Truth Magazine

Today, it is not necessary for us to visit Jerusalem, or even to know about it geographically, in order to be saved. But in order to understand the significance of Jerusalem in Old Testament times, it is helpful to know something about its geographical relationship to that era.

Also, as we examine the various doctrines with respect to premillennialism, the law of Moses, the law of Christ, the kingdom of Christ, the coming of Christ and related subjects, the significance of Jerusalem becomes apparent. Then, the Bible speaks not only of geographical Jerusalem, but also of the heavenly Jerusalem and a new Jerusalem (Gal. 4:26; Heb. 12:22; Rev. 21:2).

Last of all, and probably of greater significance with respect to the controversy over the Old and New Testament covenants, a knowledge of Jerusalem geographically, politically, and religiously becomes indispensable. The Old Testament prophets, Jesus, the apostles Peter, Paul, John, and other New Testament writers all deal with these various characteristics of Jerusalem.

It is generally conceded that Jerusalem was first called Salem (Gen. 14:18; Ps. 76:2). It is certain that the city was later called Jebus, or Jebusi, and its inhabitants were called Jebusites (Josh. 18:28; Judg. 19:11). Still later, the Jebusites were driven out of their stronghold (1 Chron. 11:4-8), and Jerusalem became known as Zion, the city of David, and the geographical location of the temple built by Solomon (1 Chron. 22).

Because of the temple, Jerusalem became the location where the main feasts and sacrifices of the Jews were held. This system still prevailed in the time of Christ, but drastic religious and political changes were about to be made.

Jerusalem — Religious and Political

When God brought Israel, the fleshly seed of Abraham, out of Egypt, he made a covenant with them (Deut. 5:2, 3, 15). This law, or testament, served as both a religious and a political, or civil law, to the tribes of Israel. As long as the Jews remained in the land of Canaan and were faithful to God, they could enforce this law among themselves and also among strangers who sojourned with them (Num.9:14).

After the temple was built and the kingdom of Israel became divided, Jerusalem continued to be the center and capital of the Jewish religious and political system (1 Kings 12:27, 28; John 4:20). Even under the Romans, the Jews were allowed considerable freedom in the observance of their feasts and other customs. Jesus himself attended the Passover (Luke 22) and 50 days later, “devout men, out of every nation under heaven” assembled at Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-11).

Early in his ministry, Jesus told his disciples that he had come, not “to destroy the law, or the prophets,” but to fulfill that law (Matt. 5:17-19). He later declared that this mission had been accomplished (Luke 24:44). At the last Passover feast, Jesus instituted a new feast which his disciples were to observe in the kingdom (Matt. 26:29). Jesus also warned his disciples about the coming destruction of Jerusalem (Luke 21:20-24).

Jesus promised the woman at the well of Samaria that the hour was at hand when true worship would not be con- fined to Jerusalem (John 4:20-26). When Christ died on the cross, the old religious system of Jerusalem was fulfilled and abolished (Col. 2:14-17), and in A.D. 70, Jerusalem was destroyed politically, which destruction is still evident even unto this day.

Jerusalem — “The Heavenly”

“But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem . . .” (Heb. 12:22-24). This heavenly Jerusalem is also referred to as “Jerusalem which is above” in contrast to “Jerusalem which now is” (Gal. 4:25, 26). At the time when Paul was writing (circa A.D. 60), the political city of Jerusalem still existed, but it and its temple were to be destroyed within that decade.

What significance does Jerusalem hold for us today? As Paul said concerning the advantage of the Jew, “Much every way” (Rom. 3:1). The “oracles” of the Old Testament were committed to the Jew, and it was from Jerusalem that “the word of the Lord” was to go forth (Isa. 2:3). Jesus emphasized “that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47).

The “blood of the new testament” (Matt. 26:28) was shed on the cross of Christ, that testament was made valid by the death of Christ (Heb. 9:15-17), and the religious system centering around the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (1 Cor. 15:1-4) began in and from the city of Jerusalem. No other religious system can lay scriptural claim to this peculiar mark of identity. Every human religion had its geographical origin somewhere other than Jerusalem.

Before Jerusalem was destroyed, the “gospel of the kingdom” (Matt. 24:1-4) “was preached to every creature which is under heaven” (Col. 1:23). The disciples in Jerusalem “that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word” (Acts 8:4). We still owe a debt of gratitude to those Jewish brethren who preached the gospel to the Gentiles (Rom. 15:27).

Jerusalem and True Worship

Jesus told the Samaritan woman that the time was at hand when true worship would not be confined to either Samaria or Jerusalem (John 4:20-24). With the end of the old Jewish religious/political system, God knew that it would be physically impossible for Jews, much less Gen- tiles, to continue assembling at Jerusalem for the various feasts and observances peculiar to that city and its temple. Especially would this be true once the city and the temple had been destroyed, with the Jewish nation dissolved and scattered.

The commandments, statutes, and ordinances of the first covenant, made with fleshly Israel at Mount Sinai (Deut. 5:2, 3, 5), were absolutely essential to the Jewish system of worship. In addition, the Levitical priesthood was also essential to that system of worship, service, and sacrifice. This is why the entire system — the Ten Commandments, ordinances, sacrifices, priesthood had to be fulfilled and abolished before any new system could he introduced (2 Cor. 3; Col. 2:14-17; Heb. 7:12; 8:6-13).

The scope and characteristics of true worship began to be witnessed when spiritual Israel/Jerusalem was established in geographical Jerusalem: “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). The new priesthood began and continues “to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 2:5-10). The church is now the temple of God (Eph. 2:10-22), the place of acceptable service and sacrifice, and the place wherein God is glorified through Christ (Eph. 3:6).

Let us not preach or believe “any other gospel,” or al- low ourselves to be brought into bondage by such (Gal. 1:6-9; 4:9).

God rebuked the nation of Judah: “Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fulness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty and committed abomination before Me; therefore I took them away as I saw fit” (Ezek. 16:49-50). Let us look at Sodom’s (and Judah’s) sins more closely.

Pride. God had extended many blessings to Sodom. It compared with Eden (Gen. 13:10-11). In the well-watered plain of the Jordan River, it was an ideal area for cattle ranching. Nearby asphalt pits made it an excellent site for industry (Gen. 14:10). But the residents were not responsible for any of these blessings. They had much to be thankful for, but nothing to be haughty about.

Materialism. The people of Sodom grew fat and lazy, and God was not pleased. When Israel later behaved in similar fashion, God strongly rebuked them as well (Amos 6:1, 4-6).

Selfishness. The folks of Sodom were not concerned with the problems of those less fortunate. With all their abundance, and all their spare time, they did not strengthen the hands of the needy.

Abomination. By this term, the prophet is referring to the sin recorded in Genesis 19:4-7. Two angels visited Lot and spent the night in his home. “Now before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both old and young, all the people from every quarter, surrounded the house. And they called to Lot and said to him, ‘Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them carnally.’ So Lot went out to them through the door way, shut the door behind him, and said,

‘Please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly.’” Because of its association with the city of Sodom, homosexual activity is called sodomy. The events in Genesis 19 show God’s attitude toward sexual perversion even before the giving of the Law of Moses. That law spelled out clearly, “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination” (Lev. 18:22). New Testament passages show that God’s attitude toward sexual perversion has not changed. Paul writes of their “uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, do dishonor their bodies among themselves . . . For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in them- selves the penalty of their error which was due” (Rom. 1:24-27).

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 tells us that those who persist in such will have no part in God’s kingdom. But it also tells us that one can be washed and sanctified and justified in the name of Jesus if he will repent and cease to practice such abominations.

No Sense of Shame. Isaiah, rebuking the house of Judah, tells of another of Sodom’s sins: “The look on their countenance witnesses against them, and they declare their sin as Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to their soul! For they have brought evil upon themselves. . . . Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands shall be given him” (Isa. 3:9, 11). The people of Sodom were not only sexually perverts, but they paraded their sin openly. They expressed no sense of shame or guilt.

Sodom and the cities around her were destroyed by fire from heaven (Gen. 19:24). Israel imitated Sodom’s sins and was taken into Assyrian exile. Judah followed suit, and was exiled in Babylon. Undoubtedly, there are at least three lessons here for America. (1) We have a greater opportunity than those in Sodom, thus we stand to be judged more severely than they (Matt. 11:23-24). We have opportunity to know God’s ultimate revelation of himself in Christ, and of his will in the New Testament Scriptures. (2) God is still able to destroy the wicked and deliver the just (2 Pet. 2:7-9). (3) The influence of ten righteous people could have spared Sodom (Gen. 19:15-17). Enough     righteous people, setting proper examples and using their influence to the glory of God may yet avert the judgment that otherwise must surely come upon our nation. Let us devote ourselves to godliness and moral uprightness and do what we can to persuade others to do likewise. God help us in our effort.

 

• Man is saved by hope.
• Man is saved by grace.
• Man is saved by faith.
• Man is saved by mercy.
• Man is saved by works.
• Man is saved by baptism.
• Man is saved by the word.
• Man is saved by the truth.
• Man is saved by obedience.
• Man is saved by the gospel.
• Man is saved by knowledge of the truth.
• Man is saved by belief and baptism.
• Man is saved by belief and confession.
• Man is saved by calling on the name of the Lord.
• Man is saved by the washing of regeneration.
• Man is saved by being born of the water and the Spirit.
• Man is saved by being faithful unto death.
• Man is saved by God.
• Man is saved by Jesus Christ.
• Man is saved by the Holy Spirit.
• Man is saved by the blood of Jesus Christ.

Everyone who is a member of the body of Christ has seen or heard a lesson like this one time and time again. Sometimes we call it “the chain of salvation” as we attempt to get folks to realize that all of these things are essential to one’s salvation! We dare not isolate one or more of the things listed in these twenty-one (21) things to which salvation is attributed. If and when we do, we aren’t properly dividing the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15). When we “twist the Scriptures, it is to our own destruction” (2 Pet. 3:16). The list could be lengthened of course, but this should suffice for our purpose in this article.

1. Yes, man is saved by hope — “For we are saved by hope . . .” (Rom. 8:24; Tit. 1:2).

2. Yes, man is saved by grace — “By grace ye are saved” (Eph. 2:5, 8; Tit. 2:11).

3. Yes, man is saved by faith — “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31; John 8:21-24; Heb. 10:36-39; 11:6).

4. Yes, man is saved by mercy — “according to His mercy He saved us” (Tit. 3:5).

5. Yes, man is saved by words — “Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved” (Acts 11:14).

6. Yes, man is saved by baptism — “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us . . .” (1 Pet. 3:21).

7. Yes, man is saved by the word — “receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save our souls” (Jas. 1:21).

8. Yes, man is saved by the truth — “They received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved” and “ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”(2 Thess. 2:10; John 8:32).

9. Yes, man is saved by obedience — “He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him” (Heb. 5:9).

10.Yes, man is saved by the gospel — “I declare unto you the gospel . . . By which also ye are saved” (1 Cor. 15:1-2; Rom. 1:16-17).

11.Yes, man is saved by a knowledge of truth — “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4).

12.Yes, man is saved by belief and baptism — “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved . . .” (Mark 16:16).

13.Yes, man is saved by belief and confession of Jesus — “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Rom. 10:9; Acts 8:37; Matt. 10:32).

14.Yes, man is saved by calling on the name of the Lord — “. . . for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Rom. 10:13; Acts 2:21).

15. Yes, man is saved by the washing of regeneration — “He saved us by the washing of regeneration . . .” (Tit. 3:5).

16.Yes, man is saved by being born of the water and of the Spirit — “Unless a man is born of the water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:3-5).

17.Yes, man is saved by being faithful unto death — “Be thou faithful unto death and ye shall receive the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10b).

18.Yes, man is saved by God — “God our Savior; who would have all men to be saved” (1 Tim. 2:3-4).

19.Yes, man is saved by Jesus Christ — “He shall save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21).

20.Yes, man is saved by the Holy Spirit through the agency of his word — “. . . chosen to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth” (2 Thess. 2:13-14).

21.Yes, man is saved by the blood of Jesus Christ —     “. . . without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins.” “This is my blood . . . shed for many for the remission of sins” (Heb. 10:9; Matt. 26:28; Rom. 5:9).

Why so many folks are guilty of believing what one pas- sage says about salvation while ignoring others is amazing to me! I have a tract in which I cite quotes by two Baptist scholars who wrote about Acts 2:38, a passage teaching that “baptism is for the remission of sins.” Each of them affirmed that it sounds as if that passage makes baptism necessary to one’s salvation from past sins, but said these two scholars, “We know it can’t mean that for salvation is by faith alone.” The fact is, baptism is for the very same reason that Jesus gave his life’s blood, “for the remission of sins.” In Matthew 26:28 as Jesus was instituting the Lord’s supper he took the cup and said exactly that, “This is My blood of the New Testament which is shed for many, for the remission of sins.”

There is no passage which teaches that man is saved by “faith alone,” or “at the point of faith.” Many passages say we are saved by faith and my brethren and I accept every one of them and believe them wholeheartedly. If there was a passage that taught faith alone saves man we would believe it, but it cannot be found. The closest one to saying such says it isn’t so. It reads; “You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith alone” (Jas. 2:24). Notice it is “not by faith alone”! You see man cannot be saved by faith alone any more than man can be saved by baptism  only. Read carefully the list of things by which we are said to be saved. If you take one to the exclusion of others, you negate parts of the Bible’s teachings and cause the loss of your own precious soul.

When we look at the “Great Commission” given by Christ to his apostles found in Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:16-16; Luke 24:45-49, then follow closely the apostle’s application of this commission as well as early evangelist who went about “preaching Jesus,” it falls into a logical sequence of steps leading into Christ and into his blood bought body where all spiritual blessings reside (Eph. 1:3; 2:13-17). Those steps are this: the gospel was to be preached so folks could be made to believe in the crucified resurrected and exalted Savior, Jesus Christ. Believing him to be the Son of God Almighty who made salvation possible when they asked what they must do to be saved it always involved the following even though not always specified. Hearing the gospel, believing said message about the author of our salvation, repenting of past sin and error, confessing with the mouth the faith held in the heart, and then the final act of the “new birth of the water and of the Spirit” was and is immersion into Christ and into the one body for the remission of sins (Acts 2:22-38, 40-41, 47; Gal. 3:26-29; Rom. 6:3-6; Acts 22:16; 8:26-39).

Why not look at some of the cases of conversion in the Acts of the Apostles and compare them with the above as well as with the “Great Commission” as given by Christ to his chosen apostles.

• Jews on Pentecost (Acts 2:22-38, 40-41, 47).
• More Jews (Acts 3:14-19).
• Samaritans (Acts 8:12-13).
• Queen’s treasurer (Acts 8:26-39).
• Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9:1-6; 22:16).
• Cornelius (Acts 10:1-4; 47-48; Acts   11:14).
• Lydia, a seller of Purple (Acts 16:12-15).
• Philippian Jailer (Acts 16:25-34).

A Plea And An Admonition!

May I again insist that you must conclude if you honestly study this matter that a series of steps toward Christ are involved beginning with being taught the gospel or hearing; then believing; then repenting of sin and error; then confessing faith in Jesus as God’s Son. Then the final act which is a part of the “new birth” of water and Spirit, baptism, immersion, in order to have one’s sins remitted, and by this same process entering into the “one body” that cost Christ his shed blood, his church (Acts 2:38, 41; Gal. 3:26-29; Rom. 6:3-6; 1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 2:13-17). This made folks simply and only Christians, children of God who now have Christ as their high priest and one intercessor between kingdom citizens and the Heavenly Father (Heb. 4:12-14; 1 Tim. 2:5-6).