The Gospel is summarized in God's promise to Abraham, "In thy seed shall all nations be blessed."
What does this mean? Notice that it involves two distinct and separate parts:
1. Abraham's seed.
2. All nations (or families) of earth.
Abraham's seed is not totally as Abraham might have expected, for the Apostle informs us in Gal 3:29 that "If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise." This is a key to our understanding. It says that faithful Christians are counted by God as being Abraham's seed or children. It also says that because of this they become "heirs" according to the "promise."
What promise? The promise was that the seed would bless everyone else. Now we are at the crux of the matter. If true Christians are the seed, we see God's eventual purpose for them: the blessing of all the nations of the earth, and the resurrecting of all those who have died even as Abraham expected so that they too could be blessed. Now our chart is harmonious. Those who go to heaven will be part of the great Messiah which will bless those here on earth. (Obadiah 21)
But the chart is harmonious only if we retain “the other half of the Gospel" -- the part Judaism believes. And that part is, not only will the "seed" be saved, but so will the rest of mankind! It is actually saying that there are two salvations. First, the seed (true Christians) are saved; and secondly, they (the seed) save and bless everyone else. Yes, the complete Gospel really is GOOD NEWS! (Rom 2:28-32; l Tim 4:10)
The New Testament informs us that there will be two kinds of resurrection, one in heaven for the true seed (the “first resurrection"), and one on earth for all the rest of mankind. This is the whole Gospel Christendom and Judaism both have been incomplete in themselves. Each had one half of the Gospel. But now we see that those who will go to heaven in the first resurrection will not go to float on clouds and play harps, but rather to participate with Christ in the ruler-ship of his kingdom which will bless all the families here on earth. Christ's kingdom will have two parts: a heavenly (or spiritual) phase and an earthly phase. If this were not so, why would the Lord have taught the disciples to pray, "Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth"? (Matt 6:10) Or how could the angels have predicted "Peace on earth, good will toward men"? (Luke 2:12-14) Or how would it be a blessing for the meek to "inherit the earth"? (Matthew 5:5)
Paul also mentions these two salvations in 1Tim 4:10 where he says, "We trust in the living God who is the Savior of all men, especially of those that believe." It is clear that Paul still had in mind the seed and all men as being the two parts of the Gospel because he says that salvation is:
1. For all men, and
2. Especially for those that believe (now).
The "special" salvation is, of course, the salvation of the "first resurrection" (the heavenly resurrection -- Rev 20:6). It is the salvation of true Christians (the fully consecrated), those whom God recognizes as His own true Church -- "the seed of Abraham."
Understanding the two salvations, the earthly and the heavenly (or the two parts of the Gospel), answers many questions about certain scriptures.
For instance, consider Matt 11:11: "Verily I say unto you, among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the Kingdom of heaven (the spiritual phase) is greater than he." This tells us what a great man John the Baptist was. Yet in the same verse we have our Lord's own words that John will not be a part of the heavenly phase of the kingdom. John instead will be a part of all the nations of the earth who will be raised and blessed right here on the earth by "the seed" -- the Church raised to heavenly glory. (Heb 11:39, 40)
So then, in short, the Gospel is the beautiful promise that all men will be raised and be given an opportunity to attain human perfection and everlasting life on the earth. The exception to this is those who faithfully serve the Lord during this present life since Jesus' first advent. They will live in heaven as spirit beings, and their job will be to bless the race of man on earth. The true Gospel is a combination of the best basic traditional expectations of both Jews and Christians.”
Continued with next post.
What does this mean? Notice that it involves two distinct and separate parts:
1. Abraham's seed.
2. All nations (or families) of earth.
Abraham's seed is not totally as Abraham might have expected, for the Apostle informs us in Gal 3:29 that "If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise." This is a key to our understanding. It says that faithful Christians are counted by God as being Abraham's seed or children. It also says that because of this they become "heirs" according to the "promise."
What promise? The promise was that the seed would bless everyone else. Now we are at the crux of the matter. If true Christians are the seed, we see God's eventual purpose for them: the blessing of all the nations of the earth, and the resurrecting of all those who have died even as Abraham expected so that they too could be blessed. Now our chart is harmonious. Those who go to heaven will be part of the great Messiah which will bless those here on earth. (Obadiah 21)
But the chart is harmonious only if we retain “the other half of the Gospel" -- the part Judaism believes. And that part is, not only will the "seed" be saved, but so will the rest of mankind! It is actually saying that there are two salvations. First, the seed (true Christians) are saved; and secondly, they (the seed) save and bless everyone else. Yes, the complete Gospel really is GOOD NEWS! (Rom 2:28-32; l Tim 4:10)
The New Testament informs us that there will be two kinds of resurrection, one in heaven for the true seed (the “first resurrection"), and one on earth for all the rest of mankind. This is the whole Gospel Christendom and Judaism both have been incomplete in themselves. Each had one half of the Gospel. But now we see that those who will go to heaven in the first resurrection will not go to float on clouds and play harps, but rather to participate with Christ in the ruler-ship of his kingdom which will bless all the families here on earth. Christ's kingdom will have two parts: a heavenly (or spiritual) phase and an earthly phase. If this were not so, why would the Lord have taught the disciples to pray, "Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth"? (Matt 6:10) Or how could the angels have predicted "Peace on earth, good will toward men"? (Luke 2:12-14) Or how would it be a blessing for the meek to "inherit the earth"? (Matthew 5:5)
Paul also mentions these two salvations in 1Tim 4:10 where he says, "We trust in the living God who is the Savior of all men, especially of those that believe." It is clear that Paul still had in mind the seed and all men as being the two parts of the Gospel because he says that salvation is:
1. For all men, and
2. Especially for those that believe (now).
The "special" salvation is, of course, the salvation of the "first resurrection" (the heavenly resurrection -- Rev 20:6). It is the salvation of true Christians (the fully consecrated), those whom God recognizes as His own true Church -- "the seed of Abraham."
Understanding the two salvations, the earthly and the heavenly (or the two parts of the Gospel), answers many questions about certain scriptures.
For instance, consider Matt 11:11: "Verily I say unto you, among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the Kingdom of heaven (the spiritual phase) is greater than he." This tells us what a great man John the Baptist was. Yet in the same verse we have our Lord's own words that John will not be a part of the heavenly phase of the kingdom. John instead will be a part of all the nations of the earth who will be raised and blessed right here on the earth by "the seed" -- the Church raised to heavenly glory. (Heb 11:39, 40)
So then, in short, the Gospel is the beautiful promise that all men will be raised and be given an opportunity to attain human perfection and everlasting life on the earth. The exception to this is those who faithfully serve the Lord during this present life since Jesus' first advent. They will live in heaven as spirit beings, and their job will be to bless the race of man on earth. The true Gospel is a combination of the best basic traditional expectations of both Jews and Christians.”
Continued with next post.
