Word That Means Not Knowing Were You Are
All who sincerely believe in Jesus Christ are in covenant with God. God obligates himself to his covenant partners with many promises, and in turn he requires certain things from them.
This twelvemonth I changed dentists, non because I was unhappy with the dental practice—far from information technology—but because my health insurance company changed its policies.
If you are similar me, yous probably feel insecure in your relationship with your health insurance visitor. Twelvemonth to twelvemonth they change premiums, the amount of coinsurance and deductibles, what doctors they work with, and then on. You may have an understanding with a company now, merely who knows what will happen next year.
Imagine if the God of the universe were similar that; how vulnerable and insecure we would feel. But thankfully God is not like that. In fact, he is the opposite. He is instead the God of covenant. His fashion of being in relationship is to be in covenant. In a covenant with God, your relationship stands on a stone.
The New Covenant with God
The idea of covenant is central to the gospel. At the Last Supper, Jesus took of the bread and wine being served and said, "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood" (Luke 22:20).
This new covenant, based on the blood cede of Jesus, fulfills the previous covenants God had made with Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, the nation of Israel, and King David. It was necessary considering Israel had broken their previous covenant. (see Jeremiah 31:31–34).
A covenant with many promises
Let'due south try to comprehend the thought of covenant and how important information technology is to the Lord to establish relationships on a covenant.
God'southward covenant is a delivery similar to but infinitely stronger than a business organization contract, or than the treaties that nations make with one some other. God's covenant is a commitment of eternal love. He stipulates exactly what that love entails in the Bible. All the promises God makes in the Bible are his commitment to united states. They are foundational to how he relates to the states. His covenant promises are as of import and visible to him as the tracks on which a train runs.
The lavish blessings that come to those in covenant with God
Here are some of those promises.
- To forgive our sins and cleanse u.s. from them. (1 John i:9)
- To requite us eternal life and an inheritance in the kingdom of God. (John 3:16; Matthew 25:34)
- To prepare a place for us in heaven. (John xiv:1–three)
- To raise our bodies from the grave. (1 Corinthians 11)
- To render to the world to recreate the heavens and the globe as our eternal home. (2 Peter 3:1–thirteen)
- Never to get out us or forsake us. (Matthew 28:twenty)
- To provide for our needs. (Philippians 4:19; Matthew 6:33)
- To heal our bodies. (James 5:13–16)
- To guide us. (Psalm 32:8)
- To deliver us from Satan's power. (Colossians one:13; Ephesians half dozen:10–18)
- To answer our prayers of faith in accordance with his volition. (1 John 5:xiv–fifteen)
- To adopt united states of america as his children. (Ephesians 1:5)
- To reward united states for serving and obeying him. (Hebrews eleven:6)
This listing is by no means exhaustive! God is truly gracious and kind.
God's covenant requires faithfulness
Because God is a covenant-making, covenant-keeping person, faithfulness is of ultimate importance to him. He is absolutely true-blue, and he expects his covenant partners to be true-blue. He is admittedly truthful and expects his covenant partners to be truthful.
Exodus 34:six says, "The LORD passed earlier him [Moses] and proclaimed, 'The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to acrimony, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.'"
The requirements of people in covenant with God
Covenants brand requirements of both parties. God has graciously made many promises to us, and in turn he requires that nosotros respond obediently to him in detail means. The sometime Mosaic covenant with Israel required that they keep diverse laws regarding food, sacrifices and ceremonies in the Temple, and the observing of holy days. In the New Covenant, those requirements no longer apply.
Hither is what God requires of those who enter the New Covenant with him.
- Confess your sins and believe in Jesus as your Savior and Lord, for the forgiveness of your sins. (John 3:16–nineteen; 6:28–29; Romans 3:9–26; Philippians 2:9–11)
- Exist baptized in water at conversion, giving public testimony of your faith. (Matthew 28:xviii–20)
- Receive Communion regularly. (i Corinthians 11:23–26)
- Love God and love people, in item by serving the needs of fellow believers. (Matthew 22:34–xl; 25:31–46)
- Repent of wickedness, impurity, idolatry, and the love of the world, being holy equally God is holy. (Hebrews 10:26–27; one Peter 1:14–16; 1 John 2:15–17; James 4:four; Colossians 3:5–ix)
- Embrace a church building that is true-blue to the Discussion of God and submit to its authority, joining in worship, prayer, and the educational activity of the Word. (Acts 2:41–42; Hebrews 10:24–25; i Timothy 3:fifteen; Ephesians four:eleven–16)
- Believe and obey God'southward Word, the Bible. Virtually importantly, believe the core doctrines of the Trinity, the deity of Jesus Christ, justification by grace through religion in Christ, the virgin birth of Jesus, and the bodily resurrection of Jesus. (Romans 15:4; ii Timothy 3:14–17; Matthew 22:29)
- Serve the Lord with the abilities and resources he has given y'all, including finances. (Matthew 25:14–30)
Our way and God'due south way
Our style: Fallen sinners are unfaithful in their relationships.
God'south fashion: God faithfully keeps his covenant.
Life principle: Our covenant with God, which we take by believing the gospel, is the most valuable relationship we have. Information technology is a priceless treasure, the but immovable stone in the ever-shifting sand of this world. Keeping it faithfully is the most important affair we practise.
I invite you to read my weekly posts
about knowing God and his ways amend.
—Craig Brian Larson
Jeremiah 9:23–24: "Thus says the LORD: 'Permit not the wise human being boast in his wisdom, allow non the mighty human being boast in his might, let not the rich homo boast in his riches, only let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the globe. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.'" (ESV)
Source: https://craigbrianlarson.com/covenant-with-god/
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