A Duty to Rescue
“Why don’t you be like one of those good Christians and leave us Jews alone?”
These words were spoken to me by an ultra-Orthodox Jewish man. I was on a sidewalk in a large city with a group offering small booklets to passersby. These booklets showed, from the Hebrew Bible, Jesus to be the Jewish Messiah.
I understood his meaning, “Just leave us alone, we have our faith; do not try to convert us to a different religion.”
We then engaged in a lengthy conversation. I asked if he believed being obedient to God, by following the commands in the Scriptures, was important, He said, “Of course, our faith is all about obeying God’s commands.”
I then spoke about the command by Jesus to His followers to go into the world and make disciples of all nations. I also told him, if Jesus is the Son of God and clearly says the only way to come to God the Father was through faith in Him, I was not only obligated to try to speak about Him to others, but I was also bringing the most important truth to him and everyone else who would listen.
In some countries, “duty to rescue” or “good Samaritan” laws make it a legal obligation to aid or rescue someone in a dangerous life-threatening situation in certain instances. Variations of this law and who it applies to are based on circumstances and the relationship of the person to the one in danger.[1]
The duty to act is something every believer in the Messiah Jesus should realize as we seek to be obedient to the Scriptures. The half-brother of Jesus, James[2], wrote this in his epistle: “So, for one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, for him it is sin.”[3]
The prophet Ezekiel also spoke of the watchman who failed to deliver a warning of the consequences to the wicked, the watchman would be held accountable.[4]
As followers of the Messiah Jesus we know these truths:
Jesus is the only way to come to God.[5]
There is no other name given under heaven where we can be saved.[6]
If a person does not believe in Jesus, they will die in their sins.[7]
The gospel is “the power of God for salvation for all who believe, to the Jew first and also the Greek.”[8]
If we know these truths, and are told to bring the message of the gospel to an unbelieving world, to people we know are in grave danger of eternal condemnation, isn’t “the duty to rescue” much greater than what earthly laws require?
Written by Jeff, Life in Messiah staff
How about you? Do you desire to reach out to your family, neighbors, or co-workers with the gospel, but do not feel equipped to do so? Contact us and we can advise you of resources.
Are you Jewish and have never seen the Scriptures which we believe show Jesus to be the promised Jewish Messiah? We’d love to chat.
Have you been told the Jewish people do not need Jesus and to leave them alone? For Paul’s compelling arguments to the contrary, read Romans 9 to 11.
Endnotes:
[1] https://www.thelaw.com/law/good-samaritan-laws-the-duty-to-help-or-rescue-someone.218/.
[2] James is Iacobus in Greek, from the Hebrew Yaacov; non-English translations preserve a form of “Jacob” where “James” is found in our English texts. https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-topics/bible-versions-and-translations/james-or-jacob-in-the-bible/.
[3] James 4:17.
[4] Ezekiel 3:18.
[5] John 14:6.
[6] Acts 4:12.
[7] John 8:24.
[8] Romans 1:16-17.