“A few additional thoughts concerning the Abrahamic Covenant as mentioned in our last post under which the "Seed" is developed. Note this particular statement of Psa 50:5, "Those who have made a covenant with me."
Here Jehovah intimates that those who have presented their bodies a living sacrifice to Him have thereby made a covenant with Him. Observe it is not stated that he made a covenant with them, but rather they have made a covenant with Him. His part of the covenant was made with Abraham long before it became operative, thus, "In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed."
It became operative when Jesus sacrificed His human nature to redeem mankind from the death penalty, and was resurrected to the divine nature, at which time He became Head over all things to the Church, His body -- Head of the seed of the Abraham "Class"; because Jesus, the Head, and the Church, His body, together constitute that class. (Gal 3:27-29.)
When Jesus sacrificed Himself at Jordan, He made a covenant with Jehovah -- "a covenant by sacrifice." Jehovah had made his part of the covenant with Abraham about 2,000 years previously. Mark well, He did not make it with Jesus, but with Abraham; and that Jesus by sacrificing Himself -- giving His flesh for the life of the world -- came under the conditions of the Abrahamic covenant -- the very first person to do so. Furthermore, all who are justified by faith in Jesus' great work of sacrifice, since it was accomplished, who likewise go on to present their bodies in sacrifice to God, accept and come under the conditions of the same covenant God made with Abraham.
They make a covenant with Him by sacrificing their human nature. The Abrahamic covenant was not unconditional with respect to those who come under it, but with respect to the proposition that Abraham's seed will be the particular channel through which all the families of the earth will be blessed. When Abraham complied with certain conditions proposed by Jehovah (leaving his native land, etc.) the unconditional covenant was made with him, viz.: that God would use his seed to deliver mankind from sin's awful curse -- without any reference as to who would constitute that seed.
To His well-beloved son He offered the first opportunity to become that channel of blessing, but He must first sacrifice His human nature, and thus come under the conditions of a covenant that had existed about 2,000 years, but had been unfruitful, un-prolific, all of that time. This particular covenant was represented by Sarah, we understand. (Read Isa 54:1-10; Gal 4:21-34).
Ah, yes; while God's oath-bound covenant to bless all the families of the earth, through Abraham's seed, is unconditional, only those can come into that seed class who make a covenant with God by sacrifice. This oath-bound covenant needs no Mediator, because it comprehends, includes, only perfect persons -- actually or reckoned so.
Thus proving conclusively that the “seed” that is those who compose the seed are not under the New Covenant nor shall they, because the New Covenant requires a Mediator.
Jesus, the Head of the seed-class, was absolutely perfect; He therefore did not need a Mediator, and all truly consecrated who are baptized into His death, as human beings, and become members of His body, as New Creatures, likewise do not require the office of a Mediator, because they are members of Christ (Gal 3:27), the anointed class, the "seed of Abraham" class. The "Body" is complete in the Head, and acceptable IN Him. (Col 2:10; Eph 1:6.)
God deals with the "Body" through Jesus, the Head, the Advocate of the members of the "Body"; but in the Millennium He will not deal with mankind at all -- will not accept them in the Beloved -- while they are below the standard of actual human perfection; and to make it possible for such imperfect beings to live until the end of the Millennium, they must have a Mediator -- for without such a "go-between," divine justice would require their execution. The entire Christ class -- Head and "Body" -- the seed of Abraham, will evidently constitute that medium -- that "go-between", the great Mediator.
The Jews and Gentiles will then be under the glorious conditions of the "New Covenant."
"After those days," i.e., when the more than thirty-six centuries during which the Jews have been under the Law Covenant will have terminated, they will come under the conditions of the New Covenant. Then it will not be necessary for any man to teach his neighbor, for ALL shall know the Lord.
Surely we are not under the conditions of the New Covenant now! Why, even the members of Christ's body must be instructed now relative to God's glorious plans. But, nevertheless, God's laws are already written in the hearts of Jesus' disciples (2 Cor 3:3), in advance of the world of mankind; and this was made possible by the shedding of Jesus' blood (Luke 22:20), the precious blood that ratified, and will soon make fully operative, the "New Covenant" and will constitute Jesus' faithful disciples "able ministers of the New Covenant," when associated with Him in glory.” (1908 Put-In-Bay Convention, Discourse by Brother Frank Draper.)
Here Jehovah intimates that those who have presented their bodies a living sacrifice to Him have thereby made a covenant with Him. Observe it is not stated that he made a covenant with them, but rather they have made a covenant with Him. His part of the covenant was made with Abraham long before it became operative, thus, "In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed."
It became operative when Jesus sacrificed His human nature to redeem mankind from the death penalty, and was resurrected to the divine nature, at which time He became Head over all things to the Church, His body -- Head of the seed of the Abraham "Class"; because Jesus, the Head, and the Church, His body, together constitute that class. (Gal 3:27-29.)
When Jesus sacrificed Himself at Jordan, He made a covenant with Jehovah -- "a covenant by sacrifice." Jehovah had made his part of the covenant with Abraham about 2,000 years previously. Mark well, He did not make it with Jesus, but with Abraham; and that Jesus by sacrificing Himself -- giving His flesh for the life of the world -- came under the conditions of the Abrahamic covenant -- the very first person to do so. Furthermore, all who are justified by faith in Jesus' great work of sacrifice, since it was accomplished, who likewise go on to present their bodies in sacrifice to God, accept and come under the conditions of the same covenant God made with Abraham.
They make a covenant with Him by sacrificing their human nature. The Abrahamic covenant was not unconditional with respect to those who come under it, but with respect to the proposition that Abraham's seed will be the particular channel through which all the families of the earth will be blessed. When Abraham complied with certain conditions proposed by Jehovah (leaving his native land, etc.) the unconditional covenant was made with him, viz.: that God would use his seed to deliver mankind from sin's awful curse -- without any reference as to who would constitute that seed.
To His well-beloved son He offered the first opportunity to become that channel of blessing, but He must first sacrifice His human nature, and thus come under the conditions of a covenant that had existed about 2,000 years, but had been unfruitful, un-prolific, all of that time. This particular covenant was represented by Sarah, we understand. (Read Isa 54:1-10; Gal 4:21-34).
Ah, yes; while God's oath-bound covenant to bless all the families of the earth, through Abraham's seed, is unconditional, only those can come into that seed class who make a covenant with God by sacrifice. This oath-bound covenant needs no Mediator, because it comprehends, includes, only perfect persons -- actually or reckoned so.
Thus proving conclusively that the “seed” that is those who compose the seed are not under the New Covenant nor shall they, because the New Covenant requires a Mediator.
Jesus, the Head of the seed-class, was absolutely perfect; He therefore did not need a Mediator, and all truly consecrated who are baptized into His death, as human beings, and become members of His body, as New Creatures, likewise do not require the office of a Mediator, because they are members of Christ (Gal 3:27), the anointed class, the "seed of Abraham" class. The "Body" is complete in the Head, and acceptable IN Him. (Col 2:10; Eph 1:6.)
God deals with the "Body" through Jesus, the Head, the Advocate of the members of the "Body"; but in the Millennium He will not deal with mankind at all -- will not accept them in the Beloved -- while they are below the standard of actual human perfection; and to make it possible for such imperfect beings to live until the end of the Millennium, they must have a Mediator -- for without such a "go-between," divine justice would require their execution. The entire Christ class -- Head and "Body" -- the seed of Abraham, will evidently constitute that medium -- that "go-between", the great Mediator.
The Jews and Gentiles will then be under the glorious conditions of the "New Covenant."
"After those days," i.e., when the more than thirty-six centuries during which the Jews have been under the Law Covenant will have terminated, they will come under the conditions of the New Covenant. Then it will not be necessary for any man to teach his neighbor, for ALL shall know the Lord.
Surely we are not under the conditions of the New Covenant now! Why, even the members of Christ's body must be instructed now relative to God's glorious plans. But, nevertheless, God's laws are already written in the hearts of Jesus' disciples (2 Cor 3:3), in advance of the world of mankind; and this was made possible by the shedding of Jesus' blood (Luke 22:20), the precious blood that ratified, and will soon make fully operative, the "New Covenant" and will constitute Jesus' faithful disciples "able ministers of the New Covenant," when associated with Him in glory.” (1908 Put-In-Bay Convention, Discourse by Brother Frank Draper.)
