# THE MESSIAH: Our Righteousness Has Come!

- Link: https://lordjesuschristreigns.blog/2025/07/15/the-messiah-our-righteousness-has-come/
- Published: 2025-07-15T08:50:00-07:00
- Author: LordJesusChristReigns

Muslim polemicist Paul Bilal Williams tried to pit Luke’s portrait of Zechariah 
and Elizabeth as “righteous… living blamelessly” under the Law against Paul’s blunt
assertion that “if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for
nothing.” Yet Luke–Acts itself dissolves this supposed contradiction, weaving together
Zechariah’s priestly sacrifices, Elizabeth’s Spirit-filled proclamation that Mary
bore “the mother of my Lord,” and the cascade of Jesus’ healings, exorcisms, and
even resurrections with Peter’s Spirit-empowered declaration—“There is salvation
in no one else”—to identify Jesus of Nazareth as Yahweh incarnate.

From Isaiah’s ancient cry, “I am the Lord, and there is no other,” to the Father’s
voice at the Transfiguration—“This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!”—Scripture
resounds in perfect harmony: our true righteousness has come in Christ alone.

This is what he wrote:

In the beginning of the Gospel of Luke, we read:

“‘In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged
to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife was a descendant of Aaron, and her name
was Elizabeth. **Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly according
to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord.** But they had no children,
because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years.’ Luke 1

This righteousness, according to Luke, had nothing to do with any messiah. Their
righteousness came from blamelessly obeying all the Jewish law.

However, Paul wrote:

“I do not set aside the grace of God, for **if righteousness could be gained through
the law, Christ died for nothing!” **Galatians 2:21

Oh dear! The whole point of Christianity refuted by its own scriptures!”

_(Williams’ Blog Post: [Oh dear! How awkward](https://bloggingtheology.net/2016/08/17/oh-dear-how-awkward/))_

As we shall now demonstrate, the problem is not with Paul and Luke since they are
in perfect agreement with each other. Instead, the problem lay with William’s gross
perversion and misreading of the God-breathed Scriptures.

**What Blamelessness Does Not Mean**

To begin with, a careful reading of Luke shows that by _‘blameless’_, the inspired
author did not mean that Zechariah and Elizabeth were sinless, since the immediate
context goes on to show Zechariah being reprimanded by the angel Gabriel for not
believing in his message concerning the birth of John the Baptist:

“In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged
to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife was a descendant of Aaron, and her name
was Elizabeth.^( )Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly according
to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord.^( )But they had no children,
because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years.

Once when he was serving as priest before God and his section was on duty,^( )he
was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary
of the Lord and offer incense.^( )Now at the time of the incense offering, the whole
assembly of the people was praying outside.^( )Then there appeared to him an angel
of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.^( )When Zechariah
saw him, he was terrified; and fear overwhelmed him.^( )But the angel said to him,‘
Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth
will bear you a son, and you will name him John.^( )You will have joy and gladness,
and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.
He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth he will be filled
with the Holy Spirit. He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their
God.^( )With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts
of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous,
to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.’^( )Zechariah said to the angel, ‘
How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on 
in years.’ The angel replied, ‘I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and
I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.^( )**_But now,
because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you
will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur_**.’” Luke 1:
5-20

What _blamelessness_ means **in context** is that Zechariah and Elizabeth did what
was required of them by God so that they could be pleasing in God’s sight. This 
included the need for faith, repentance, and vicarious sacrifices to provide a temporary
covering of their sins until Christ would come to remove all their sins completely
and forever by offering up His life as the final and perfect sacrifice:

“Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave
it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, **_which is given for you_**. Do this in remembrance
of me.’^( )And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “**_This cup that
is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood_**.’” Luke 22:19-20

“but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever.^( )**_Consequently
he is able for all time to save those who approach God through him, since he always
lives to make intercession for them_**.

For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, undefiled,
separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.^( )Unlike the other high 
priests, he has no need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins,
and then for those of the people; **_this he did once for all when he offered himself_**.
^( )For the law appoints as high priests those who are subject to weakness, but 
the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been
made perfect forever.” Hebrews 7:24-28

“And it is by God’s will that we have been sanctified **_through the offering of
the body of Jesus Christ once for all_**.

And every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the
same sacrifices that can never take away sins.^( )But when **_Christ had offered
for all time a single sacrifice for sins_**, ‘he sat down at the right hand of God,’
and since then has been waiting ‘until his enemies would be made a footstool for
his feet.’ **_For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are
sanctified_**. ^( )And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying,

‘This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds,’

he also adds,

‘I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.’

**_Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin_**.”
Hebrews 10:10-18

Zechariah would have been aware of his need for vicarious sacrifices, seeing that
both he and his wife were from the priestly line. In fact, part of the responsibilities
of the priests was to make atonement for the sins of God’s people:

“Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the other Israelites, and the Levites
shall be mine.^( )Thereafter the Levites may go in to do service at the tent of 
meeting, once you have cleansed them and presented them as an elevation offering.
^( )For they are unreservedly given to me from among the Israelites; I have taken
them for myself, in place of all that open the womb, the firstborn of all the Israelites.
^( )For all the firstborn among the Israelites are mine, both human and animal. 
On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I consecrated
them for myself,^( )but I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn among
the Israelites.^( )**Moreover, I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his
sons from among the Israelites, to do the service for the Israelites at the tent
of meeting, _and to make atonement for the Israelites_**, in order that there may
be no plague among the Israelites for coming too close to the sanctuary.” Numbers
8:14-19

This brings me to my next point.

** ****The Basis of a Person’s Salvation and Blamelessness

Zechariah himself prophesied that forgiveness of sins came from trusting in the 
Savior that God was raising from the house of David:

_“Then his father Zechariah **was filled with the Holy Spirit **and spoke this prophecy:_

^(68 )‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
    for he has looked favourably on his
people and redeemed them.^(69_ _)_He has raised up **A MIGHTY SAVIOUR** for us__
__in the house of his servant David,_^(70 )_as he spoke through the mouth of his
holy prophets from of old,_^(71 )    that we would be saved from our enemies and
from the hand of all who hate us.^(72 )Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our
ancestors,    and has remembered his holy covenant,^(73 )the oath that he swore 
to our ancestor Abraham,    to grant us ^(74 )that we, being rescued from the hands
of our enemies,might serve him without fear, ^(75 )in holiness and righteousness
before him all our days.^(76 )And you, child, will be called the prophet of the 
Most High;    for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,^(77 )**_to give
knowledge of salvation to his people_****_    __by the forgiveness of their sins._**
^(78 )By the tender mercy of our God,    the dawn from on high will break upon us,
^(79 )to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,    
to guide our feet into the way of peace.’

^(80 )The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until
the day he appeared publicly to Israel.” Luke 1:67-80

As Luke goes on to show, that Savior is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ:

“Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around
them, and they were terrified.^( )But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid;
for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people:^( )**_to you
is born this day in the city of David A SAVIOR, who is the Messiah, the Lord_**.”
Luke 2:9-11

“God exalted him at his right hand **_as Leader and SAVIOR that he might give repentance
to Israel and forgiveness of sins_**.” Acts 5:31

“When he had removed him, he made David their king. In his testimony about him he
said, ‘I have found David, son of Jesse, to be a man after my heart, who will carry
out all my wishes.’^( )**_Of this man’s posterity God has brought to Israel A SAVIOR,
Jesus, as he promised._**

Let it be known to you therefore, my brothers, that **_through this man_** forgiveness
of sins is proclaimed to you;^( )**_by this Jesus _**everyone who believes is set
free from all those sins from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.”
Acts 13:22-23, 38-39

Zechariah wasn’t the only believer to speak of the redeeming work of Christ:

“^(25 )Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous
and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, **_and the Holy Spirit
rested on him. _****_^(26 )It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he
would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah._****_^(27 )Guided by 
the Spirit,_** Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the 
child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, ^(28 )Simeon took him
in his arms and praised God, saying,

^(29 )‘Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,
    according to your
word;^(30 )**_for my eyes have seen your salvation,_**^(31 )    which you have prepared
in the presence of all peoples,^(32 )**_a light for revelation to the Gentiles_****__****
_and for glory to your people Israel._**’

^(33 )And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about
him. ^(34 )Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, ‘This child is 
destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that
will be opposed ^(35 )so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a 
sword will pierce your own soul too.’

^(36 )There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.
She was of a great age, having lived with her husband for seven years after her 
marriage, ^(37 )then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple
but worshipped there with fasting and prayer night and day. ^(38 )At that moment
she came, and began to praise God _and to speak about the child to all who were 
looking **for the redemption of Jerusalem.**_” Luke 2:25-38

Even Zechariah’s wife Elizabeth, who was also filled with the Holy Spirit, testified
to Jesus being her very own Lord from the moment of His human conception!

“In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country,
where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard
Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. **_And Elizabeth was filled with 
the Holy Spirit_****_^( )_**and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among
women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.^( )And why has this happened to me,**
_that the mother of MY LORD comes to me?_**^( )For as soon as I heard the sound 
of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy.^( )And blessed is she who
believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’”
Luke 1:39-45

Moreover, both Christ and his blessed disciples proclaimed that salvation comes 
from trusting in the Lord Jesus:

“Then he said to her, ‘**_Your sins are forgiven_**.’^( )But those who were at the
table with him began to say among themselves, ‘**_Who is this who even forgives 
sins?_**’^( )And he said to the woman, ‘**_Your faith has saved you; go in peace_**.’”
Luke 7:48-50

“Then Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he too
is a son of Abraham. **_For the Son of Man came to seek out and TO SAVE the lost_**.’”
Luke 19:9-10

“Then he said to them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still
with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and
the psalms must be fulfilled.’^( )Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures,
^( )and he said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and 
to rise from the dead on the third day,^( )**_and that repentance and forgiveness
of sins is to be proclaimed IN HIS NAME to all nations_**, beginning from Jerusalem.’”
Luke 24:44-47

“All the prophets testify about him **_that everyone who believes in him receives
forgiveness of sins through his name_**.” Acts 10:43

“After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, ‘My brothers,
you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that I should be the
one through whom the Gentiles would hear the message of the good news and become
believers. And God, who knows the human heart, testified to them by giving them 
the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us;^( )**_and in cleansing their hearts by faith_**
he has made no distinction between them and us.^( )Now therefore why are you putting
God to the test by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our 
ancestors nor we have been able to bear?^( )On the contrary, **_we believe that 
we will be SAVED through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will_**.’” Acts
15:7-11

“Then he brought them outside and said, ‘**_Sirs, what must I do to be SAVED?_**’
They answered, ‘**_Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be SAVED_**, you and 
your household.’” Acts 16:30-31

**Divine Confirmation**

Christ and his Apostles also went around performing miraculous signs and healings
in the name of Jesus as supernatural confirmation that a person can only be saved
by having faith in Christ:

“One day, while he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting 
near by (they had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem);
and the power of the Lord was with him to heal. Just then some men came, carrying
a paralyzed man on a bed. They were trying to bring him in and lay him before Jesus;
^( )but finding no way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the
roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the middle of the crowd
in front of Jesus.^( )**_When he saw THEIR FAITH, he said, ‘Friend, your sins are
forgiven you_**.’^( )Then the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, ‘**_Who
is this who is speaking blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?_**’^( )
When Jesus perceived their questionings, he answered them, ‘Why do you raise such
questions **_in your hearts_**?^( )Which is easier, to say, “Your sins are forgiven
you,” or to say, “Stand up and walk”?^( )**_But so that you may know that the Son
of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’_**—he said to the one who was paralyzed—‘
I say to you, stand up and take your bed and go to your home.’ **_Immediately he
stood up before them, took what he had been lying on, and went to his home, glorifying
God_**.^( )Amazement seized all of them, and they glorified God and were filled 
with awe, saying, ‘We have seen strange things today.’” Luke 5:17-26

What makes this particular episode rather astonishing is that Jesus does and knows
the very same things which the Hebrew Bible says only Yahweh is capable of doing
and knowing, namely, forgiving sins, healing diseases, and knowing the secret thoughts
of men’s hearts:

“then hear in heaven your dwelling place, **_forgive_**, act, and render to all 
whose hearts you know—according to all their ways, **_for only you know what is 
in every human heart_**—” 1 Kings 8:39

“would not God discover this? **_For he knows the secrets of the heart_**.” Psalm
44:21

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits—**_who forgives all
your iniquity,_****_ who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the
Pit_**, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,” Psalm 103:2-4

Other miracles include:

“^(40 )And it came to pass, in the turning back of Jesus, the multitude received
him, for they were all looking for him,

^(41 )and lo, there came a man, whose name [is] Jairus, and he was a chief of the
synagogue, and having fallen at the feet of Jesus, was calling on him to come to
his house;

^(42 )because he had an only daughter about twelve years [old], and she was dying.
And in his going away, the multitudes were thronging him,

^(43 )and a woman, having an issue of blood for twelve years, who, having spent 
on physicians all her living, was not able to be healed by any,

^(44 )having come near behind, touched the fringe of his garment, and presently 
the issue of her blood stood.

^(45 )And Jesus said, `Who [is] it that touched me?’ and all denying, Peter and 
those with him said, `Master, the multitudes press thee, and throng [thee], and 
thou dost say, Who [is] it that touched me!’

^(46 )And Jesus said, `Some one did touch me, for I knew power having gone forth
from me.’

^(47 )And the woman, having seen that she was not hid, trembling, came, and having
fallen before him, for what cause she touched him declared to him before all the
people, and how she was healed presently;

^(48 )and he said to her, _`Take courage, daughter, **THY FAITH faith hath saved
thee**, be going on to peace.’_

^(49 )While he is yet speaking, there doth come a certain one from the chief of 
the synagogue’s [house], saying to him — `Thy daughter hath died, harass not the
Teacher;’

^(50 )and Jesus having heard, answered him, saying, _`Be not afraid, **ONLY BELIEVE,
and she shall be saved.’**_

^(51 )And having come to the house, he suffered no one to go in, except Peter, and
James, and John, and the father of the child, and the mother;

^(52 )and they were all weeping, and beating themselves for her, and he said, `Weep
not, she did not die, but doth sleep;

^(53 )and they were deriding him, knowing that she did die;

^(54 )and he having put all forth without, **_and having taken hold of her hand,
called, saying, `Child, arise;’_**

**_^(55 )and her spirit came back, and she arose presently,_** and he directed that
there be given to her to eat;

^(56 )and her parents were amazed, but he charged them to say to no one what was
come to pass.” Luke 8:40-56 _Young’s Literal Translation_ (YLT)

“Then Jesus called the twelve together **_and gave them power and authority over
all demons and to cure diseases_**,^( )and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom
of God and to heal.^( )He said to them, ‘Take nothing for your journey, no staff,
nor bag, nor bread, nor money—not even an extra tunic.^( )Whatever house you enter,
stay there, and leave from there.^( )Wherever they do not welcome you, as you are
leaving that town shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.’ They
departed and went through the villages, bringing the good news **_and curing diseases
everywhere_**…

John answered, ‘**_Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name_**, and
we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.’^( )But Jesus said to 
him, ‘Do not stop him; for whoever is not against you is for you.’” Luke 9:1-6, 
49-50

“After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs
to every town and place where he himself intended to go.

‘Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you;
^( )cure the sick who are there, and say to them, “The kingdom of God has come near
to you.”’

The seventy returned with joy, saying, ‘**_Lord, in your name even the demons submit
to us!_**’ He said to them, ‘I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning.
^( )**_See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over
all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you_**.^( )Nevertheless, do not
rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are
written in heaven.’” Luke 10:1, 8, 17-20

“As he approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.^( )When
he heard a crowd going by, he asked what was happening.^( )They told him, ‘Jesus
of Nazareth is passing by.’ Then he shouted, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on
me!’^( )Those who were in front sternly ordered him to be quiet; but he shouted 
even more loudly, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’^( )Jesus stood still and ordered
the man to be brought to him; and when he came near, he asked him, ‘What do you 
want me to do for you?’ He said, ‘Lord, let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘**
_Receive your sight; your FAITH has saved you.’_****_^( )Immediately he regained
his sight and followed him, glorifying God; and all the people, when they saw it,
praised God_**.” Luke 18:35-43

“Now as Peter went here and there among all the believers, he came down also to 
the saints living in Lydda.^( )There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden
for eight years, for he was paralyzed. Peter said to him, ‘**_Aeneas, Jesus Christ
heals you; get up and make your bed!’ And immediately he got up_**.^( )And all the
residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him **_and turned to the Lord_**.

Now in Joppa there was a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas.
She was devoted to good works and acts of charity. At that time she became ill and
died. When they had washed her, they laid her in a room upstairs.^( )Since Lydda
was near Joppa, the disciples, who heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him
with the request, ‘Please come to us without delay.’^( )So Peter got up and went
with them; and when he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs. All the widows
stood beside him, weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had 
made while she was with them.^( )Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt
down and prayed. He turned to the body and said, ‘Tabitha, get up.’ Then she opened
her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up.^( )He gave her his hand and helped her up.
Then calling the saints and widows, he showed her to be alive. This became known
throughout Joppa, **_and many believed in the Lord_**.” Acts 9:32-42

“One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, at three
o’clock in the afternoon.^( )And a man lame from birth was being carried in. People
would lay him daily at the gate of the temple called the Beautiful Gate so that 
he could ask for alms from those entering the temple.^( )When he saw Peter and John
about to go into the temple, he asked them for alms.^( )Peter looked intently at
him, as did John, and said, ‘Look at us.’^( )And he fixed his attention on them,
expecting to receive something from them.^( )But Peter said, ‘I have no silver or
gold, but what I have I give you; **_in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand
up and walk_**.’^( )And he took him by the right hand and raised him up; **_and 
immediately his feet and ankles were made strong_**.^( )Jumping up, he stood and
began to walk, and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising
God.^( )All the people saw him walking and praising God,^( )and they recognized 
him as the one who used to sit and ask for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple;
and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

While he clung to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the portico
called Solomon’s Portico, utterly astonished.^( )When Peter saw it, he addressed
the people, ‘You Israelites, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us,**
_as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk?_**^( )The God of Abraham,
the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our ancestors **_has glorified
his servant Jesus_**, whom you handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate,
though he had decided to release him.^( )But you rejected **_the Holy and Righteous
One_** and asked to have a murderer given to you,^( )**_and you killed the Author
of life, whom God raised from the dead_**. To this we are witnesses.^( )**_And by
faith in his name, his name itself has made this man strong_**, whom you see and
know; **_and the faith that is through Jesus has given him this perfect health in
the presence of all of you_**… When God raised up his servant, he sent him first
to you, **_to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways_**.” Acts 3:
1-16

“The next day their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem, with Annas
the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly
family.^( )When they had made the prisoners stand in their midst, they inquired,‘**
_By what power or by what name did you do this_**?’ Then Peter, **_filled with the
Holy Spirit_**, said to them, ‘Rulers of the people and elders,^( )if we are questioned
today because of a good deed done to someone who was sick and are asked how this
man has been healed,^( )let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of 
Israel, that this man is standing before you in good health **_by the name of Jesus
Christ of Nazareth_**, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead.^( )This
Jesus is

“the stone that was rejected by you, the builders; it has become the cornerstone.”

**_THERE IS SALVATION IN NO ONE ELSE, for there is NO OTHER NAME under heaven given
among mortals by which we must be SAVED_**.’

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated
and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized them as companions of Jesus.^()**
_When they saw the man who had been cured standing beside them, they had nothing
to say in opposition_**.” Acts 4:5-14

Peter’s Spirit-filled proclamation that salvation is found only in Jesus, and that
it is His name alone that can save, identifies the risen Christ as Yahweh God in
the flesh, since the Hebrew Bible emphatically teaches that it is Yahweh alone who
is able to save anyone from their sins:

“^(17 **But Israel is saved by the Lord**
**    ****with everlasting salvation;**
you shall not be put to shame or confounded    to all eternity.

^(18 )For thus says the Lord,
who created the heavens    (he is God!),who formed
the earth and made it    (he established it;he did not create it a chaos,    he 
formed it to be inhabited!):I am the Lord, and there is no other.^(19 )I did not
speak in secret,    in a land of darkness;I did not say to the offspring of Jacob,‘
Seek me in chaos.’I the Lord speak the truth,    I declare what is right.

^(20 )Assemble yourselves and come together,
    draw near, you survivors of the
nations!They have no knowledge—    those who carry about their wooden idols,and 
keep on praying to a god    that cannot save.^(21 )Declare and present your case;
let them take counsel together!Who told this long ago?    Who declared it of old?
Was it not I, the Lord?    There is no other god besides me,**a righteous God and
a Saviour;****    there is no one besides me.**

**^(22 )Turn to me and be saved,**
**    ****all the ends of the earth!****    For
I am God, and there is no other.**” Isaiah 45:17-22

The Apostle Paul, therefore, stands vindicated since a careful and accurate reading
of Luke-Acts proves that this blessed servant of the risen Christ was right. Just
as our examination of Luke-Acts demonstrated, even Zechariah and Elizabeth knew 
that no one could ever be justified by keeping the Law. Rather, the Holy Spirit 
had revealed to them that salvation comes from trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ,
God’s unique and beloved Son:

“Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and
James, and went up on the mountain to pray.^( )And while he was praying, **_the 
appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white_**.^( )Suddenly
they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him.^( )They appeared in glory and
were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now
Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed
awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him.^( )Just as they were
leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is good for us to be here; let us 
make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah’—not knowing
what he said.^( )While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and
they were terrified as they entered the cloud.^( )**_Then from the cloud came a 
voice that said, ‘This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!’_**^( )When the voice
had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no
one any of the things they had seen.” Luke 9:28-36

_Unless noted otherwise, all Scriptural citations are taken from the New Revised
Standard Version (NRSV) of the Holy Bible._

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