And how do Gentiles become "saved"?
You are a Gentile. Paul is the only apostle to the Gentiles and is therefore the last word as to rules and directions that apply to us Gentiles. To get saved, obey Paul's Gospel in
1Cor 15:1-4
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
That's all in takes. As in vs 2, if you don't keep this in memory and stop believing, you can lose your salvation. I was OSAS for many years but, if that's true, how do you explain vs 2? It's quite plain and to the point.
Paul calls this, "My Gospel", throughout his writings, both during Acts (Rom 2:16) and after Acts (2Tim 2:8). Paul's 7 books written during Acts, to both Jews and Gentiles, were set aside as far as information about the Gentile's Hope (resurrection), Calling, rules, and specific directions were concerned. When Israel was set aside, along with everything pertaining to Israel, in Ac 28:28, Paul received revelations from God concerning a brand new Gentile Church, which has its hope in Heaven, unlike any other group in the entire Bible, including Acts. This Church is only found in Paul's last 7 books - Eph, Phil, Col, 1&2Tim, Titus, and Philemon. In this new church, the only rule I know of that was carried over from Paul's Acts books was his Gospel of 1Cor 15:1-4. Ephesians is considered by most to be Paul's 1st book written after Acts.
Eph 1:13
In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the
gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
2Tim 2:8
Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to
my gospel:
Also, in Eph 2:8-9, Paul says that this salvation can only be gotten through your faaith and God's grace. It is a pure Gift and there is absolutely nothing you can do to get it, other than believe Paul's Gospel.
Eph 2:8-9
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
There are many preachers (probably a majority) who wrongly believe that the red letters are more important and more inspired than the black letters. Unfortunately, this had led to much false teaching, concerning things from the Gospels, meant only for Israel, but wrongly taught that these things are also meant for Gentiles. These are things like the Great Commission, the Sermon on the mount, the Lord's prayer, the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven, the New Covenant, and being born again. If you look carefully in John 3, you'll see that being born again, of water and the Spirit, is what's needed in order for a Jew to enter the Jewish Kingdom of Heaven, when it occurs. I know of no place where salvation is associated with being born again. I have come to the point where i see the water/Spirit thing as simply the 2 types of baptism, or immersion.
These things I keep repeating are what the scriptures say, literally. So much of what traditional denominational preachers preach is NOT what the scriptures say. I would venture to say that 50% of what they say is NOT scriptural. NOT one of them obeys 2Tim 2:15, rightly dividing the Word of Truth, even though it says in that same verse, that right division, correctly cutting God's Word, is the Way to BE APPROVED UNTO GOD. Anyone, therefore, that does not rightly divide God's Word, IS NOT approved unto God. Failing to Rightly Divide is the #1 reason that denominational preachers and their poor laity fail to understand much, maybe half, of the New Testament. The only people on the planet, that I know of, that even attempt to obey the rule of right division, are dispensationalists.
The absolute #1 most important thing is our salvation, our total absolute belief that Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried, and then was resurrected after 3 days - Paul's gospel. Most, but, unfortunately, not all, denominational churches cover salvation well and attempt to get all the people saved. After that, they utterly fail their flock. Their teaching is steeped in 100s of untruths, most of which could be solved easily by rightly dividing those things that God meant for Israel, only, from those things He meant only for Gentiles. These are the only things I see in scripture that need rightly divided.
From many things found in Paul's last 7 books, it's obvious to me and many others that the only way you will be able to get the obvious calling to heaven, in those books, is to see that calling, believe that calling is for you, and claim it. To do this, you must first eliminate from your mind those callings and rules and directions found in the other 59 books in the Bible are not for you. In many cases, they conflict with Paul's last 7 books. So, for example, you can't have both a calling of the New Jerusalem during Acts AND the calling of Heaven in Eph, Col, etc. Scripture tells you in Phil 1:10, (after seeing Strong's to find out the real meaning of the words, "approve" and "excellent") to try, or test, the things that differ. After you do that, you correctly cut and remove from your doctrine those things that belong to Israel - that's right division. The whole Bible it FOR you, but it's not all TO you. As a Gentile, today, the only letters with your name and address on the envelope are Paul's last 7 letters written after Acts.
