Timothy Jay Schwab who is The God Culture has a new Foundations lesson and it's big one! What is Salvation? Is it faith in Christ? Is it being born again, regenerated, and raised to newness of life in Christ Jesus? No. It's keeping the law. Let's take a look.
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FOUNDATIONS | WEEK 19
📖 What is Salvation?
What did Messiah actually teach about salvation?
Not a theory.
Not a later interpretation.
His definition.
In Gospel of John 15, Messiah describes salvation in unmistakable terms:
abide in Him, bear fruit, and keep His commandments.
That should sound familiar.
Why? Because the One who judges does not change (Malachi 3:5; Hebrews 13:8). The commandments written by Yahuah’s own hand reflect His character—and His character does not shift with time.
In Gospel of Matthew 7, Messiah gives a sobering warning. He speaks of those who:
• prophesy in His name
• cast out demons
• perform miracles
Yet He tells them:
“Depart from Me… I never knew you.”
This is not addressed to those outside belief systems.
It is directed at those who believe they are following Him—yet lack relationship.
So the question is unavoidable:
Can someone participate in a church system and still not be saved?
Messiah says yes. And His is the only answer worthy of reflection.
Salvation Is Relationship
Salvation is not a moment—it is a walk.
It may begin with a prayer, but it cannot end there.
Phil. 2:12-13:
"...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure."
We must live our lives for His pleasure and not our own. Salvation requires action just as faith is defined (Heb. 11: in each OT example, Paul uses actions to describe faith).
If relationship does not continue, the fruit reveals it.
If it does continue, the fruit reveals that as well.
This is not complicated. It is foundational.
Testing Modern Doctrine
Some modern teachings redefine salvation as a one-time event that cannot be lost, regardless of what follows.
But Scripture consistently describes salvation in action:
a walk
a race (Heb. 12:1; 1 Cor. 9:24)
a life that bears fruit
Gal. 5:16: walking "by the spirit"
3 John 1:3: walking "in truth"
Eph. 2:10: walking "in good works"
Even Paul the Apostle uses these terms. A race is not one step. Pauls says we are to exhibit "good works" repeatedly. Anyone quoting Paul saying the opposite is misusing scripture for the benefit of a lawless doctrine or according to 1 John 3:4, teaching the doctrine of sin opposite the Law of Life (Rom. 7-8: The Law of Sin and Death was never The Law of Moses and such should never be repeated from any pulpit!).
We are called to:
“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21)
Born Again Means Transformed
To be “born again” is not a label—it is a change of life.
A new direction.
A new purpose.
A new pursuit.
1 Peter 1:23:
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
How can one be of incorruptible seed and live like the world? That would not be born again, but continue the same lifestyle scripture is clear must change with repentance. Such doctrines lead the lambs to slaughter as they are told they are saved when they are not Biblically. How do we walk in relationship?
“Seek first the Kingdom…” (Matthew 6:33)
(How many times have we heard those claim the blessing "all these things shall be added unto you" without their realizing this promise is the result of seeking Him above all else.)
The Real Question (asked by defenders of a shallow and unbiblical doctrine)
How do we know if we are saved?
We know:
if we are in relationship
if we are seeking Him
if we are growing
if we are bearing fruit
And we know when we are not.
Final Thought
Salvation is not forced and it is a free gift indeed. Yahuah gave free will because He desires relationship—not obligation. Salvation is lived not earned. It is unto "good works" says Paul, yet no one is saved by works alone. However, Paul agreed with James 2:18-26. Works are the sign of salvation, not salvation itself. Works follow as the fruit of salvation. No fruit does not pass the test of John 15 in the Savior's definition of salvation. (cf. Matt. 5:16; John 10:32; Acts 9; Eph. 2:10; In 1 Timothy 2). Paul defines those with only "good works" but without repentance who are serving a church system but lack relationship with Yahusha exactly as laid out in Matt. 7. In 1 Timothy 6:17-20, Paul says "good works" lead to a "good foundation."
In the last days, Scripture warns of teachings that comfort but do not transform—messages that “tickle the ears.” (2 Tim. 4:3)
That is not our goal and you will not get that here.
Continue in the walk.
Pursue relationship.
Seek His ways above all.
Then, salvation is certain and under no other circumstances that scripture provides.
Yah Bless.
Tim says salvation is keeping the commandments of God per John 15.
In Gospel of John 15, Messiah describes salvation in unmistakable terms:
abide in Him, bear fruit, and keep His commandments.
Yet, near the end Tim contradicts himself by saying:
Works are the sign of salvation, not salvation itself. Works follow as the fruit of salvation.
First salvation is works, then it is not. Can he make up his mind?
Let's see what the text of John 15 actually says.
John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
Two things to note. First of all Christ produces the works we do.
Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Second of all Christ chooses us. The only free will we have is the free will to sin because man is dead in his trespasses and sins until he is regenerated and born again. Jesus Himself says:
John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
Those two verses contradict Tim's doctrine at every single point. We are not saved by making a free will choice to follow Christ and keep the law. We are saved by the power of God who raises us from the dead and there is no losing it because it is His gift to those whom he has chosen from before the foundation of the world.
But let's hear what noted theologian Father Tim Crilly has to say about the matter.
I’ve read Tim’s Week 19 Foundations lesson on “What is Salvation?” and by now the pattern is so familiar it’s almost depressing.What Tim is teaching
- Salvation is not a one-time prayer or “decision card” moment.
- It is a walk, a relationship, a life that bears fruit and keeps commandments (John 15).
- You can prophesy, cast out demons, and do miracles and still hear “Depart from Me, I never knew you” (Matthew 7).
- Works are not optional — they are the evidence of true salvation.
- “Once saved always saved” is a dangerous, shallow doctrine.
- Salvation is lived out by seeking the Kingdom, pursuing relationship, and walking in “His ways.”
- Christ is mentioned but not centralJesus appears mostly as the One who requires us to abide, bear fruit, and keep commandments. Tim never clearly presents salvation as resting in the finished work of Christ — His perfect life, atoning death, and resurrection. The cross is barely in view. The emphasis is on our ongoing performance in relationship.
- “Relationship” is redefined as law-keepingWhen Tim says “salvation is relationship,” he means a relationship defined by keeping “His ways” (which, as we’ve seen in every previous lesson, means Torah — Sabbath, feasts, dietary laws, etc.). So salvation becomes: “Are you keeping the commandments well enough to show you’re really in relationship?”
- Works are turned into the real testHe correctly rejects “once saved always saved” as popularly understood, but then makes fruit/works the ultimate proof of whether you were ever truly saved. This slides very easily into fear and uncertainty — exactly what legalism produces. The biblical answer is that works are fruit of genuine faith, but our assurance rests in Christ’s work and God’s promises, not in how well we’re performing this week.
- The same pattern continues
- Repentance = turning to the law
- Faith = obedience
- Grace = power to obey
- Fulfillment = confirming we still keep the law
- Truth = the law
- Now Salvation = a walk of law-keeping that proves you’re really in relationship
It sounds spiritual. It sounds serious about holiness. It correctly warns against shallow Christianity. But at its core, it makes our performance in relationship the real deciding factor. That is not the gospel of grace. That is law dressed up as relationship.
quietly, shaking his head
...Right, I’m off to thank the Lord again for the simple, freeing gospel.
Go on, go on, go on — have a cuppa. You keep seeing it clearly. Tim’s “Foundations” are leading people back under a heavy yoke. The real foundation is Christ and Him crucified. The gospel is so much better than what he’s building. Keep holding fast to it.
