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HOUSMAIL HM003 1998 THE GOSPEL
AND GOD'S COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM A
careful reading of the New Testament will show that the Gospel we now hear is
the SAME as that preached to Abraham! (Galatians 3:8-9) The
GOOD NEWS from the New Testament is all about how God is fulfilling His
covenant with Abraham. And it contains the same CONDITIONAL offer made to
Abraham, through which we also can share in Abraham's inheritance. (Genesis 17:1-2) God
made specific promises to Abraham, the Father of the Jewish race. (Genesis 12:1-3, 13:14-17, 15:1-11, 17:1-8, 22:15-18) So
unchangeable is this covenant that God swore an OATH to confirm it. (Genesis 22:15-18, Hebrews 6:13-14) The
specific promises are: *
That Abraham would
become a great NATION. *
That Abraham and his
descendants would inherit the LAND of Canaan as an everlasting possession. *
That through Abraham
and one of His descendants, all families of the earth would be BLESSED. In
the New testament we learn that: *
The REAL "great
nation" refers only to those "spiritual descendants" who share
the FAITH OF ABRAHAM. (Romans 4:13-17) *
The "promised
land" actually includes the WHOLE EARTH. (Romans
4:13, Matthew 5:5) *
The promised
descendant through whom the blessing comes is JESUS. (Galatians 3:16) *
Our future inheritance
of the promises is THE GOSPEL HOPE. (Galatians 3:29, Hebrews
11:8,13, 39-40) *
The promises are the
GUARANTEE of the resurrection of our bodies. (Luke
20:27-38) God's
covenant with Abraham guarantees an eternal inheritance to those who SHARE
his faith. Those promises are CENTRAL to the Gospel Of The Kingdom Of God.
They are an indispensable element of the GOOD NEWS. They define our hope. THEY
ARE OUR ETERNAL FUTURE! A
COMPARISON WITH "POPULAR GOSPELS". From
these promises we learn that: - *
The real hope of
IMMORTALITY depends on a bodily resurrection. (Not on the continuing life of
inherent immortal souls without a body) *
Our eternal
inheritance is received AFTER Jesus returns from heaven. (Not immediately at
death) *
The place of our
eternal reward is on EARTH. (Not in Heaven) *
This inheritance is
reserved for those who share the FAITH of Abraham, in God's promises to
Abraham. (It
is not for those who cannot possibly believe promises they have never heard) IT
IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE HEAR THESE PROMISES OURSELVES ..... BELIEVE THEM
OURSELVES ..... AND MEET THE CONDITIONS OURSELVES ..... IN ORDER TO RECEIVE
OUR OWN PERSONAL INHERITANCE OF THEM. IT
IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE MAKE THEM AN INDISPENSABLE ELEMENT OF THE GOOD NEWS WE
PREACH. A
"GOSPEL" WHICH DOES NOT CONTAIN THESE PROMISES IS NO GOSPEL AT ALL! Allon "Everyone who calls upon the name of the
Lord will be saved." But how are men to call upon him in whom they have
not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never
heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher? ..... So, faith comes
from what is heard, and what is heard comes by the preaching of Christ." (Romans 10:13-17) |