The Finished Word

The gift of the Spirit is one of the blessings of Abraham that God promised to bestow on His people through His Messiah . Paul refers to the “ promise of the Spirit ” in his letter to the Galatians. He equates this gift with the blessing of Abraham. Jesus came under the curse of the Law to redeem us, so that now, “ the blessing of Abraham might come on the nations through Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith ” – (Galatians 3:13-14).

In Romans, references to justification from works have a specific category of works in view, the works required by the Mosaic Law . Sin is the Great Leveler that places everyone in the same predicament: Bondage now, death and wrath later. No one is exempt from the penalty of sin. Death waits for all of us. However, what did Paul mean when he referred to ‘works’ in his discussions about our justification? Good deeds and human efforts, or something more specific?

Through his Death and Resurrection, Jesus founded one new covenant community, One New Man, to whom we are united by faith – Ephesians 2:11-22. The Apostle Paul is uncompromising. Considering what Jesus accomplished on the Cross, no longer can there be divisions between Jews and Gentiles in the community of faith. “ You all are one in Christ Jesus .” By his sacrificial death, Christ “ dismantled the wall of partition ” that kept Jews and Gentiles apart, so “ he might reconcile them both in one body for God through the Cross .”

The faith of uncircumcised Abraham provides an example for Jewish and Gentile believers who live from the faith of Jesus – Romans 4:11-17. God began to implement His plan to redeem humanity by establishing His Covenant with Abraham, starting with the call for the Patriarch to leave his homeland for “ the land I will show you .” Yahweh would produce a “ great nation ” from the Patriarch, and the covenant would bring blessings to all “ the nations of the Earth ,” and the promise of territory was central to it.

A fé de Abraão fornece um exemplo para os crentes judeus e gentios que vivem da fé de Jesus - Romanos 4:11-17. Deus começou a implementar seu plano para redimir a humanidade, estabelecendo sua aliança com Abraão, começando com o chamado para que o Patriarca deixasse sua terra natal para “ a terra que eu lhe mostrarei .” Javé produziria “ uma grande nação ” do Patriarca, e a aliança traria bênçãos “ a todas as nações da terra ”, e a promessa de território era central para ela.

The Gift of the Spirit is the First Fruits of the bodily resurrection and the Guarantee of our participation in the coming New Creation . The Apostle Paul presents Abraham as the great model of faith. God counted his faith as “ righteousness ” when he was uncircumcised, which means that God justified the Patriarch apart from the “ works of the Law .” Thus, he became the father of all men who are also “ from faith .” Circumcision was added after the promise as the confirmation of Abraham’s justifying faith.

Jezus van Nazareth vervult de belofte om alle volken in Abraham te zegenen. Christus is de erfgenaam en het zaad van de Patriarch . Fundamenteel voor de bijbelse leer van verlossing is het verbond met Abraham en zijn “ zaad ”. Het bevatte de belofte dat “ alle naties van de aarde in hem gezegend zouden worden ”, en dat de Patriarch ontelbare nakomelingen zou hebben. Hoe en wanneer worden de volken gezegend? Wie is Abaham ' s “ zaad ” bestemd om de beloften te beërven?

The gift of the Spirit is part of the covenant promises made to Abraham, including blessing the nations of the Earth . The Gospel of Matthew declares that Jesus is the son of Abraham. Thus, this gospel account connects the Nazarene to the Abrahamic Covenant, for the Messiah of Israel came to complete the covenant and all its promises.

With the outpouring of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, the blessings for all nations promised to Abraham commenced . The gift of the Holy Spirit is described as “the promise of the Father” in the New Testament, which connects this gift to the Abrahamic covenant. The promises to Abraham and his seed are fulfilled in the New Covenant inaugurated by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the gift of the Spirit is the guarantee that we will inherit all that God has promised.

Jesus Christ fulfills God’s promise to bless all nations through His Covenant with Abraham. There is salvation in No Other Name . Foundational to the biblical doctrine of redemption is the Covenant that God made with Abraham, and with his “ seed ” after him, including the promises to bless all nations and to grant the Patriarch innumerable descendants. But how and when are the nations blessed? And who is Abaham’s “ seed ” destined to inherit the promises?

New Jerusalem will be populated fulfilling the covenant promises to bless all nations in Abraham – Revelation 21:24-22:5. The Book of Revelation  concludes with the image of the glorious City of “ New Jerusalem ” populated by the “ innumerable multitude ” composed of men redeemed from every nation. It represents the fulfillment of the promises to Abraham of “ land ” and “ blessings to the nations .” All this was accomplished by the shed “ blood of the Lamb ,” Jesus of Nazareth.

With the new era inaugurated by Jesus, circumcision is no longer the required sign of membership in the covenant community . Circumcision is an obstacle to any claim that disciples of Jesus are required to keep the regulations of the Mosaic Law. In the  Book of Genesis , circumcision was the entrance rite of the covenant with Abraham, the identifying sign of the covenant. Moreover, it is mandatory under the Law given through Moses at Mount Sinai. Therefore, if circumcision is no longer required for membership in the covenant, then the jurisdiction of the Law has changed .

The foundation of redemption in the Bible is the covenant God made with Abraham. It included the promise that “ all the Nations of the Earth would be blessed ” in the Patriarch, and that he would have innumerable descendants. His offspring would include “ Kings ” and “ Nations .”

The gift of the Spirit is essential to the identity, mission, and life of the Church. It is foundational to the New Covenant . Jesus commanded his disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they received “ the promise of the Father .” The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost inaugurated the Church and the last days and equipped the followers of Christ to take his Good News to the nations – (Luk 24:46-49, Acts 1:7-8, 2:1-21).

The Gift of the Spirit is one of God’s promises to Abraham to bless the nations in the Patriarch’s Seed, Jesus Christ . Peter and John prayed for a man who was “ lame from his mother’s womb ” as he was begging for alms near the Jerusalem Temple. Rather than money, the apostles commanded the man to walk “ in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth .” Immediately, he stood up and began to walk. Afterward, he was seen and heard by many “ leaping and praising God .”

The Apostle Paul calls the Gift of the Spirit the “ Promise of the Father ” which he links to the Abrahamic covenant. The promises to Abraham and “ his Seed ” find their fulfillment in the New Covenant inaugurated by the death and resurrection of Jesus. The bestowal of the Spirit on his Assembly marked the start of the age of fulfillment, and Gentile believers now become heirs of the Patriarch and coheirs with Jesus along with believing Jews.

Jesus is the Son of Abraham, the heir of the promises, and the Messiah who implements the inheritance for his people . The Gospel of Matthew declares that Jesus is “ the son of David, the son of Abraham .” He is the descendant who inherits the promises made to the Patriarch, and this introduces the theme of fulfilment that characterizes Matthew – (“ For thus it becomes us to fulfil all righteousness ” – Matthew 3:15).

The promise of the Spirit is vital to the redemption of humanity and the Covenant of God with His people, the Assembly of Jesus Christ . The New Testament connects the “ Promise of the Spirit ” to the “ Blessings of Abraham ,” the promise that God would bless the nations through the Great Patriarch. The Spirit is the gift believers receive “ through the hearing of faith .” It is part of the covenant promises given to Abraham, and Peter connected this gift to the “ blessings ” for the nations during his sermon on the Day of Pentecost.

Jesus is the Seed of Abraham, the heir of the covenant promises, and receipt of the inheritance is based on faith in Him . As the  Gospel of Matthew  declares, Jesus is the “ son of Abraham .” The lowly man from Nazareth is the Messiah and King of Israel, the promised “ Seed ” of the Patriarch. He brings the covenant promises to fulfillment. He is  the covenant heir, and our receipt of the inheritance is based on his faithful “ obedience unto death ” and our faith in him. Neither  ethnicity nor nationality  has anything to do with it.

Israel’s possession of Canaan was an earlier stage in God’s redemptive plan, which always envisioned something larger than Israel or a small plot of land in the Middle East. With the arrival of the Messiah and the outpouring of the Spirit, the covenant promises began to find their fulfillment in the true “ Seed of Abraham ,” and in his “ brethren ” and “ coheirs ,” the promised inheritance that would include bodily resurrection and New Creation.