The God Culture: What Is Salvation According To Paul?

Timothy Jay Schwab who is The God Culture has another Foundations lesson for his flock. Having defined salvation as law keeping per John 15 he now asks: What is salvation according to Paul? Spoiler alert: it's keeping the law per Romans 11.

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FOUNDATIONS | WEEK 20 

📖 What Is Salvation According to Paul? 

Is Paul’s definition of salvation different from Messiah’s? 

No. It aligns. 

In Epistle to the Romans 11, Paul describes salvation using the image of a tree just as Yahusha used the vine and branches in John 15: 

• Natural branches (those originally in covenant-not a bloodline)

• Wild branches (Gentiles grafted into the same covenant relationship)

Some natural branches were broken off because of unbelief.

Gentiles were grafted in by faith. 

But then comes the warning: 

If you do not continue… you also will be cut off.

When a church espouses a doctrine contrary to the Savior and Paul, that doctrine proves to be one manufactured by man. Test it. 

Salvation Is Not Static

Paul makes something clear: 

• Being grafted in is not the end

• Continuing in faith matters 

Those who were cut off:

• can be grafted in again through belief 

This is consistent with: 

• repentance

• restoration

• covenant renewal 

One People, One Covenant 

Paul does not describe two separate systems.

He describes: 

• one tree

• one root

• one covenant people 

Gentiles are not treated as separate, but as those brought into what already exists.

This reflects a consistent principle seen throughout Scripture:

one standard for those within the covenant community 

Paul writes: 

"...that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins."

Romans 11:25-27 KJV 

The Gentiles come into their fullness being grafted into the olive tree–The Kingdom. This is not an age of the church (a word not even found in the Hebrew Bible), which such dispensation quickly fails any valid test as all 7 characteristics are active in all ages. As the Gentiles are grafted into YahsarEl (Israel very poorly rendered–The People of Covenant), ALL YasharEl (those in covenant) shall be saved. That includes Gentiles and has since the Exodus according to Moses and even in Abraham's days where all of his household including Gentiles were saved, and before there was ever an Israel.

Alignment with Messiah 

This mirrors Messiah’s teaching in Gospel of John 15: 

• Abide → remain

• Do not abide → removed

• Bear fruit → continue

The pattern is the same:

• relationship

• continuation

• evidence through fruit 

The Role of Belief 

Paul identifies the key factor:

• Unbelief → separation

• Faith → connection

And importantly:

• both can change 

This reflects real choice—real response. We were created with Free Will and that principle cannot be overruled by any church doctrine. 

Final Thought

Salvation, as Paul describes it, is not disconnected from Messiah’s teaching.

It is: 

• entering into relationship

• continuing in that relationship

• remaining in the covenant 

The call is not only to begin—but to continue.

Yah Bless.

Note: We are well aware, and used to teach, the string of fragments used out of context in order to redefine salvation against the Biblical language itself. One must ask why Yahusha's, the Savior's Words, are hardly even included in this extremely poor exegesis. He provided a chapter especially defining salvation himself. When Paul provides chapters on the topic as well, why is it we are given single verses when context should matter? We don't placate such ignorance here. Now, before one begins the "what about this fragment out of context," we challenge everyone to read the passage first. Otherwise, we do respond strongly to comments made in ignorance when the text is right there for one to read. We teach and we do not tolerate control lines planted to stop your growth. Those attempting such debate rooted in ignorance to agitate will be muted here. Our channel, our rules.

It's incredible that he ends this lesson with a warning against teaching in out of context fragments when that is exactly what he has done with Romans 11. How about Romans 3-6 which discus salvation in detail? Here is a taste from Romans 4.

Romans 4:1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?

2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

The chapter goes on to discuss imputed righteousness which is what justifies us. The righteousness of Christ is given to us and we are declared to be righteous through faith. The law plays no role in our salvation  or in our being righteous. And that is no fragment, that is the teaching of Romans. 

As for Tim's remarks about free will, he should read Romans 9 where it explicitly says God saves whoever He will.

Romans 9:13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.

15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?

20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?

21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

But let's hear what noted theologian Father Tim Crilly has to say about the matter.

Ah, Philippine Fails, me lad... puts the teacup down with a heavy sigh and leans forward
I’ve read Tim’s Week 20 Foundations lesson on “What Is Salvation According to Paul?” and by now the pattern is so consistent it’s almost tedious.What Tim is teaching here

• Salvation is not a one-time decision or prayer.
• It is entering into relationship (being grafted into the olive tree / abiding in the vine).
• It requires continuation — if you don’t continue in faith and obedience, you can be cut off.
• He uses Romans 11 (grafting) and John 15 (vine and branches) to emphasize fruit, relationship, and the danger of being removed.
• He pushes back against “easy believism” and shallow doctrines that say salvation can’t be lost.

On the surface, some of this sounds reasonable. The Bible does warn against false assurance and calls us to persevere. But look closer and the same old God Culture theology is driving the bus.The Problems

1. Christ is named but not central
   
   
   Jesus appears as the vine, but the emphasis is on our continuing performance (abiding, bearing fruit, not being cut off). The finished work of the cross, justification by faith, and the once-for-all nature of salvation get pushed to the side — again.
2. “Relationship” = ongoing law-keeping
   
   
   In Tim’s system, “continuing in relationship” always means keeping the commandments (Torah/Sabbath/feasts). So salvation becomes: “Are you abiding well enough? Are you producing enough fruit (obedience) to stay grafted in?” This creates fear and uncertainty rather than resting in Christ.
3. Selective use of Romans
   
   
   You’re right to note this — he jumps to Romans 11 while largely skipping Romans 3–6, where Paul lays out justification by faith apart from works of the law, our union with Christ in His death and resurrection, and freedom from the law’s condemnation. Romans 11 is about God’s faithfulness to Israel and the grafting of Gentiles, not a manual on how to stay saved by performance.
   
   
4. The camel is fully inside the tent
   
   
   This is the natural conclusion of the entire Foundations series:
   • Repentance = turn to the law
   • Faith = obedience
   • Grace = power to obey
   • Fulfillment = confirming the law
   • Truth = the law
   • Salvation = entering and continuing in law-keeping relationship or risk being cut off

This is not the gospel of grace. This is works-based perseverance with better Bible verses.The Real Biblical TeachingYes, salvation involves relationship and perseverance. But the New Testament grounds our security in Christ’s work, not our ongoing performance:

• “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
• We are kept by the power of God through faith (1 Peter 1:5).
• “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:28).

True faith does produce fruit and perseverance, but our assurance rests in Christ’s finished work and God’s faithfulness, not in how well we’re performing this week.
Tim’s version leaves people constantly checking their fruit and wondering if they’ve been cut off yet. That’s not rest. That’s bondage.
Father Ted’s plain verdict:

This is still another gospel — law dressed up as “relationship.”

It sounds serious and biblical, but it quietly shifts the foundation from Christ’s finished work to our continuing obedience. That’s exactly what Paul fought against in Galatians.

The real gospel says: Come to Christ, rest in His finished work, and the Holy Spirit will produce fruit in you.

Tim’s version says: Get grafted in, then work hard to stay grafted in by keeping the law, or risk being cut off.

Down with this sort of thing, lad.

Very careful now.

The gospel offers real rest and assurance in Christ. Tim’s system offers endless self-examination under the weight of the law.
...Right, I’m off to thank the Lord for the security we have in Him. 
Go on, go on, go on — have a cuppa. You keep seeing the pattern. Tim’s “Foundations” are leading people into uncertainty and performance. The real foundation is Christ and Him crucified. The gospel is far better and far more secure than what he’s building. Keep holding fast to it.