Another Musick-al Note: # 21
A covenant is an agreement between two entities be it individuals, groups, or companies whether enemies or friends that is agreed to. Now I speak of a covenant between God who is pure, omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent and man who is limited in power, knowledge and length of life on earth. They are unequal to say the least. Man has a propensity to sin while God cannot even be tempted to sin. God has always initiated the covenant relationship with man because He knows what is best for man whom He created in His own image.
The covenant with Israel contained the Ten Commandments and with instructions regarding worship and daily living (Exodus 20 through Leviticus 27). Their response was, “All the words that the Lord has spoken, we will do and we will be obedient.” (Exodus 24:7) God also gave many warnings of destruction should they turn aside to other gods and disobey His commands. He stated that they would be His treasured possession, and they would be a holy nation of priests to Him. They were given a land and great blessings, even forgiving their sins.
The New Covenant came through God’s Son, Jesus the Christ. This covenant called for the love of man by demonstrating the greatest love of all – Jesus death on the cross to take away the penalty of the sins of all men (Hebrews 2:9). That penalty was death (Ezekiel 18:4, Romans 6:23). Being raised from the dead by the power of God, Jesus became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him (Hebrews 5:9). To obey Jesus, we must repent of our sins, confess His name before men, be buried with Him in baptism and rise to walk in newness of life. Thus we enter a covenant relationship with God when we believe and obey the Gospel of Christ. God washes away our sins and gives us new life when we are baptized. He adds us to Christ’s church (Acts 2:47), makes us His child (Galatians 3:26-27), frees us from Satan (Colossians 1:13) and gives us ability to live and serve Him in this life and anticipate an eternal life in His presence. The faithful will also be separated from His wrath which is coming upon all the disobedient on the day when Jesus is revealed from heaven to be glorified by His Saints (2 Thessalonians 1:6-10).
Musick-al Notes 