Today we will discuss what needs to be done to attain salvation. I know that many people repeat the phrase “salvation by grace” as if nothing needs to be done. Yet, the entire Bible is full of instructions: what to do, what to avoid, how to live. Grace does not mean there are no conditions – it means we are not able to pay for it; however, to benefit from grace, we must respond to God’s call. Not everyone will be saved. Today we will discuss four basic steps that – apart from generally modeling our lives after Christ – are absolutely essential and radically increase the chance of salvation.

 

Let’s start with the words from the Gospel of 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝟏𝟒:𝟔: “Yeshu said: I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” This is the key: there is no other way to the Father. That way is the Messiah, Yeshu. His words must not be disregarded or replaced with our own ideas. He brings people to God (𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟓) and sets the conditions. He will not bring to the Father murderers, rapists, liars, and thieves who do not abandon evil – there are conditions. The first of these is faith.

 

𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝟏𝟎 reminds us: “For if you declare with your mouth that Yeshu is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝟏𝟎:𝟗). So we have a dual requirement: faith in the heart and confession with the mouth. Christ says, “whoever denies Me before people, I will also deny them” – that’s why public confession is necessary. Further (𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝟏𝟎:𝟏𝟑): “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” So another condition is calling on the name. What does that mean? It means addressing Christ in prayer, by name.

 

And take note: in apostolic times, they proclaimed a specific Messiah – 𝐘𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐮 – whom they knew from His teachings and miracles, who was crucified and whom God raised from the dead. Over time, the adversary used the “counterfeit” method: creating similar deities and similar sounds, changing a small detail – 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞. Just as in antiquity various religions understood the concept of “God the Father,” yet worshipped different beings, so today many say “Christ,” but use a different name, directing prayers not to the true Messiah. A simple image: if Christ gave us an “e-mail address” – the name Yeshu – and someone claims any address will work, it contradicts experience: a single changed letter and the message does not reach the recipient. In spiritual reality it is the same – calling on the name is addressing prayers. A different name – a different address. Someone else may even “answer” to lend credibility to the lie (compare the signs and wonders of the false Christ), but that is not our Lord.

 

That is why “calling on the name” means praying to Christ using His name. The claim that one must not pray to Christ is inconsistent with Scripture. “Whatever you ask in my name, I will do.” – He says (𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝟏𝟒:𝟏𝟒). 𝟏 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝟏𝟐:𝟑 warns that no one in the Spirit of God will call Yeshu a curse; on the contrary, only in the Spirit can one confess, “𝐘𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐮 𝐢𝐬 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝.” 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝟐:𝟏𝟎–𝟏𝟏 says that “at the name of Yeshu every knee will bow… and every tongue confess that Yeshu the Anointed is Lord.”

 

𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝐨𝐧𝐞: believe and call on the name of the Lord Yeshu. That means: pray to Him, call upon Him, give Him glory – by His name.

 

𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝐭𝐰𝐨: immersion (baptism) in His name. 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝟐:𝟑𝟖: “Correct yourselves and let each of you be immersed in the name of Yeshu the Anointed for the forgiveness of your shortcomings, and you will receive the gift of the holy Spirit.” This is clear: when people understood their error regarding the Messiah, they asked: “What should we do?” – and heard the answer: repentance and immersion in the name of Yeshu. In 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝟐𝟐:𝟏𝟔 Ananias says to Paul: “Rise up, be immersed and wash away your shortcomings, calling on His name!” We see a close connection: immersion and calling on the name of Yeshu.

 

𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝟖:𝟏𝟐 shows that Philip “taught about the Kingdom of God and the name of Yeshu the Anointed,” and those who believed received immersion. 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝟏𝟎:𝟒𝟖: “He ordered them to be immersed in the name of Yeshu the Anointed.” 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝟏𝟗:𝟓: “When they heard this,”they received immersion in the name of the Lord Yeshu.” This is a consistent apostolic practice. Immersion in the “name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” in the liturgical form we know today is a later formula—𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐘𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐮. If someone was immersed “in the Trinity,” in “Jesus,” “Jeshua,” and the like, they should correct this and receive immersion in the true name. It is an act of belonging: you die to your former life and a servant of Yeshu is born. From this moment on, you belong to Him—and that is your hope.

 

𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞: eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Son of Man. 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝟔 says directly: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has within themselves the life of the age to come, for I will raise them up on the last day.” (𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝟔:𝟓𝟑–𝟓𝟒). This is the condition of fellowship with Christ: “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in them” (𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝟔:𝟓𝟔). The apostle Paul adds: “The cup of blessing… is it not participation in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break… is it not participation in His body?” (𝟏 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝟏𝟎:𝟏𝟔–𝟏𝟕). Christ established the memorial in which bread represents His body, and wine—His blood. This is not cannibalism, but a holy sign of the new covenant. We celebrate the memorial once a year, at the time of His death.

 

𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫: endurance to the end. “Because of my name you will also be hated by everyone, but whoever endures to the end will be saved.” (𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝟏𝟑:𝟏𝟑; 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐰 𝟏𝟎:𝟐𝟐). Not “once saved, always saved,” but faithfulness to the end, even amid opposition for the name of Yeshu. Paul said: “I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Yeshu” (𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝟐𝟏:𝟏𝟑). Revelation commends the assemblies who “endured opposition for my name,” “did not deny my name” (𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟐–𝟑). This is the litmus test of faithfulness.

 

𝐍𝐨𝐰, 𝐚 𝐟𝐞𝐰 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬:

 

– Calling on the name means prayer. The Old Testament shows priests and prophets “calling on the name”—that is, praying. The New Testament confirms this: Christ receives prayers and answers (𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝟏𝟒:𝟏𝟑–𝟏𝟒). There is no biblical prohibition against praying to Christ; on the contrary—it is an expression of faith in His lordship. We pray to the Father as “Our Father,” because the Father’s name was not preserved in purity through the centuries; what is crucial is to come to the Father “in the name of Yeshu.”

 

– “𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞, 𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞, 𝐛𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐝.” (𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝟒:𝟏𝟐). Not in the name YHWH, not in the name “Jesus” or “Jeshua”—but in the name Yeshu, which the apostles brought to the world. No wonder the opponent alters the sound. The Bible teaches that one letter changes the meaning of a name (Abram/Abraham, Sarai/Sarah). A name is not just an arbitrary label, but a sign of identity and authority.

 

– Regarding the supposed meaning “Jeshua = YHWH is salvation”: “Jeshua” is the noun “salvation” (feminine form in Hebrew). The name given to the Messiah is the masculine form—Yeshu—“Savior.” The angel explained: “You will call Him Yeshu, for He will save His people from their sins”—not “YHWH will save through Him,” but “He will save.” Such is the importance of the name given from heaven.

 

– On Greek forms: in the nominative case there is the ending -s (Iesous), but in the vocative, accusative, and most actual uses we have “Iesu”—corresponding to “Yeshu.” If the apostles had used “Jeshua,” in Greek we would see “Iesoua/Iesuas”—but we do not.

 

– On drinking blood and the kind of drink: the symbol of blood is wine. In that climate, fresh juice (oinos was used broadly) would quickly ferment; there were no refrigerators or preservatives. The Passover wine was regular table wine—often diluted, sometimes sour. It is not about the alcohol content, but the sign of the covenant.

 

– About people of the Old Covenant and nations: Judgment belongs to Christ. We know that the righteous patriarchs will be in the new age (𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝟖:𝟓𝟔; 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐰 𝟖:𝟏𝟏). We also know that people who have not heard the Gospel will be judged according to the law written in their hearts (𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝟐:𝟏𝟒–𝟏𝟔).However, the first resurrection concerns those who belong to Yeshu, called on His name, and remained in the covenant.

 

– On the nature of the Son: The Son is not the Father; on earth, He was a human, lower than the angels, could die and rise again. He is the Servant of the Father and the Lord exalted to glory – and the Father wants everyone to honor the Son as they honor the Father (𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝟓:𝟐𝟑). Through the Son, we have access to the Father (𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝟏𝟒:𝟔).

 

– On resistance to the name: Notice that opposition most often arises against the name Yeshu. That is significant: it is precisely what the Lord warned about – persecution “because of my name.” We do not seek disputes, but we do not deny the name.

 

𝐋𝐞𝐭 𝐮𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐬:

 

• Believe in Lord Yeshu and call on His name – pray to Him by name, confessing Him with your lips.

 

• Receive immersion in the name Yeshu – devote yourself to His service and begin a new life.

 

• Partake of His body and blood – participate in the annual Memorial of His death, remaining in the covenant.

 

• Endure to the end – even amid opposition because of His name.

 

𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲, 𝐚 𝐟𝐞𝐰 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧:

 

– “You also have perseverance and have endured hardships for my name — and have not grown weary.” (𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟐:𝟑).

 

– “You hold fast to my name and did not deny your faith in me,” (𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟐:𝟏𝟑).

 

– “Yet you have kept my Word and have not denied my name.” (𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟑:𝟖).

 

Let this be our attitude: to remain in the word, in the name, and in the love of the Lord. If you have questions – write. If you feel in your heart that it is time to return to the Lord and set things right – do it today.

 

𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐘𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝!