And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
If belonging to Christ through faith makes a person Abraham's seed and heir according to the promise, counted as a child of faith and part of the true Israel. The promises made to Abraham are fulfilled through Christ, so all who are Christ's share the inheritance promised to Abraham and his children. Those who enter God's city as members of the royal family will receive that inheritance, which is obtained by obeying the truth and putting heaven's principles into practice in this life. Belonging to Christ is not limited by race, social position, wealth, or education, but the promises to Abraham and to his seed are made to every believing soul. Both Jews and Gentiles have sinned and both need the Saviour's grace, so Gentiles may by faith become true children of Abraham and partakers of the promises made to him. Belonging to Christ makes slave and master one and fellow heirs to the blessings of God and the privileges of the gospel.
By faith and obedience both Jew and Gentile become one as harmonious members of one body in Christ with Jesus as the head. That body is composed of all who accept Christ as Saviour, confess their sins, and are transformed by the renewing of the mind, and by repentance and faith in the glorious hope of the gospel all are brought into harmonious action as they continue to obey the requirements of God. A converted slave becomes a member of the body of Christ, washed in the same blood and quickened by the same Spirit as the master, so Christianity creates a strong bond of union between them and requires the master to love and treat the slave as a brother. God has not cast off the seed of Abraham even though Israel according to the flesh failed of its high destiny, failed in unbelief to become the light of the world, despised God's mercy and forfeited its blessings as His chosen people. The glorious purposes undertaken to be accomplished through Israel are still to be fulfilled, and the light of the gospel shining out through disciples to those sitting in darkness, with thousands from the lands of the Gentiles flocking to its rising, is the increase and prosperity of Israel.
The gift to Abraham and his seed includes not merely the land of Canaan but the whole earth, and Abraham himself will share the inheritance. The inheritance of those who are Christ's is incorruptible and undefiled and does not fade away, the earth freed from the curse of sin, the kingdom and dominion under the whole heaven given to the saints, which the meek shall inherit in abundance of peace. It is a glorious inheritance reserved in heaven, and the kingdom it is the Father's good pleasure to give belongs to those who believe in Him. This earth was deeded to Abraham and his children, so this is God's world where wicked men are only permitted to be for now, and those who are Christ's will come into possession of it before long. Those who belong to Christ are Abraham's descendants and heirs of the promise, pilgrims and strangers in this world looking toward their heavenly country, and should show that they are rich in faith and heirs of that promise.
The inheritance is obtained not through human inventions but through relationship with Christ as a personal Saviour, by receiving and believing His words, complying with the conditions He laid down, obeying the laws of His kingdom and the truth, revealing His character to the world and resembling Him in character, and being one with Him here in order to be one with Him hereafter. Through this obedience believers are made heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, bought by Christ and converted from sin and made holy as members of God's royal family, children of the heavenly King who will walk with Him in white as those made worthy, while those who do not comply lose eternal life. Those who fit themselves for the mansions Christ has gone to prepare will enter into possession of a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory and can say the Lord is their portion and hope. Living by heaven's principles now shows that they will not bring sin or rebellion into heaven.
Like Abraham those counted as Abraham's seed are called to guard and to make known to the world the law of God and the gospel of His Son, with the light of the gospel shining out through them to those sitting in darkness. The Sabbath is enjoined upon them as God's sign and perpetual covenant, set apart for His name's glory and marking Him as the One who sanctifies them. Therefore Abraham's heirs must not expect to receive help from those around them but must be where they can help others. This equality in Christ brings liberty where the Spirit of the Lord is, and its principles strike at the very foundation of slavery and would surely undermine the whole system, while still calling servants to do the will of God from the heart and not merely to please men.
If belonging to Christ through faith makes a person Abraham's seed and heir according to the promise, counted as a child of faith and part of the true Israel. The promises made to Abraham are fulfilled through Christ, so all who are Christ's share the inheritance promised to Abraham and his children. Those who enter God's city as members of the royal family will receive that inheritance, which is obtained by obeying the truth and putting heaven's principles into practice in this life. Belonging to Christ is not limited by race, social position, wealth, or education, but the promises to Abraham and to his seed are made to every believing soul. Both Jews and Gentiles have sinned and both need the Saviour's grace, so Gentiles may by faith become true children of Abraham and partakers of the promises made to him. Belonging to Christ makes slave and master one and fellow heirs to the blessings of God and the privileges of the gospel.
By faith and obedience both Jew and Gentile become one as harmonious members of one body in Christ with Jesus as the head. That body is composed of all who accept Christ as Saviour, confess their sins, and are transformed by the renewing of the mind, and by repentance and faith in the glorious hope of the gospel all are brought into harmonious action as they continue to obey the requirements of God. A converted slave becomes a member of the body of Christ, washed in the same blood and quickened by the same Spirit as the master, so Christianity creates a strong bond of union between them and requires the master to love and treat the slave as a brother. God has not cast off the seed of Abraham even though Israel according to the flesh failed of its high destiny, failed in unbelief to become the light of the world, despised God's mercy and forfeited its blessings as His chosen people. The glorious purposes undertaken to be accomplished through Israel are still to be fulfilled, and the light of the gospel shining out through disciples to those sitting in darkness, with thousands from the lands of the Gentiles flocking to its rising, is the increase and prosperity of Israel.
The gift to Abraham and his seed includes not merely the land of Canaan but the whole earth, and Abraham himself will share the inheritance. The inheritance of those who are Christ's is incorruptible and undefiled and does not fade away, the earth freed from the curse of sin, the kingdom and dominion under the whole heaven given to the saints, which the meek shall inherit in abundance of peace. It is a glorious inheritance reserved in heaven, and the kingdom it is the Father's good pleasure to give belongs to those who believe in Him. This earth was deeded to Abraham and his children, so this is God's world where wicked men are only permitted to be for now, and those who are Christ's will come into possession of it before long. Those who belong to Christ are Abraham's descendants and heirs of the promise, pilgrims and strangers in this world looking toward their heavenly country, and should show that they are rich in faith and heirs of that promise.
The inheritance is obtained not through human inventions but through relationship with Christ as a personal Saviour, by receiving and believing His words, complying with the conditions He laid down, obeying the laws of His kingdom and the truth, revealing His character to the world and resembling Him in character, and being one with Him here in order to be one with Him hereafter. Through this obedience believers are made heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, bought by Christ and converted from sin and made holy as members of God's royal family, children of the heavenly King who will walk with Him in white as those made worthy, while those who do not comply lose eternal life. Those who fit themselves for the mansions Christ has gone to prepare will enter into possession of a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory and can say the Lord is their portion and hope. Living by heaven's principles now shows that they will not bring sin or rebellion into heaven.
Like Abraham those counted as Abraham's seed are called to guard and to make known to the world the law of God and the gospel of His Son, with the light of the gospel shining out through them to those sitting in darkness. The Sabbath is enjoined upon them as God's sign and perpetual covenant, set apart for His name's glory and marking Him as the One who sanctifies them. Therefore Abraham's heirs must not expect to receive help from those around them but must be where they can help others. This equality in Christ brings liberty where the Spirit of the Lord is, and its principles strike at the very foundation of slavery and would surely undermine the whole system, while still calling servants to do the will of God from the heart and not merely to please men.