Is our salvific covenant sure? Is it unbreakable, or can it be altered? These questions have been argued since the beginning of salvation, I am sure. But nonetheless, they are yet present today.
Where do we start? What do we say regarding such previously discussed matters? In my humble opinion, first we should observe the circumstances regarding the START of the New Covenant. This will undoubtedly shed some light on the issue. What men need today is the REAL character of God invading their mindsets. We mustn't ever label the God of heaven with fleshy labels, or from carnal perspectives.
It seems to us unimaginable how the ever-glorious God of heaven could humbly clothe Himself with human flesh, come as a man to this earth, live a perfect and stainless life, so that He could offer the perfect sacrifice for sins. It seems even further hard to grasp how He could do this for a people who mocked and ridiculed Him from A to Z. How wonderfully grateful we are that God is not a man! He doesn't think according to how a man would think. He doesn't give us what we deserve, as a natural man would do. Thank God! His heart is so different than what has been portrayed to us:
"God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?" (Num 23:19)
One of the most marvelous passages of Scripture regarding this truth is found in 1 Cor 11:23. It says, "the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread..."
Can we see it? Do we notice the wondrous mercies that are in action here? On the very night Jesus was betrayed and handed over to die, He made covenant. He saw what was fast approaching and even then, in the midst of it all, He took bread and displayed the "new covenant" between Himself and His Father (Ps 89:27-37). If God could make such a covenant regarding men in the midst of such betrayal, what then would man have to do in order to lose out on this covenant? Man can do nothing! The covenant is between the Son and His Father. Man could do nothing "good enough" to get saved (Eph 2:8), so why are we so quick to say that man has done something "bad enough" to lose this place of salvation? One cannot lose something that he has not himself gained.
Regarding such tender covenantal mercies, the Bible says:
"Thou hast borne thy lewdness and thine abominations, saith the LORD. For thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, which hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant. Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant" (Ezek 16:58-60).
and again...
"For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer. For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee" (Isa 54:7-10).
Must we have it completely altogether to partake of God's merciful covenant? I do not believe so. If that were true, none would have hope. Rather, we are the beneficiaries of this wonderful covenant; we are not the source:
"The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain. Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow" (2 Sam 23:3-5).
If we were indeed the source of such benefits, how could the Bible say such things as:
"Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen" (Heb 13:20-21).
To Be Continued ...
No comments:
Post a Comment