SONS OF GOD: Building True Expectations for the Fullness of God’s Promises
By Carl Timothy Wray
For generations, believers have read the promises of Scripture while often expecting far less than those promises declare. This book asks a simple but profound question: Have false beliefs diminished our expectation of what God has promised?
Beginning with God’s eternal purpose before the foundation of the world, this book follows the biblical journey from promise, to preparation, to faith, to patience, to expectation. It then examines the great promises of Scripture—including the redemption of the body, the defeat of death, the gathering together of all things in Christ, and the new creation—and explores how these promises shape the believer’s hope.
Whether you are studying the Scriptures for the first time or have spent years searching God’s Word, this book invites you to reconsider the greatness of God’s promises and to build your expectation upon His eternal purpose.
SONS OF GOD: How Believing Lies Robs You of God’s Promises explores God’s eternal purpose from before the foundation of the world through promise, preparation, faith, patience, and expectation. Examining key passages such as Romans 8, Ephesians 1, 1 Corinthians 15, 2 Corinthians 5, and Revelation 21, Carl Timothy Wray presents his understanding of how the promises of God build true expectation for the fullness of God’s purpose in Christ. This book is written for believers seeking a deeper understanding of the Sons of God, God’s promises, biblical hope, and His eternal plan revealed throughout Scripture.
Introduction
Every promise of God creates expectation.
The question is not whether God is faithful. Scripture declares that all the promises of God are “Yes” and “Amen” in Christ.
The real question is this:
What are we expecting?
For many believers, expectation has quietly been reduced by disappointment, tradition, misunderstanding, or teachings that have lowered the horizon of God’s promises. When expectation is diminished, hope weakens. When hope weakens, the promises of God begin to seem distant rather than living realities.
This book is an invitation to return to the promises themselves.
We will begin where God began—before the foundation of the world. From there we will follow the unfolding of His purpose through promise, preparation, faith, patience, and expectation. Along the way we will examine the great promises that have stirred the hearts of believers for centuries.
Within these pages, I will also present my understanding of how these promises fit together within God’s eternal purpose. My desire is not merely to present conclusions but to encourage every reader to search the Scriptures, to weigh what is written, and to build expectation upon the faithfulness of God.
God has never spoken a promise without intending to fulfill it.
Preparation has a purpose.
Faith has a purpose.
Patience has a purpose.
Expectation has a purpose.
May these pages encourage you to look again at the greatness of God’s promises and to fix your hope upon the God who always finishes what He begins.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Before the Foundation of the World
God’s eternal purpose begins before creation.
Chapter 2
Every Promise Begins Invisible
Faith receives what God has promised before it is seen.
Chapter 3
The School of Preparation
Why God prepares His people before fulfillment.
Chapter 4
Faith, Patience, and God’s Appointed Time
Learning to inherit the promises through faith and patience.
Chapter 5
Building True Expectations
Restoring confidence in God’s promises.
Chapter 6
The Lies That Rob Us of God’s Promises
How deception diminishes expectation while truth restores hope.
Chapter 7
The Great Promises of God
The promises that point toward the fullness of God’s purpose.
Chapter 8
The End of Limitation
Looking beyond what is temporary toward God’s completed purpose.
Chapter 9
A Change of Administration
Exploring the transition in God’s redemptive purpose as understood within this book’s theological framework.
Chapter 10
The Manifestation of the Sons of God
Gathering together the book’s themes and presenting the author’s understanding of how God’s promises move toward their fulfillment within His eternal purpose.
CHAPTER 1
BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD
GOD BEGAN WITH AN ETERNAL PURPOSE
“According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world…”
— Ephesians 1:4
“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.”
— 2 Timothy 1:9
Everything begins with God.
Before there was a world, there was a purpose.
Before there was time, there was Christ.
Before there was creation, there was grace.
The story of redemption did not begin in Genesis.
It began in the heart of God.
God did not create the world hoping history would work out.
He created with His eternal purpose already established.
GOD DECLARES THE END FROM THE BEGINNING
“Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.”
— Isaiah 46:10
God never discovers His purpose.
He declares it.
He never reacts.
He reveals.
He never changes His eternal counsel.
He unfolds it.
Everything that appears in time already existed within His eternal purpose.
THE LAMB WAS SLAIN BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD
“The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”
— Revelation 13:8
The cross was never God’s emergency plan.
Christ was not God’s second attempt.
The sacrifice of Christ reveals what was already established within God’s eternal purpose.
What appeared at Calvary was the manifestation in history of what God had purposed from eternity.
GOD WORKS THROUGH PROMISE
“Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made…”
— Galatians 3:16
“For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen.”
— 2 Corinthians 1:20
God advances His purpose through promises.
Every promise reveals another part of His eternal purpose.
Every promise points forward.
Every promise creates expectation.
God speaks before He manifests.
He promises before He fulfills.
FAITH RECEIVES WHAT GOD HAS SPOKEN
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
— Hebrews 11:1
Faith receives what the eye cannot yet see.
Faith does not create God’s promise.
Faith receives God’s promise.
What God declares becomes the foundation of expectation.
Faith says “Amen” to what God has spoken.
GOD PREPARES BEFORE HE MANIFESTS
“For the vision is yet for an appointed time… though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”
— Habakkuk 2:3
God always prepares before He fulfills.
He prepares Noah before the flood.
He prepares Abraham before Isaac.
He prepares Joseph before the throne.
He prepares David before the kingdom.
He prepares Mary before the birth of Christ.
Preparation is never wasted.
Preparation is the pathway to manifestation.
GOD HAS AN APPOINTED TIME
“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son…”
— Galatians 4:4
God’s promises are never late.
His purpose unfolds according to His appointed time.
His calendar is governed by His wisdom.
His timing is perfect.
Preparation teaches us to trust His timing.
THIS BOOK BEGINS WHERE GOD BEGAN
Everything that follows in this book rests upon one foundational truth:
God had an eternal purpose before the foundation of the world.
His promises flow from that purpose.
Preparation serves that purpose.
Faith embraces that purpose.
Expectation grows because of that purpose.
Throughout the chapters ahead we will follow the unfolding of God’s eternal purpose—from promise, to preparation, to expectation, and ultimately to the fulfillment of the great promises He has spoken.
The journey begins before the foundation of the world, because that is where God began.
CHAPTER 2
EVERY PROMISE BEGINS INVISIBLE
GOD SPEAKS BEFORE HE MANIFESTS
“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please…”
— Isaiah 55:11
God always speaks before He manifests.
His Word goes before His works.
His promise always comes before its fulfillment.
Everything God accomplishes begins with something He has spoken.
FAITH RECEIVES THE PROMISE IMMEDIATELY
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
— Hebrews 11:1
Faith does not wait until it sees.
Faith receives because God has spoken.
The promise may still be invisible to natural eyes.
Yet faith embraces it as present reality.
Faith does not create the promise.
Faith receives the promise.
GOD CALLS THOSE THINGS WHICH BE NOT AS THOUGH THEY WERE
“(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God… who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.”
— Romans 4:17
God sees the finished work before it appears.
His promise speaks of the end while the beginning is still unfolding.
God’s promises reveal His eternal purpose long before history catches up with them.
EVERY PROMISE CREATES EXPECTATION
“For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen…”
— 2 Corinthians 1:20
Every promise invites expectation.
God never gives a promise without intending to fulfill it.
His promises are not empty words.
They reveal His purpose.
They establish hope.
They strengthen faith.
ABRAHAM BELIEVED THE PROMISE
“He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.”
— Romans 4:20–21
Abraham received the promise before he saw Isaac.
Faith embraced God’s Word long before fulfillment appeared.
The promise was secure because God had spoken.
MARY RECEIVED THE PROMISE
“And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.”
— Luke 1:38
Mary received the promise before Christ was born.
The promise came first.
Manifestation followed in God’s appointed time.
Faith says yes before the fulfillment is visible.
THE PROMISE COMES BEFORE PREPARATION IS COMPLETE
“For the vision is yet for an appointed time… though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come.”
— Habakkuk 2:3
God gives the promise at the beginning of the journey.
Preparation unfolds afterward.
Waiting does not mean God has forgotten.
Waiting is part of God’s preparation.
THE INVISIBLE ALWAYS PRECEDES THE VISIBLE
“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen…”
— 2 Corinthians 4:18
The visible world changes.
The unseen purpose of God remains.
The promise exists before the manifestation.
Faith sees beyond the present.
Hope waits with confidence.
Expectation rests upon the faithfulness of God.
EVERY GREAT WORK OF GOD BEGINS WITH A PROMISE
God’s eternal purpose is revealed through His promises.
Faith receives those promises.
Hope embraces them.
Expectation grows because of them.
Long before fulfillment appears, God has already spoken.
Every promise begins invisible.
Every promise points toward manifestation.
The next question is not whether God will fulfill His promise.
The next question is this:
Why does God prepare His people before He fulfills what He has promised?
CHAPTER 3
THE SCHOOL OF PREPARATION
GOD ALWAYS PREPARES BEFORE HE MANIFESTS
“For the vision is yet for an appointed time… though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”
— Habakkuk 2:3
God never wastes preparation.
Every promise has an appointed time.
Every vision has an appointed season.
Preparation is God’s pathway to fulfillment.
ABRAHAM WAS PREPARED BEFORE ISAAC
“And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.”
— Hebrews 6:15
“He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief…”
— Romans 4:20
God gave Abraham the promise long before Isaac was born.
The promise came first.
Preparation followed.
Patience matured faith.
The promise never changed.
Abraham changed.
JOSEPH WAS PREPARED BEFORE THE THRONE
“Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.”
— Psalm 105:19
God gave Joseph a dream.
Then came the pit.
Then slavery.
Then prison.
Then the throne.
The dream was never the question.
Preparation was.
DAVID WAS PREPARED BEFORE THE KINGDOM
“Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him…”
— 1 Samuel 16:13
David was anointed while Saul still sat upon the throne.
There was an appointed season between the anointing and the kingdom.
God was preparing the king before revealing the kingdom.
MARY WAS PREPARED BEFORE CHRIST WAS BORN
“And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.”
— Luke 1:38
Mary received the promise.
She embraced the Word.
She carried the promise until the fullness of time.
Preparation always precedes manifestation.
GOD PREPARES HIS PEOPLE THROUGH FAITH
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
— Hebrews 11:1
Faith receives what God has spoken.
Faith continues to trust while preparation unfolds.
Faith sees beyond present circumstances.
Faith rests in God’s promise.
GOD PREPARES HIS PEOPLE THROUGH PATIENCE
“That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
— Hebrews 6:12
Patience is not passive.
Patience is confident endurance.
Patience keeps walking while God keeps working.
Patience refuses to abandon what God has promised.
PREPARATION PRODUCES EXPECTATION
“Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
— Galatians 6:9
Preparation teaches us to trust God’s timing.
Expectation grows because God is faithful.
Hope is strengthened because His promises remain sure.
Preparation is never empty.
Preparation is building expectation.
GOD’S APPOINTED TIME IS WORTH WAITING FOR
“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son…”
— Galatians 4:4
God has a calendar.
God has an appointed season.
God has a fullness of time.
He is never early.
He is never late.
His timing is perfect.
PREPARATION IS NOT THE DESTINATION
Preparation has a purpose.
Faith has a purpose.
Patience has a purpose.
God prepares His people because He intends to fulfill what He has promised.
Preparation is not the end of the journey.
Preparation gives birth to expectation.
The next question is no longer:
Why am I waiting?
The next question becomes:
What should I be expecting?
CHAPTER 4
FAITH, PATIENCE, AND GOD’S APPOINTED TIME
EVERY PROMISE HAS AN APPOINTED TIME
“For the vision is yet for an appointed time… though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”
— Habakkuk 2:3
God never gives a promise without appointing a time for its fulfillment.
The promise is certain.
The timing is God’s.
Faith learns to trust both.
FAITH RECEIVES IMMEDIATELY
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
— Hebrews 11:1
Faith does not wait for manifestation before believing.
Faith receives because God has spoken.
Faith rests upon the character of God.
Faith says “Amen” before the promise is seen.
PATIENCE CARRIES THE PROMISE
“That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
— Hebrews 6:12
Faith receives.
Patience carries.
Faith believes.
Patience endures.
Faith says God has spoken.
Patience says God will finish what He has begun.
ABRAHAM INHERITED THROUGH FAITH AND PATIENCE
“And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.”
— Hebrews 6:15
Abraham did not abandon the promise because time passed.
The promise remained true.
God remained faithful.
Patience preserved what faith had received.
WEARYNESS IS NOT THE END OF THE STORY
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
— Galatians 6:9
God knows waiting can become difficult.
That is why He speaks of due season.
The harvest belongs to God’s timing.
Not ours.
GOD’S CALENDAR NEVER FAILS
“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son…”
— Galatians 4:4
Jesus did not come one day early.
Jesus did not come one day late.
He came in the fullness of time.
God’s calendar governs His purpose.
His promises move according to His appointed seasons.
THE FATHER HAS KEPT THE TIMES AND SEASONS
“It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.”
— Acts 1:7
The Father governs His own timetable.
His purpose unfolds according to His wisdom.
His people are called to trust Him.
His promises remain certain even when the timing is unseen.
FAITH PRODUCES CONFIDENCE
“Being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.”
— Romans 4:21
Faith becomes persuasion.
Persuasion becomes confidence.
Confidence becomes peace.
The believer rests because God is faithful.
EXPECTATION IS BORN
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith…”
— Hebrews 12:2
Faith begins the journey.
Patience continues the journey.
Expectation looks toward the fulfillment.
Expectation is not wishful thinking.
Expectation is confidence in God’s appointed timing.
THE PROMISE IS STILL ALIVE
God’s purpose has not changed.
His promise has not failed.
Faith still receives.
Patience still endures.
God’s appointed time is still approaching.
Preparation has brought us this far.
Faith has sustained us.
Patience has strengthened us.
Now expectation begins to fill the heart.
The next question is no longer:
Will God keep His promise?
The next question is:
What should we be expecting from the promises of God?
CHAPTER 5
BUILDING TRUE EXPECTATIONS
GOD DESIRES THAT WE ABOUND IN HOPE
“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”
— Romans 15:13
God is called the God of hope.
Hope is not an afterthought.
Hope is the atmosphere in which faith lives.
God desires His people to abound in hope because His promises are certain.
True expectation is born when hope is anchored in the faithfulness of God.
HOPE IS BUILT UPON THE PROMISES OF GOD
“For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen…”
— 2 Corinthians 1:20
Our confidence does not rest in circumstances.
It rests in God’s promises.
He has never spoken an empty word.
Every promise reveals His character.
Every promise reveals His purpose.
Every promise invites us to expect His faithfulness.
FAITH GIVES SUBSTANCE TO HOPE
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
— Hebrews 11:1
Hope looks forward.
Faith lays hold.
Faith gives present substance to future hope.
Faith and hope work together.
Faith receives what God has spoken.
Hope rejoices in what God will accomplish.
ABRAHAM HOPED AGAINST HOPE
“Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations…”
— Romans 4:18
Natural hope had come to an end.
God’s promise remained.
Abraham believed because the promise was greater than his circumstances.
True expectation is born when God’s Word becomes greater than what we see.
THE SCRIPTURES WERE WRITTEN TO GIVE US HOPE
“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”
— Romans 15:4
The Scriptures do more than inform us.
They strengthen us.
They comfort us.
They teach us.
They build hope within us.
God has filled His Word with promises so that His people may live with expectation.
EXPECTATION LOOKS BEYOND PRESENT LIMITATIONS
“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen…”
— 2 Corinthians 4:18
Faith does not deny present realities.
It refuses to make them the final reality.
God teaches His people to look beyond what is temporary.
Expectation always sees farther than circumstances.
OUR EXPECTATION IS IN THE LORD
“My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.”
— Psalm 62:5
Our expectation is not built upon people.
It is not built upon governments.
It is not built upon the changing conditions of this world.
Our expectation is in the Lord.
He is faithful.
He cannot fail.
He will accomplish all that He has spoken.
GOD FINISHES WHAT HE BEGINS
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
— Philippians 1:6
God is both the Author and the Finisher.
He never abandons His purpose.
He never forgets His promises.
He completes what He begins.
This confidence strengthens our expectation.
TRUE EXPECTATION CHANGES HOW WE LIVE
Expectation produces confidence.
Confidence produces peace.
Peace produces endurance.
Endurance produces joyful hope.
The believer who expects God’s faithfulness walks differently.
He prays differently.
He worships differently.
He endures differently.
His eyes are fixed upon the God who cannot lie.
BUILD YOUR EXPECTATION UPON GOD’S PROMISES
God has spoken.
His promises remain sure.
Faith receives them.
Patience holds them.
Hope rejoices in them.
Expectation looks toward their fulfillment.
Never allow disappointment, tradition, fear, or unbelief to reduce the greatness of what God has promised.
Build your expectation upon the Word of God.
The next question is no longer:
Should we expect God to fulfill His promises?
The next question is:
What beliefs have robbed us of expecting the fullness of what God has promised?
CHAPTER 6
THE LIES THAT ROB US OF GOD’S PROMISES
THE THIEF COMES TO STEAL
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
— John 10:10
Throughout Scripture, God gives promises.
The enemy seeks to diminish confidence in those promises.
He cannot cancel what God has spoken.
He seeks to persuade people not to believe it.
The battle has always been over whether God’s Word will be trusted.
THE FIRST LIE QUESTIONED GOD’S WORD
“Yea, hath God said…?”
— Genesis 3:1
The first temptation did not begin with violence.
It began with a question.
“Hath God said?”
The serpent introduced doubt concerning God’s Word.
Whenever confidence in God’s Word is weakened, expectation begins to diminish.
GOD CANNOT LIE
“In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.”
— Titus 1:2
“It is impossible for God to lie…”
— Hebrews 6:18
Every promise rests upon God’s character.
He cannot lie.
He cannot fail.
He cannot forget what He has spoken.
Our confidence is not in ourselves.
Our confidence is in the One who made the promise.
UNBELIEF LIMITS OUR EXPECTATION
“So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”
— Hebrews 3:19
God’s promise remained true.
Israel’s unbelief prevented them from entering into what had been promised.
The problem was never God’s faithfulness.
The problem was refusing to believe Him.
Unbelief always lowers expectation.
Faith always lifts it.
TRADITIONS CAN HIDE THE POWER OF GOD’S WORD
“Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition…”
— Mark 7:13
Jesus warned that traditions can obscure the power of God’s Word.
Whenever human ideas are placed above God’s promises, expectation begins to fade.
God calls His people back to His Word.
FEAR LOOKS AT CIRCUMSTANCES
“Be not afraid, only believe.”
— Mark 5:36
Fear magnifies obstacles.
Faith magnifies God.
Expectation grows when our eyes remain upon the One who has spoken.
WE MUST TEST EVERY TEACHING BY THE SCRIPTURES
“These were more noble… in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
— Acts 17:11
God never asks His people to believe blindly.
He calls us to search the Scriptures.
Truth welcomes examination.
Every teaching should be measured by the Word of God.
THE TRUTH MAKES US FREE
“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
— John 8:32
Truth does more than correct error.
Truth restores hope.
Truth strengthens faith.
Truth renews expectation.
The more clearly we see God’s promises, the greater our confidence becomes.
HOLD FAST THE CONFESSION OF YOUR HOPE
“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)”
— Hebrews 10:23
Our confidence rests upon God’s faithfulness.
His promises have not weakened.
His purpose has not changed.
His Word still stands.
Therefore, we are called to hold fast without wavering.
LET GOD’S PROMISES SHAPE YOUR EXPECTATION
God has spoken.
His promises remain true.
Do not allow doubt to rob your faith.
Do not allow fear to rob your peace.
Do not allow tradition to rob your hope.
Do not allow unbelief to rob your expectation.
Let every belief be tested by the Scriptures.
Let every promise be received by faith.
Let your expectation be built upon the God who cannot lie.
The next chapter turns our eyes away from every competing voice and fixes them upon the greatness of God’s own declarations.
We will consider the great promises of God—the promises that have inspired the hope of believers throughout the generations and reveal the glory of His eternal purpose.
CHAPTER 7
THE GREAT PROMISES OF GOD
THE WHOLE CREATION WAITS
“For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope.
Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.”
— Romans 8:19–21
God’s purpose reaches beyond individuals.
His promises extend to the whole creation.
Creation waits with earnest expectation because God has declared a day of glorious liberty.
WE OURSELVES GROAN FOR THE REDEMPTION OF THE BODY
“And not only they, but ourselves also… groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.”
— Romans 8:23
The Scriptures speak of a hope that reaches beyond the present.
Believers are called to look forward with confidence to the redemption God has promised.
Hope stretches beyond what is seen.
MORTALITY SHALL BE SWALLOWED UP OF LIFE
“Not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:4
God’s purpose is life.
His promises continually point toward the triumph of life over mortality.
The language of Scripture calls believers to look beyond present weakness toward God’s completed work.
WE SHALL ALL BE CHANGED
“For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:53
God’s promises are filled with transformation.
The apostle speaks of change.
He speaks of incorruption.
He speaks of immortality.
He points believers toward the victory God has prepared.
DEATH SHALL BE SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:54
The gospel is a message of victory.
Scripture declares that death will not have the final word.
God’s purpose moves toward complete triumph.
THE LAST ENEMY SHALL BE DESTROYED
“The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:26
The Bible presents death as an enemy.
God promises its ultimate defeat.
His purpose moves steadily toward complete victory.
ALL THINGS SHALL BE GATHERED TOGETHER IN CHRIST
“That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ…”
— Ephesians 1:10
From the beginning, God’s purpose has centered in Christ.
His promises point toward unity.
His eternal purpose is revealed in the gathering together of all things in His Son.
GOD SHALL BE ALL IN ALL
“That God may be all in all.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:28
The Scriptures conclude with one of the grandest declarations in the Bible.
God’s purpose is moving toward His own fullness.
His kingdom is advancing according to His wisdom.
His promises point toward His ultimate triumph.
BEHOLD, I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW
“And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.”
— Revelation 21:5
The Bible closes with hope.
God is not merely repairing the old.
He declares the making of all things new.
His promises consistently point toward renewal, restoration, and the fulfillment of His purpose.
THERE SHALL BE NO MORE DEATH
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain…”
— Revelation 21:4
The promises of God reach beyond present suffering.
They reveal His compassion.
They reveal His victory.
They reveal the hope that has sustained believers throughout the ages.
THE PROMISES OF GOD BUILD EXPECTATION
From Genesis to Revelation, God speaks with one consistent voice.
He promises.
He prepares.
He sustains.
He fulfills.
These promises are not isolated truths.
Together they reveal the greatness of God’s eternal purpose.
They awaken hope.
They strengthen faith.
They build expectation.
The chapters ahead will explore how these promises fit together within the understanding presented in this book, as we consider the end of limitation, a change of administration, and the manifestation of the sons of God.
CHAPTER 8
THE END OF LIMITATION
WE KNOW IN PART
“For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.”
— 1 Corinthians 13:9–10
The Scriptures acknowledge limitation.
Our understanding is partial.
Our experience is partial.
Our vision is partial.
Yet God declares that what is partial is not the final destination.
He points us toward completion.
WE WALK BY FAITH
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:7
Faith belongs to the present journey.
We trust what God has spoken even when we cannot yet see its fullness.
Faith carries us forward because God is faithful.
WE GROAN WITHIN OURSELVES
“And not only they, but ourselves also… groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.”
— Romans 8:23
The believer’s groaning is not the cry of despair.
It is the language of hope.
It recognizes that God’s work is still moving toward its appointed fulfillment.
The promise creates expectation.
Expectation produces longing.
MORTALITY SHALL BE SWALLOWED UP OF LIFE
“That mortality might be swallowed up of life.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:4
Scripture does not present mortality as God’s final purpose.
It points beyond mortality.
God’s promise is life.
His purpose is victory.
His work moves toward fullness.
THIS CORRUPTIBLE MUST PUT ON INCORRUPTION
“For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:53
The language of Scripture is one of transformation.
God speaks of incorruption.
He speaks of immortality.
He speaks of victory over corruption.
These promises continually direct our eyes beyond present limitation.
THE LAST ENEMY SHALL BE DESTROYED
“The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:26
Death is called an enemy.
God does not make peace with His enemies.
He overcomes them.
The promise of Scripture is that death itself will not stand forever.
God’s victory is complete.
CREATION WAITS FOR GLORIOUS LIBERTY
“Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.”
— Romans 8:21
Creation is pictured as waiting.
Waiting implies expectation.
Expectation points toward fulfillment.
God has promised liberty beyond corruption.
His purpose reaches farther than present experience.
GOD IS BRINGING HIS PURPOSE TO COMPLETION
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
— Philippians 1:6
God finishes what He begins.
His work is not abandoned halfway.
His promises move toward completion.
His purpose moves toward fulfillment.
The confidence of the believer rests in the faithfulness of God.
LIMITATION IS NOT THE FINAL WORD
The Scriptures never encourage us to make peace with limitation.
Instead, they continually point us toward the greatness of God’s promises.
What is partial points toward fullness.
What is temporary points toward permanence.
What is weak points toward strength.
What is corruptible points toward incorruption.
What is mortal points toward life.
The God who began His work will complete it.
LOOKING TOWARD THE FULLNESS OF GOD’S PURPOSE
The Bible consistently directs our hope beyond the limitations of the present.
It teaches us to expect God’s promises.
It teaches us to trust His timing.
It teaches us to look for the completion of His purpose.
The next chapter considers how, within the understanding presented in this book, God’s unfolding purpose includes a change of administration as His redemptive plan moves toward its intended fullness.
CHAPTER 9
A CHANGE OF ADMINISTRATION
GOD WORKS ACCORDING TO HIS APPOINTED ORDER
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”
— Ecclesiastes 3:1
God is a God of order.
He unfolds His purpose according to His wisdom.
Throughout Scripture we see seasons, stewardships, and appointed times.
His purpose never changes.
The way He unfolds that purpose progresses according to His appointed order.
THE LAW WAS A TUTOR UNTIL CHRIST
“Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”
— Galatians 3:24
God’s dealings with His people reveal progression.
The Law served its purpose.
When its work was complete, it gave way to something greater.
The fulfillment did not destroy God’s purpose.
It advanced God’s purpose.
A BETTER PRIESTHOOD
“For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.”
— Hebrews 7:12
“After the power of an endless life.”
— Hebrews 7:16
The writer of Hebrews declares a change in priesthood.
The Levitical order gave way to the priesthood of Christ after the order of Melchizedek.
Scripture presents this as an advance in God’s unfolding purpose.
The greater fulfills what the former anticipated.
GOD LEADS HIS PEOPLE FROM GLORY TO GLORY
“But we all… are changed into the same image from glory to glory…”
— 2 Corinthians 3:18
God’s purpose is not static.
He continues His transforming work.
The Scriptures describe growth, maturity, and increasing conformity to Christ.
Believers are called to move forward rather than remain where they began.
THE FULLNESS OF TIMES
“That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ…”
— Ephesians 1:10
Paul speaks of the “dispensation of the fullness of times.”
Within the understanding presented in this book, this points to the culmination of God’s redemptive purpose, when all things move toward their intended unity in Christ.
The emphasis remains upon Christ and God’s eternal purpose.
GOD ALWAYS PREPARES BEFORE HE ENTRUSTS
“He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much.”
— Luke 16:10
Throughout Scripture, greater responsibility follows proven faithfulness.
Preparation precedes promotion.
Growth precedes greater stewardship.
God forms His servants before enlarging their ministry.
CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF EVERY ADMINISTRATION
“And he is the head of the body, the church… that in all things he might have the preeminence.”
— Colossians 1:18
Every season of God’s work centers upon Christ.
Every ministry points to Christ.
Every priesthood finds its fulfillment in Christ.
Every administration exists to reveal His glory.
Christ remains the center from beginning to end.
GOD’S PURPOSE MOVES TOWARD FULLNESS
“Till we all come in the unity of the faith… unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.”
— Ephesians 4:13
God’s goal is maturity.
His purpose moves toward fullness.
His work is progressive.
He is bringing His people toward the measure of the fullness of Christ.
THE PURPOSE NEVER CHANGES
From before the foundation of the world until the consummation of all things, God has never changed His purpose.
He has changed seasons.
He has fulfilled types and shadows.
He has brought greater light.
He has unfolded His purpose step by step.
But His eternal purpose has remained the same.
LOOKING TOWARD THE MANIFESTATION OF THE SONS OF GOD
The Scriptures reveal God’s eternal purpose.
They proclaim His promises.
They call us to faith, patience, and hope.
They point beyond present limitations toward God’s completed work.
Within the understanding presented in this book, these themes converge in the expectation of the manifestation of the sons of God—a subject that forms the concluding chapter.
There we will gather together the promises, the hope, and the eternal purpose of God, presenting how they fit together within the framework developed throughout this book.
CHAPTER 10
THE MANIFESTATION OF THE SONS OF GOD
THE WHOLE CREATION WAITS
“For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.”
— Romans 8:19
The Scriptures declare that creation waits with earnest expectation.
This is not the expectation of man.
It is the expectation revealed by God.
Creation itself is pictured as looking toward the fulfillment of His eternal purpose.
Throughout this book we have followed that purpose from before the foundation of the world, through promise, faith, patience, hope, and expectation.
Now we arrive at the promise that has stood before us from the beginning.
THE REDEMPTION OF THE BODY
“Waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.”
— Romans 8:23
God’s purpose is not only the redemption of the soul.
The Scriptures also speak of the redemption of the body.
This promise has remained before the Church from the beginning.
It is one of the great hopes set before the people of God.
MORTALITY SHALL BE SWALLOWED UP OF LIFE
“That mortality might be swallowed up of life.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:4
The direction of God’s purpose is always toward life.
The promise is not merely escape.
The promise is victory.
Life triumphs over mortality because God has spoken.
WE SHALL ALL BE CHANGED
“For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:53
The Scriptures speak of transformation.
They speak of incorruption.
They speak of immortality.
They point beyond the present toward God’s completed work.
THE LAST ENEMY SHALL BE DESTROYED
“The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:26
Death is called an enemy.
God’s purpose is not complete until every enemy has been brought under the feet of Christ.
His victory is total.
His promises point toward complete triumph.
ALL THINGS SHALL BE GATHERED TOGETHER IN CHRIST
“That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ…”
— Ephesians 1:10
From before the foundation of the world, God’s purpose has centered in His Son.
Every promise leads to Christ.
Every covenant points to Christ.
Every work of redemption reveals Christ.
God’s eternal purpose is the gathering together of all things in Him.
GOD SHALL BE ALL IN ALL
“That God may be all in all.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:28
This is one of the greatest declarations in all of Scripture.
God’s purpose moves toward His own fullness.
His kingdom advances.
His promises stand.
His eternal purpose cannot fail.
THE MANIFESTATION OF THE SONS OF GOD
“For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.”
— Romans 8:19
Within the understanding presented throughout this book, the manifestation of the sons of God represents the convergence of the great promises we have explored.
It is presented as the point at which preparation gives way to fulfillment.
Faith gives way to sight.
Hope gives way to realization.
Expectation meets the fulfillment of God’s purpose according to His appointed time.
This understanding seeks to bring together the themes of Romans 8, 1 Corinthians 15, 2 Corinthians 5, Ephesians 1, and Revelation 21 into one unified vision centered in Christ and His eternal purpose.
BEHOLD, I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW
“And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.”
— Revelation 21:5
The Bible ends where God’s purpose has always been leading.
New creation.
Newness.
Life.
Victory.
The restoration and renewal God has promised.
The last word of Scripture is not defeat.
The last word is hope.
THE END IS THE BEGINNING
Before the foundation of the world, God established His eternal purpose.
He spoke His promises.
He prepared His people.
He taught them faith.
He strengthened them through patience.
He filled them with hope.
He called them to expectation.
The Scriptures consistently testify that God finishes what He begins.
May this book encourage you to search the Scriptures, to hold fast to the promises of God, and to fix your hope upon the One who cannot lie.
“For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen.”
The God who began His work will complete it.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES BY CHAPTER
CHAPTER 1 — BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD
- Ephesians 1:4
- 2 Timothy 1:9
- Isaiah 46:10
- Revelation 13:8
- Galatians 3:16
- 2 Corinthians 1:20
- Hebrews 11:1
- Habakkuk 2:3
- Galatians 4:4
CHAPTER 2 — EVERY PROMISE BEGINS INVISIBLE
- Isaiah 55:11
- Hebrews 11:1
- Romans 4:17
- 2 Corinthians 1:20
- Romans 4:20–21
- Luke 1:38
- Habakkuk 2:3
- 2 Corinthians 4:18
CHAPTER 3 — THE SCHOOL OF PREPARATION
- Habakkuk 2:3
- Hebrews 6:15
- Romans 4:20
- Psalm 105:19
- 1 Samuel 16:13
- Luke 1:38
- Hebrews 11:1
- Hebrews 6:12
- Galatians 6:9
- Galatians 4:4
CHAPTER 4 — FAITH, PATIENCE, AND GOD’S APPOINTED TIME
- Habakkuk 2:3
- Hebrews 11:1
- Hebrews 6:12
- Hebrews 6:15
- Galatians 6:9
- Galatians 4:4
- Acts 1:7
- Romans 4:21
- Hebrews 12:2
CHAPTER 5 — BUILDING TRUE EXPECTATIONS
- Romans 15:13
- 2 Corinthians 1:20
- Hebrews 11:1
- Romans 4:18
- Romans 15:4
- 2 Corinthians 4:18
- Psalm 62:5
- Philippians 1:6
CHAPTER 6 — THE LIES THAT ROB US OF GOD’S PROMISES
- John 10:10
- Genesis 3:1
- Titus 1:2
- Hebrews 6:18
- Hebrews 3:19
- Mark 7:13
- Mark 5:36
- Acts 17:11
- John 8:32
- Hebrews 10:23
CHAPTER 7 — THE GREAT PROMISES OF GOD
- Romans 8:19–21
- Romans 8:23
- 2 Corinthians 5:4
- 1 Corinthians 15:53
- 1 Corinthians 15:54
- 1 Corinthians 15:26
- Ephesians 1:10
- 1 Corinthians 15:28
- Revelation 21:5
- Revelation 21:4
CHAPTER 8 — THE END OF LIMITATION
- 1 Corinthians 13:9–10
- 2 Corinthians 5:7
- Romans 8:23
- 2 Corinthians 5:4
- 1 Corinthians 15:53
- 1 Corinthians 15:26
- Romans 8:21
- Philippians 1:6
CHAPTER 9 — A CHANGE OF ADMINISTRATION
- Ecclesiastes 3:1
- Galatians 3:24
- Hebrews 7:12
- Hebrews 7:16
- 2 Corinthians 3:18
- Ephesians 1:10
- Luke 16:10
- Colossians 1:18
- Ephesians 4:13
CHAPTER 10 — THE MANIFESTATION OF THE SONS OF GOD
- Romans 8:19
- Romans 8:23
- 2 Corinthians 5:4
- 1 Corinthians 15:53
- 1 Corinthians 15:26
- Ephesians 1:10
- 1 Corinthians 15:28
- Revelation 21:5
- 2 Corinthians 1:20
PRIMARY FOUNDATIONAL PASSAGES FOR THE ENTIRE BOOK
These passages form the backbone of the book’s biblical argument and appear repeatedly throughout the chapters:
- Genesis 3:1
- Psalm 62:5
- Isaiah 46:10
- Isaiah 55:11
- Habakkuk 2:3
- Matthew 19:26
- Mark 5:36
- Mark 7:13
- Luke 1:38
- Acts 1:7
- Acts 17:11
- Romans 4:17–21
- Romans 8:19–23
- Romans 15:4
- Romans 15:13
- 1 Corinthians 13:9–10
- 1 Corinthians 15:26, 53–54
- 2 Corinthians 1:20
- 2 Corinthians 4:18
- 2 Corinthians 5:4, 7
- Galatians 3:16, 24
- Galatians 4:4
- Galatians 6:9
- Ephesians 1:4, 10
- Ephesians 4:13
- Philippians 1:6
- Colossians 1:18
- Hebrews 6:12, 15, 18
- Hebrews 7:12, 16
- Hebrews 10:23
- Hebrews 11:1
- Hebrews 12:2
- Revelation 13:8
- Revelation 21:4–5
The Sons of God Series
- Sons of God — The Many Dimensions of Our Relationship With God
- THE SONS OF GOD: The Sign for Which the Whole Creation Groans
- THE SONS OF GOD: Sons vs. Manifest Sons
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