I remind each of you this is not the first time you have seen this as Dr. Ernest Steadman brought this to our attention in 2009. There will be more things happening this year and we must not be afraid when we see them. As the Bible tells us we need to ‘watch’ and to understand. This book carries a spiritual and sacred message for all nationalities, religions and people of the world. The CoIC is privileged to be able to bring this knowledge to you. We are thankful that Robert Mendelson was chosen and able to write it for us. God watch over and bless you Robert Mendelson. We know you will go far with your work.
So then, in the time before
Jesus lived, the question, re: favoritism, becomes…
How could God send people from Sumatra and other faraway places to hell
when they never even heard of Jews, Judaism, or Jesus?
Some Christian theology teaches that during the three days following the
Crucifixion that Jesus was “under-ground”, he gave those who missed out
previously their opportunity for salvation;
1 Peter 3:18-19;
18 For Christ … was put to death in the body
but made alive by the Spirit, 19 through whom also he went and preached
to the spirits in prison [supposedly including people of other religions]…”
Let’s accept this interpretation for the moment. If God doesn’t show favoritism,
what about Sumatrans and Native Americans after the Crucifixion, but before the
first missionaries arrived? What kind of “god” throws people He loves into eternal
hell when He never exposed them to Christ’s gospel in the first place? What kind
of “god” asks us to demonstrate allegiance by accepting a belief that curses our
parents to hell, even if they followed the Golden Rule of doing unto others as we want
done to us? Or because criminal acts by those professing to be Christian, like the
Conquistadors, or Hitler, made them think Christianity is evil? How can salvation
come from a God who asks us to break His own Fifth Commandment;
Exodus 20:12;
“Honor your father and your mother…”
and Exodus 21:17;
“Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.”
A “god” who requires that, and who saves one group who received the news
but not those who weren’t told, has not lived up to any of the list of four
Divine attributes. This is totally out of character for the Jesus described in
the Gospels. Traditional theology makes duplicitous liars out of the Father and
Christ. Thankfully, it’s only a misunderstanding of what “belief in Christ” means.
Romans 2:12-16 (coming up) provides a specific solution for people who aren’t
exposed to the word, demonstrating the care God took in being absolutely fair
and true to the Four Divine Attributes. To understand what Paul wrote in Romans
and elsewhere in the New Testament epistles, you need to know what the terms
“Jew” and “Gentile” meant to Paul.
Jesus taught the people a form of messianic Judaism known as “the Way”,
which later was given the name “Christianity”.
From “NIV NAVE’S TOPICAL BIBLE” (from Zondervan’s Study Bible CD-ROM);
“CHRISTIANITY The word doesn’t occur in the Bible.
It was first used by Ignatius, in the first half of the second century.”
Acts 24:5,14, below, describes a moment in Paul’s trial, which was presided
over by the Roman governor, Felix. The lawyer Tertullus, who represented the
high priest, speaks first (verse24:5). Paul replies next in verse 24:14…
Acts 24:5, Tertullus;
“We have found this man to be a troublemaker,
stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world.
He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect…”
Acts 24:14, Paul;
However,
I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way,
which they call a sect* [of Judaism. Not a separate religion.].
* In the King James version “sect” is replaced by “heresy”. Jesus and his followers must have been practicing Judaism. Why else would Jews call the “Way” a heresy?
I believe everything that agrees with the Law
and that is written in the Prophets,…”
Early Christianity was Judaism, the Law and the Prophets, with the Messiah
added. It was Judaism with some prophecies fulfilled, just as it was Judaism
before and after previous prophecies were fulfilled. Therefore, Christianity
is a form of Judaism, and much scripture addressed to “Jews” applies to
members of the newer Jewish sect, “Christianity”. “Gentile” means a person
not of the Jewish faith. Before Jesus, “Gentile” meant a person not under the
Law of Moses. Paul believed Jesus was the Messiah. Therefore, he believed
Jesus’ Law was in addition to God’s previous Law.
1 Corinthians 9:21, Paul;
To those not having the law I became like one not having the law
(though I am not free from God’s law
but am [also] under Christ’s law),…”
Romans 3:31, Paul;
Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith?
Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.”
Paul believed Jesus’ teachings were the Law interpreted in the spirit God
intended, i.e., the Law fulfilled correctly. When he wrote, “law”, Paul meant both
the Laws of Moses and Christ, and when he used the term “Gentile”, it was meant
as someone not Jewish or Christian. To Paul, the term “Jew” applied not only to
those commonly known as Jews, but all who follow Christ, i.e., Christians. Now we
have the definitions necessary to understand what the term “Jew” means in
Romans 2:12-16…
The Narrow Gate — Romans 2:12-16 (NIV)
Romans 2:12-16, Paul;
12 “All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law,
and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.”
[Gentiles are judged fairly, taking into account what they’re taught.
For Jews: the Law of Moses. For Christians; Jesus’ Way and teachings.]
13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight,
but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.”
[It’s not which religion that counts, it’s if you obey the law that
matters. Jesus’ law simplified is “Love one another as yourself.“]
14 (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law,
do by nature things required by the law,
THEY ARE A LAW FOR THEMSELVES [–my capitals],
even though they do not have the law,”
[ When non-Christians or non-Jews are kind to other people and respect God and
his creation, it doesn’t matter if they knew beforehand who Jesus is, as the next
two passages attest; Matthew 12:32 & Luke 12:10, Jesus (the Son of Man);
12:32; Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven,…”
12:10; And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man
will be forgiven,…” ]
Romans 2:12-16, cont.;
15 since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts,
their consciences also bearing witness,
and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.)”
[ If we love our neighbors, by extension we love God, and God’s law is written
in our hearts. Our consciences, God and of Christ within us, will judge us…
John 10:35, Jesus; …—and the Scripture cannot be broken—…” ]
Romans 2:12-16, cont.;
16 This will take place on the[Judgment] day
when God will judge men’s secrets through Jesus Christ,
as my gospel declares.”
The way Romans 2:12-16 reconciles with John 14:6, where Jesus said,
“No one comes to the Father except through me…” is that “Jesus” is only one
of many names Christ has used. His other names include; “Gabriel”, “Brahma”,
“Elisha”,”Deganawidah” (the”Peacemaker”),”Tunkashila”,and more. Jesus has
visited all peoples, so each already has a path through Christ. This is covered
in far greater depth in the next chapter, “The Many Names of Christ”.
As it is written…
Ephesians 2:13-14, 18, Paul;
13 But now in Christ Jesus
you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
14 For he himself is our peace…”
18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.”
God is just and people of all faiths who practice the universal law of “love one
another” are “saved”. That’s the good news of the gospel! Traditional Christian
theology offers a counterfeit “salvation” requiring the Father and Christ to deny
their Four Divine Attributes, contradicting Christ’s words…
John 5:19, Jesus;
“I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself;
he can do only what he sees his Father doing,
because whatever the Father does the Son also does.”
John 5:22, Jesus;
“…the Father judges no one,…”
Jesus does only what the Father does. Since the Father doesn’t judge,
neither does the Son.
John 8:15, Jesus; “You judge by human standards;
I pass judgment on no one.”
John 6:37-39, Jesus;
37 All that the Father gives me will come to me,
and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.
38 For I have come…to do the will of him who sent me.
39 And this is the will of him who sent me,
that I shall lose none of all that he has given me,
but raise them up at the last day.”
As for judgment…
Romans 2:15, Paul;
“…their [people at the judgment] consciences also bearing witness,
and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.”
John 3:20, John;
Everyone who does evil hates the light,
and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.”
Psalm 34:21; Evil will slay the wicked;…”
Romans 12:16, where God judges us through Jesus Christ, reconciles with
these passages only if it’s meant as self-judgment by Christ’s spirit within us,
because Jesus can’t judge. The guilty, ego-centered consciences of the wicked,
drive themselves away from the Light. Romans 2, verses 15 & 16, show how
those not exposed to the gospel, or who rejected religion for one reason or
another are saved—but they must acknowledge Christ in his fullness at this time
if they want in. For those with humility and proper heart-set—love for others—
this will not be a problem.
Some will argue “Gentile” refers to non-Semitic Christians. If this were so,
why, if we’re already saved, would our conscience accuse or defend us as
Romans 2:15 states? In 1 Corinthians 9:21, Paul said;
“…though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law…”
As Christians are under Christ’s Law, how can they be a “law for themselves”,
as it says in Romans 2:14? The term “Gentile” means exactly what Paul meant it
to mean—anyone not Jewish or Christian. This sheds an entirely new light on…
1 Corinthians12:12-13, Paul;
12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts;
and though all its parts are many, they form one body.
So it is with Christ.
13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-
whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—
and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.”
Now, we understand the different peoples and faiths together form the
body of Christ. Next, to ensure the NIV version of Romans 2 was correct,
we’ll look at four more versions of it…
CATHOLIC (NAB) VERSION
Romans 2:12-16;
12 All who sin outside the Law, will also perish* without reference to it,
and all who sin under the Law, will be judged in accordance with it.
13 For it is not those who hear the Law who are just in the sight of God;
rather those who observe the Law will be justified.
14 For when the Gentiles who do not have the law
by nature observe the prescriptions of the law,
they are a law unto themselves, even though they do not have the law.
15 They show that the demands of the Law are written in their hearts,
while their conscience also bears witness
and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even defend them.
16 on the day when, according to my gospel,
God will judge people’s hidden works through Christ Jesus.”
* Interpret “perish” figuratively as meaning “extreme embarrassment” and “guilt”,
not literal “death”.
KING JAMES VERSION*
Romans 2:12-16;
12 For as many as sinned without law shall also perish without law:
and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God,
but the doers of the law shall be justified.
14 For when Gentiles, which have not the law,
do by nature the things contained in the law,
these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves
15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts,
Their consciences also bearing witness,
And their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;
16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ
according to my gospel.”
Romans 2:11, Paul;
For God does not show favoritism.”
NEW WORLD TRANSLATION
Romans 2:12-16;
12 For instance,
all those who sinned without the law will also perish without the law,
but all those who sinned under the law will be judged by the law.
13For the hearers of the law are not the ones righteous before God,
but the doers of law will be declared righteous.
14 For whenever people of the nations that do not have the law
do by nature the things of the law,
these people, although not having law, are a law to themselves.
15 They are the very ones
who demonstrate the matter of the law to be written in their hearts,
while their conscience is bearing witness with them and,
between their own thoughts, they are being accused or even excused.
16 This will be in the day when God through Christ Jesus
judges the secret things of mankind.
according to the good news I declare.”
* Italics in the King James version are not mine.)
NEW REVISED STANDARD
Romans 2:12-16;
12 All who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law,
and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.
13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous in God’s sight,
but the doers of the law who will be justified.
14 When Gentiles, who do not possess the law,
do instinctively what the law requires,
these, though not having the law, are a law to themselves.
15 They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts,
to which their own conscience also bears witness;
and their conflicting thoughts will accuse or perhaps excuse them
16 on the day when, according to my gospel,
God, through Jesus Christ, will judge the secret thoughts of all.”
DIRECT GREEK TO ENGLISH LITERAL TRANSLATION
(taken from The New Greek-English Interlinear New Testament);
Romans 2:12-16;
12 For-as many as without law sinned, without law also will perish,
and as many as in(under) law sinned, by law will be judged;
13 for-not the hearers of law [are] just with God,
but the doers of law will be justified.
14 For-when Gentiles –
not having~[the] law by nature the things of the law practise,
these a law not having to themselves are a law;
15 who demonstrate the work of the law written in the hearts of them,
bearing joint-witness
their conscience and between one another their thoughts accusing or even defending,
16 in a day when judges God the hidden things – of men,
according to the gospel of me, through Christ Jesus.”
Next time, examples of scripture supporting the principle salvation extends to
righteous people of different religions.