The Gospel is not a new invention, nor is it a mere collection of moral teachings. It is the fulfillment of God’s ancient promise, declared beforehand by the prophets in the Scriptures. At the center of this promise stands Christ—the Seed—whose death and resurrection are the axis upon which all of God’s covenant purposes turn.
The Seed: Promise, Death, and Multiplication
From the beginning, God announced a Seed: the Seed of the Woman who would crush the serpent’s head. This is not a vague hope, but a direct proclamation of victory over Satan. Then, to Abraham, God promised a Seed who would be multiplied—not merely a single descendant, but a vast increase, a harvest that would fill the earth.
Jesus Himself revealed how this multiplication would come about. He declared:
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” (John 12:24)
This is not the death of defeat, but the death that produces life. Christ, as the Seed, fell into the ground—He died. But in resurrection, He did not remain alone. He was multiplied. The result? A harvest: all who believe in Him receive His resurrection life. We are not merely imitators or followers; we are the increase of Christ Himself, the living fruit of His finished work. The Church is not a human institution—it is the very Body of Christ, the multiplication of the Seed sown in death and raised in glory.
The Seed of David: An Eternal Throne and Unshakeable Mercy
God’s promise did not end with Abraham. He spoke again, this time to David, declaring that his Seed would possess an eternal throne and be called the Son of God:
“And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:
But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.” (2 Samuel 7:12-15)
This is not a conditional arrangement based on human merit. The throne is established forever because it is grounded in God’s own covenant, not in the fluctuating performance of men. Even when iniquity appears, God’s response is not abandonment but chastening—and even then, His mercy does not depart. This is the unbreakable line of promise that separates the Seed of David from Saul, whose kingdom was stripped away. In Christ, the Seed, the throne is unassailable and the relationship is unbreakable.
What Is Lost If This Is Denied?
If you set aside this truth—if you make the Gospel about your effort, your faithfulness, or your ability to maintain your place—you lose everything. You forfeit the assurance of sonship, the security of an eternal inheritance, and the very foundation of justification. The multiplication of the Seed is not the result of your striving, but of Christ’s death and resurrection. To deny this is to sever yourself from the harvest, to stand outside the Body, and to treat the mercy of God as something that can be lost by your failure. That is not Gospel; that is law, and it leaves you with nothing but the rod, never the throne.
The Finished Work and Your Place in the Harvest
The Gospel proclaims that Christ is the Seed who died and rose again, and that His life is now yours—not as a reward for your labor, but as the fruit of His. You are the harvest, the increase, the multiplication of the Seed. You are joined to Him, a member of His Body, a participant in His eternal kingdom. The throne is secure, the mercy is unending, and the promise is fulfilled—not by your hand, but by His.
This is not a secondary matter. It is the very heart of the Gospel. Any teaching that shifts the focus from Christ’s finished work to your performance undermines justification, nullifies inheritance, and denies sonship. The covenant stands because Christ, the Seed, has accomplished all. To rest in Him is to stand in the full light of God’s promise, secure forever as part of the glorious harvest of the Seed.
For a deeper exploration of these truths, read Christ As Righteousness, Sanctification, and Reward.
