Promises of God, continued

What about the ‘holy Spirit of promise’ in Ephesians 1? 

One has to keep the book of Galatians in context. It has to do with the difference between God's Law program (prophecy) with Israel, and his grace program (mystery) with the body!

In Ephesians, Paul says that the "promise" is the "promise of the Spirit"!

Ephesians 1:13

In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

The promise of God to Abraham and his seed was that they will have eternal life, and God will give them his Spirit to accomplish that. Abraham's seed in the prophetic program (Jews) will live forever on the earth in Christ's kingdom.

But the promise of God to Abraham's "spiritual" seed, Gentiles in the body of Christ, is life forever in Christ's heavenly kingdom.

2 Timothy 4:18

And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Ephesians 1:13 again makes it clear that that promise is the Holy Spirit.

Paul says that we gentiles were strangers to Israel’s covenants. 

Ephesians 2:12

That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

But now, Paul says that we are partakers… “in Christ.”

Ephesians 3:3, 6

How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; …That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

Paul makes it clear in the following verses that eternal life in Christ is the promise that God gave us—the members of the body of Christ—and not that of physical blessings.

1 Timothy 4:8

For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the [eternal] life that now is, and of that which is to come.

2 Timothy 1:1

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of [eternal] life which is in Christ Jesus,

Titus 1:2

In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

God never promised the church, the body of Christ physical health, wealth and prosperity.

Hopefully this helps!

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Northern California Grace Fellowship

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