joyful
Joined: 30 Aug 2007
Posts: 1376
Location: texas
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 Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 11:15 pm Post subject: predestination |
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“IF YOU ARE CHRIST’S, THEN YOU ARE ABRAHAM’S SEED AND HEIRS”
(34) Another matter, really the key to the whole question which we are discussing, is revealed in God’s Word, viz., that in the divine purpose the promised “Seed of Abraham” that should perform the great work of blessing all the families of the earth (Genesis 12:3; 22:18; 26:4; 28:14; Romans 4:13,16; Galatians 3:8,16,29), is to be one, in the sense of one kind, but not in the sense of one person — that is to say, that the seed of Abraham will consist of all who believed the promise in faith (Luke 20:37,38; Romans 4:3,13,16; Galatians 3:6; Hebrews 11:13,17,39); in this Christian age, it thus includes all who belong to Christ. — Galatians 3:7,29.
(35) This Gospel age intervening between the time of the great sin offering and the time when the blessing of earth’s billions will commence, God has set apart for the work of selecting or electing the seed of Abraham who are to bless all the families of the earth. The scriptures speak of those being selected as the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27), “the church” (Acts 2:47; 5:11; 20:28 — King James Version), the “little flock,” (Luke 12:32) the “royal priesthood,” (1 Peter 2:9) the spiritual “children of Israel” “by faith,” (Revelation 7:4; Romans 4:16) “heirs of God” (Romans 8:17) and “sons of God.” (Galatians 3:26) The salvation provided for these heirs and sons of God is higher than that which God purposes for the world in general, as they all, if faithful, receive an inheritance in the kingdom. But an even greater purpose is also revealed in selecting these heirs of God, and that is the selection of “joint-heirs” with Christ. (Romans 8:17) The ones who receive joint-heirship receive the highest rewards in the kingdom. The selecting of these heirs and “joint-heirs” and trying them and proving them, fitting them and polishing them for service in the Kingdom, and it is to these, as the Apostle Peter declares, God has given “exceeding great and precious promises [far beyond any promises given to any other of his creatures] that by these [promises] we might become partakers of the divine [Strong's Greek #2304 - godlike] nature [Strong's #5449 - growth],”* and receive the inheritance of the kingdom in order to bless all the families of the earth.
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YHWH is my God and Jesus is my Lord |
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