The Body of Christ is only in the New Testament. The all-inclusive love of God exists in the Kingdom of God in which the Body of Christ abides and thrives. In His first coming Jesus came to the Israelites. When they rejected Him God opened His plan of salvation to all who would receive it by faith. The Age of Grace was manifested!
Romans 16:25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began 26 but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith—27 to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.
We are no longer tossed about by the philosophies of man but we know that truth can only be found in Jesus the Christ.
Ephesians 1:10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.
Ephesians 3:2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you,
It was always God’s plan that in Jesus the world could be saved. This mystery was given to the Apostle Paul through divine revelation.
Colossians 1:24-29 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, 26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. 27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. 29 To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.
God called out a people to form the Body of Christ according to His dispensation of grace that was revealed to the Apostle Paul. We were given directions on how we fulfill the commands of God. The love of God allows us love Him above all and others as ourselves. There is neither Jew nor Greek, male or female, rich or poor, slave or free in His Body, the Church. Faith in Him allows the fullness of the Triune Godhead to guide us into God’s will for mankind. It is our free will to accept or reject it.
Romans 11:25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
From the beginning, God, who knows the past, present and future, put in His plan for salvation in Christ Jesus. Knowing that Adam and Eve would fall His plan for His creation would be formed. Spiritual blindness came in part to Israel to bring in Jesus and the age of Grace to all of His creation as the savior of the world.
John 3:17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
God loves all of His creation! God is love and we can love others because of Him.
Acts 7:47-50 But Solomon built Him a house. 48 “However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says: 49 ‘Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. What house will you build for Me? says the Lord, Or what is the place of My rest? 50 Has My hand not made all these things?’
God dwells in His people as soon as we accept His grace given in the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus. His gift to us is Christ within, Holy Spirit, who will protect us and guide us into the truth of Jesus all the days of our life. Carla
Genesis 21:12-13 (ESV) "But God said to Abraham, 'Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named.And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because he is your offspring. '"
God heard and answered Hagar's cries, staying true to the name He gave her son, Ishmael, meaning "God hears." In her moment of greatest need, God opened her eyes to a well nearby, not only ensuring her family's survival but ultimately enabling them to settle and thrive (Genesis 21:17-20). God didn't just save them; He established them. When we've experienced rejection, hardship and pain at the hands of others, like Hagar and Ishmael did, it becomes difficult to discern God's presence and trust His faithfulness. But, friend, He is indeed faithful. Today's scriptures begin and end with the upholding of His promises to both Abraham and Hagar: Isaac was born in fulfillment of Genesis 12:1-3, and by the end of the passage, we see Ishmael married and positioned to begin his own lineage, fulfilling Genesis 16:10 and Genesis 21:13. Though the spotlight shifts to Isaac's lineage throughout the rest of Genesis, the story of Hagar and Ishmael reminds us God's faithfulness and love extend beyond our understanding, embracing every life, every story, and every promise He has made. All people, every single one of us, are important to God, no matter the pain we endure or the rejection we face from others.
Though the angel of the Lord is never specifically named in Scripture, He seems to stand apart from other angels, speaking with God's authority, identifying Himself as God, and performing divine duties. And the first appearances of this angel in Scripture are in Genesis 16 and Genesis 21, where He provided comfort and guidance to Hagar. It is important that these first two appearances anywhere in Scripture were on behalf of an enslaved Egyptian woman. May we never gloss over the truth we see here: God's grace and love truly extend to all people. Jewish or non-Jewish, slave or free, we all are welcome at the feet of Jesus (Galatians 3:28). First5
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