2 deaths.

when the Jews formally rejected Jesus as messiah in AD 9 0 they became a false religion.

despite this God still has a special place in his heart for the Jews and longs for them to know Jesus and realise the profes. were all about his coming.

I like to think of it like this:

You wouldn't be cross with a blind man for being blind- you would want to help him see.

it is the same when sharing our Faith.

[Smalcald]

"I can tell a person they are going to hell, as easy as I can tell a person that I know I have eternal life, and that I know for certain that I will spend eternity with Jesus when I die. The Word of God leaves us no uncertainty about these things"

What I was commenting on was this statement. You cannot tell a person that, as you don't know if they will have true faith before the moment of death. In fact go back to Romans 10 and 11. The gentiles were bragging about being saved they were boasting about thier salvation and thier feeling of superiority over the Jews, what does Paul tell them?

Ah, I see where the problem is. I can see where I was misunderstood. My point, and I guess I failed to make it adequately in that remark, was clarified later. My point is, I can know that if I die right now, I will not spend eternity in hell. I have eternal life today. I can also tell a sinner (Jewish or Gentile) that if they are not born again, and were to die this second, they would enter eternity without the Lord.

It is not a matter of playing God, but it is matter of simply believing what the Bible says. When a person has breathed their last breath, and enter eternity, they will either enter eternity with or without Christ. There will be no second, or last minute chances, no amnesty, no hope for them whatsoever if they leave this world not having made a decision for Christ.

My point has nothing to do with who will, or will not, accept Christ later on down the line before they die.

Ahhh, yes we agree.

[Fiosh]

I'd like to share why I asked the original question. It's really more personal than theological in a way.

Let me share an experience I had.... While driving across country in September with my mom, we stopped one night at a rest stop---I think it was during a Jewish holiday. We got out to stretch our legs. At the far end of the parking lot we saw a man and a young (maybe 12-14 yrs) boy standing outside their car, away from any other cars. From their dress we guessed they were Jews.

As we watched, they began to pray together, not in a showy way; quietly and somewhat privately, as the circumstances permitted.

I thought it was beautiful. And, I thought to myself, what is God thinking as he looks upon them? If they were truly sincere in their attempt to praise God in the way they were taught He desires to be praised; and if in their hearts they believe that all their actions and attitudes please Him, how does God view that?

Here is this young boy, standing up in public, worshiping his God by his father's side.

Is he really going to hell?

It's hard for me to believe that the Jesus I meet in the depths of my being would send this boy to hell.

That's why I ask.

I agree with all that has been said...Yes! Jesus truly is The Way, The Truth and The Life. And YES! Amen! Jesus IS the only way to the Father.

But, if we allow for even one minute exception, we necessarily leave the door open for other possibilities.

For instance...what about babies that die? What about severely retarded people? What about severely mentally ill people?

What about people who died, let's say, in Spain, the week after Jesus arose....and never got to hear the Gospel.

What about devout Jews, raised in the Jewish faith, committed to the Lord with all their heart, but never hearing the Truth. Is never hearing the same as rejecting??? I can't find any Scripture that directly states those who "never hear" the Gospel will go to hell; ony those who reject Christ.

I do believe that Jesus is the only way to the Father. I'm not sure I totally understand how God chooses to apply His saving Grace.

God bless you,

Fiosh

[Guest shiloh357]

I hear you Fiosh...

What about people who died, let's say, in Spain, the week after Jesus arose....and never got to hear the Gospel.

What about devout Jews, raised in the Jewish faith, committed to the Lord with all their heart, but never hearing the Truth. Is never hearing the same as rejecting??? I can't find any Scripture that directly states those who "never hear" the Gospel will go to hell; ony those who reject Christ.

As for Jewish people who grow up Jewish, and never hear the truth, or anyone else for that matter, who dies without hearing the truth, we cannot go beyond the Scriptures. All we can say is, God is fair and just. Whatever he does regarding those people, will be correct and according to his character. I will not pretend to know all of the answers. There is no way to come down definitively on one side or the other without leaving the pale of Scripture.

[larryt]

In the NT and the OT the only salvartion was and is faith in the Messiah. Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness. But what was it that Abraham believed.

Ge 15:4 And, behold, the word of the LORD [came] unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.

Ge 15:5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

Ge 15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

In verse 4 God tells Abraham that the heir will be one born to Sarah and Abraham. And in verse 5 God tells him that the "seed" singular will be his distant offspring - that the Messiah will be hie descendant. This is what Abraham believed that he would be saved that the Messiah would come one day and that He would be Abraham's offspring.

Jesus, Lord and Savior then and now.

LT