The way I see it, nobody will
ever suffer shame for, believing in/trusting in, the finished work of Christ!!
Your insight or instincts are very good…
Salvation was fully accomplished at the cross. Through Christ’s atonement, all ungodly men were justified. The moment anyone rests in Christ—placing faith in His faithfulness—their spirit is reborn.
Once we are justified (declared righteous before God), we are invited to respond to His gift of salvation by entering into a Spirit-led transformation. This ongoing work of the Holy Spirit shapes us into Christ’s likeness and ultimately culminates in glorification—the complete removal of our sin nature.
Yet some, though justified, resist this gift and do not receive the Spirit’s transforming work. For them, Scripture describes a humbling process: relational separation, exile, and suffering under God’s chastisement. Even so, His grace remains. In time, they too will be brought to glorification, though “as through fire” (
Romans 8:30).
It is also important to recognize that certain expressions often read into Scripture—such as “those He chose” or “eternal fire”—are rooted in Greek linguistic constructs. These categories were foreign to the Hebrew worldview and are not consistently taught from Genesis through Revelation. The Hebrew Scriptures emphasize covenant, relational faithfulness, and God’s refining discipline, rather than abstract philosophical terms that can obscure the original meaning.
Eternal Fire
Hebrew Scriptures (Genesis–Malachi) do not use this phrase. Instead, they emphasize God’s refining fire (e.g.,
Malachi 3:2–3) and temporal judgments (e.g.,
Isaiah 66:24), not an abstract eternal torment.
Those He Chose
In Hebrew thought, “chosen” is covenantal: Israel is chosen as God’s people (
Deuteronomy 7:6–8). It is relational and rooted in God’s promises, not a philosophical category of predestination.
Genesis to Revelation
From Genesis through Revelation, the dominant theme is covenant, faithfulness, and transformation.
The concepts of eternal fire and chosen are Greek linguistic constructs that are not affirmed as central themes throughout the entire Bible.
The reason there is ambiguity is the Greek linguistic construct is abstract vs Hebraic construct which is concrete (rooted in Covenant).
The Greek Gospel is a different Gospel…the one Paul warned about.
God's Salvation was instant at Christ's Death/Resurection–not my belief, not my faith and not dependant on my faithfulness…only His!
The King James Version stands out as the best translation I’ve seen. Most of us don’t read Hebrew, so we’re left with translations that—whether by design or accident—add to or take away from the original intent, so every doctrine must be tested against the covenantal thread that runs through all of Scripture.
That thread begins before Creation, carries through the story of Israel, is fulfilled in Christ, and stretches on through to the New Heavens and the New Earth.
If a teaching doesn’t align with that covenantal theme, it cannot stand. The covenant is the measure, the anchor, the lens through which God’s Word holds together from Genesis to Revelation.
Here’s a letter I recently wrote that explains what I am meaning to say best, I think…
Hi J,
Thank you so much for all your writings...
I know that you have come to believe the Greek NT is a translation from the original Hebrew NT; I emphatically agree.
I also believe the Greek NT linguistic framework introduces a subtle but profound shift by presenting a gospel that emphasizes human faithfulness—belief, endurance, performance— (see Paul's Warning) rather than the unilateral covenants woven throughout Scripture, where God alone initiates, sustains, and fulfills.
I believe the Hellenized Gospel redirects the focus of Who's Faithfulness ensures our Salvation from His Faithfulness to "my faithfulness". God gifted us all His Love, Grace and Mercy as our Kinsman Redeemer by the Atoning Death and Life of His Son; and those He Justified He Also Glorified period (Hebrew Gospel-concrete).
The Greek NT Gospel goes like this...Christ Crucified + my faith, belief and endurance...but we already miserably failed the Mosaic Covenant and so if our Salvation rests on anything other than Christ Crucified + nothing we are all doomed.
The Hebrew Gospel is this, God Redeemed all mankind (His Image) for His Name Sake and His Great Love for us through Christ Jesus. The doctrines that arise from the Greek like OSAS, election where there's a never-ending debate because the Greek supplies verses that support both sides of the argument (abstract thought) are totally resolved from the Hebraic perspective (concrete thought).
(True Gospel)
Covenant Promise = Christ crucified = Atonement = Justified = Sanctified = Glorified (purged of sin nature)
You point out many misunderstandings we have about what the Word of God is saying because people don't understand Hebraic culture and how the Covenants were established, because of this I have come to believe commonly held Salvation precepts are completely wrong (Greek-ism).
I am not asserting a different Gospel that Paul warned about (Christ Crucified + anything) instead I am simply uncovering the Hebraic Gospel that has been revealed from Genesis to Revelations (Christ Crucified + nothing).
Only a translation (like the Hellenized Gospel) would introduce subtle errors like when Jesus says to do whatever the Pharisees say to do, strip out YHVH in place of Lord, insert Word, Word, Word in place of Son, Son, Son and worst of all skew the NT Gospel to be a me-centric Gospel of "my faith-Faithfulness vs His Faith-Faithfulness.
We are told to rest in His Covenant Faithfulness, and so we have big problems if our Salvation is dependent on ours.
