I continuously see people talking about non-Torah observant devout Christians in Torah communities.
They are spoken of as being brothers and sisters in Christ and part of the Kingdom.
It is absolutely not mine, nor anyone else’s responsibility to decide another person’s eternal fate. Only Yeshua Messiah has that authority, and even He says we will be judged by the Torah and not by Himself.
John 12:47-48
47 “If anyone hears My words but doesn’t keep them, I do not judge him; for I came to save the world, not to judge the world. 48 The one who rejects Me and doesn’t receive My words has a judge; the word I spoke will judge him on the last day.
OK, now that we have that cleared up, please understand this post is not about self-righteousness, arrogance, criticism, condemnation, or anything else along those lines.
This post is about seeing what the scriptures say on this matter — and believing it.
Are non-Torah observant devout Christians part of the kingdom?
The scriptures decide this for us; not me, not you, and not anyone else. We do not get to decide if they are in or out.
We can only study scripture and show others what we find.
There are many scriptures that speak to this idea, but let’s look at one single concept.
The Sabbath.
Yehova says this about the Sabbath in Exodus 31
“‘Surely you must keep My Shabbatot, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations”
Key points:
1> Must keep My Shabbatot
2> Sign between Yehova and His people forever
Non-Torah observant devout Christians fail at #1 and therefore do not have the sign of being one of Yehova’s people in #2.
Yehova follows up with this information about His Sabbath:
“Everyone who profanes it will die, for whoever does any work during Shabbat, that soul will be cut off from the midst of his people.”
Key points:
3> Those who profane it will die
4> Their soul shall be cut off from the people
Again, these very bad things apply to Christianity.
If we look at no other scripture, we know from these words of Yehova that anyone who rejects His Sabbath is not one of His people, and is cut off from the people who ARE His people.
This includes Christians, Muslims, Hindus, New Agers, Atheists, etc, etc.
There is “Being-In-Covenant” with the Father, according to His instructions, and there is “Not-In-Covenant.”
People get to choose which they will be. Free will and free choice.
Does Yeshua Messiah tell us the same type of things?
Yes, He does.
Matthew 7:21-23
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, and drive out demons in Your name, and perform many miracles in Your name?’ 23 Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Get away from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’”
Key Points
1> Messiah says only those who do the will of the Father will be in the Kingdom.
2> People who say they serve Him will be rejected
3> Disqualifier? Lawlessness!!
The will of the Father is that His people honor His Sabbath, among other things (that Christians also do not do).
He even says it is the sign of His people.
If you do not have the sign, you are not His people.
If you do not honor the Sabbath, then you are not doing the will of the Father, and Yeshua says you are not in the Kingdom.
This is all very simple. It is stated plainly in scripture by Yehova and Yeshua, among others.
But people ignore it because they want to believe something else.
Are we allowed to ignore the Word?
Are we allowed to reject the Word?
Are we allowed to delete things from the Word?
Nope, nope, and nope.
Deuteronomy 4:2
You must not add to the word that I am commanding you or take away from it—in order to keep the commandments of Yehova your Elohim that I am commanding you.
Deuteronomy 13:1
“Whatever I command you, you must take care to do—you are not to add to it or take away from it.”
Revelation 22:18-19
I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book. If anyone adds to them, Yehova shall add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, Yehova shall take away his share in the Tree of Life and the Holy City, which are written in this book.
Proverbs 30:5-6
5 Every word of Yehova is purified.
He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
6 Do not add to His words,
or else He will rebuke You and prove you a liar.
Shall we listen to what Yeshua says, and BELIEVE HIM?
Yeshua says this in John 10
25 Yeshua answered them, “I told you, but you don’t believe! The works I do in My Father’s name testify concerning Me. 26 But you don’t believe, because you are not My sheep. 27 My sheep hear My voice. I know them, and they follow Me. 28 I give them eternal life! They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”
If you reject what Yeshua says about people who do not do the will of the Father (and therefore are not in the Kingdom) – then you do not know His voice, which means you are not one of his sheep.
Stop and think about that for a minute… Do your thoughts, ideas, beliefs, and statements indicate that you do not know the things Yeshua says? Or worse, that you reject the things Yeshua says?
In order to be His sheep, we must know the things He says and do them. We must follow Him.
Yeshua says that His sheep hear His voice and —- HE KNOWS THEM.
This is very important.
What does Yeshua say about people who do not do the will of the Father?
“‘I never knew you. Get away from Me, you workers of lawlessness!”
He does not know those who do not do the will of the Father, which means they are NOT HIS SHEEP.
I know very few people will agree with me on this idea, but you must realize this is what scripture says, the very words of Yehova and Yeshua.
This is not my idea, but our Creator’s.
Please pray about these scriptures, the very words of Yehova and Yeshua Messiah.
Please pray for those that call Him Master but do not do the things He says.
Luke 6:46
“Why do you call Me ‘Master, Master’ and do not do what I say?”
More information with regard to the idea that lawless Christians are not part of the Kingdom:
For everyone debating against this idea—- Peter said the same thing.
He said those who misunderstand/twist Paul’s words AND the rest of the scriptures —- they will be destroyed.
Peter does not say they will be confused or mislead, but will still be least in the kingdom.
Nope, Peter says they will be destroyed for getting this stuff wrong.
Just in case people don’t understand this, he says it a second time:
If you follow the error of the lawless, you will lose your sure-footing.
2Peter 3:14-17
14 Therefore, loved ones, while you are looking for these things, make every effort to be found in shalom, spotless and blameless before Him. 15 Bear in mind that the patience of our Lord means salvation—just as our dearly loved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom given to him. 16 He speaks about these matters in all of his letters. Some things in them are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist (as they also do with the rest of the Scriptures)—to their own destruction.
17 Since you already know all this, loved ones, be on your guard so that you are not led astray by the error of the lawless and lose your sure footing.
Yeshua Messiah says those who keep the commands will have access to the Tree of Life and will be able to enter the city of New Jerusalem (where the elect will live with Yehova).
Yeshua also says who will not be in the Kingdom:
Those who love and practice a lie will not be there
Rev 22:14-15
14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.
The lies that Yeshua speaks of should not be a surprise to us.
Jeremiah told us about it way back when…
Jer 16:19-20
19 O Lord, my strength and my fortress,
My refuge in the day of affliction,
The Gentiles shall come to You
From the ends of the earth and say,
“Surely our fathers have inherited lies,
Worthlessness and unprofitable things.”
20 Will a man make gods for himself,
Which are not gods?
So what about mainstream Christians who chase after lies?
They are also spoken of in scripture:
2Tim 4:3-4
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.