The Salvation of the Nations

The Good News announced by Jesus of Nazareth offers salvation and life to men and women of every nation and nationality.

According to Jesus, “all authority in Heaven and on Earth is given to me, therefore, go and make disciples of all nations!” He sent his disciples to announce his Lordship and Salvation to the “ends of the Earth.” With his Death and Resurrection, the Era of Salvation commenced, therefore, his life-giving message must be announced to all men and every nation. The Son of God has achieved salvation for humanity!

God exalted Christ to reign from His throne as promised in the Scriptures: “I will give you the nations for your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the Earth for your possession.” This same Royal Messiah now sends his ambassadors to announce the Good News of his Kingdom to all men – (Psalm 2:8, Revelation 1:5).

[Globe Photo by Nicole Geri on Unsplash]

Salvation is for men, women, and children of every nation - without exception. Jesus died and God raised him from the dead for the sake of all men. We must, therefore, no longer live for ourselves but for Him. God loved humanity so much that He “gave his only born Son” so all men might believe and receive “everlasting life” – (John 3:16, Acts 2:36-38, 2 Corinthians 5:17-20).

Because he suffered “for our sins,” God raised Jesus from the dead and “highly exalted him, granting him the name that is above every name” - ‘Jesus’ - the name that means “Yahweh saves!”

Jesus is the only source of salvation, for there is “no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Christ alone is the “way, the truth, and the life through whom we come to the Father” – (Acts 4:12, John 14:6).

God has made this same Jesus who was crucified by his contemporaries “Lord and Messiah.” Inevitably, all men will bow to his name, one way or the other, and acknowledge him as “Lord.”

• “You are worthy to take the Book, and to open its Seven Seals, for you were slain and purchased for God with your blood men of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation, and made them a kingdom and priests for our God, and they are reigning upon the earth” – (Revelation 5:9-10, Acts 2:36).

This salvation for all nations was promised by the God of Israel through the Hebrew prophets. It is now available to all men through Jesus Christ, Jew and Gentile alike, and this same Messiah is “shepherding the nations” until they stand before him in the Holy City, “New Jerusalem” – (Philippians 2:6-11, Revelation 1:4-6, 7:9-17, 12:5-11, 21:24).

“I, Yahweh, have called you in righteousness, and I will hold your hand, and I will keep you and give you for a covenant of the people, for a light of the nations” – (Isaiah 42:6).

• “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Nations. The people that sat in darkness saw a great light, and to those who sat in the region and shadow of death, to them did light spring up” - (Matthew 4:15-16).

• “These are they that come out of the Great Tribulation, and they washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the Throne of God; and they serve him day and night in his Sanctuary, and he who is sitting on the Throne will spread his Tent over them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any longer; neither shall the sun strike upon them, nor any heat: for the Lamb that is in the midst of the Throne will shepherd them, and he will lead them to fountains of waters of life, and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes” – (Revelation 7:14-17).

All nations belong to Jesus of Nazareth. His sacrificial death voided the legal claim of Satan over humanity, and his resurrection broke the iron grip of Death that held us all.

This is a radical message of liberation from the tyranny of Sin, Satan, and Death that all men must hear – (1 Corinthians 15:1-6, Philippians 2:6-11, Hebrews 2:14-15, Revelation 1:6-8,3:21, 5:5-14).

ONE MESSAGE FOR ALL PEOPLE

God has “spoken” with finality through His Son. Only Jesus “achieved the purification of sin,” therefore, he sits “at the right hand of the Majesty on High places” as the Great High Priest who gives salvation and life to his People. He alone provides forgiveness of sin to every man who acknowledges His Lordship and embraces His Good News – (Isaiah 53:12, Hebrews 1:1-4).

Salvation is available to all men “through the faith of Jesus Christ for all who believe, for there is no distinction.” The offer of life is provided for each of us because of the faithful obedience of the Son of God who “died for our sins” even when we were “enemies of God” and still “dead in our trespasses” – (Romans 3:21-22).

Because of his Death and Resurrection, we may now receive the forgiveness of sins and justification before God, whether Jew or Gentile, male or female, rich or poor; namely, “from the faith of Jesus Christ.” Death still occurs, but for those men who belong to Jesus, it will be reversed when Christ raises them from the dead on the Last Day. Then we will shout--:

• “The last enemy that shall be abolished is death <…> Death is swallowed up in victory. O Death, where is your victory? O Death, where is your sting! The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Law, but thanks be to God who is giving us the victory through our Lord, Jesus Christ” – (1 Corinthians 15:54-57).

Considering his self-sacrificial act for our benefit when we deserved only condemnation and death, we must respond to his gracious offer by placing faith in Jesus and what God has accomplished through him. Refusing to do so would be folly.

God is forming a new community composed of men and women from every nation redeemed by the blood of His Son – from every “nation, people, tribe and tongue,” just as Yahweh covenanted with Abraham. “In you will all the tribes of the Earth be blessed.” Every person who places faith in Jesus becomes a member of this one holy community and receives salvation – (Genesis 12:3, Ephesians 2:15).

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a message of life and hope for every man, woman, and child. It transcends all national and cultural boundaries. His disciples proclaim one message for all men, whether “Jew or Gentile, bond or free, male and female, for all are one in Christ Jesus!” – (Galatians 3:28).

His “Good News” is a universal message and thus a world religion in the truest sense of the term. It is not limited to any single nation or geographical location. All men have sinned. Everyone needs forgiveness, salvation, and everlasting life. No one deserves this salvation, but God offers it to one and all through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Finally, salvation is provided on the same basis to every man, woman, and child, namely, from the faith of Jesus Christ. All we can do is respond with repentance and faith to God’s offer and the self-sacrificial act of the Nazarene who “gave his life a ransom for many.”

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SEE ALSO:

• The Salvation of Yahweh - (Jesus means ‘Yahweh saves.’ In this Man of Nazareth, the Salvation promised by the God of Abraham and Israel has arrived for all men)

• Redeeming the Nations - (The kings and nations of the Earth are found in New Jerusalem because of the Lamb’s redemptive work)

• No Other Name! - (Jesus Christ fulfills the promise to bless all nations in Abraham. There is salvation in No Other Name)

• The Beginning of the Good News - (The promised Kingdom of God arrived in the ministry of Jesus the Messiah, commencing with his baptism – Mark 1:1-3)