In Christ, you are a believer priest, and you may go directly to God through Jesus Christ. It was an unprecedented blessing for the people of Israel. That was not the purpose of the Law. He knew this would be the case! I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts (Heb. And so when you have come through Christ to God you have direct access. About 14.5 million low-income earners will be eligible for benefits under the new round of the state welfare card scheme, the Finance Ministry said on Monday. The benefits of the covenant are yours to take having done your own part, but the enemy will contend it. In the future, God will bring a widespread revival among the Jews, who will look on Him whom they pierced and mourn (Zech. So any time anybody is living in sin and enjoying sin it is a clear evidence that the nature of God (the seed of God the sperma of God: that is the Greek word) is not in him; and he does not belong to Christ. Therefore, all those who were circumcised physically were members of the covenant community whether they ever came to saving faith or not. We receive both the knowledge of Gods ways and the motivation to keep those ways. (3) We read inHebrews 8:6-7that the very existence of this New Covenant is just one more proof or demonstration that the high priesthood of Jesus is superior to the high priesthood of Aaron and his descendants. Soon, Nevadans who have been getting help through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will soon have a harder time putting food on the table. I touched on these five points last week, but lets examine them in more depth: Clearly, the emphasis here is on discontinuity, not on continuity. (4) Im not happy with how the opening line of v. 8 is translated. In Hebrews we read: And I will be their God, and they shall be My people. None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, Know the LORD, for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them (Hebrews 8:10, 11). We are fully reconciled back to God, having been translated from kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. The Law spelled out the blessings for obedience and the terrible consequences for disobedience (Deut. It started out on stone tablets, written by the hand of God. The Bible likens the New Covenant to a will. He is the mediator of the new covenant (Heb 12:24), the apostles are its ministers (2 Cor 3:6), and through it, we are not only redeemed but promised an inheritance (Heb 9:15). Jesus declared, My sheep hear my voice, not my pastors hear my voice, or My bishops hear my voice or My holy, praying, fasting, super-saints hear My voice. Just My sheep common everyday people: plumbers and department store clerks, mechanics and computer experts, doctors and dentists, and all the rest that make up the great big, disparate body of Christ. Is it True for Christians That 'Once Saved, Always Saved'? Deliver fulfillment of the promised inheritance to those that are called. This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more. There is a tremendous harvest going on in the world these days, and we are privileged to be a part of it. 8:10c; see alsoRev. 36:26-27). WebBut the new covenant actually changes our desires. I love my country. Notice what our author says: they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest (8:11). Full-Time. WebBut the new covenant invites sinners to draw near to the very throne of God through the blood of Christ, to receive grace and mercy! The only intermediary we need to get to God is Jesus Christ. The writer (whoever he was) goes on to declare, through many different ways and using many different arguments, the superiority of Jesus Christ and His New Covenant over Moses and the Old Covenant. But Jesus Christ, by the one offering of Himself, cleanses our conscience and puts away our sins once for all (9:14; 10:10, 14)! ET. Brothers, Do You Really Know Who And Whose You Are? It is a priceless treasure, the only immovable rock in the ever-shifting sand of this world. Only those who come to saving faith are members of the new covenant community. God is ours personally. But this in itself didnt come with a promise of power to obey what the law commanded. Isnt increased sin contrary to His purposes? All words below are from Mr. Keach: 1076 Harkrider St.Conway, Arkansas [email protected] - Thursday 9am - 4pm. God has replaced it with the new one. Paul describes the Gentiles before Christ as excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world (Eph. The ability to overcome sin is found in the provision of the new covenant. Jesus, the sinless Son of God, paid the penalty that we deserved. In many ways its the strangest day on our holiday calendar. Lastly, And not only Glory, but the Fullness of Glory; for the Fullness of the Glory of Heaven is contained in this Covenant, or the perfect and full enjoyment of God, even the Beatifical Vision. For an OT believer, it was wonderful to experience forgiveness for sins previously committed. AI-powered tools can help businesses create better content faster. 2. If new covenant believers are not under the Law, how can we know which Old Testament commands apply to us today? The blessings for obedience to them and to their children were wonderful (28:1-14). I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts, he says, not just on stone for us to read (33a). The only thing that matters is the faith in your heart: if you trust in Jesus, whether you are male or female, slave or free, Jew or Gentile, you are the seed of Abraham, the true Israel of God, and thus members of the New Covenant. God has a new and better covenant with His children, founded on better promises and Jesus is the mediator and guarantee of this new covenant (Hebrews 7:22, Hebrews 8:6). Above is a brief music video featuring video clips and pics from our recent mission in Nigeria in Oct/Nov, 2019. It promised them spiritual and material and even military blessings if they obeyed that law and remained true to the covenant. That was the old way. People have debated this question for millennia. WebBut in the New Covenant, Jesus Christ is our High Priest, and He will be alive for the rest of eternity. Image courtesy:Thinkstock/Francesco Cura, 10 Reasons God Might Not Be Blessing Your Life, 9 Christians You Don't Want to Sit Beside on Sunday Morning, 6 Truths about Jesus Coming into the World, Inspiring Mother Breaks Down after Earning Golden Buzzer with Celine Dion Hit, 7 Ways Anxiety Dominates the Christian Mind. We need no special priest or holy man to go to God on our behalf. Jesus showed them that to lust after a woman in their hearts made them guilty of adultery in Gods sight (Matt. And the new one is described as a better covenant established on better promises. But because Jesus has paid this penalty by dying for our sins God forgives everyone who accepts Jesus Christ, accepts the sacrifice that Jesus has made. The blood of bulls and goats could never perfectly purge their consciences. 21:3). Spirit of Grace Let us consider just three benefits of the new covenant very quickly. InHebrews 8:8he says the new covenant is established or made with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. But wouldnt that mean that we, the Church of Jesus Christ, have no membership in this covenant and cant benefit from its blessings? WebThe new covenant, mediated by Christ, also contains blessings and curses. They ought to engage the blood of the covenant. The New Covenant which would replace it was foreseen by the prophet Ezekiel, who wrote: I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. Second, in2 Corinthians 3:6Paul explicitly says that we are the recipients of and ministers of the New Covenant. He gives some of the most severe warnings found in the New Testament, aimed at those who have professed Jesus and then drawn back from a total confidence in Him. Are you part of the new covenant with God? Spending Lockdown With Someone You Want to Divorce! We can all enjoy fellowship with God, we can all be filled with the Holy Spirit, we can all hear the voice of God. See Appendix E2, Calvins Commentaries [Baker], p. The second difference is that the writer of Hebrews said that the Old Covenant 2. Your donations are needed and greatly appreciated! Benefit number two, you have the ability to obey God and to do His will. That is clearly a fulfillment of Jeremiah 31:34, For all will know Me, from the least to the greatest.. He had no church background and no religious inclinations. The Tower of Babel, the first Tower of Power, is a We mustnt forget that according toGalatians 3:16and3:28-29(and numerous other texts) anyone who believes in Jesus Christ is now the seed of Abraham and thus an heir according to the promise. Creating high-quality content is crucial for digital marketing success. The people of Israel were quite familiar with the concept that God graciously wipes us clean of the guilt of our sins and refuses ever again to bring them up or to use them against us. For a full listing of all devos, written and audio, go to our Audio Devos Page. Press Esc to cancel. WebThe new covenant is to involve the gift of the Spirit, that writes the law of God inwardly in the heart, as distinct from the Law, which is thought of as outside the conscience, doing its work as an accuser and a judge. But the new covenant invites sinners to draw near to the very throne of God through the blood of Christ, to receive grace and mercy! This is a full-time 12-month employee and includes working during and after school hours (board meetings, school events, etc.) The Law of Moses told the people of Israel what they should and should not do but it was never capable of supplying them with the internal energy or the spiritual power to obey. 3:3, 6), He is only the pledge of our future full new covenant blessings (2 Cor. He isyourGod! Yet gives me neither feet nor hands. In Gods covenant with His children, He promises to do certain things for them and they are in return expected to carry out certain instructions. Third, the Old or Mosaic Covenant was temporary. They are plagued by guilt, when the policy says, I will remember their sins no more. They feel alienated from God and His people, whereas the contract stipulates, I will be their God, and they shall be My people. They put themselves under many manmade rules, whereas God says, I will put My laws into their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. So instead of knowing the glorious privileges of being children of the free woman, they live in slavery as children of the bondwoman (Gal. Gods way: God faithfully keeps his covenant. There is no priestly hierarchy, where you have to approach God through them. 11Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. God appointed the tribe of Levi to represent Israel before God. The average Jew would have had almost no contact with the Scriptures, save that which he or she was taught by the priests. 7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We know this because we read inHebrews 8:5that everything Moses did in constructing the Old Covenant tabernacle, together with its rituals and sacrifices, was only a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. We also know the Old Covenant was temporary because of what we see inJeremiah 31:31-34, a passage that is cited inHebrews 8:8-12. Here are some ten things about the New Covenant that all Christians should know. Hes not just there. (10) With the New Covenant comesthe promise of final forgiveness of sins. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Second, the law of the Old Covenant that came through Moses was unable to supply the power that people needed to fulfill and obey it. As a result we can escape hell and enter eternity with God. 3. The revolutionary New Covenant is not Because of Jesus, we can live righteously and ). And though we Gentiles do not have the law as our test, we, too receive an F for failing to follow the laws of conscience, the laws of decency and goodness and kindness. Every member of the New Covenant is a believer. The partial hardening of the Jews that now exists will be lifted, and so all Israel will be saved (Rom. 28:1-68). These are usually on a smaller scale with fewer in-client loot. But actually we didnt even get into it. This is different; and no wonder it is called a testament. 11:25-26). When God instituted the Law at Sinai, He instructed Moses to draw boundaries around the mountain, so that no one would come near and die. He concludes, It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery (Gal. Why bother? You cant blend Judaism with Christianity. God isnt just God. His concise and beautiful portrayal of the New Covenant is found in the eighth chapter. O nothing is better than that. To say that every member of the New Covenant knows the Lord doesnt mean that there arent in our midst people who claim to know Christ but dont. Man agrees to keep all of Gods commandments and observe every ordinance of salvation. God loves each one us! Do you understand the power in the shed blood of Jesus? Vernon and Anny Fernandes of Agape World Ministries, Tanzania, Dr. Freda Lindsay, Founder of Christ for the Nations Institute, Dallas, TX, Our Problems Mould Us Into Better Versions Of Ourselves. They could hear the laws and perhaps even appreciate them and declare them righteous. Posted: February 15, 2023. The new covenant finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ who is the true son of Abraham, the true Son of God, the true Israel, the true David, the Son of Man, and the The book was written primarily for Jews, but the Holy Spirit clearly intended that these truths be made clear to all who profess the Savior. 12:13). The new covenant is officially valid, recognized by the kingdoms of light and darkness, God and the devil. 2:15). To this we addHebrews 8:13 In speaking of a new covenant, he [God] makes the first one [the old covenant] obsolete. The Book of Hebrews is unique among the New Testament epistles. We compare ourselves with others who are worse than we are, and conclude, Im not such a bad person after all! We hear of an atrocious crime and we think, How can people do things like that? The new covenant is better than the old covenant because it is enacted on better promises. Component # 1: Gods Laws in Our Hearts In the eighth chapter of Hebrews the writer gives us three main components of the New Covenant The degree to which you as individual Christians participate in that process is entirely up to you. It provided them with laws to govern their behavior. The old covenant failed because God found fault with them. Component # 1: Gods Laws in Our Hearts In the eighth chapter of Hebrews the writer gives us three main components of the New Covenant which make it work and succeed where the Old Testament failed. 3:19-24)? One had to return year after year after year on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16) so that the high priest could continually slaughter an animal and place the blood of the sacrifice on the altar in the Holy of Holies. That doesnt mean the Church shouldnt be involved in the political process. Why Do We Need to Be Crucified with Christ? Hebrews 8:10-12 shows us the content of the new covenant. Years ago, someone asked me to visit an acquaintance in the hospital who had suffered a major heart attack. d)Hold fast the profession of your hope. We can know God Gods work; we can know Gods ways when we enter into this new covenant. 3:18). WebGods plan for redemptive history is shown in the promises of the New Covenant promises of 1) Reconciliation, 2) Regeneration, 3) Possession, 4) Evangelization & 5) Satisfaction for Sin In Canada, this is the Victoria Day weekend. Easier to manage the full life cycle of your renewables. Life principle: Our covenant with God, which we have by believing the gospel, is the most valuable relationship we have. Dustin is mine! Why wasnt the Mosaic (Old) Covenant good enough for all people and for all time? God is drawing a sharp distinction between the failure of the old covenant and the certain success of the new covenant. 3:22). Rather, he ismyGod! The blood in your veins no longer matters for anything. In biblical terms a covenant is Gods promise to the human race. It includes the forgiveness of subsequent sins or offences against God. New Covenant Academy is seeking qualified candidates for the role of Director of Learning. How many times have you prayed Lord, crucify me; let me die to self? 3:6, written to the mostly Gentile Corinthians) that we are servants of the new covenant. 3:11-12a). The writer is not only eager to impress Jesus upon his readers; he also makes much about the covenant which He establishes with those who believe on Him. [email protected]. (7) With the New Covenant comesthe promise of a personal relationship. We belong to Him. But as Paul explains in Romans 11:17-32, the disobedient branches (unbelieving Israel) were broken off from the olive tree (believing Israel), and the Gentiles have been grafted in. Is this true? But under the new covenant God reverts to His original plan. One problem with the traditional dispensational approach is their view that the church is a parenthesis or intercalation in Gods plan for the ages. Instead, this is going to be a showcase event. During the time of the Old Testament or Old Covenant, the people of God were a mixed community. (1) We know fromLuke 22:19-20that when Jesus offered up his body on the cross and poured out his blood so that we might be forgiven of our sins, he was inaugurating and establishing the New Covenant. The basis for Gods forgiveness is His mercy as shown at the cross. That is why we do not baptize infants at Bridgeway. Not only Beauty, but the Fullness of Beauty; for it was perfect, * thro my Comeliness which I put upon thee, saith the Lord God. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition The Lockman Foundation, http://feeds.bible.org/steve_cole/hebrews/cole_hebrews_24.mp3, /assets/worddocs/Cole_Hebrews_Lesson24.zip. He didnt even know where his children were living or how to contact them. Well but youd say, it also covers subsequent sins. Not only Life, but the Fullness of Life, because Christ is our Life whom we receive Nothing is greater than that, in the whole world. Having pointed out the limitations of the old covenant, the writer of Hebrews described the advantages of the new covenant. Rather, the emphasis is that there will be no second class citizens under the new covenant. I went to visit him and found out that he was a bartender at one of the most notoriously wicked bars in town. Instead, this is going to be a showcase event. THE BENEFITS OF THE NEW COVENANT PART TWO. Because finding fault with them, He says: Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah (Hebrews 8:7, 8). This is not to say that the new covenant is completely fulfilled. Thus Paul could say (in 2 Cor. Therefore, in this Covenant, we do not only receive Light, but the Fullness of Light. This is language first used in Jeremiahs promise of rescue and renewal of the exiled people of God in Babylon. Why did God think it necessary to increase and magnify sin through the Law (Rom. The Church is not a geo-political state. Is Your New Years Resolution Putting Undue Pressure On You? They just couldnt consistently follow them. It is a glorious inheritance, courtesy of our Savior. And only once in a year. 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