Does the Church have earthly promises, or are all its promises heavenly?
The Church, the Body of Christ, has no earthly promises; all its promises are heavenly. By contrast, the nation of Israel’s promises are entirely earthly. Grace Age believers are called out as a heavenly people, so their promises are heavenly, not earthly.
Les explains that nothing heavenly is connected with the nation of Israel; its program is entirely earthly. When God sets Israel aside and calls out the Body of Christ, the Church, everything becomes heavenly. The Church has no earthly promises—it is all heavenly. He presents these as two anti-climatic principles: Israel is earthly, while the Body of Christ, or Grace Age believers, is heavenly. He also notes that Paul uses Abraham as an example of faith for New Testament believers, even though Abraham belongs to the Old Testament program and is genetically the father of the Jewish people through Isaac, Jacob, and the twelve sons. The Abrahamic covenant promised Israel a nation, land, and government, but the Church’s promises are heavenly.