Who then
can be saved?
25When his disciples heard it,
they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? 26But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are
possible. (Matthew 19)
My intent with this letter is to give a
break down of the various groups of people that Jesus spoke of and their relevance to salvation verses damnation. In other
words who can be saved and what did Jesus say about it.
There are specifically three groups or
categories that Jesus put all men into and this will be the order of the discussion. The premise of this argument is that
Jesus is the Christ and the only way to God the father and salvation.
- The enemies of God.
- The religious but lost.
- The sheep (disciples).
The enemies of God:
This is the most obvious of the three groups.
They fall into the category of those that will not have Jesus to reign over them. They fall into the categories of atheist,
evolutionist and other religions apart from Jesus.
Luke 19:14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after
him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.
Luke 19:27 But those mine enemies, which would not that I should
reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.
The religious but lost:
This is the confusing group and difficult
to distinguish. They believe that Jesus is the Christ, they are zealous towards God and Christ, but they have never repented
of sin to serve the Lord. They follow a religious path in Jesus name but they don’t follow Jesus. They would fall into the
category of “hypocrite”. Paul said this of the Jews also in reference to their
zeal.
Matthew 15:7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart
is far from me. 9But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines
the commandments of men.
Romans 10:2 For I bear
them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness,
and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my
Father which is in heaven. 22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have
we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
The sheep (disciples):
The disciples of the Lord Jesus are totally
devoted servants to the Lord. They hear the word of God and obey it. They give their life a living sacrifice, in love. The
disciples of Christ are what is called Christian.
Acts 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch.
And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they
follow me: 28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither
shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
John
13:34 A new commandment I
give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Luke
14:27 And whosoever doth not
bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 28For which of you, intending
to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
The two groups of disciples:
The
disciples are further broken down into two groups.
- Those that endure to the end. (bear fruit)
- Those that turn away. (bear no fruit)
Matthew 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s
sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
Hebrews 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul
shall have no pleasure in him.
Luke 9:62 And Jesus said
unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
John 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2Every 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. 3Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4Abide 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. 5I 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. 6If 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. 7If ye abide in me, and my words
abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8Herein
is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
Matthew 25:26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed
not, and gather where I have not strawed: 27Thou oughtest therefore to have put
my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. 28Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. 29For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall
be taken away even that which he hath. 30And cast ye the unprofitable servant into
outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 24:45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom
his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? 46Blessed is
that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 47Verily I say unto you, That he
shall make him ruler over all his goods. 48But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart,
My lord delayeth his coming; 49And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and
drink with the drunken; 50The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for
him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, 51And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him
his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
There are so many scriptures and
examples that Jesus and his Apostles have given to show the truth and give us understanding of Gods will. The enemies and
the religious are not disciples of Jesus Christ. The disciples are repeatedly warned to be and remain faithful and obedient
until the end or they shall be cast out like a withered branch into the fire also. This is not a complete study on the subject,
of course, but will serve as a guide to individual studies.