You have likely noticed that in fundamentalist Christian traditions, being “saved” is understood as avoiding a place where God sends people to be tortured in eternal flames, burning them ceaselessly, a concept commonly referred to in these traditions as “hell.” However, Judaism, the root of Christianity, interprets ‘salvation’ quite differently. Contrasting with the typical Christian Fundamentalism view, Judaism (Biblical Judaism, not just modern) focuses on the present life and communal well-being rather than on the individual’s salvation from a futuristic cosmic fire chamber. This article delves into the possibility that the concept of salvation in the New Testament may be more closely aligned with Jewish thought than with fundamentalist Christian interpretations of being saved from eternal fire.
Salvation in the Old Testament
In Jewish thought, ‘salvation’ encompasses broader concepts than the Evangelical view of it as a means to avoid eternal torture in hell. For Jews, salvation primarily means receiving God’s blessings. Below are a few examples:
Moses answered the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.’
Exodus 14:13-14
This passage reflects God’s salvation as deliverance from physical danger and oppression.
The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1
Here, ‘salvation’ is linked with protection and a sense of security in God.
The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.
Psalm 37:39-40
This passage speaks of salvation in terms of rescue from adversaries and safety.
Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.
Isaiah 12:2-3
In this context, salvation is associated with strength, defense, and confidence in God’s providential care.
‘So do not fear, Jacob my servant; do not be dismayed, Israel,’ declares the Lord. ‘I will surely save you out of a distant place, your descendants from the land of their exile. Jacob will again have peace and security, and no one will make him afraid.’
Jeremiah 30:10-11
Salvation here includes the promise of return from exile and a restoration of peace and security.
New Testament Salvation in Light of the Old
The New Testament, often interpreted as promoting the idea of salvation from hellfire, may actually offer a different perspective more in line with Jewish teachings. The central figure of Christianity, Jesus Christ, was a Jew speaking primarily to a Jewish audience. His teachings, therefore, must be understood within that context. Jesus wasn’t a Baptist preacher or an Evangelical street evangelist; He was a Jewish Rabbi speaking with Jews. As such, He often used metaphors, analogies, images, and symbolism in His teachings. Jews knew very well not to take these in a literal sense (or else His disciples would all be blind; Matthew 5:29), but Christian fundamentalists do exactly that – they read Jesus’ words as if they are an operations or policy manual or a textbook.
Do you remember what the Jewish disciples of Jesus always argued over? They didn’t debate over who was going to “get saved.” They argued over “Who is greatest in the kingdom?” These young Jewish men had no ‘Doctrine of Soteriology’, nor did they think they needed to be saved from some kind of a cosmic fire chamber that would melt their skin forever, a concept which had not once appeared in their Torah. Instead, they took their eternal life for granted and focused on how to impress God and be the greatest in God’s Kingdom.
“Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:19)
“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, ‘Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.'” (Matthew 18:1-4)
See, they were like innocent children. Little children do not fear their father will burn or kill them, but they do often try to impress him. Jesus told us to be like children.
This is not to say that the Bible does not speak of the afterlife, but In Judaism, you first worry about your poor neighbor and other Jews in need and leave the afterlife for God to worry about. In fact, in Hebrew, the term “salvation” more often than not refers to physical and practical forms of deliverance, such as getting out of debt, finding a mate, being cured of a disease, victory in wars, etc. When King David wrote, “The Lord is my salvation” (Psalm 27:1), in contrast with some modern evangelical worship songs, he wasn’t speaking about escaping flames in the afterlife, but about God delivering him from enemies who tried to kill him (verse 2).
In modern fundamentalist Christianity, the believer’s time and energy are invested first and foremost in taking care of their own future destiny, whether it’s through “the Sinner’s Prayer” or by keeping traditions and avoiding certain behaviors. Then, you find a local church or ministry to tithe to in the hope they’ll take care of the poor and needy so you don’t have to.
Kingdom of Heaven as Present Reality
Christians often associate “entering the Kingdom of Heaven” with getting saved from the flames of hell. However, Jesus’ proclamation of the “Kingdom of Heaven” focuses on a transformed state of heart and society. In Matthew 4:17 and Mark 1:15, Jesus mentions that “the kingdom of God has come near.” Luke 17:21 states, “the kingdom of God is within you,” and Matthew 12:28 and Luke 11:20 assert, “the kingdom of God has come upon you.“
“Near,” “within you,” and “upon you” make the Kingdom of God a very different thing than the heavenly paradise.
In Matthew 5:3, Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” and in Matthew 6:33: “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” In Luke 8:1, “Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God.” He also sent out His disciples, in Luke 9:2, “to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”
Clearly, the “Kingdom of God” is not an afterlife destination but a present reality – a mindset, lifestyle, and approach to life —here and now. This is, in fact, a very Jewish view. This suggests a present reality, a state of living in God’s ways here and now, rather than a distant, post-mortem reward.
In Luke 4:18-19, Jesus speaks of bringing good news to the poor and proclaiming liberty to captives. This can be interpreted as a call for societal change and liberation, emphasizing salvation in the context of social justice and immediate well-being.
Jewish Perspective on Salvation
In Judaism, salvation is rarely about the individual’s afterlife destination but about communal and individual well-being in this life. The Hebrew Bible and rabbinic literature emphasize actions, justice, and communal responsibilities. In fact, the Torah, which comprises the first five books of the Hebrew Bible and forms the basis for Jewish thought, says nothing about a place where people are burned in flames forever.
So, what are some views regarding salvation in Judaism? One example is “Tikkun Olam,” a concept in Judaism that emphasizes the importance of upkeeping and mending the world through human action. It speaks to a form of salvation realized through ethical living and social responsibility. It’s about the “here and now.” Jewish teachings often prioritize current life and actions over afterlife speculations. The focus is on following God’s commandments and engaging in righteous deeds as forms of living a salvific life and helping others, especially the poor, the needy, and the outcast, to help them reach salvation in their lives.
The perspective of salvation in the New Testament may have more in common with Jewish thought than fundamental Christian interpretations. Rather than viewing salvation as an escape from a fire that melts your skin for a billion years, it focuses on the present, tangible experience rooted in ethical living, community well-being, and societal transformation: “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons” (Matthew 10:8). This is also how the apostles seem to understand Jesus’ message, they never preached about saving people from flames that consume one’s skin forever or from eternal lava, but about saving people from their dire life circumstances: “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” (Romans 12:13), “Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need.” (1 Timothy 5:3), “Not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” (Philippians 2:4), etc.
In conclusion, “salvation,” particularly in the context of our earthly existence and Jewish life, is closely linked to enhancing the human experience. This enhancement is achieved by deepening relationships and embracing a life marked by righteousness, justice, servanthood, and love, as taught by Yeshua. In a sense, you may as well toss the word “saved” from your Christian lexicon since the original meaning has been entirely tainted by the “saved from eternal torture in fire” gospel. Replace it with “deliverance,” “liberation,” and “redemption” since these are the original meaning of “salvation.” This is also how Paul understood salvation:
“The Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue [/save/deliver] us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,”
(Galatians 1:3-4)
In this passage, Paul evidently holds that Jesus died for our sins, not to save us from a divine punishment akin to a cosmic fire chamber, but to deliver us from the surrounding evil. This salvation or deliverance is achieved by following His ways instead of those of the world, which is why Jesus proclaimed He was the Way, the Truth and the Life.
At the end of the day, it is not about what we do but what He was willing to do for us. He didn’t give His life for you so you’d keep thinking of yourself as a wretched sinner; He died to prove you are a child to a loving Father who would do anything for you. Children don’t have to do anything to earn their parents’ love and protection. You also don’t have to do anything to earn your Father’s love and protection. However, it’s up to us how to live and experience the consequences of our decisions.
This article is part of the book, “The Jewish Gospel: Rabbi Yeshua’s Timeless Wisdom to Enlighten Modern Life.”
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