Requirements for the Blessing and Salvation

Video link





Prior to the Cross, the requirement for the blessing was conditional. It required the people to do something first (Obey the Commandments) and then after they obeyed, the LORD was enabled to bless them. If the people didn't obey they were cursed (Deuteronomy 28). However, after the Cross...after Jesus shed His Blood at Calvary, He changed the order. Now under the New Covenant of Grace, the blessing comes to us because of what Jesus did first. He perfectly obeyed God's commandments on our behalf, and He paid the full price for our redemption. He redeemed us from the curse of the law so the blessing of Abraham will come on us (Galatians 3:13,14). We are blessed because of Jesus' perfect obedience to the law. I'm blessed because of my faith in Jesus.

Now, obedience is not a requirement to obtain the blessing. My faith in Jesus and His perfect obedience enables me to get the blessing. I am blessed because of Jesus' perfect obedience to the law. Obedience is still important, but since we aren't capable of being perfect in our self…our own self effort (Romans 8:3), it's faith in Jesus' perfect obedience that causes the blessing to come on us. Romans 5:19 tells us we were made sinners because of the disobedience of Adam; however, we are made righteous by the perfect obedience of Jesus. What Jesus did enables us to do.

Our obedience is a fruit of the new creation/new birth. Our obedience now is a response to what Jesus has done. Jesus has made us righteous so now a righteous life style will produce righteous fruit. Obedience is a fruit of being made righteous. Our life is now about bearing righteous fruit because now we have the nature to do so; the root and the tree is in us. Christ in me is the hope (An earnest expectation of good) of glory (I can expect to see Christ in me).



Before the Cross, the requirement for salvation was to keep the commandments (Matthew 19:16, 17); however, after Jesus shed His Blood we are saved by God's Grace through our faith - we only have to believe (Acts 16:30,31) in Jesus and accept Him as our Savior and Lord. It's not by our works so no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8,9).