We are living in a day of great apostasy, and many people are unsure about what to believe about salvation and the end-times in which we live. So here is a passage of scripture right from the very mouth of Jesus Christ Himself. He is also known by the name of Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1:8,11 21:6, 22:13), the First and the Last (Isaiah 44:6, 48:12, Revelation 1:11,17, 2:8, 22:13) and last, but not least, the Almighty (Revelation 1:8). The credentials of Jesus Christ are pretty impressive for sure, and it would certainly benefit us, to take His words seriously.
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. (John 15:1-6)
The Lord uses this illustration of a vine for a reason. If you take a look at the Old Covenant (Testament) book of Isaiah, (Isaiah 5) you will see how this very same Lord, (the eternal Christ) used that illustration in describing the people of Israel. It is important to remember that the New Covenant has done away with, and replaced the Old Covenant. (There is not a postponement) This is the very center of this whole issue here. Jesus is much greater than the children and “House of Israel”, and it is they (and everybody else also) who need to repent and believe the good news about Him. (Mark 1:15) Until that happens, there is no hope for them. (or anybody else either)
Every person, whether Jewish or Gentile, either accepts, or rejects, Jesus Christ on an individual basis. Since the time of the incarnation Jesus Christ, almost 2000 years have passed by, and literally billions of souls have been born, and died during that time. Some have been “Gentiles” and some have been “Jewish” but each and every one of them had an appointment with death. (Hebrews 9:27) There was absolutely nothing in their family “heritage” that would have helped them in their standing with God. Either they knew Jesus Christ (and remained in Him by faith) or they did not know Him. The Lord Jesus Christ gave us a very simple and clear illustration regarding those branches that did not remain in Him. he said that they were cast forth as a branch and burned. Try cutting a branch off of the tree in your yard, and keep it for a few days, and watch what happens to that branch. The leaves will shrivel and dry up, because there is no “life” giving nourishment within the branch. It is good for nothing, and it is ready to be burned! This teaching on the “True Vine” by Jesus Christ is another clear refutation of the “once saved always saved” false teaching that is rampant even in our own time.
There Is A Spiritual Veil Upon the Unsaved
When a person gets saved, and they are truly born again of the Spirit, it is like an inner light being turned on from above. When that does happen, a person knows beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Jesus Christ is in fact the very Son of God, the Alpha and Omega and everything else that I described earlier.They also know that there is absolutely no other way of salvation outside of Jesus Christ. (Isaiah 44:6, John 14:6, Acts 4:10-12) If a person does not agree with that, then I assure you, that they are not true believers in Jesus Christ themselves, because they make God out to be a liar. (1 John 5:10-12) That is how it was for me when I came to know the Lord. I was a religious, unsaved, Roman Catholic, on my way to Hell, until I received that great mercy and salvation from my precious Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (John 1:12, Romans 5:8-9) Now I would like you to read what the Jewish apostle Paul wrote regarding the people of Israel who rejected Jesus Christ in his own day:
But their MINDS were BLINDED: for until this day REMAINETH the same vail untaken away in the reading of the OLD TESTAMENT; which vail is done away in CHRIST. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless WHEN it shall TURN to the LORD, the vail shall be TAKEN AWAY. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. (2 Corinthians 3:14-17)
That same spiritual veil remains upon the children of Israel throughout the world, and it remains upon all others who also reject Jesus Christ as Lord! That same spiritual vail was upon my own heart until my merciful Lord and Saviour opened my spiritual eyes. There are literally millions of people who sit inside church buildings every week who have never been truly born again of the Spirit. Sometimes the problem can be traced to the pulpits where the Pastors themselves are still unsaved. The bottom line is this. Make sure that you are abiding in the TRUE vine which is Jesus Christ. Make sure that you have the LIFE that is found only in the Son of God, whom was sent to this earth to SAVE our souls!
He that believeth on the SON OF GOD hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not GOD hath made him a LIAR; because he believeth not the record that GOD gave of his SON. 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 5:10-12)
The people of Islam (Muslims) do not even believe that God has a Son, so how could they possibly have eternal life? The Jewish people do not believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God either! Read the following passage of scripture for yourself, and you will see how the Jews sought to KILL Jesus Christ, because he said that God was his Father!
“And therefore did the JEWS persecute JESUS, and sought to SLAY HIM, because he had done these things on the sabbath day. But JESUS answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the JEWS sought the more to KILL him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that GOD was HIS FATHER, making himself EQUAL with GOD.” (John 5:16-18)
The scriptures are read in Jewish synagogues every Sabbath day, but the people within those same Jewish synagogues completely MISS what the prophets have already said! The word of salvation in Jesus Christ is despised and ignored even until this day!
“Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this SALVATION sent. For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him. ” (Acts 13:26-27)
Jesus Christ rebuked His “own” (John 1:11) Jewish people in His day using words so simple that a child could understand them. You probably will not hear these words being shared at many Christian Zionism meetings, though because it would not be politically correct to do so. These words still stand true to this very day, and they apply to both Jewish and Gentile people (that’s everybody) throughout the world!
Search the scriptures; for in them YE THINK ye have ETERNAL LIFE: and they are they which TESTIFY OF ME. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. I receive not honour from men. But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. (John 5:39-43)