The Gospel which we preach according as it was preached by the Apostles of the Lamb and recorded in the Epistles is the same as preached in the Old Testament. It is righteousness devoid of works. We also call it undeserved, unmerited, unearned and humanly unattainable favour.
We can also combine it with the blessing of Abraham. Galatians 3:29, reads, "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." The blessing of Abraham is righteousness devoid of works or self-effort. I know that many see it as material possessions. No matter how you try to twist it, it will always lead you to the Promised Land. The Promised Land is the believers place in Christ.
The Promised Land is a metaphor of where you find the delivered or the saved ones whom we call the born again believers or the saved ones. This is the In Christ realities. That's why we don't deliver believers because they have already been ably delivered by Christ from darkness to light. Colossians 1:13 aptly puts it, "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:"
As we shall find out, the Bible does not teach New Covenant believers to believe because they're believers who accepted and believed the Gospel of Christ. Faith is not demanded of them because they already have it as a gift from God the Father. All they need is more knowledge by reading, studying and meditating upon the Bible and praying accordingly.
Let's proceed with our subject for today by reading Hebrews 4:2, "For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." We see it clearly that the same Gospel preached before the incarnation of God in Christ Jesus is the same we're hearing.
We will progress systematically. Romans 3:21, tells us, "But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;" The Mosaic Law and the prophets were incriminating but their venom was spineless in the presence of the Grace of God or the finished work of Christ.
This brings us to look at the Old Testament faith to the New Testament faith. We quote Romans 1:17, "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." We have to state that the New Covenant faith is the faith of Jesus Christ.
We support thus, Galatians 2:16, "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." We're beneficiaries of the faith of Jesus Christ.
In the shadow, that is the Old Testament, the faith was a promissory note pointing to Jesus Christ Who is the substance. Hebrews 11:1, tells us, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Please hear this and hear it well. This verse is a description of Old Testament faith and not a definition of faith.
They saw on the horizon what was coming. The following passage clarifies it for us. We read Hebrews 11:39-40, "[39] And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: [40] God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect." Their faith was incomplete without the finished/accomplished work of Christ. Time and space will not permit us to name all the heroes of the Old Testament faith in Hebrews 11. Please read the whole chapter. Suffice to say is that they had the promissory note cashed by Jesus and we have the substance.
If you grasp this, you won't be swindled by charlatans who always give the lame excuse that your faith was/is little. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. Grace and peace be multiplied to you through knowledge.
The Gospel which we preach according as it was preached by the Apostles of the Lamb and recorded in the Epistles is the same as preached in the Old Testament. It is righteousness devoid of works. We also call it undeserved, unmerited, unearned and humanly unattainable favour.
We can also combine it with the blessing of Abraham. Galatians 3:29, reads, "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." The blessing of Abraham is righteousness devoid of works or self-effort. I know that many see it as material possessions. No matter how you try to twist it, it will always lead you to the Promised Land. The Promised Land is the believers place in Christ.
The Promised Land is a metaphor of where you find the delivered or the saved ones whom we call the born again believers or the saved ones. This is the In Christ realities. That's why we don't deliver believers because they have already been ably delivered by Christ from darkness to light. Colossians 1:13 aptly puts it, "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:"
As we shall find out, the Bible does not teach New Covenant believers to believe because they're believers who accepted and believed the Gospel of Christ. Faith is not demanded of them because they already have it as a gift from God the Father. All they need is more knowledge by reading, studying and meditating upon the Bible and praying accordingly.
Let's proceed with our subject for today by reading Hebrews 4:2, "For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." We see it clearly that the same Gospel preached before the incarnation of God in Christ Jesus is the same we're hearing.
We will progress systematically. Romans 3:21, tells us, "But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;" The Mosaic Law and the prophets were incriminating but their venom was spineless in the presence of the Grace of God or the finished work of Christ.
This brings us to look at the Old Testament faith to the New Testament faith. We quote Romans 1:17, "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." We have to state that the New Covenant faith is the faith of Jesus Christ.
We support thus, Galatians 2:16, "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." We're beneficiaries of the faith of Jesus Christ.
In the shadow, that is the Old Testament, the faith was a promissory note pointing to Jesus Christ Who is the substance. Hebrews 11:1, tells us, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Please hear this and hear it well. This verse is a description of Old Testament faith and not a definition of faith.
They saw on the horizon what was coming. The following passage clarifies it for us. We read Hebrews 11:39-40, "[39] And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: [40] God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect." Their faith was incomplete without the finished/accomplished work of Christ. Time and space will not permit us to name all the heroes of the Old Testament faith in Hebrews 11. Please read the whole chapter. Suffice to say is that they had the promissory note cashed by Jesus and we have the substance.
If you grasp this, you won't be swindled by charlatans who always give the lame excuse that your faith was/is little. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. Grace and peace be multiplied to you through knowledge.
- All Bible quotations are from the King James Version unless otherwise stated.
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