Christ of the Covenants

Covenant is a contract or agreement that God reveals to and for his people. The framework of the Bible is covenant. To understand clearly the scope of the Bible, it is necessary to understand covenant.

The Bible reveals two major covenants (Galatians 4:21-31). The Old Covenant is also known as the Old Testament, and the New Covenant as the New Testament. The point is that God works through covenant with people. The covenants point us to Christ. 

The Old Covenant came to the nation of Israel through Moses as the mediator. It was the covenant of law, commanding holy days, sacrifices, and priestly rituals, that pointed toward our great High Priest Jesus Christ. It was Christ alone who fulfilled the Old Covenant and made the one final and only complete sacrifice for sin.

The New Covenant came through our Lord Jesus Christ, who is forever the one and only Mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5-6). Jesus is the Prophet, Priest, and King of the New Covenant, which is an everlasting covenant (Hebrews 13:20-21). All who trust in our Lord Jesus Christ are God's chosen people in Christ, through the promises of the everlasting covenant. Our New Covenant with God is in Christ.

When Christians Sin

Dr. James P. Boyce wrote, "Christians are not presented in the Bible as completely pure and holy, but on the contrary, the very best of them acknowledge the existence of sinful tendencies and pronounce any idea of freedom from the presence of sin to be a delusion."

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8). This verse was written to those who are Christians. There is a battle that goes on within every Christian (Galatians 5:17). It's the conflict of the Spirit and flesh. Christians are indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9; Ephesians 1:13-14). Yet, Christians still live in a corruptible body of sin, the flesh. 

There is a conflict between the Spirit and flesh within Christians in this life. Dr. Boyce contrasted justification and sanctification."It is not a sanctification to be completed in this life. It is not like justification, a single act, but it is a continuous process. The work goes on throughout the lifetime of the believer, nor is it completed before death."

When Christians sin, we confess our sins to God for cleansing. First John 1:9-10 makes it clear. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."

The Promises of God

The promises of God are in the everlasting covenant. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me (Jeremiah 32:40). Through the everlasting covenant, we know what God promises us. God's everlasting promises are for us in Christ, our great Shepherd (Hebrews 13:20-21).

And I will make an everlasting covenant with them. This is a remarkable contrast with the old covenant law. It was a temporary covenant (Hebrews 8:13). The people of God broke it. It was conditional, based upon the peoples obedience. God's will every believer is in the everlasting covenant. They are unconditional promises, based upon the obedience of Christ Jesus. 

I will not turn away from doing them good. Under the conditional promises of the old covenant law, God had to turn away from doing good to His people, because of their sins and transgressions. Their disobedience brought the curse of the law. God promises in the everlasting covenant that Christ died to take away the curse of sin from every believer. God will not turn away from doing good for us.

I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me. Under the old covenant law, God's people turned away from Him, even to the point of serving false gods in idolatry. God promises under the everlasting covenant to change our hearts (Romans 2:28-29). God will put His fear in our hearts, that we will not turn away from Him. 

The Called of God

God calls us out of spiritual darkness into the light of Christ. When believers see the light, it comes quickly to dispel darkness. The change is sudden and abrupt. Darkness is defeated immediately in the presence of light. That's how God calls us out of spiritual darkness. God "called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9). 

God calls us effectively, when our eyes of understanding are opened to the truth of Christ. Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life" (John 8:12). We are called by God to see the light, that we may know the glory of God in Jesus Christ (John 1:14). He is the light of life. Our salvation comes through the gospel, calling us out of spiritual darkness into the light of Christ.

God calls us to freedom from spiritual darkness. It is not our achievement. Rather, the light comes to us from without, changing our hearts within. Light is Jesus Christ coming into our dark hearts. The called of God testify, "I saw the light." Give all the glory to "Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." 

God calls us to walk in the light. When we see the light, then we are able to walk in the light. "If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). The called of God come out of darkness, to walk in the light of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Why God Created Us

God created us for a purpose. Your life is not a cosmic accident. God has you on this planet for a real purpose. Life is not a meaningless journey with no goal. God has a purpose in all things. That certainly includes you. What is the purpose of God in your life?

Would you like to know God's purpose for your life with absolute certainty? Well, you can. God not only wants you to know that your life has a purpose, but He wants you to know exactly what that purpose is. God has revealed it to us in the Bible. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the Bible tells us why God created us. God created us to the praise of His glory.

God made all things for His glory. We were made to bring honor and glory to God. If we live selfishly, we miss the purpose of God. That's called sin in the Bible. It means that we fall short of the glory of God. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

God provided the way for us to live for His glory. The way is Jesus Christ. He is the way to a life full of purpose. God changes our hearts and lives through Christ. He shall conform all believers to the likeness of Christ, to the praise of His glory (1 John 3:2). You were created to bring glory to God in Christ. "We who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory" (Ephesians 1:12).

How God Leads Us

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God" (Romans 8:14). Each and every believer may be led by the Holy Spirit. He lives in the heart of every true believer in Jesus Christ (Romans 8:9). God will lead us on the right path day after day. The Bible teaches clearly how God leads us. 

All believers may be led by the fruit of the Holy Spirit. The fruit includes love, joy, and peace. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace" (Galatians 5:22). These three words characterize any believer who is led by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit leads us with love. When we follow Him, we love God and others. The Spirit of God leads us with joy. When we refuse to follow, joy evades you. The Spirit of God leads you with peace. It's "the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding" (Philippians 4:7).

The Holy Spirit will lead us daily. He will not force us to follow Him. However, there are only two choices. One is to follow the Holy Spirit. The other one is to go astray. Even when we go astray, the Holy Spirit is there to lead us back into the right way.

When we follow the Holy Spirit, we discover love, joy, and peace. When we don't follow, then we doubt God's love, forfeit real joy, and replace peace with confusion. The choice is clear. The results are predictable, when God leads us.

How Christ Is in You

Christ is in every true believer. "Now if anyone has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His" (Romans 8:9). The Spirit of Christ lives in your heart, that is your mind, will, and emotions. He gives you new desires. Christ works in you what pleases God (Hebrews 13:21).

Christ and the Holy Spirit are in union as one. Even so, we are one with Christ through the Holy Spirit. This is our union with Christ. Christ is in us, even in our hearts. He lives in us through the Holy Spirit. That is "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27).

The Spirit of Christ is in you with three abiding gifts of faith, hope, and love (1 Corinthians 13:13). The indwelling Christ produces fruit in the life of every believer, such as love, joy, and peace (Galatians 5:22-23). Therefore, as a Christian you can say, "Christ lives in me" (Galatians 2:20).

The Spirit of Christ is in you for ministry to others. The Spirit of Christ gives you a ministry gift for service to others through the church, which is the body of Christ (Romans 12:4-8). You may have a speaking gift, such as preaching, teaching, or a gift for serving others in practical ways (1 Peter 4:10-11).