OUR COVENANT WITH GOD
INTRODUCTION
A. (Isa.42:1-7) These passages constitute one of many prophecies about Jesus & what He will do. Please observe that in verse 6 Isaiah declares that God would give Christ “as a covenant to the people.”
a. the word “covenant” occurs in 293 passages in the NKJV
b. definition of covenant – “”a compact; an agreement
B. God has shown Himself to be a covenant-making God.
a. to Noah & his posterity, God said, “I will establish my covenant” (Gen.9:11)
b. to Abraham, God said, “I will make my covenant between me & you” (Gen.17:2)
C. Our God is willing to enter into a “covenant” with humans. Our relationship to God is one of “covenant.” Those who enter into a “covenant” relationship with God become God’s special people & are set apart from those who do not accept His covenant.
D. There are only 2 covenants when it comes to man’s justification.
a. 1st covenant was a law system made with the 12 tribes of Israel, and it formed them into a nation. The nation of Israel was to preserve the concept of monotheism (one God) until the arrival of Jesus.
a. covenant referred to in Scripture often as “The Law of Moses,” consisted of the Ten Commandments, which were engraved on two tablets of stone. The stones were given to Moses on Mount Sinai & served as the constitution of the Israelites
b. inaugurated a system of God dealing with man through a legal code (written law). This law was supplemented by additional laws, statutes, judgments, & commandments that were all compiled in a book. This book was sprinkled with animal blood & designated “the book of the covenant” (Ex.24:7). Severe penalties for violating its codes were pronounced. Penalties notwithstanding, the Israelites did not comply with it
c. designed to make the Israelites aware of their sinfulness & to keep them under surveillance & strict control until Christ (faith) came (Gal.3:22-25)
d. nature of law is to define boundaries, to restrain & restrict under penalties. By putting the Israelites under law, God showed mankind that if they relied upon such an arrangement for being right with Him, it would be like being under guard & confined in prison, bondage – this would make them want another way (Rom.3:21)
e. the law system was pointing people toward Christ & once people arrived at faith in Christ, they are no longer under a tutor or guardian/law (Gal.3:24)
b. 2nd covenant is of grace made with everyone (Mr.16:15)
a. announced in prophecy (Jer.31:31-34)
b. not be like the 1st covenant – internal, written on the heart (Heb.8:10; 2Cor.3:3)
c. would create a personal instead of a national relationship with God (Heb.8:11)
d. established on better promises (Heb.8:6,12)
I. ALLEGORY CONTRASTS THE TWO COVENANTS
A. To help people understand the differences between the 1st & 2nd covenants, God had Paul to use an allegory (Gal.4:21-31). Allegory likens the 2 covenants to Abraham’s two wives & their sons.
a. Hagar had Ishmael the natural way – symbolic of people who rely upon their own efforts to acquire & maintain righteousness with God (legal bondage – “of the letter”)
b. Sarah had Isaac by relying upon God’s promise – symbolic of people who don’t rely on their own efforts, but upon God’s work in Christ
B. Instead of living under a system of meticulous rule keeping to be right with God, under “the new covenant” people put their faith in a person – Christ. This frees them from legal bondage & they are the only ones who are declared righteous before God. This is the nature of the 2nd covenant & why it is good news (gospel). Again, the allegory shows a stark contrast between the covenants.
C. God not only tells us that there is a stark contrast between the 1st & 2nd covenants in Paul’s allegory, but in phrases, such as:
a. “the law was give through Moses, but grace & truth came through Jesus Christ” (Joh.1:17)
b. “time of reformation” /“time of God’s new way” (Heb.9:10)
c. the cross is the great divide in human history (Rom.10:4)
II. “A NEW & LIVING WAY”
A. (Heb.10:19-22) God sent Jesus into the world to condemn sin by His flesh, not people. Now our covenant relationship with God is by grace & truth & not by a legal code of law. In this relationship people are the letter of Christ, for the 2nd covenant is not written with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God (2Cor.3:3). So the “new covenant” is not the nature of a written code, but is of the Spirit.
B. Under the 2nd covenant people are “justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom.3:24). This tells us that we are declared righteous, not upon the basis of our works, but upon the sacrifice of Christ (Rom.4:4-6).
a. we cannot trade our efforts for a reward (not a barter system)
b. (Eph.2:8,9; 2Tim.1:9; Tit.3:5)
c. eternal life is in the Son (Joh.5:39,40)
d. this is why Christ becomes a stumbling block to some (Rom.9:30-33)
III. LIVING IN THE FREEDOM OF CHRIST
A. (Joh.8:31,32; Rom.8:2; Gal.4:26,31; 5:1; 1Cor.8:9; 2Cor.3:17) Under the “new covenant” we are free.
B. Some cannot understand how Christians can live without being under a legal code. They reason that if there is no law then there would be only lawlessness.
a. Paul did not live as one without law (1Cor.9:21)
b. love motivates & compels us to live right (Rom.13:8-10; Gal.5:13,14)
c. we serve Christ as submissive slaves (Rom.6:12-23)
C. Tragically, some don’t want freedom & they don’t want you to have it either (Gal.2:1-5; Rom.8:15).
a. we have been delivered from bondage (Rom.8:15)
b. don’t let anyone rob you of your freedom (2Cor.11:20; Gal.5:1)
D. Coming to a better understanding of the “new covenant” delivers us from fears & hostilities which are present with us when we view the gospel as being the same in nature as the “first covenant,” but only with a different set of rules. Now we should stand amazed that as great as God is, and as sinful as we are, that He established a covenant relationship with us, which is Christ in us (Col.1:27).
a. now, instead of dwelling on whether I am good enough, I rely on Christ – God has taken it out of my hands (Christ did the work for me)
b. now, my motivation for working is not to merit salvation, Christ gave it to me as a gift, so I work out of love, gratitude & because I believe
c. now, I no longer live with the uncertainty that tormented us when we thought our daily salvation depended on how well we performed (1Jn.4:18,19)
CONCLUSION
(Jer.31:31; Isa.42:6) God has established a “new covenant” with people, which is “Christ in you.” Under this agreement God accepts Christ’s righteousness for yours & His death as payment for your sins.
Have you entered into this “covenant” relationship with God?