would descend from the loins of Abraham would ultimately become a "great nation".
Also contained within this passage is the promise that "all families of the earth
would be blessed" in Abraham. God later said to this marvelous man of faith: "And in
thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my
voice" (Gen. 22:18). It would be from the progeny of Abraham that the Christ, savior
of the world, would be brought forth (cf. Gal. 3:16). This promise given to Abraham
would have many auspicious ramifications concerning the church of our Lord, for,
says Paul, "if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the
promise" (Gal. 3:29). It would be in the church, based upon the Abrahamic promise,
that all the nations of the earth would be blessed.
The nations of the earth would come from varied places to become members of
the kingdom. Jesus said, "that many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit
down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 8:11).
The promise of Abraham, then, is seen to apply to more than just the Jews, for in
Christ, all people - both Jews and Gentiles - can receive the Lord's precious promises.
Paul argues that Christ endured the cross to redeem us from the curse of the law,
"that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that
we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith" (Gal. 3:13-14). Because of
Abraham's obedience, we have the privilege of being heirs of the salvation of God.
It is noteworthy that Paul links the salvation of souls to the church. According to
Eph. 5:23, Christ is "the savior of the body". In chapter 1:22-23, the body is the
church. Hence, those in the church are the only ones who are going to be the
recipients of the salvation of Christ. It naturally follows that if the saved are the
recipients of the Abrahamic promise - salvation - and the saved are members of the
church, then the church is the collective recipient of the Abrahamic promise. Anyone
who does not belong to the church of our Lord does not have any right to the
blessings of God given to Abraham long ago.
In Ephesians 3:6 Paul speaks of God's eternal plan, affirming that "the Gentiles
should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ
by the gospel". The body is the church, and the promise refers to Gen. 12:1-3 and
other such like passages. Hence, the church is not only not an afterthought of God,
but the only way by which one could possibly be blessed spiritually, becoming a
partaker of his promise in Christ, is by being a part of this glorious church, eternally
purposed and divinely promised.
THE PROMISE TO JUDAH
Abraham was not the only ancient partriarch to whom the promises of God were
given relative to the church. In Gen. 49:10 the Bible records a promise that was
initially given to Judah. It reads: "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a
lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering
of the people be". Christ is Shiloh, from the tribe of Judah, ruling and reigning over
an eternal kingdom. The term sceptre alludes to a kingdom, indicating power and
authority being wielded over a select group of people (cf. Ps. 45:6 and Heb. 1:3, 8).
Jesus has this power and authority both in heaven and in earth (Matt. 28:18). "The
gathering of the people" alludes to the church being gathered together into one body
from the four corners of the earth. If, as some today assert, the church is not
essential to salvation, or if one doesn't need to be a part of the church, then all of
God's efforts to bring the church into existence would have been sheer vanity, and,
even more significant, Jesus' authority and power would have to be regarded as
meaningless. After all, if the kingdom can be disposed of without fear of much loss
being procured, then can't the authority of the king of that kingdom likewise be
thwarted? God's promise to Judah simply shows the role and the relationship
sustained between Christ and the church.They are inseparable and essential.
The promises of God concerning the church demonstrate how tremendously
important God views the church to be in His eternal scheme of things. We must ever
be grateful to Abraham, for it was because of his fidelty that we today, having walked
in the steps of his faith, can have the privilege of salvation in Christ, and of being
members of the church for which He shed His priceless blood.
NEXT ARTICLE: "THE CHURCH IN PROPHECY"
