The 'vehicle' and the 'gateway' - By faith and through faith

Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision (believing Jews) by faith, and uncircumcision (believing non-Jews) through faith. -Rom 3:30. "...that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me" -Acts 26:18. God would justify the heathen through faith -Gal 3:8.

While the Israelites were a God-chosen people among the nations of the world, a majority of them turned their backs to God. "O ye house of Israel, have you offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness? Yea, you took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them" -Acts 7:42. This continued throughout the history of the nation as mentioned in the old testament and even during the time of Jesus Christ on earth.

Only a small population among them called 'the remnant' kept believing in the promise of God of a Savior that would be born as the son of David and the Seed of the woman, through Whom all people on the earth would be blessed. The Lord knows them that are His. -2 Tim 2:19. These believers are 'the just who have lived by faith'. Every animal sacrifice they offered to cover their sins reminded them of the promise of a 'Lamb' that would carry their sin away once and for all. All such believers embarked on the vehicle named FAITH. This FAITH carried them towards that moment in His-story when the Son of God, as man, shed His own blood for the remission of their sins. They were saved 'by' faith, received forgiveness of sins 'by' faith and were sanctified 'by' faith in Him.

On the other hand, the non-Jews, all along history until the advent of the Son of God as the Savior of the world, had been deceived by Satan, the adversary of God. The Devil had kept us in blindness and bondage. We were 'aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world' -Eph 2:12. While there were a few exceptions like Tamar, Rahab and Ruth that were gentiles but had become believers, the whole world was totally under the deception of the devil.

Then came the Savior as promised by God in Time. He was born as a Jew. Salvation is of the Jews. -John 4:22. Jesus Who was born among the believing remnant became the 'door' / gate to eternal life and heaven. Thus, the twelve tribes of Israel became the gateways for the 'New Jerusalem' that The Lord Jesus Christ started to build as His Church. All who would be saved are justified because of the faith they put on the 'finished' work of their Savior on the cross. Jesus started establishing His kingdom on this earth collectively among His believers and individually in the hearts of His believers. They enter in 'through' these gates of FAITH to become citizens of this 'heavenly city'. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. -Acts 4:12. For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. -Eph 2:8.

However, Jesus also warned, "Enter you in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it". -Matt 7:13, 14.

Are you among the majority? You might be on the way to destruction! Introspect!