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`That ye may know what is the hope of His calling' (Eph. 1:18).
`Even as ye are called in one hope of your calling' (Eph. 4:4).
The realization of our hope in the future will be in agreement with our
calling now by faith:
`Now faith is the substance of things hoped for' (Heb. 11:1).
Recent discoveries among the papyri of Egypt have brought to light the
fact that the word `substance' was used in New Testament times to signify the
`Title Deeds' of a property. Every believer holds the title -deeds now, by
faith, the earnest and first -fruits of the inheritance that will be entered
when his hope is realized. As every believer does not necessarily belong to
the same calling, and most believers grant a distinction between Kingdom and
Church, while some realize the further distinction between Bride and Body, it
follows that the character of the calling must be settled before the hope can
be defined.
Three spheres of blessing
There are at least three distinct spheres of blessing indicated in the
New Testament:
(1). The Earth.-- `Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the
earth' (Matt. 5:5).
(2). The Heavenly City.-- `The city of the living God, the heavenly
Jerusalem ... and church of the firstborn, which are written in
heaven' (Heb. 12:22,23).
(3). Far above all.-- `He ... ascended up far above all heavens' (Eph.
4:10).
`And made us sit together in heavenly places' (Eph. 2:6).
These three spheres of blessing correspond to three distinct callings:
(1).
The Kingdom. -- `Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth'
(Matt. 6:10).
(2).
The Bride. -- `The Bride, the Lamb's wife ... the holy Jerusalem,
descending out of heaven from God' (Rev. 21:9,10).
(3).
The Body. -- `His body ... the church: whereof I (Paul) am made a
minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me
for you ... the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from
generations' (Col. 1:24 -26).
These three spheres of blessing, each with its special calling, have
associated with them three groups of people in the New Testament The first
sphere of blessing is exclusive to Israel according to the flesh; the second to
believers from among both `Jew and Greek', while in the third sphere the
calling is addressed to `you Gentiles'.
(1).
Israel according to the flesh. -- `My kinsmen according to the
flesh: who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the
glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the
service of God, and the promises; whose are the fathers, and of
whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, Who is over all, God
blessed for ever. Amen' (Rom. 9:3 -5).