How could Christ make it possible for Gentiles to be heirs to the PROMISES MADE TO Israel? Christ, the Heir of Abraham The promise of eternal inheritance of the earth was unconditionally made to Abraham and his "seed" (Gen. 26:3). But Abraham died without inheriting the promises (Heb. 11:13). It remained for Jesus Christ the ONE Heir who was without sin -- the promised "seed" through the lineage of Abraham--to inherit the promises (Gal. 3:16).
Jesus came in the flesh to confirm the promises made to the fathers (Rom. 15:8). He also was the minister of a new testament or will by which he would bequeath His entire inheritance to His heirs in case of death. Remember the NEW Testament contained the promises of ETERNAL INHERITANCE, not the old (Heb. 9:15).
Christ's testament or will did not have any force until his death. "For a testament is of force AFTER men are dead" (Heb. 9:17). When Christ died, then His heirs had the right to the eternal inheritance made possible through the Holy Spirit which imparts eternal life. But who are the heirs of Christ?
No one is Christ's UNLESS one believes, repents and is baptized (Acts 2:38; Gal. 3:27). so you can become an heir of Christ if you fulfill this condition and receive the Holy Spirit which puts - immerses- you into the church whether you are Israelite or Gentile (I Cor. 12:13). We are Christ's because Christ BOUGHT us by giving His life in our stead to pay for our sins (I Cor. 6:20).
New Covenant Not Yet Completed Christ is the Mediator of the new covenant (Heb. 8:6). According to the prophecy of Daniel 9:27, Christ has not yet completed His work of confirming the covenant. The covenant must yet be completed IN THE FUTURE - 'For this is the covenant that I WILL make with the house of Israel AFTER THOSE DAYS, saith the Lord; I WILL put my laws into their mind and write them in their hearts' (Heb. 8:10; Jer. 31: 31-34).
The new covenant will not be made with fleshy, carnal Israelites who can still sin - it will correct that fault. This time it will be made with Spirit-born Israelites who have been forgiven their sins and who have God's laws written in their minds and hearts so they can't sin and break the covenant. The apostle John reveals that it is only at the resurrection when we are BORN AGAIN - composed of a spirit body, just like Christ and the Father that we won't be able to sin because we will have God's nature permanently implanted in us (I John 3:9). Jesus told Nicodemus that we must be born again of the Spirit before we can inherit the kingdom and gain eternal life (John 3: 1-6).
Understand that the new testament or will of Jesus Christ has been in force since his death. But his testament or will has conditions, which we must meet before we can inherit the promises. The Greek word for 'testament' also means 'covenant'. Since the new testament involves our agreement to fulfill these conditions, it also becomes a covenant and that new covenant will not be confirmed with us. We won't INHERIT THE PROMISES UNTIL we are first made immortal and have God's nature so we can't sin (II Peter 1:4).
New Covenant A Marriage Agreement All that the scripture says concerning Israel and the promises under the new testament pertains to the church. It is the church that is Israel begotten and soon to be born of the Spirit as spirit sons of God (Acts 26:6-7). Under the old covenant Israel could have become a kingdom of priests (Ex. 19:6). Under the new covenant the church will become a kingdom of priests governing the physical nation of Israel (I Pet. 2:9; Rev. 5:10; Acts I 6).
As the church is Israel Abraham's seed and heirs of the promise - then it is the church with whom the new covenant will finally be made. But we read in II Cor. 11:2 and Eph. 5:32 that Christ Jesus at His second coming will marry the church, which is now his espoused bride. Therefore, the new covenant will be ANOTHER MARRIAGE AGREEMENT! Christ will be the husband and the church will become His wife. Remember that the God of the Old Testament was the husband of ancient Israel. Under the old covenant Israel could never remarry her husband once the divorce was given and she was defiled by relationships with heathen gods. The Lord of the Old Testament - NOT the Father - but the Word who became Jesus was born into human flesh to DIE so that Israel would be free to remarry. That's why we read in Rev. 19:7 that before the coming marriage between Christ and the church takes place it will be said: "The marriage of the Lamb is come, and HIS WIFE (not bride) hath made herself ready." This could not be said of the church unless it was Jesus and not the Father to whom Israel had once been married. Besides, no man has ever seen the Father at any time (Jn. 1:18) and Moses saw the God of the Old Testament from behind when he was receiving the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai.
New Testament Has Promises and Curses! The new covenant has better promises - eternal promises - but there are also curses! We know that during the time of the old covenant a violator of the law died without mercy under two or three witnesses. What about the person who refuses the terms of the New Testament? 'Of how sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing?' (Heb. 10:29).
Under the old they perished at the hands of men. Under the new the wicked will perish at the hand of God in the lake of fire.
How wonderful it is that we can have a correct understanding of the new covenant! In NO place does God say that He will take away His laws or give us different laws. The new covenant doesn't abolish The Commandments, it establishes them in us according to the spirit and intent for which God originally gave them, not just in the letter, which kills. Now is the time to understand that God wants to pardon you through the sacrifice of His Son and give you His Holy Spirit, so you can receive the spiritual power to live by His commandments for your own good.
The DEFINITION of Sin 'Sin is the transgression of the law.' (I Jn. 3:4). 'The law is spiritual' (Rom. 7:14). 'The law is holy, just and good' (Rom. 7: 14). 'LOVE is the fulfilling of the law.' (Rom. 13:10).
What is righteousness? 'ALL THY COMMANDMENTS ARE RIGHTEOUSNESS' (Ps. 119:172). S in is the transgressing or going against LIVING LAWS God has set in motion. Those laws are ALIVE. They are eternal, immutable and inexorable (Ps. 111:7-8).
When we transgress them, there is a penalty. There is NO ESCAPE from the penalty! That is why God GAVE His only Son in our stead to PAY that penalty for all who will accept it. The LAW has been set in motion, and it is the most powerful, irresistible force in all the universe. Relentlessly, it moves on, always claiming its penalty without fail. That law is SO STRONG, so irresistible, so irnmutable, it took even the life of Jesus, the very Son of the living God! It was STRONGER than He! It claimed His life when He took on Himself ALL THE SlNS OF HUMANITY, yours and mine! When those sins of OURS were upon Him, He came under the penalty IN OUR STEAD; and then not even the life of Jesus Christ was strong enough to prevent that inexorable law from claiming its penalty DEATH!
Jesus did not do away with the law. The law did away with HIM with His physical, earthly life! It is ONLY because God the Father raised Him from the dead by a resurrection that He is alive now to intercede for our sins. He didn't end the LAW - the law ended his life. The law will END YOURS unless your sins are ALL on Jesus. The law is eternal, immutable, it moves irresistibly on.
The law of God is not evil, rather GOOD! It is the way to peace, to happiness, to joy. Keep it and you will be happy. Break it and you will suffer. It is God's greatest gift to mankind - given to make man happy, to lead him into the full, abundant life, to protect his happiness and give him eternal life. Eternal life comes through keeping the law (Matt. 19:16-19). Thus we avoid sin that will take our life. But you and I have broken the law - sinned - and death is the penalty. The blood of Jesus pays the penalty - takes away the past sin, reconciles us to God. Then God gives us His HOLY SPIRIT - the Spirit of LOVE - the 'love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.' And THIS is the spiritual love in us, which ALONE can fulfill or keep God's law. It is ONLY those who keep the law through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit who can be saved and inherit eternal life! All others are sinners and the penalty is death!
Finally, the Bible reveals sin as the way that SEEMS RIGHT to mankind (Prov. 14:12). The way that appears attractive, enjoyable, desirable. But it is a snare and a delusion! Humans seek fun, pleasure, enjoyment; which if not breaking God's law, is fine. sin usually gives TEMPORARY sensation of pleasure or exhilaration. It's a false pleasure because there is always a kick-back. Sin exacts an exorbitant price that is always collected later but it's a relentless collector. Its final price is DEATH for all eternity. It's a mighty poor bargain.