The Abrahamic Covenant:

[H. Richard]

I write this as a study of what the Abrahamic covenant is. Some think that the law was not a part of this covenant. I intend to show they are wrong.

Gal 3:16-19
16 Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, "And to seeds," as of many, but as of one, "And to your Seed," who is Christ.
17 And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect.
18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
19 What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed (Jesus) should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator. (NKJ)

In the above notice who the promise was made to. It was made only to Abraham and Jesus.

Promises = a covenant.

In verse Gal 3:16 we see Jesus as the SEED (one). The promise of righteousness by faith was made to Abraham AND HIS SEED (Jesus), NOT SEEDS (THE JEWS). It was not made to SEEDS (plural). And there were more promises made to Abraham SEEDS (plural). We see in Gen 22:17. There were additional promises made about Abraham's seeds (descendants; plural = the Jews) and they will rule over the nations of the earth. ---- Let me say it again, the promise of righteousness by belief (faith) was ONLY MADE TO ABRAHAM AND HIS SEED, Jesus. So why is it said that it was made to all the people at that time?

Gen 22:17
17 "blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. (NKJ)

Please note; If you will look at Gal 3:19 above we see that something was ADDED to the covenant. It became a part of the Abrahamic covenant. It did not annul the promise of Jesus but it was added to the covenant.

Paul said: Rom 15:8
8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises (plural) made unto the fathers: (KJV)

The promises (plural) made to the fathers are a covenant. Jesus came to confirm/fulfill all those promises that were written of Him in the O.T. His mission was to the Jews, not to the Gentiles.

Jesus offered to fulfill the covenant by setting up His kingdom on earth (the kingdom of heaven). However, as we all know, the Jews rejected Him.

A person might ask, how did He fulfill the Law; He fulfilled it by shedding His blood on a cross as payment for all the sins of the world. People are no longer judged for their sins of the flesh, they are all paid for. The only sin that condemns a person in this world today is the sin of un-belief; to not believe that His shed blood on the cross has paid for their sins of the flesh. If you don’t believe it then you don’t believe the promises of God’s grace poured out on the cross. Under the Law of Moses a person could be stoned to death for breaking the Law. Of how much greater will be the condemnation of those that refuse to accept the shed blood of Jesus as their salvation.

Written by H Richard

 

[justbyfaith]

The blood of Jesus also sanctifies us in the practical sense (Hebrews 13:12, Hebrews 10:29).

 

[Davy]

And yet another false doctrine pushed by the Ultra-Dispensationalist's crowd!

The 'Promise' God gave to Abraham was by Faith, and is the SAME Promise that all those in Christ Jesus have believed. This is what Apostle Paul taught in Galatians...

Gal 3:6-9
6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
KJV

NONE of that is about the working of the law. The Promise to Abraham had NOTHING to do with the law. It was given by Promise. Abraham believed God, and thus Abraham's faith was imputed as righteousness, and thus it is the SAME for those of Christ's Church have believed on Jesus Christ!

That is why... Paul there called those of us of Faith "the children of Abraham". It's because Abraham's faith on The Promise was first.

Just what was that PROMISE then? The Gospel of Jesus Christ!!! That is why Paul said this also...

8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, "In thee shall all nations be blessed."
9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.


And by this, Paul also showed beyond all... doubt, just what Faith it was that Abraham believed, even before Jesus was born in the flesh to die on the cross...

Gal 3:13-14
13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
KJV

Thus the Abrahamic Covenant is about The Gospel Promise by Faith.


So just who would instead LIE and falsely preach that the Abrahamic Covenant involved the law, especially since God gave The Promise by Faith to Abraham 430 years PRIOR to the giving of the law? (Genesis 12 through 15, and Galatians 3:17).

A Phraisee, a Judahizer, a false one crept in, that is who would try to insert the law into God's Promise of The Gospel first given through Abraham!

 

[justbyfaith]

Of course, in the new covenant, the law is written on the hearts and in the minds of those who believe (Hebrews 8:8-10, Hebrews 10:16; Romans 5:5, Romans 13:8-10, Galatians 5:14, 1 John 5:3, 2 John 1:6, Romans 8:4).