In Matthew chapter one we find Joseph, the espoused husband of Mary, having a dream in which the angel of the Lord is telling him that he is not to put the pregnant Mary away, but that he is to embrace her in that she has been impregnated by God’s Holy Spirit. Not only that, but the child she is carrying is the Son of God who will “… save HIS PEOPLE from their sins” (vss 20,21). Before we delve into the identity of “HIS PEOPLE” whom He would save, let us note that He would save them “FROM (not in) THEIR SINS.”

Verse 23 records that the angel continued by quoting from the Old Testament: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, ‘God with us.'” The question is, who is “US” whom Mary’s baby would save from their sins? From verses 20 and 21 we learn that the answer is, “His (the Son’s) people.” Her Son would save His people from their sins. But this does not answer the question as to EXACTLY WHO DID GOD SEND JESUS TO EARTH TO SAVE? WHO WERE “HIS PEOPLE?” The question is answered in 2:6 where those who seek Biblical Truth learn that from the city of Bethlehem would come “a GOVERNOR (Jesus) Who shall RULE MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.” Notice the words associated with this miraculously-conceived man-child: GOVERNOR, RULE, MY, ISRAEL, US. The message is: TO BE SAVED BY JESUS CHRIST ONE MUST BE RULED/GOVERNED BY HIM IN THIS LIFE.

To be a GOVERNOR/RULER in the Biblical (spiritual) sense one must GOVERN, meaning to control the lives of those people who live according to the GOVERNOR’S GOVERNANCE (act of ruling). Rulers rule according to their laws which are normally preserved in written form. The HEAD/ GOVERNOR of the CHURCH RULES HIS PEOPLE according to His STRICT (no exceptions) rules of acceptance (church membership) which involve strict adherence to His NARROW (restricted) walk of obedience to His LAW. As Jesus tells us in Matthew 10:22, those who obey Him “UNTIL THE END OF LIFE SHALL (THEN) BE SAVED.” As the Apostle Peter makes clear, not everyone in the church obeys the Lord. For this reason judgment is ongoing herein, and only the righteous will be saved, and they just barely (1 Pet. 4:17,18). He reminds us of God’s command for holiness in 1:15,16 where he tells us that we must “be holy for/as your heavenly Father is holy” (1 Pet. 1:15,16). I have found that most church people hate those verses with a passion.

As noted, those who do as they are COMMANDED TO DO have a special place among those who are called by God’s name whom He collectively calls “MY PEOPLE.” Read the Series titled Who Are God’s People? and “My People who are Called by My Name?” Key words People and Called respectively. And who does the Lord identify as His people? ISRAEL. These are the people who have been known throughout recorded history as “THE PEOPLE OF THE BOOK.” The Hebrew word for “book” is “bible.” One will notice that the ONLY SUBJECT found in the Holy Bible is ISRAEL. As is well known by readers of this website, Gentiles who embrace the Biblical God become SPIRITUAL ISRAELITES, also known as SPIRITUAL JEWS. Read the series on Spiritual Jews. Key word–Jews.

Almost 2000 years ago “the church” separated the so-called Old Testament from the so-called New Testament and has placed the former in the dustbin of church history. This is a deadly act of rebellion against the Author of the Bible. One will notice where Malichi ends Matthew begins. There should be no separation of the Holy Scriptures into two segments. Let us remember that the New Testament was founded on the writings of both “the PROPHETS and the APOSTLES (Eph. 2:20) with no indication that one group was superior to the other in Biblical importance. Recall that the apostles taught the New Testament Church out of the Old Testament (Acts 17:11). The New Testament would not come into existence until all but one of the apostles had been killed. We need to keep in mind that the same Gospel that was taught to Abraham (Gal. 3:8) was also taught to the New Testament Church as God’s instrument of instruction, even to “the end of the world (1 Cor. 10:11). Until the establishment of the New Testament Church on the Day of Pentecost 31 A.D., the Jews were still living under the Old Testament Law of sacrifices, rituals, etc. Recall that when a lawyer (Lk. 10:25-28) and a rich man (Mk. 10:17-22) asked Jesus what they must do to receive eternal life, His answer to both men was the same: OBEY THE LAW–meaning the Ten Commandment Law. His death would not affect that rule for obtaining salvation. During the Last Supper Jesus announced the death of the sacrificial law (handwriting of ordinances) and institution of His blood for the removal of sins henceforth. The Ten Commandments were to remain in place forever. Read John 8:31; 14:15; 15:9,10,13,14 and Matthew 7:21-23; 19:17 along with First John 2:3-5 and 3:1-10.

The meaning of the above information is Biblically clear: IN ORDER TO BE A CHILD OF GOD IN THIS LIFE ONE MUST BE RULED BY JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO THE LAW HE GAVE TO HIS PEOPLE ISRAEL FROM ATOP MT. SINAI AND WROTE IN STONE. God’s true people then and His true people now are of the same spiritual heart-set: HIS PEOPLE THEN AND NOW ARE “THE PEOPLE OF THE BOOK.” THE BIBLE WAS WRITTEN TO, FOR AND ABOUT ONLY ONE SPIRITUAL NATION–ISRAEL. Now, as then, in order to receive the promises found written in It one must obey what one reads. This includes First John 3:4 and Romans 6:23: TO TRANSGRESS THE LAW IS SIN, FOR SIN IS THE TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW. THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH. In order to avoid eternal death, one must obey the Law of life.

Contrary to near universal church opinion, JESUS DID NOT NAIL THE LAW TO THE CROSS. THE LAW NAILED JESUS TO THE CROSS. In order for His death on the cross to have any effect on one’s present and future life one must obey His Words/Law/Truth/Light. In John 12:48 Jesus lays to rest all questions as to what He commands of those who would join Him in paradise. We will now dive deeply into those life-or-death-producing Words.

In verses 44 and 45 Jesus equates Himself with His Father, noting that to believe (all of) His Words is to believe the Father’s Words, for they are one and the same as He declares in verses 49 and 50 where He tells us that if we reject any of His Words we reject Him and will be judged by His Words (every word in the Holy Bible). In verse 46 He equates His and His Father’s Words to light. Recall in John 9:5 and Matthew 5:14 where He tells the disciples that both He and they are “the light of the world,” meaning that the 13 of them carried the same singular light–His Holy Words.

In John 12:50 Jesus sums up the importance of His Words, saying that THEY ARE EVERLASTING LIFE (IF BELIEVED AND OBEYED) BECAUSE THEY ARE THE WORDS HE HAD HEARD FROM HIS FATHER–THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE. In John 8:16 He reiterates that He and His Father are of one mind relative to judgment. Their instrument of judgment is the Holy Bible–every word, jot and tittle of it. In Luke 10:16 He states that anyone who rejects any part of His Word is proclaiming that they DESPISE BOTH HIM AND HIS FATHER. THIS MEANS THAT SUNDAY SABBATH KEEPERS DESPISE BOTH GOD AND CHRIST.

In summary, in order to be a child of God in this life and the next life, those who profess to be His children must know, believe and obey His Word/Law. The invitation to live with Father and Son in paradise forever is extended to everyone of every race. Also, the present day rules one must obey in order to live with Them are the same for everyone of every race at all times. THUS SAITH THE LORD IN HIS HOLY SCRIPTURES. Believe and obey His Law and the promise is sure, for doing so one makes himself a CHILD OF GOD.

CORRECTION: I have repeatedly used the wrong verse when referring to Christ’s statement that “though many are called, few are chosen.” The correct reference is Matthew 20:16, not 14. L.J.

way to the Kingdom of God.