I like this writer's take on things, but I'd say faith in one's self and obedience to a healthy discipline is the key, but that distinction seems lost on most.
"I have previously reported that the New Testament portion of the Bible did not start a new religion called Christianity. I have also recently written on the Biblical term the Faith to show that the Bible also does not endorse a specific religion.
In another article I recently published, I explained how there are differences between the Old Covenant (Old Testament) and the New Covenant (New Testament).
What I want to report in this article, is that there is one thing that did not change between the Old Testament and the New Testament, and that is the fact that salvation by God has always been by faith, and not through a chosen people or a religion, and that this has always been true.
It was true before the Old Covenant (the Law given to Moses), during the Old Covenant, and it is true today during the New Covenant period of time.
The Way of Salvation has ALWAYS been by Faith and Obedience, Not by a Chosen Nation or Religion...."