The New
Covenant is built on better promises.
“Through
these promises you will share in the divine nature because you have escaped the
corruption that sinful desires cause in the world...” 2 Peter 1:4 God’s Word
Translation
The New Covenant is
not based on the same conditions of the Old Covenant.
First John 3:23 says, "This
is his commandment: to believe in his Son, the one named Jesus Christ, and to
love each other as he commanded us."
The commandment you must obey in the New Covenant is to believe in
Jesus, and love one another.
Our faith
in Him, and in what Jesus did – brings righteousness, justification, and peace
with God. He no longer sees us as enemies, or as sinners. He sees us as holy
sons and daughters.
The gospel is based upon God's
love for His creation, and His willingness to redeem Man. His love is the
foundation of His Grace and the basis for our very existence.
When
Jesus shed His Blood on the cross, a New and Better Covenant was implemented
that negated the effect of the Old Covenant.
“None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none
his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’
for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. For I
will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless
deeds I will remember no more.” Hebrews 8:11-12
When the
bible says that “… all shall know Me,” this
speaks of a personal relationship with God. One of the blessings of the New Covenant is
that all can come into a personal relationship with Jesus.
Hebrew
8:12 says, "For I will be merciful
to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember
no more." This speaks of the mercy and grace that are available under the
New Covenant.
Mercy is
not getting what we deserve. We deserve punishment, we get blessing. Mercy under the New Covenant also includes
those things that are necessary to live in this life. For example, a
"mercy ministry" is one that feeds the hungry and clothes the poor, and
ministers to the outcast, orphans and widows, etc.
Mercy is also
that part of the New Covenant that pertains to healing and provision. God has
abundantly provided through the cross those things that pertain to life and
godliness.
Grace is
getting what we do not deserve: Our sins and iniquities are not remembered
before God.
"David says the same thing about those who are
blessed: God approves of people without their earning it. David said, “Blessed
are those whose disobedience is forgiven and whose sins are pardoned. Blessed
is the person whom the Lord no longer considers sinful.” Romans 4:6-8
Because
of grace, God chooses to not hold sin and disobedience against us, and instead
places His favor, righteousness, approval, and abundance on our lives.
Mercy is
not getting what we deserve, and grace is getting good that we don’t deserve.
The good
news of the New Covenant is that, as believers, everything that Jesus is to the
Father, He imparts to us as His sons and daughters. He chooses not to treat us
like sinners, but as royal children of the King.
The
goodness of God leads us to repentance, and the blessings of the Lord come upon
us based on the righteousness of Jesus, and not because of our performance.