Psalm 7:11

[JD731]

Galatians 3:6-9. 'Just as Abraham "Believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness," therefore know that those who are of faith, they are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the Gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed." So then , those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.'
Galatians 3:16. Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, "And to seeds," as of many, but as of one. "And to your Seed," who is Christ.' The promises are not to unbelievers, whether Jew or Gentile.
Galatians 4:24-28, 31. ''For these [Sarah and Hagar] are two covenants: the one from MOunt Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar -- for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which is now, and is in bondage with her children, but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all. As it is written: "Rejoice, O barren, you who do not bear! Break forth and shout, you who are not in labour! For the desolate has many more children that she who has a husband." Now we, bethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise ....... So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.'
Believers are the children of promise, and the heirs, not of the Jerusalem which is in bondage with her children, but of that Jerusalem which is free, whether they be Jewish, Caucasian, Arab or of any other ethnicity. See Ephesians 2:11-22.

Just a short brief here. When Paul is dealing with the "promise" he is dealing with the very last of the 12 parts of the Abrahamic covenant. All the other parts deals with physical promises such as a family, a land, a nation etc.. You can read it for yourself. I posted much of the covenant earlier. But the manner of keeping the promise that in his Seed, his one greater Seed, which is Jesus Christ we all will be blessed when we receive the gift of the Spirit to give us a new spiritual birth. We are not made the physical sons of Abraham and this part of the Abrahamic covenant is all that applies to gentiles. The reason it is said we are a son of Abraham is because Abraham is the father of faith in a miraculous son. There was a monumental transition in history when the obedient and faithful Abraham believed that his son through a too old Sarah would be born This son, like all sons that prefigure Jesus Christ is the second born in keeping with the type of being born of the flesh and of the Spirit. Ishmael, born of the flesh and Isaac, born of God, a miracle. All that are born of the Spirit by faith in Christ are sons of God.

Just so you know that the new birth does not disannul all the promises of God to Israel and those who are saved still maintains their identity, check these two passages out.

Galatians - Written 49 AD
Romans - Written 58 AD

Rom 11:1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, [of] the tribe of Benjamin.
2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.
4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to [the image of] Baal.
5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant (of Israel) according to the election of grace.

The point. Paul still identifies as a Jew and with the remnant 20 years after being saved.

Spoken during the last week of the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ before his crucifixion.
Mt 19:27 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
30 But many [that are] first shall be last; and the last [shall be] first.

Eph 2:18 For through him we both (Jew & gentiles) have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
19 Now therefore ye (gentiles) are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

The church of Jesus Christ, the temple of the Holy Ghost, sits on a Jewish foundation.

Martin, I am in a constant state of growing in my understanding. I think I am correct about these things but also realized that I could have miner details wrong and as I get more light I will certainly adapt. But I cringe at the thought of leading anyone astray. That is why I have given a lot ao thought to these things before I write them.

May the Lord be pleased with my exaltation of his wonderful person and salvation.

 

[Martin Marprelate]

@JD731,
Thank you for your thoughtful post (parts of which I can definitely agree with) and especially for your closing paragraphs.
In accordance with the sentiments expressed, I will not answer straight away, but give the matter some more prayerful consideration with a view to coming back later tonight or sometime tomorrow.

 

[Martin Marprelate]

Just a short brief here. When Paul is dealing with the "promise" he is dealing with the very last of the 12 parts of the Abrahamic covenant. All the other parts deals with physical promises such as a family, a land, a nation etc.. You can read it for yourself. I posted much of the covenant earlier. But the manner of keeping the promise that in his Seed, his one greater Seed, which is Jesus Christ we all will be blessed when we receive the gift of the Spirit to give us a new spiritual birth.

I believe that the whole of the covenant with Abraham is a 'covenant of promise' (c.f. Eph. 2:12). There are multiple places in the N.T. where God's dealings with Abraham are described as 'promises.' (Acts 7:5; Rom 4:12; 9:4-9; Gal 3:5-29; 4:28; Heb 6:13-20; 11:9, 13, 17). The promises are ‘in Christ’ (Gal 3:17 NKJV. cf. 2 Cor. 1:20) as well as ‘of Christ’ (Gal. 3:16); that is, they refer to Christ and are for those who are His by faith.

My understanding of the covenants is as follows: Two covenants transacted between God and a Covenant or Representative head. These are the so-called Covenant of Works made with Adam, and the Covenant of Grace made with Christ.

Four covenants of Promise (cf. Eph 2:12 ). These are the covenants with Adam (Gen 3:15-21 ), with Noah, with Abraham and with David. These are covenants with individuals, purely gracious, and having reference to a coming ‘Seed.’

Two covenants made between God and a people: the Old (or ‘First’ or ‘Mosaic’) Covenant and the New Covenant. One is made with reference to the law, the other with reference to faith. The New Covenant is discovered to be nothing else but the Covenant of Grace revealed and realized and the consummation of all the covenants (Col 1:26; Heb 13:20. cf. Exod 2:24; Psalm 111:5; Ezek 16:60-61; Luke 1:72 ).

We are not made the physical sons of Abraham and this part of the Abrahamic covenant is all that applies to gentiles.

I don't believe this is so, inasmuch as unbelievers, whether Jew or Gentile, are not in the covenant with Abraham. 'For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but "In Isaac shall your seed be called." Tht is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed' (Romans 9:6-8). Now this is not so-called 'replacement theology,' it's 'inclusion theology.' '... That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the Gospel (Eph. 3:6). There is now only one people of God - believing Jew and believing Gentile. 'For through Him we both [Jew and Gentile believers] have access by one Spirit to the Father' (Eph. 2:18).

The reason it is said we are a son of Abraham is because Abraham is the father of faith in a miraculous son. There was a monumental transition in history when the obedient and faithful Abraham believed that his son through a too old Sarah would be born This son, like all sons that prefigure Jesus Christ is the second born in keeping with the type of being born of the flesh and of the Spirit. Ishmael, born of the flesh and Isaac, born of God, a miracle. All that are born of the Spirit by faith in Christ are sons of God.

Just so you know that the new birth does not disannul all the promises of God to Israel and those who are saved still maintains their identity, check these two passages out.

Galatians - Written 49 AD
Romans - Written 58 AD

Rom 11:1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, [of] the tribe of Benjamin.
2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.
4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to [the image of] Baal.
5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant (of Israel) according to the election of grace.

The point. Paul still identifies as a Jew and with the remnant 20 years after being saved.

Yes, I agree with this, and in Romans 11, Paul is talking about ethnic Jews. There is abundant grace for Jews just as there is for Gentiles. I long to see the Jews and the Arabs reconciled, and the only way I can see that happening is through Jesus Christ That is the 'peace of Jerusalem' that I pray for. Looking at the latter part of Romans 11, I think it is very likely that there will be a revival (if that's the right word) among the Jews in Israel. But it will be on exactly the same basis as anywhere else: through repentance, and faith in Christ.

Spoken during the last week of the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ before his crucifixion.
Mt 19:27 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
30 But many [that are] first shall be last; and the last [shall be] first.

The apostles were followers of Christ. Followers of our Lord will judge angels (1 Cor. 6:3); we will be reigning with Christ. But there is another side to this. Luke 13:28. "There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. Thhey will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south [I take these to be the Gentiles], and sit down in the kingdom of God. And indeed, there are last who shall be first, and there are first who shall be last.

Eph 2:18 For through him we both (Jew & gentiles) have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
19 Now therefore ye (gentiles) are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

The church of Jesus Christ, the temple of the Holy Ghost, sits on a Jewish foundation.

Inasmuch as the Lord Jesus was Jewish through His mother, and the apostles were Jewish, I quite agree.

Martin, I am in a constant state of growing in my understanding. I think I am correct about these things but also realized that I could have miner details wrong and as I get more light I will certainly adapt. But I cringe at the thought of leading anyone astray. That is why I have given a lot ao thought to these things before I write them.

May the Lord give both of us wisdom in these matters.

May the Lord be pleased with my exaltation of his wonderful person and salvation.

Amen!