Who Will Jesus Deny?
"Whoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 10:32-33)
The context is NOT salvation. Jesus was speaking to the house of Israel concerning the promise of God to Israel to reestablish the Kingdom of Israel ON THE EARTH at some time in the future. The JEWS who do not confess that Jesus is their Messiah will be denied entrance into that Kingdom when it is restored by Jesus at his 2nd coming. The timing of this restoration of the Kingdom was the last thing the JEWISH apostles asked Jesus about before he ascended into heaven after his resurrection.
"So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, Lord, is it at this time you are restoring the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1:1-10)
After the ascension of Jesus, Peter told the JEWS that if THEY would repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus he would immediately return and restore the Kingdom as promised by their "holy prophets from ancient time".
"...repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you (Israel), whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time...It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant of God made with your fathers" (Acts 3:20-25)
We Gentiles have no part in this covenant, and Israel did not repent and eventually blindness came upon Israel and remains today - nearly 2000 years later. Paul tells us that this blindness was a "mystery", but Jesus would someday return and "all Israel shall be saved".
"For I would not, brethren that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob" (Romans 11:25-26)
The Bible is full of the details of what happens just before the return of Jesus to restore the Kingdom to Israel. That is what the book of Revelation is all about. But even that age and Kingdom ends after 1000 years.
The context is NOT salvation. Jesus was speaking to the house of Israel concerning the promise of God to Israel to reestablish the Kingdom of Israel ON THE EARTH at some time in the future. The JEWS who do not confess that Jesus is their Messiah will be denied entrance into that Kingdom when it is restored by Jesus at his 2nd coming. The timing of this restoration of the Kingdom was the last thing the JEWISH apostles asked Jesus about before he ascended into heaven after his resurrection.
"So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, Lord, is it at this time you are restoring the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1:1-10)
After the ascension of Jesus, Peter told the JEWS that if THEY would repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus he would immediately return and restore the Kingdom as promised by their "holy prophets from ancient time".
"...repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you (Israel), whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time...It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant of God made with your fathers" (Acts 3:20-25)
We Gentiles have no part in this covenant, and Israel did not repent and eventually blindness came upon Israel and remains today - nearly 2000 years later. Paul tells us that this blindness was a "mystery", but Jesus would someday return and "all Israel shall be saved".
"For I would not, brethren that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob" (Romans 11:25-26)
The Bible is full of the details of what happens just before the return of Jesus to restore the Kingdom to Israel. That is what the book of Revelation is all about. But even that age and Kingdom ends after 1000 years.
"Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection...but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." (Revelation 20:6)
Israel is the only nation whom God assigned "priests", despite the so called "priesthood of the believer" doctrine taught in some denominational churches.
As far as the "salvation" of ALL mankind from death (both Jew and Gentile), the knowledge of it was brought to ALL mankind when Jesus came the first time.
As far as the "salvation" of ALL mankind from death (both Jew and Gentile), the knowledge of it was brought to ALL mankind when Jesus came the first time.
“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men..." (Titus 2:11)
This "salvation" will be manifested only when those who are still dead after the "first resurrection" are raised to immortal life, and so all death is "destroyed".
"And on this mountain He will swallow up the covering which is over all peoples, even the veil which is stretched over all nations. He will swallow up death for all time, and the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces, and He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; for the LORD has spoken...This is the LORD for whom we have waited; Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation...The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” (Isaiah 25:7-9; 1 Corinthians 15:26)
What is left after death is "destroyed"? Life. Abundant, immortal LIFE - for ALL! That is the good news we are supposed to be sharing.
So, to whom will Jesus deny this salvation? Not one soul.
"It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all mankind, especially of believers. Prescribe and teach these things." (1 Timothy 4:9-11)
"And on this mountain He will swallow up the covering which is over all peoples, even the veil which is stretched over all nations. He will swallow up death for all time, and the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces, and He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; for the LORD has spoken...This is the LORD for whom we have waited; Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation...The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” (Isaiah 25:7-9; 1 Corinthians 15:26)
What is left after death is "destroyed"? Life. Abundant, immortal LIFE - for ALL! That is the good news we are supposed to be sharing.
So, to whom will Jesus deny this salvation? Not one soul.
"It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all mankind, especially of believers. Prescribe and teach these things." (1 Timothy 4:9-11)
Is that what is taught and believed where you assemble together?
A place where they "prescribe and teach these things" is hard to find...I'm still looking. I agree with Jesus when he said...
"...when the Son of Man returns, will he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8)
Very little it seems to me.