One Seed who is Christ: The importance of focusing on the New Covenant

Gal 3:14-16  "The purpose was that the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles by Christ Jesus, so that we could receive the promised Spirit through faith.  (15)  Brothers and sisters, I’m using a human illustration. No one sets aside or makes additions to a validated human will.  (16)  Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say “and to seeds,” as though referring to many, but referring to one, and to your seed, who is Christ."

John Reisinger has written an informative book entitled "The Four Seeds of Abraham." He posits that the four seeds of Abraham are these:

1. Natural Seed (Isaac and Ishmael, the Jews and the Arabs.)
2. The Special Natural Seed (Israel)
3. The Spiritual Seed (All believers in all ages)
4. The Unique Seed (Christ)

Paul has referred to these seeds/seed in the above passage. He is explaining how Gentiles can be included into the Abrahamic family without being circumcised. It is important to realize what was written in Genesis to understand what Paul is saying in the above passage. Gen 17:10-14  "This is my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you, which you are to keep: Every one of your males must be circumcised.  (11)  You must circumcise the flesh of your foreskin to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and you.  (12)  Throughout your generations, every male among you is to be circumcised at eight days old—every male born in your household or purchased from any foreigner and not your offspring.  (13)  Whether born in your household or purchased, he must be circumcised. My covenant will be marked in your flesh as a permanent covenant.  (14)  If any male is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that man will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.” When you look at this passage from Genesis 17, it should be obvious to you that according to it, Gentiles could not be included in the promises of Abraham without being circumcised.

Paul's point is that the promise made to Abraham was really about the ultimate seed which was Christ Jesus. It is in Jesus, that "all the families of the world would be blessed." The only way that Christ can benefit the families of the world is through the New Covenant. Jesus stated in Luk 22:20  "In the same way he also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you." There can be no doubt. The New Covenant was instated at the cross event. Yet, it seems that the bulk of evangelicals teach a doctrine that is a mixture of the Old and New Covenants. A mixture of the Mosaic Covenant and the New Covenant will ALWAYS result in confusion and a schizophrenic view of the Law.

So then, either the New Covenant is completely in force or otherwise Gentile's could not be the children of Abraham unless they were descendant's of  Isaac or Ishmael. Yet Paul states this in Gal 3:26-29  "for through faith you are all sons of God in Christ Jesus.  (27)  For those of you who were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ.  (28)  There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male and female; since you are all one in Christ Jesus.  (29)  And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise." All of this is based on Christ Jesus, and his faithful obedience to the Father. It is based on him being the ONE promised Seed of Abraham and the Israel of God. Jesus was the ultimate and last representative human. In the way, Adam was prototypical humanity... this same way, Jesus Christ is prototypical humanity and it is only that way in the New Covenant spoken of in Luke 22:20.

So what does this mean practically? Well, let's look to Jeremiah for the answer: Jer 31:33-34  “Instead, this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days”—the LORD’s declaration. “I will put my teaching within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.  (34)  No longer will one teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they will all know me, from the least to the greatest of them”—this is the LORD’s declaration. “For I will forgive their iniquity and never again remember their sin." Jeremiah prophecies that Spirit will trump the letter, and not only will He forgive iniquity, He will no longer remember it. Two things should jump out at you immediately. Evangelical doctrine has the letter still trumping the Spirit and in evangelical doctrine, God still is remembering sin. The focus is on the law of sin and death, and not the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. The fact is simple according to Paul. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus frees one from the law of sin and death.

The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus informs, and the law of sin and death demands. Let me repeat this for effect. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus informs, and the law of sin and death demands. The law of sin and death comes from a legal constitutional reading of scripture. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus comes from a solely redemptive reading of scripture.

When God created humanity, he said that it was very good (Gen 1:31.) That has always been God's perspective on humans. However, the knowledge of good and evil caused doubt and unbelief to set in. It is difficult for humans to believe that God accepts them as they are. Rather, the believe that there is a standard of behavior that will garner favor with God. They believe that it is written out in the law. Let me say this; the law does show God's highest and best hope for humanity. It is good to not steal, or murder. It is good to honor your father and mother. It is good to tell the truth. It is good not to covet and on and on. However, it is not good to try to accomplish these things to please God. Rather, when one discovers that they have been redeemed. That God is not remembering iniquity... not keeping score, it is easy to relax and simply, genuinely love God. Love for God will bring about ethics supernaturally. This is the importance of the gospel message... the good news that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself not counting sin against humanity.