THE HOPE OF ISRAEL - The Preterist Archive

158 The Hope of Israel: What Is It?
God's mercy in the gospel of His grace there is no
second chance. This is the truth of God as revealed
in every part of the New Testament. It applies to
Jews and Gentiles alike; for there is absolutely "no
difference" of any sort, kind, or description. All are
in precisely the same condemnation; and likewise, to
each and all, the gospel of Christ offers precisely the
same salvation, with precisely the same eternal consequences
for all ivho refuse it. "For," says the apostle,
"we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles that
they are all under sin" (Rom. 3:9) and from that
starting point of perfect equality in guilt ("all the
ivorld guilty before God") he proceeds to declare the
one ground of pardon for all, "the redemption that is
in Christ Jesus," and the one condition upon which
it is bestowed, "through faith in His blood" (Rom.
3:23-25).
Moreover, the apostle shows in this very passage
that the true meaning of God's promise to Abraham
was not that his natural seed should possess the land
of Canaan, but that his spiritual seed (believing Jews
and believing Gentiles forming one family) should
share with him "the promise that he should be the
heir of the world" (Rom. 4:13-17; and cf. Rom. 8:17).
And finally he shows that the promise was to be fulfilled
in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the
dead (4:24, 25).
According to the modern teaching we are now discussing,
those who are saved through the gospel
are forthwith incorporated into the church, which
is the body of Christ, and these will be in the highest
sphere of blessing and glory hereafter ; and those who
reject Christ now, if Gentiles, will be lost finally and