All of God’s Promises Are in the Church 

Over the past few weeks we have been looking at a few things that are right with the church.  We have seen that the church has the right head, Jesus Christ.  We have noted that the church has the right covenant, dedicated with Christ’s blood.  We have seen how the church is the right way to the Father, through His only begotten Son.  And, last week, we looked at the fact that the church is the right temple, made up, not of wood and stone, but of God’s people.  This week’s article will be he last in this series and will deal with the idea of God’s promises being kept in the church.

Speaking on God’s promises, Paul said that, “the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel (Ephesians 3:6).  From this statement we notice that God’s promise is for “the body” and made available “in Christ.”  We know that the church is the body of Christ; therefore, God’s promise is in the church.  Hence, no divine promise is made to any responsible personable outside of the church.

Peter tells us that God’s promises are “exceeding great and precious” (2 Peter 1:4).  But what, exactly, are the promises of God?    In order to fully understand His promise we cannot take a text here and a text there but rather we must consider the whole revelation of God.  From beginning to end the Bible reveals to us mankind’s need for a Savior and God’s promise to meet that need.  We see that promise fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

Every purpose of Christ is a promise; it is Christ saying, “I will.”  Every command carries a promise of all grace needed for obedience.  Each of God’s promises is an expression of His loving kindness to sinful men.  Since His mercy did not rest until expressed in grace, we may account God faithful to fulfill all of His promises.

In His love,

Thomas Sneed

Pond Church of Christ