It is Only in Yahuwah Whereby One Finds Salvation from Sin

The King James Version (KJV) is mostly used in these lessons. Click here to access the KJV online.

CONCLUSION

I have argued in this paper that almsgiving is an important formative practice of repentance for the Christian disciple in that the disciple turns away from sin and from faith in one’s wealth and possessions and turns instead toward Yahuwah. With a new faith in Yahuwah, the disciple thereby finds salvation and a heavenly treasury. And it is in this turning towards Yahuwah that the Christian disciple disposes oneself to the recovery/reception of grace.

Daniel 4 provides a substantial Jewish point of reference to late Second Temple Judaism that begins to see sin as a debt and the need to exercise a credit to be released from such a debt. Almsgiving acts as the means of credit for the wiping away of sins. Daniel advises King Nebuchadnezzar to use almsgiving as a way of redeeming one’s sins. In the Book of Daniel, almsgiving serves as the metanoia whereby the king is instructed to place his faith in Yahuwah and not in his wealth and possessions and find salvation in Yahuwah.

The Gospel of Luke, using the sin-debt theology of Second Temple Judaism, likewise counsels almsgiving as a practice of repentance. This emphasis on almsgiving finds its first articulation in the words of John the Baptist’s preaching to the crowds that they need to bear worthy fruits of repentance through almsgiving. By this practice of almsgiving, those seeking repentance can find salvation. The Gospel of Luke describes this mission of John the Baptist and in a certain way the mission of Yahushua Christ using the words of Isaiah: “The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of Yahuwah” (Luke 3:5–6 which refers to Isaiah 40:4–5). This focus on almsgiving as an important practice of repentance is further elaborated through several key Lukan texts, including the Pharisees, the rich ruler, the disciples, and Zacchaeus. Almsgiving is an act of repentance in which the Christian disciple is urged to turn away from sin and from faith in material possessions and instead put one’s faith in Yahuwah. As Bovon argues, “The Gospel [of Luke] proposes a lifestyle in which happiness is lived out in relationships, and in which giving, usually counted as a loss, becomes the best way to succeed and to be on the receiving end of things. Any possessions we might have at our disposal do not, in the last resort, belong to us.”⁶³ The giving sought after in the Lukan Gospel is almsgiving as a way of repenting of one’s sins and turning towards Yahuwah.

One finds a high point of the Lukan Gospel in the story of Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector, who upon Yahushua’s invitation to dine at Zacchaeus’s house, freely vows to give alms and make restitution for his extortion. He has performed acts that bring about the good fruit of repentance. He has placed his faith in Yahuwah, and indeed, salvation has come to his house. Almsgiving then represents an important practice of repentance for the Christian disciple. Sometimes it may be demanded that one be like the rich ruler and give away all of one’s possessions for the poor. Other times it may be like the story of Zacchaeus in which one gives away a good portion of one’s possessions for the poor. These stories in the Gospel of Luke lead one to ask: does sin cause one to place one’s trust in wealth and possessions? If so, then these earthly treasures will rot and pass away. Instead of placing one’s faith in material things, the Christian disciple is urged to give alms as a way of repenting of one’s sins and as a way of turning to and placing one’s faith in Yahuwah. The instruction to give alms for repentance is meant for both wealthy and poor alike since the attachment to wealth and possessions indicates what is in the heart of the person.⁶⁴ Both the Book of Daniel and Gospel of Luke remind us that it is only in Yahuwah whereby one finds salvation from sin. And it is in this turning [metanoia] to Yahuwah in almsgiving whereby the disciple is disposed to the recovery of grace.

As the words of Tobit remind us:

Give alms from your possessions. Do not turn your face away from any of the poor, so that Yahuwah’s face will not be turned away from you. Give in proportion to what you own. If you have great wealth, give alms out of your abundance; if you have but little, do not be afraid to give alms even of that little. You will be storing up a goodly treasure for yourself against the day of adversity. For almsgiving delivers from death and keeps one from entering into Darkness. Almsgiving is a worthy offering in the sight of the Most High for all who practice it (Tobit 4:7–11).