The Blood of The New Covenant

The greatest covenant in the history of mankind was made, established and fulfilled by God Himself. It is called the New Covenant. In short, God the Word became flesh (John 1:1, 14) and we called Him Jesus. (Luke 1:31) He stepped our of eternity and into time with a purpose, "...to give His life a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:28) However, in the purpose of God, covenant between Him and man required the shedding of blood. (Hebrews 9:22) We see the first covenant established at the fall of man, where an innocent animal was sacrificed to cover man nakedness. (Genesis 3:21)

Looking forward, we see a man named Abram, a man in whom God would cut covenant with. God appears to Abram and proclaims, "I Am Almighty God." (Genesis 17:1) However, before God entered into covenant with Abram, He changed his name to Abraham (a prince of God). (Genesis 17:5) He then set the conditions of the covenant, "This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you." (Genesis 17:10-11)

The covenant was sealed by the blood shed in circumcision. This covenant bound Abraham and his descendants by indissoluble ties to Almighty God and it bound Almighty God to Abraham and His descendants. As covenant partners, all that was Abraham's was also God's and all that was God's would be Abraham's. Also in the Old Covenant, God gave Abraham's descendants the Mosaic Law. Within this covenant God appointed a priesthood with a High Priest. The priesthood was given the atonement offering known as The Day of Atonement. God appointed a special sacrifice through which the blood of an animal was to cover the broken law so that God could dwell in the midst of His people Israel. This occurred only once a year where the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle of Moses and pour the blood of a goat upon the Mercy Seat to make yearly atonement for the sins of Israel. (Leviticus 16) The word "atonement' in the Hebrew means "to cover." As it was with Abraham, so it was with Israel. As long as Israel upheld their side of the covenant, God was obligated to uphold His side. However, if Israel did not uphold the covenant, God was no longer obligated to make good. (Deuteronomy 28) 

Looking back to the Abrahamic Covenant once again, we find one of the most remarkable things concerning covenant. It came by-way-of the promise of a son made by God to Abraham. Sarah, Abraham's wife who was barren would bear a child, and his name would be Isaac. However, as Isaac became older God called upon Abraham to uphold his side of the covenant. Remember, as covenant partners, all that was Abraham's was also God's and all that was God's would be Abraham's. "Now it came to pass after these things that God tested  Abraham, and said to him, Abraham! And he said, Here I am. And He said, take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” (Genesis 22:1-2)  

Abraham would not hold back his promised son. In obedience to God the covenant maker and keeper, Abraham took Isaac his only son, to the place that God showed him, to sacrifice him to God. As Abraham raised his knife to slay his son, "the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.” And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me." (Genesis 22:11-12) This very act set the stage for the covenant of all covenants. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

Jesus brings us a New Covenant having displaced and fulfilled the Old Testament (Hebrews 10:9). With the fulfilling of the Old Covenant, everything connected with it was set aside. As the Old Covenant was sealed with the blood of circumcision in Abraham and the blood of animals under the Mosaic Covenant, the New Covenant is sealed by the very blood of Jesus. Just as God stood behind the Old Covenant and was its surety, Jesus is the surety of the New Covenant. (Hebrews 7:25) As the covenant between God and Abraham bound Abraham and his descendants by indissoluble ties to Almighty God and Almighty God to Abraham and His descendants,  the same applies to the believer today through Jesus Christ.  Also as in the covenant between God and Abraham, all that was Abraham's was also God's and all that was God's would be Abraham's, the same is also true for the believer today through Jesus Christ. 

The Apostle Paul tells us,  "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) Almighty God has purchased the believer for Himself. Next, we also see, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ..." (Romans 8:14-17) Not only has God purchased the believer, but He has adopted the believer and has made us His children and His heirs. By definition, an heir is one who inherits or is entitled to inherit the estate of another. 

The following are but a few of the believers inheritance as the children of God. "For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us." (2 Corinthians 1:20). "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." (Romans 5:1-2). "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ." (Ephesians 1:3). "His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness..." (2 Peter 1:3). "And this is the promise that He has promised us, eternal life." (1 John 2:25)

 As we can see, believers have a wonderful inheritance through faith in Jesus Christ and it has all been provided through the blood of New Covenant, the blood of Jesus Christ. "But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance." (Hebrews 9:11-15) PTL...
 

Making Covenant

Today I believe that most Christians have little understanding as to whether they are in covenant with other believers or have a contract with them. For all who are born again, those who confession Jesus as LORD and receive Him as Savior, automatically enter into the New Covenant that was established through the blood of Jesus Christ. But by virtue of ones covenant with Christ, believers also become covenant partners with every other believer. Many may be quick to say amen to being in covenant with the LORD and all believers, but is it true ? 

Covenant is defined as the mutual consent or agreement of two or more persons; to do or forbear some act or thing; to enter into a formal agreement; to stipulate; to bind ones self to another. Some of the differences between a covenant and a contract are; A covenant contain unlimited liabilities, a contract has limited liabilities; A covenant does not contain terms, a contract has terms; A covenant requires commitment between the partners to fulfill what has been stipulated in the body of the covenant and to see to the success of the covenant; The termination of the covenant occurs only at the death of one or both partners. A contract only requires the parties to fulfill the terms which have been stated in the body of the contract and at the fulfillment of such terms the contract is terminated.

An example of the two may look like this. A person purchases an automobile which requires them to have a loan to pay for it. The contract (the loan) stipulates that a certain amount of principle and interest must be paid on a monthly bases for a certain amount of months. When the amount required by the contract is fulfilled then both parties are released from what was required by the terms of the contract. However, covenant can be seen through the agreement that is established between a man and a woman binding themselves together in marriage. The stipulation set forth in the covenant may be something like this; I take him/her in marriage to love, honor, respect, care for until one or both depart from this life. Both partners have come into agreement and have committed themselves to uphold what has been stated in the body of the covenant which is terminated or fulfilled only  at the death of one or both of the partners.

The following are some components of a covenant; Agreement: Union of opinions or sentiments resulting in harmony and conformity...Commitment: The act of engaging; to pledge; or to pledge by implication...Stipulation: An agreement or covenant made by one person with another for the performance or forbearance of some act...Conditions: To make terms; to stipulate...Duration: Continuance in time...Exchange: To give and receive reciprocally...Bind: To tie together; To confirm or ratify.

Notice, these are not terms with limited liability, but unlimited liabilities binding the partners together to see the success of the covenant. Why have I spent so much time laying a foundation between covenant and contract. Because it shows us that unfortunately most believers today have a contractual relationship with other believers rather than a covenant relationship. How so? Have you ever broken off a relationship with another believer or have left the congregation that you said you were called to? Have you done this because you had a misunderstanding? Did someone say something that you did not like? Did someone say something to you about someone else and you bought into it?

No matter what the reason was, if you did not fix the problem, but turned your back on it and walked away, then you had a contract with specific terms. The terms were yours and the contract was terminated when something or someone rub you the wrong way. When a husband or wife end a marriage for any reason, they separate and then eventually divorce and break covenant. It is no different in God's eyes when a believer has broken off a relationship with another believer or they have left the congregation that they said they were called to? It is rooted in selfishness!!!

God is a covenant maker and a covenant keeper. Today, like always He still hates divorce. Aren't believers suppose to hate what God hates and love what God loves? It is apparent that most believers still miss the commandment that Jesus gave, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:34-35) The word love refers to the God kind of love not the natural kind of love that all people have. The God kind of love for believers to live and operate by, is defined in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 which basically has no conditions (terms) and is spiritual, whereas the natural kind of love has conditions because it operates through the flesh, it is carnal. The God kind of love takes faith to live out, whereas the natural kind of love does not. So in a sense, covenant is rooted and grounded in the God kind of love and contract is rooted and grounded in the natural kind of love.

So if you have broken off any relationship with another believer or have left the congregation that you said you were called to and have not reconciled and restored the relationship, then it's time to do so. Why should you do this? Not only is it right in the eyes of the LORD but the apostle Paul when confronting the Jews who did not obey the law said this, "For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles (World) because of you, as it is written." (Romans 2:24) Look back at why Jesus tells believers to love one another, "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." Could our lack of upholding covenant with one another in the God kind of love be one of the main reasons why the world rejects the LORD and calls Christians hypocrites? I think that it might be. So, let's reverse our attitudes, renew our minds and let the God kind of love dominates us now. 

"Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." (Romans 5:5) "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23) The God kind of love is already in every believer. Let's choose to operate in it...

Blood Covenant

Covenant is defined as, the mutual consent or agreement of two or more persons; to do or to forbear some act or thing; to enter into a formal agreement; to stipulate; to bind ones self. Covenant is not a contract. True covenant has unlimited liabilities whereas a contract has limited liability. In a contract the parties agree to and are only responsible to fulfill the terms, which have limits, to what has been stated in the body of the contract. When these agreements are fulfilled, the contract ends. However, unlike a contract, there are no limited terms in a covenant. A covenant is not an agreement, but commitment to the success of what has been stated in the body of the covenant. A covenant is only fulfilled upon the death of one of the covenant partners. Although the Bible reveals eight covenants from the Garden of Eden to Jesus Christ, the main focus of covenant in the Bible is only on two; the Abrahamic Covenant and the New Covenant in Christ.

When God entered into the covenant with Abram, we see some very striking events that took place. Among them was the changing of Abram's name to Abraham, (a prince of God) and his wife Sarai's to Sarah (princess of God.) In other words, God lifted them into His royal family before He made a covenant with them. The Abrahamic Covenant is the basis of Judaism and also Christianity, "And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Galatians 3:29) The covenant that God established with Abraham, bound Abraham and his descendants by indissoluble ties to God, and it bound God to Abraham and his descendants.

Although God had spoken to Abraham when he was seventy five years of age, in a sense, the covenant was officially established when he was ninety nine, "When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly. Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him saying, As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations." (Genesis 17:1-5)  

The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul gives us some details concerning this covenant. "Abraham did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness." (Romans 4:20-22) Abraham made and unqualified committal of himself and all he was or ever would be, to God. In other words, as we see in Romans, Abraham was, fully convinced that what God had promised He was also able to perform, to the point that he gave himself to God in utter abandonment of self. It meant that all Abraham had or ever would have was laid on the altar and it also meant that God must sustain, protect and provide for Abraham and all of his descendants. 

The seal of the covenant was circumcision. Every male child at eight days of age was circumcised, and the circumcision was the entrance into the Abrahamic Covenant, this included Abraham and every male in his household. (Genesis 17:10-13, 23-24) When a male child was circumcised, he entered into the covenant, and that child became an inheritor of everything connected with the covenant.  Next, we see Abraham's total abandonment of self to God when asked of God to offer the son of his flesh, Issac, as a sacrifice to God. (Genesis 22:1-10) We see that Abraham did not hesitate, though it meant giving up all he held dear. However, "the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, Abraham, Abraham, so he said, Here I am.And He said, Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me." (Genesis 22: 11-12) God had found a man that would keep the covenant; He had found a covenant keeping man. 

Now that we have some background and although much came to pass for nearly two thousand years during the Abrahamic Covenant, we come to the New Testament, and see Jesus and the disciples gathered together that night before the Crucifixion. "When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve^[a] apostles with Him. Then He said to them, With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.
And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you." (Luke 22:14-20) 

The old blood covenant between God and Abraham was the basis on which the New Covenant was founded. Now we can understand that when Jesus said, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood..."
the disciples, although they may not at that time have completely understood the full extent of this New Covenant, when they entered covenant with Jesus in that upper room, they remembered the covenant that God has established with Abraham and possibly understood that they were entering into the strongest, most sacred Covenant known to man. 

Jesus brings us a New Covenant having displaced and fulfil1led the Old Covenant, "Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God. He takes away the first that He may establish the second." (Hebrews 10:9) As the Old Covenant was sealed with circumcision, the New Covenant is sealed with the blood of Jesus, the Holy Spirit and new birth. (Ephesians 1:13, 2 Corinthians 5:17) The Old Covenant had the Levitica1 Priesthood. The New Covenant has Jesus as the Great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14) and believers as the royal and holy priesthood. (1 Peter 2:9)  The Old Covenant could not take away sin, it merely covered it. (Hebrews 10:4) The New Covenant through the blood of Jesus cleanses sin, takes it away. (John 1:29) The Old Covenant did not give eternal life, but only a promise of it, whereas the New Covenant gives eternal life. (1 John 2:25) 

Although the covenant between God and Abraham was a most wonderful covenant with many blessings, (Hebrews 6:14), the New Covenant through Jesus Christ is even greater, because, Jesus is the "Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises." (Hebrews 8:6) So, "Let us hold fast the confession of our faith without wavering, for He who promised is faithful" (Hebrews 10:23) and walk out this greater covenant between God and man bringing glory to God for His wonderful work of redemption through our Lord Jesus Christ. The grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you...

The Everlasting Covenant

The Bible records eight covenants established between God and man. However, of these eight covenants, there are only two contrasted throughout the Bible, the Abrahamic Covenant and the New Covenant. It was from the Abrahamic Covenant that Israel and the Mosaic Law was established. Keep in mind that when the Israelite's were delivered from Egypt they had no government nor laws to govern them, so God gave them the law. It is the Covenant Law, with its priesthood, sacrifices, ceremonies and offerings. Within the law, God provided atonement which was needed, for not much longer after the law was given it was broken. The word atonement means, to cover. It is not a New
Testament term because the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses, instead of merely covering.

The First Covenant did not take away sin, it merely covered it. It did not give eternal life or new birth but only a promise of it. It did not give fellowship with God, only a type of it. However, due to the covenant between Abraham and God, it gave protection to Israel as a nation, it met their physical
needs. God was Israel's Healer, Provider. and Protector. The Holy Spirit through the writer of Hebrews tells us, "For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect." (Hebrews 10:1) So, we see that the Law and the First Covenant was a shadow of the good things to come. The animal sacrifices could never make perfect the man under the First Covenant, "For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins." (Hebrews 10:2)  

As we can clearly see, the blood of bulls and goats did not cleanse the conscience. It did not take away sin consciousness from mankind. The inference is that there is a sacrifice that takes away
the sin consciousness so that man can stand in God's presence uncondemned. The First Covenant was sealed by the blood of Abraham through circumcision. (Genesis 17:10-11) The New Covenant is sealed with the blood of Jesus Christ, God's own Son. "Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption." (Hebrews 9:12) "Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens." (Hebrews 8:1) 

Everything centered around the High Priest under the Old Covenant. Without the office of the High Priest, the people of Israel had no approach to God. Today, everything centers around our New High Priest Jesus Christ, under the New Covenant, "But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises." (Hebrews 8:6) To see these things from a greater perspective, we look at the Book of Hebrews, which has several vital contrasts; Moses and Jesus; Aaron, the High Priest, and Jesus the New High Priest; the blood of bulls and goats and the blood of Christ; the tabernacle of Moses and the tabernacle in Heaven. 

The Priest under the Old Covenant could only stay long enough to make the Atonement. We see in Hebrews how the tabernacle and all the vessels were cleansed with blood, "Then likewise he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. 
Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. Next, we see the climax of it all. For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us" (Hebrews 9:21-24) This lets us see the contrast of the high premium that God places on the blood of Christ verses that of the blood of bulls and goats. As we come to value the blood of Christ as God values it, there will no longer come into question our standing and relationship with the Father. 

Because the Father accepted Jesus' blood when He carried it into the Heavenly Holy of Holies, He has become, by that act, the Mediator of the New Covenant. "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus." (1Timothy 2:5) The reason man needs a mediator is because he had lost his standing with God when Adam sinned. Due to Adam's act of treason, mankind has no ground on which he can approach God. "...at that time you were without Christ...having no hope and without God in the world." (Ephesians 2:12) Jesus is now the Mediator between God and fallen man. Although the blood of bulls and goats did not take away sin, it merely covered it temporarily, when Christ came, He redeemed all of those who had trusted in the blood of bulls and goats. "And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance." (Hebrews 9:15) 

Under the New Covenant our sins are not covered, they are remitted, it as though they had never been, "not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another, He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." (Hebrews 9:25-26) The expression "end of the ages" means where the two ages met, the Old Covenant met with the New Covenant. The thing that stood between man and God was Adam's
transgression, but Jesus settled the sin problem, made it possible for God to legally remit all that we have ever done, make us new creations and give us eternal life through faith in the meritorious work of redemption in Jesus Christ.  

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of  reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:17-21) PTL

The Old Covenant had the Levitical Priesthood. The New Covenant has Jesus as the High Priest, and we as a Royal and Holy Priesthood. (1 Peter 2:7-10) The first priesthood had a temple in which God dwelt in the Holy of Holies with the Ark of the Covenant. (Exodus 40) In the New Covenant our bodies are the temple of God, and the Holy Spirit dwells within them. (1 Corinthians 3:16) As God was the surety of the Old Covenant, (Hebrews 6:13), now, Jesus stands as surety of the New Covenant, backing every Word in the New Covenant. He is the great Intercessor of the New Covenant. (Hebrews 7:25) 

Strong faith should be built into every believer upon the foundation of these facts. All the resources of Heaven are backed by Jesus in the New Covenant in His Blood. So, let us never forget, that under the New Covenant, "to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." (Romans 3:26) "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." (Romans 5:1-2) "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1-2) The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all...

The Blood Covenant

The greatest covenant in the history of mankind was made, established and fulfilled by God Himself. It is called the New Covenant. In short, God the Word became flesh (John 1:1, 14) and we called Him Jesus. (Luke 1:31) He stepped our of eternity and into time with a purpose, "...to give His life a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:28) However, in the purpose of God, covenant between Him and man required the shedding of blood. (Hebrews 9:22) We see the first covenant established at the fall of man, where an innocent animal was sacrificed to cover man nakedness. (Genesis 3:21)

Looking forward, we see a man named Abram, a man in whom God would cut covenant with. God appears to Abram and proclaims, "I Am Almighty God." (Genesis 17:1) However, before God entered into covenant with Abram, He changed his name to Abraham (a prince of God). (Genesis 17:5) He then set the conditions of the covenant, "This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you." (Genesis 17:10-11)

The covenant was sealed by the blood shed in circumcision. This covenant bound Abraham and his descendants by indissoluble ties to Almighty God and it bound Almighty God to Abraham and His descendants. As covenant partners, all that was Abraham's was also God's and all that was God's would be Abraham's. Also in the Old Covenant, God gave Abraham's descendants the Mosaic Law. Within this covenant God appointed a priesthood with a High Priest. The priesthood was given the atonement offering known as The Day of Atonement. God appointed a special sacrifice through which the blood of an animal was to cover the broken law so that God could dwell in the midst of His people Israel. This occurred only once a year where the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle of Moses and pour the blood of a goat upon the Mercy Seat to make yearly atonement for the sins of Israel. (Leviticus 16) The word "atonement' in the Hebrew means "to cover." As it was with Abraham, so it was with Israel. As long as Israel upheld their side of the covenant, God was obligated to uphold His side. However, if Israel did not uphold the covenant, God was no longer obligated to make good. (Deuteronomy 28) 

Looking back to the Abrahamic Covenant once again, we find one of the most remarkable things concerning covenant. It came by-way-of the promise of a son made by God to Abraham. Sarah, Abraham's wife who was barren would bear a child, and his name would be Isaac. However, as Isaac became older God called upon Abraham to uphold his side of the covenant. Remember, as covenant partners, all that was Abraham's was also God's and all that was God's would be Abraham's. "Now it came to pass after these things that God tested  Abraham, and said to him, Abraham! And he said, Here I am. And He said, take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” (Genesis 22:1-2)  

Abraham would not hold back his promised son. In obedience to God the covenant maker and keeper, Abraham took Isaac his only son, to the place that God showed him, to sacrifice him to God. As Abraham raised his knife to slay his son, "the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.” And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me." (Genesis 22:11-12) This very act set the stage for the covenant of all covenants. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

Jesus brings us a New Covenant having displaced and fulfilled the Old Testament (Hebrews 10:9). With the fulfilling of the Old Covenant, everything connected with it was set aside. As the Old Covenant was sealed with the blood of circumcision in Abraham and the blood of animals under the Mosaic Covenant, the New Covenant is sealed by the very blood of Jesus. Just as God stood behind the Old Covenant and was its surety, Jesus is the surety of the New Covenant. (Hebrews 7:25) As the covenant between God and Abraham bound Abraham and his descendants by indissoluble ties to Almighty God and Almighty God to Abraham and His descendants,  the same applies to the believer today through Jesus Christ.  Also as in the covenant between God and Abraham, all that was Abraham's was also God's and all that was God's would be Abraham's, the same is also true for the believer today through Jesus Christ. 

The Apostle Paul tells us,  "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) Almighty God has purchased the believer for Himself. Next, we also see, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ..." (Romans 8:14-17) Not only has God purchased the believer, but He has adopted the believer and has made us His children and His heirs. By definition, an heir is one who inherits or is entitled to inherit the estate of another. 

The following are but a few of the believers inheritance as the children of God.

• "For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us." (2 Corinthians 1:20)
• "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." (Romans 5:1-2) 
• "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ." (Ephesians 1:3)
• "His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness..." (2 Peter 1:3) 
• "And this is the promise that He has promised us, eternal life." (1 John 2:25)

 As we can see, believers have an incredible inheritance through faith in Jesus Christ and it has all been provided through the blood of New Covenant, the blood of Jesus Christ. "But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance." (Hebrews 9:11-15) PTL...
 

Covenant ot Contract - You Decide

Today I believe that most Christians have little understanding as to whether they are in covenant with other believers or have a contract with them. For all who are born again, those who confession Jesus as LORD and receive Him as Savior, automatically enter into the New Covenant that was established through the blood of Jesus Christ. But by virtue of ones covenant with Christ, believers also become covenant partners with every other believer. Many may be quick to say amen to being in covenant with the LORD and all believers, but it is not true for most.

Covenant is defined as the mutual consent or agreement of two or more persons, to do or forbear some act or thing: to enter into a formal agreement; to stipulate; to bind ones self to another. Some of the differences between a covenant and a contract look like this...

• A covenant contain unlimited liabilities, a contract has limited liabilities...
• A covenant does not contain terms, a contract has terms...
• A covenant requires commitment between the partners to fulfill what has been stipulated in the body of the covenant and to see to the success of the covenant, and the termination of the covenant occurs only at the death of one or both partners. A contract only requires the parties to fulfill the terms which have been stated in the body of the contract and at the fulfillment of such terms the contract is terminated.    

An example of the two may look like this. A person purchases an automobile which requires them to have a loan to pay for it. The contract (the loan) stipulates that a certain amount of principle and interest must be paid on a monthly bases for a certain amount of months. When the amount required by the contract is fulfilled then both parties are released from what was required by the terms of the contract.  However, covenant can be seen through the agreement that is established between a man and a woman binding themselves together in marriage. The stipulation set forth in the covenant may be something like this; I take him/her in marriage to love, honor, respect, care for until we depart from this life. Both partners have come into agreement and have committed themselves to uphold what has been stated in the body of the covenant which is terminated or fulfilled only  at the death of one or both of the partners. .

The following are some components of a covenant...

• Agreement: Union of opinions or sentiments resulting in harmony and conformity...
• Commitment: The act of engaging; to pledge; or to pledge by implication...
• Stipulation: An agreement or covenant made by one person with another for the performance or forbearance of some act...
• Conditions:  To make terms; to stipulate...
• Duration: Continuance in time...
• Exchange: To give and receive reciprocally...
• Bind: To tie together; To confirm or ratify...

 Notice that these are not terms with limited liability, but unlimited liabilities binding the partners together to see the success of the covenant. Why have I spent so much time laying a foundation between covenant and contract. Because it shows us that unfortunately most believers today have a contractual relationship with other believers rather than a covenant relationship. How so? Have you ever broken off a relationship with another believer or have left the congregation that you said you were called to? Have you done this because you had a misunderstanding? Did someone say something that you did not like? Did someone say something to you about someone else and you bought into it? No matter what the reason was, if you did not fix the problem, but turned your back on it and walked away, then you had a contract with specific terms. The terms were yours and the contract was terminated when something or someone rub you the wrong was. When a husband or wife end a marriage for any reason, they separate and then eventually divorce and break covenant. It is no different in God's eyes when a believer has broken off a relationship with another believer or they have left the congregation that they said they were called to? It is rooted in selfishness!!!

God is a covenant maker and a covenant keeper. Today, like always He still hates divorce. Aren't believers suppose to hate what God hates and love what God loves? It is apparent that most believers still miss the only commandment that Jesus gave, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:34-35) The word love refers to the God kind of love (agape) not the natural kind of love (phileo) The difference, agape is defined in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 which basically has no conditions (terms) and is spiritual, whereas phileo has conditions because it operates in the natural, it is carnal. Agape takes faith to live out, phileo does not. So in a sense, covenant is rooted and grounded in agape and contract is rooted and grounded in phileo.

So if you have broken off any relationship with another believer or have left the congregation that you said you were called to and have not reconciled and restored the relationship, then it's time to do so. Why should you do this? Not only is it right in the eyes of the LORD but the apostle Paul when confronting the Jews who did not obey the law said this, "For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles (World) because of you, as it is written." (Romans 2:24) Look back at why Jesus tells believers to love one another, "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." Could our lack of upholding covenant with one another in the God kind of love be one of the main reasons why the world rejects the LORD and calls Christians hypocrites? I think that it might be. So let's reverse our attitudes, renew our minds and let the God kind of love dominates us now... 

"Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." (Romans 5:5) "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23) The God kind of love is already in every believer. Let's choose to operate in it...

God Bless You...

God gave the Law which showed humanity the difference between right and wrong, but grace gives believers the ability to live a life of obedience to God through faith in Jesus Christ…Philippians 2:13 For God is at work within you, helping you want to OBEY HIM, and then helping you do WHAT HE WANTS. (TLB)

We see Gods grace at work in the early church. Power was being released, souls being saved, the oneness of heart and mind, their affection toward one another, etc. The grace was so evident that Barnabas was sent from Jerusalem to Antioch and upon his arrival …Acts 11:23 When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.

The early church (as well as the church today needs) needed Gods help. The book of Acts shows us many things for the church today to gleen from. They were filled with the Holy Spirit and God was working in them giving them the desire and ability to do His will in great ways. They were witnessing Christ, that is preaching the resurrection of Christ who confirmed the word with signs, wonders and miracles. They were of one heart and one soul, their views and opinions were the same and they had great affection toward one another, Gods grace is amazing. They were also people of great faith and they reflected in their lives the power and unity of covenant.

Keep in mind that the early church was filled with people like you and I. They also had different personalities, opinions and views, but the influence of Christ in their lives was so strong that their individuality was no longer the issue. The issue became, what was right in Gods sight. Gods grace is still the same today as it was in the early church, but do we really see it in operation like they did in the early church.

I Will Build My Church

These five words that Jesus spoke are very interesting as well as powerful. The first word "I" refers directly to Jesus Himself taking possession and responsibility. The second word "will" express His capability, sufficiency, determination, persistence and willingness to accomplish the task that He set out to do, which brings us to the third word, "build".

To build is to bring order to and develop according to a systematic plan.So far we see that Jesus Himself made known to humanity about 2000 years ago that He willfully had chosen a systematic plan. His plan is to build "my" (the fourth word) His not ours, not angels or anyone elses "church" (the fifth word).

The church is not a parenthetical revelation that God placed into His plan due to the blindness and unbelief of Messiah by the Jews. The church was and is the eternal purpose of God and Christ Himself would be and is the master Builder.

The word church comes from the Greek word "Ekklesia" which is made up of two other words. Ek, which means "out of" and Kaleo which means "to call". Thus the word ekklesia litterally means "the called out ones".

So we see that Jesus is, the Builder of His church (Matthew 16:18), adds to His church (Acts 2:47), is the Head of His church (Colossians 2:19) and believers are the called out ones, that He will use to invade the world with the Good News that sets captives free.

In what way(s) do you see Jesus building His church today?

The Power of Unity

In Genesis 11:1-6 the people were unified, they journeyed, they found, they dwelt, they all had one language, they spoke as one, they worked as one team or unit. Although the intentions of these people were not focused on God, but to make a name for themselves, nevertheless Gods response to their actions, ”nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them”, should cause believers to consider getting past their differences and work together with a common cause.

In Psalm 133 we see that unity is a mechanism that God uses to release life among brethren (believers) who dwell together in unity.

In Acts 4:23-33 the early church is seen in a simular posture. They were unified, one language, one speech, one mind, one purpose, one heart and one soul. However, unlike the tower builders
their motivation was living out Gods plan by building one another up with the grace of God and reaching others with the Gospel of the Kingdom. Gods response here was one of demonstration of Spirit and power, “And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness…
And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all”.

So with these things in mind, what are your thoughts concerning unity or lack of unity in the Body of Christ, churches within a community or the local church?

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