Appreciating the New Covenant

Saturday, 22nd September 2007

I don't know about you but, I've been a Christian since 1978 but it was only very recently that I began to appreciate what the New Covenant means.

Previously, I had this rough concept that the Old Testament = Old Covenant and the New Testament = New Covenant.

I now realise that this is not quire accurate, and that it is important to be aware of the distinction so that we can rightly divide the Word of God, as Paul advised Timothy in 2 Tim 2:15.

In fact, the Old Testament actually mentions 3 covenants:

(1) Gen 9: the covenant with Noah where God promised not to flood the earth again.

(2) Gen 15: the covenant with Abraham where God promised him and his descendants a land flowing with milk and honey.

(3) Exodus 24: the covenant with the Israelites via the Mosaic Law, where God promised to bless them if they obeyed Him, but allow them to be cursed if they disobeyed Him.

The first 2 covenants were based on God's grace. That is why Noah was not punished even though he was drunk and naked as recorded in Gen 9:21, nor was Abraham punished when He lied about his wife being his sister as recorded in Gen 12:13 and Gen 20:2.

Like I mentioned in yesterday's post, no Israelite died even though they grumbled and complained between the Passover and Mt Sinai because they were still operating under the Abrahamic covenant based on God's grace.

But once they agreed to be placed under the Mosaic covenant based on their good works, then we read of people dropping like dead flies left, right and centre.

When we come to the New Testament, we have to bear in mind that the people were still under the Mosaic convenant until the point where Jesus was crucified. When His blood was shed, that was when the New Covenant was cut. Hence, the Acts of the Apostles and the other epistles by Paul, Peter and John have taken on new significance because they were written in the context of this New Covenant, this side of the cross.

And what makes this covenant so wonderful is that unlike the earlier convenants that was cut between God and men, this one was cut between God the Father, and God the Son (as man's representative), both of whom are infallible and unshakeable! That makes the covenant fool-proof and water-tight.

But what is even more awesome and wonderful is that WE are the beneficiaries of this New Covenant cut between the Father and the Son! The benefits include right standing before God (righteousness), prosperity, health, and all the promises of God which are yes and amen!