Hi ian,
Well we are striving to be overcomers now, but it will be a struggle for the rest of our lives. But the promises are for the believers and certainly all those who are trying to grasp this truth is of our fellowship.
But here is more concerning the promises.
http://bible-truths.com/rapture.htm ------------------
The Apostle Paul began teaching the promises of God from the very beginning of his ministry.
"Now Paul, rising and gesturing with his hand, said, Men, Israelites ... He rouses David for their king ... From this one’s seed, God, according to the PROMISE, led to Israel a Savior, Jesus" (Acts 13:1, 22, 23).
Is it even necessary that I state that this same promised seed is also OUR Savior as well as Israel’s?
"Then Paul, stretching out his hand, made his defense ... And now, in expectation of the PROMISE which came by God to our fathers, I stand being judged ..." (Acts 26:1, 6).
This promise had to do with Paul’s expectation of being raised from the dead and given an allotment in the Kingdom of God along with "ALL the Saints" (I Thes. 3:13).
"... being fully assured also, that, what He has PROMISED, He is able to do also ... Now it was not written because of him [Abraham] only, that it is reckoned to him, but because of US also, to whom it is about to be reckoned, who are believing on Him ..." (Rom. 4:20, 23, 24).
The "promises" were first to Abraham, whose seed was to bless the whole world, and whose children we (gentile believers) are.
And finally,
"Now if you [Galatian gentiles and you who are reading these words of life today] are Christ’s consequently you are OF Abraham’s seed, enjoyers of the allotment according to the PROMISE" (Gal. 3:29).
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Paul tells us that we who are many [Jews and Gentiles, all believers, ALL the saints] "... ARE ONE BODY IN CHRIST" (Rom. 12:5). Listen, Paul’s thoughts and prayers were always with the Jewish saints in Judea (Rom. 9:3), and Peters thoughts and prayers were always with the Gentile believers under Paul’s care (II Pet. 3:15-16).
Peter read and studied "... ALL the [Paul’s] epistles ..." In Rom. 15:4 Paul says "... that through the endurance and the consolation of the SCRIPTURES we may have expectation." The only Scriptures at this time were the Old Testament Hebrew Scriptures. And any "expectation" of the Gentiles would be one shared with Israel. Later Paul says that Christ came to the Circumcision, "... to confirm the patriarchal promises" (Rom. 15:08). With this promise in mind, Paul says, "... it is written ...’Be merry, ye nations, WITH HIS PEOPLE [Israel]" (Ver 9 & 10).
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mercy, peace and love
Kat