The New Covenant 

But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises…Behold, days are coming, says the Lord, when I will effect a New Covenant…I will put My laws into their minds and I will write them on their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be My people…For I will be merciful to their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more. Hebrews 8:8-12 

Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 12:20,21 

I ended last time with this statement,  

God keeps covenants. He ALWAYS does what He says He will do. Even when it seems the circumstances around us are insurmountable. Today’s lesson isn’t a moral lesson for us to do more of this or do less of this. The lesson is God will fulfill every promise he has made to us. 

We have been considering the narrative in Genesis about the life of Joseph. The main point of the narrative is actually about God’s fulfillment of His covenant with Jacob, Joseph’s father. It’s the story of the family of Jacob with Joseph taking the part of the main character. God goes into great detail to tell the story of His redemptive plan, using Joseph as a savior of the family by providing food during a time of extreme drought. We can learn moral lessons from Joseph but the main point of the narrative is to focus on GOD as the faithful Covenant Keeper who always and completely keeps His promises. 

On occasion as I’m studying a passage, my A.D.D. kicks in and I go on tangents. Today is such a day. This is not always bad. Today, I’m drawn to looking a little deeper into the promises of God to keep His covenant specifically with ME and YOU! I believe it’s is a good tangent. 

The New Covenant is both a general promise to God’s chosen people and a specific promise to you as an individual. So, take this lesson personally. 

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus…work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Philippians 1:6 & 2:12,13. 

The Key lessons of the work of God in your life are the following: 

• A Mosaic Covenant creates the need for a Savior. The Old Covenant was given on tablets. They are laws that are written outside of us and given to us to prove that we can’t live up to the standard of perfection needed to be saved by God. The Old Covenant pointed to the fact that we can’t do it on our own merits and our own actions. We need a SAVIOR.  
• The New Covenant provides a Savior. Under the New Covenant, the laws of God are written not on tables but on our hearts and made possible by the blood of Jesus. Jesus said, this is the New Covenant in My blood.  
• God GIVES and DOES everything you need to be saved. He saves, He keeps and He secures our eternal, heavenly destiny. He begins the “work” and He completes the “work”. The “work” is the fulfillment of the New Covenant in your life. It is your eternal salvation. Review the passage I quoted above from Hebrews 12; Jesus our Lord, equip(s) you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. 

Some of Catholicism and some of Evangelical Christianity is sprinkled with outward requirements on your part to receive and keep your salvation.  Outward actions of a spiritual nature do not produce a changed heart and they do not keep you saved. A changed heart is needed first. Works don’t change and redeem your heart. You can’t determine within yourself to change your own heart. Jesus first changes your heart and outward deeds of love and service begin naturally afterward. This is a work of God that He fulfills and He produces in your life. Don’t do anything; just RECEIVE IT. Once you receive it, He then gives you the desire and capacity to do good works, not to keep salvation but to honor Him with Your salvation. 

Am I under the New Covenant and the promises therein? Am I saved?

In the old “Blue Collar Comedy” tour, Bill Engnall would often use the phrase, ‘Here’s Your Sign…’ In your heart, do you desire to love and obey Jesus? Is it in your heart? Is that desire within you? Here’s your sign! He placed the New Covenant in your heart. Receive it, believe it and know that the He has made it happen and He will bring it to pass, all the way to heaven. Be confident in it by being confident in Him! Guilt is not the “driver” of the New Covenant! Faith in the work of Christ on your behalf is the “driver.” 

Receive it, believe it and know that the He has made it happen and He will bring it to pass, all the way to heaven.

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. 

Father, I am so grateful that my eternity is in Your hands to keep and protect and complete. I can’t do it on my own. We often fall into the trap of living by guilt and works. Help us to live in confidence under Your Promises and not under the law. You are a Covenant Keeper! All glory be to you always! Amen