Believing the things of the Kingdom and Name

With reference to Acts 8:12—Now the Hebrew Kingdom in Paradise is covenanted, not to sinners of any race, but to the children of God by adoption. A man of any "kindred, tongue, people, or nation," may become a son of God upon gospel principles; and "if a son, then an heir of God, and joint-heir with Christ" (Rom. 8:17). But, in order to become a son, he must "put on Christ," that he may be "complete in him." Now Jesus is the Christ; therefore to put on Christ, he must put on Jesus; and this can only be done by "believing the things concerning the Kingdom of God, and the Name of Jesus Christ;" and being immersed into the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:12; Matt. 28:19). If a man have believed these things and been baptized in consequence, he has "consented to the wholesome words of the Lord Jesus, and to the teaching which is according to godliness." He believes the promises covenanted to Abraham and to David; he believes that Jesus was Son of God and Son of David, and therefore the Anointed of God; and that, though not the son of Joseph, he was a real man, and of the same nature as ourselves; that he really suffered death, was buried, and rose again; that he ascended into heaven, and now sits at the right hand of Power; that he was delivered for the offences of the believers in the covenants of promise, and raised again for their justification; and that he will return to Jerusalem in power; that he will raise the dead; and in cooperation with the righteous, acquire great glory in the conquest of the world, and the regeneration of Israel and the nations. Having believed thus, and been baptized, he patiently continues in well-doing seeking for glory, and honor, and incorruptibility; that when Christ shall appear he also may appear with him in the glory of the thousand years.