22/07/2026
[22/7, 8:58] Manuel Tapia Molina: The final salvation, mentioned in verse 3 of the previously cited account, is addressed again in Ephesians, where the apostle speaks of the “body of Christ,” the Church as a whole. When reading or studying the letter to the Ephesians, we must apply sound exegesis; that is, we must analyze the overall theme to know how to apply the sayings of each verse. As in his other letters, Paul speaks of how Jews and Gentiles have been gathered into one body or Church. He says that together we are the “body of Christ,” who is our head: Ephesians 1:22 “And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, Ephesians 1:23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.” Then he comments that we were destined for God’s wrath (destruction), a destiny that changed when Christ came bearing the mercy of his God: Ephesians 2:3 “All of us also once lived among them, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and evil thoughts. Like the rest of mankind, we were by nature destined to be made angry… Ephesians 2:4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, Ephesians 2:5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, gave us new life.” “He was made alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved” (BJ). THEREFORE, AS INDIVIDUALS, WE HAD A DESTINY OF ANNIHILATING FIRE. IF WE HAD SUCH A TERRIBLE DESTINY, WE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN DESTINED, AS INDIVIDUALS, FOR ANYTHING ELSE.
BUT, AS I SAID BEFORE, PAUL SPEAKS TO US IN EPHESIANS OF THE “BODY OF CHRIST,” WHICH IS THE CHURCH AS A WHOLE. AS THE BODY OF CHRIST, WE PARTICIPATE WITH HIM IN THE PLAN OF SALVATION THAT YAHWEH DETERMINED AFTER THE CATASTROPHE OF ADAM AND EVE’S SIN, BUT BEFORE HUMANITY MULTIPLIED, FOUNDING THE PRESENT WORLD; FOUNDATION COMES FROM “TO FOUND.” And from "funda," which is like a womb that envelops, gestates, and gives birth. "Before the foundation of the world" means before Eve gave birth to Cain and his subsequent children.
The divine plan was mentioned immediately afterward, in the condemnation of Satan: Genesis 3:15 "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; “This one will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” This seed that would come into the world was Jesus Christ, containing a promise of salvation for those who desired Yahweh. Jesus is the seed that the woman would bear, who would undo the deceitfulness caused by the original serpent. He is the same seed or lineage that was promised to come through Abraham, through whom the promise was renewed for us: Galatians 3:29 “And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Christ Jesus is the only offspring that counts, but we can become his descendants. Obedient slaves of Christ; this is how, by being the “body of Christ,” we become part of Him, one with Him, part of that promise of the saving seed. This is what Jehovah determined, predetermined, or destined, from before the foundation of the world, from before Eve gave birth to the world of children, establishing imperfect humanity. Yah determined that a group of humans, who were initially destined for death, would become the “body of Christ.” But it is not said which individuals they would be, because that depends on our being victorious on the narrow path of faith, until THE END! THAT'S WHY PAUL SAID HE WASN'T SURE OF IT, BUT HE HAD TO KEEP RUNNING THE RACE.
[22/7, 9:01] Manuel Tapia Molina: La salvación final 3b
EL TEMA DE QUE LO DETERMINADO O PREDETERMINADO O DESTINADO, SI QUERÉIS, ES EL CUERPO DE CRISTO (PERO NO QUÉ INDIVIDUOS LO COMPONDRÁN), SE REPITE SIN DESCANSO EN TODA LA CARTA A LOS EFESIOS, PORQUE ES EL TEMA CENTRAL QUE TRATA. VEAMOS CÓMO LO EXPRESA CONSTANTEMENTE: Efe 1:22 y sometió todas las cosas bajo sus pies, y lo dio por cabeza sobre todas las cosas a la iglesia, Efe 1:23 la cual es su cuerpo, la plenitud de Aquel que todo lo llena en todo. Efe 2:14 “Porque él es nuestra paz, que de ambos pueblos hizo uno, derribando la pared intermedia de separación”. Efe 2:16 “y mediante la cruz reconciliar con Dios a ambos en un solo cuerpo, matando en ella las enemistades”. Efe 3:6 “que los gentiles son coherederos y miembros del mismo cuerpo, y copartícipes de la promesa en Cristo Jesús por medio del evangelio”. Efe 4:3 “solícitos en guardar la unidad del Espíritu en el vínculo de la paz; Efe 4:4 un cuerpo, y un Espíritu, como fuisteis también llamados en una misma esperanza de vuestra vocación”. Efe 4:12 “a fin de perfeccionar a los santos para la obra del ministerio, para la edificación del cuerpo de Cristo”. Efe 4:15 “sino que siguiendo la verdad en amor, crezcamos en todo en aquel que es la cabeza, esto es, Cristo, Efe 4:16 de quien todo el cuerpo, bien concertado y unido entre sí por todas las coyunturas que se ayudan mutuamente, según la actividad propia de cada miembro, recibe su crecimiento para ir edificándose en amor”. Efe 5:23 “porque el marido es cabeza de la mujer, así como Cristo es cabeza de la iglesia, la cual es su cuerpo, y él es su Salvador”. Efe 5:25 “Maridos, amad a vuestras mujeres, así como Cristo amó a la iglesia, y se entregó a sí mismo por ella”. COMO COLOFÓN FINAL, EL ÚLTIMO VERSÍCULO DE EFESIOS NOS RECUERDA QUE LA GRACIA ES PARA LOS QUE PERSEVERAN EN AMAR A JESUCRISTO HASTA EL FIN, INALTERABLEMENTE: Efe 6:24 “La gracia sea con todos los que aman a nuestro Señor Jesucristo con amor inalterable. Amén”. PERO AMAR A JESUCRISTO ENVUELVE OBEDECERLE PORQUE EL DIJO: “SI ME AMAIS OBEDECED MIS MANDAMIENTOS”.
LA GRACIA DEJA DE SER OPERATIVA EN LOS QUE SE RETRAEN, ABANDONANDO EL CAMINO ESTRECHO: Heb 10:38 “Mas el justo vivirá por fe; Y si retrocediere, no agradará a mi alma Heb 10:39 Pero nosotros no somos de los que retroceden para perdición, sino de los que tienen fe para preservación del alma”. ESTE TEXTO DICE QUE “EL JUSTO”, “SI RETROCEDIERE” LLEGARÍA A LA “PERDICIÓN”. A PESAR DE QUE LA PALABRA DE DIOS ES TAN CLARA, EXISTE UNA FRASE ANTIBÍBLICA, QUE ANDA DE BOCA EN BOCA, QUE DICE QUE SI ALGUIEN RETROCEDE ES PORQUE “NUNCA FUE JUSTO O NUNCA ESTUVO EN LA FE”. HEBREOS NOS MUESTRA REITERADAMENTE, ASÍ COMO TODA LA PALABRA, QUE UNO JUSTO, QUE ESTUVO SALVO, “QUE GUSTÓ LA DÁDIVA DEL ESPÍRITU SANTO”, SE IRÁ A LA PERDICIÓN, CUANDO SE VUELVA O RETROCEDA, EN LA SENDA ESTRECHA DE LA FE Y LA OBEDIENCIA: Heb 6:4 “Porque es imposible que los que una vez fueron iluminados y gustaron del don celestial, y fueron hechos partícipes del Espíritu Santo, Heb 6:5 y asimismo gustaron de la buena palabra de Dios y los poderes del siglo venidero, Heb 6:6 y recayeron, sean otra vez renovados para arrepentimiento, crucificando de nuevo para sí mismos al Hijo de Dios y exponiéndole a vituperio.
[22/7, 9:05] Manuel Tapia Molina: Final Salvation 3c
The Word is very clear when it tells us, in many of its teachings, that whoever perseveres and overcomes trials is the one who will be saved. Therefore, the Word, in 1 John 5:16, tells us that there is a sin leading to death that a brother can commit: 1 John 5:16 “If anyone sees his brother commit a sin not leading to death, he should pray, and God will give him life—I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin leading to death; I am not saying that one should pray about that. 1 John 5:17 All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.” We are also told that the sin that leads to death is the one we practice "voluntarily," knowing that we are grossly disobeying Yahweh and Jesus. We, the brothers and sisters, know this, not the unbelievers who don't even know the Word of God: Hebrews 10:26 "For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, Hebrews 10:27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries." Let us observe what Peter adds: 2 Peter 2:20 “For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 2 Peter 2:21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.” Peter is speaking to us about brothers who had “escaped the defilements of the world,” brothers who were righteous, saved, but who “turned back.”
PAUL HIMSELF TELLS US THAT HE COULD END UP DISAPPROVED OR ELIMINATED IF, USING HIS FREE WILL, HE TURNS AWAY FROM FOLLOWING CHRIST: 1 Corinthians 9:27 “but I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest after I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” He reiterates this same point again: Philippians 3:11 “if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Philippians 3:12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Philippians 3:13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, Philippians 3:14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” In Revelation, the following is also added: Revelation 2:10 “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” Revelation 2:23 “And I will strike her children dead, and all the churches will know that I am he who searches minds and hearts, and I will give to each of you according to your works.” Revelation 3:11 “Behold, I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.” If someone else can take the crown we were promised, it's because what Jesus said time and again will be true: only "the one who perseveres to the end will be saved!" Perhaps what Paul said is true—that he didn't feel he had already "received" the prize; what Peter said about those who fell back into sin after being overcome; and what is said in Hebrews about those who sin willfully! No one is predestined for life! Even when our names are written in the Book of Life, they will be erased if we deliberately disobey Yahweh out of lack of faith and respect: Exodus 32:31 “And Moses returned to YHWH and said, ‘Oh, this people has committed a great sin, and has made for themselves gods of gold!’ Exodus 32:32 But now, forgive their sin… If not, blot me out of Your scroll that You have written!’ Exodus 32:33 But YHWH said to Moses, ‘Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My scroll.’”
[22/7, 9:08] Manuel Tapia Molina: Final salvation 3d. The preceding texts clearly show, for anyone who studies the Word with a clear conscience and sound exegesis, that the theme of this letter to the Ephesians, the entire context, is to convince us that Yahweh has determined that a group of people, called “the body of Christ,” taken from both Jews and Gentiles, will share with Jesus Christ in the glorious work of heaven, against the wicked spiritual forces and for the blessing of others. What was predetermined or “destined,” as some versions mistranslate, is not specific individuals, but “the body of Christ” as a whole. Verses 1:4, 5, and 11 are not telling us that we have been individually destined, but that a collective of humans, the "body of Christ," was determined by Yah to collaborate with Jesus Christ, as the bride of the Lamb! IntEsp, STRONG, USE PREDETERMINED, WHICH IS NOT THE SAME AS DESTINED: Eph 1:5 “having predestined us to be placed as a son through Jesus Christ, the Anointed One…”. ANYWAY, AS WE HAVE CONSIDERED, IT REFERS TO THE BODY, NOT TO INDIVIDUALS. Poor translations, as well as unbiblical phrases, are a burden, the fruit of weeds, against the truth of the Word. Similar passages in other letters of Paul have the same explanation.