The Gospel – The Message of Jesus Christ

Gospel Promises – A Hope and a Future

 

Romans 8:31

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? NASB

 

As we follow Christ and walk in the Spirit we are being changed and taking on His very nature. We are being renewed day by day as we focus on Jesus and “put on the new self” which is in us by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 4:23-24 – 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. NASB

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 – 16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. NASB

Wow! We are God’s New Creation being fashioned in His very likeness! This is a profound Gospel promise. Jesus promised this wonderful blessing of the Spirit’s indwelling power to all who believe in Him.

John 7:37-39 – 37 Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38 “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.'”  39 But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. NASB

As this Gospel promise of sanctification is taking place we are literally taking on and enjoying the very nature of God. The Holy Spirit is now producing in us the very life and character of God so that we are said the bear the “fruit of the Spirit.”

Galatians 5:22-25 – 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. NASB

In these we are partaking in and enjoying the good fruits of God’s character. This is a revelatory process whereby God is revealing Himself in us and through us. This happens BY the ministry of the Holy Spirit THROUGH the revelation of the Word.  Consider this chart on 2 Peter 2:1-4.

 

Now of course this entire blessing comes to us through the life and death of Christ for us. The Gospel has purchased for those who believe these great and precious promises! But the Gospel promises do no stop with the sanctification process that is taking place here and now in the life of the believer. In fact this is just a temporal benefit which will “well up to eternal life” and become an eternal blessing that will never fade away! This will be accomplished finally for us at the resurrection when we will be glorified and eternally transformed, receiving immortal and imperishable bodies capable of experiencing the glory of God forever and ever.

1 Corinthians 15:50-54 – 50 Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory. NASB

In fact, one of the very purposes for which God has created man is to become immortal and experience the richness of the glory of His being forever and to be His eternal dwelling place. 

2 Corinthians 5:1-5 – 5 For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven; 3 inasmuch as we, having put it on, shall not be found naked. 4 For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed, but to be clothed, in order that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. NASB

Christian believers have the promise of this eternal blessing because through repentance and faith in Christ we have become “children of God.” This adoption into the family of God has given to us the benefits of eternal life, immortality, and an eternal inheritance of blessings beyond our greatest imagination. Through the Gospel we become adopted into the family of God to be loved by Him as His very own children.

1 John 3:1-2 – 3 See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. NASB

Romans 8:14-17 – 14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him. NASB

Imagine the splendor of this glorious Gospel promise…. “if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs of Christ!” This is referred to in Scripture as our inheritance.

Ephesians 1:10-13 – In Him 11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, 12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. NASB

Ephesians 1:18 – 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, NASB

1 Peter 1:3-6 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. NASB

What human words can describe the splendor and glory of these promises from God to those who believe in Jesus the Christ? None indeed! Learn then, that the Gospel holds out amazing blessings for those who believe which are beyond comprehension. Christ is an eternal fountain of life benefits, both temporal and eternal for all who trust Him for salvation from sin and death!