Covenant (part 1)

COVENANT- Introduction

Christ is the Mediator of a better covenant established on better promises. Hebrews 8:6;

At the end of this teaching you should be able to

1. Define a covenant

2. Explain why people enter into covenants, the benefits, etc...

3. How covenants are ratified, confirmed

4. Explain some scripture passage which you now see in a covenant context or light!

Beloved, I would like us to re-phrase all our thinking and speaking along these terms. Everything stems from God's covenant with us. All Bible understanding centers on this. I would have you renew your mind with the Word of the Covenant terms.  

All God's dealings with man are based on this: covenant. We must lay a foundation for our understanding. Everything FLOWS from God to us based on COVENANT. Blood covenant in this case. The blood of Jesus- is the blood of the New Covenant. This is NOT A SIDE ISSUE- this is THE SOLE ISSUE

Some have denigrated or downplayed the provisions of the covenant as unnecessary things- or simply accessory things- (false humility) but I've said it this way- never down-grade nor disparage something that Christ suffered to give us! it must be important! 

Beloved, know this: Christianity was never meant to be a hit-or-miss proposition. Yet if you listen to some Bible teachers - there's a whole lot of uncertainties. They don't understand covenant.  Some teach that you shouldn't expect too much from the Lord- forgetting that God is the one who has established the covenant - not us. We are beneficiaries of it! And so is God!

Confidence in the Covenant

Let us take a look at the WORD today. Base and build our lives and experiences on the  WORD and not vice versa. We need to know about the covenant God has established for our salvation. I say this because it cannot be taken for granted that we know about it. Hebrews tells us we have a better covenant, based on better promises. If we know little about the first covenant how can we judge if we have a better one than that?

When you understand covenant- it will help you understand all the Bible. It will keep you from doctrinal errors.  It will help you in your everyday life. Its very important. It will open your eyes to every verse or promise you read in the WORD. It will erase your doubts and fears and unbelief and move you into the realm of FAITH. This will change your prayer life. It will position you in a whole new direction spiritually. It may change the way we pray for - or minister to others. We will watch Jesus as He ministered to people and find new things about this!

This is a revelation to the New Creation Man!

INTO OUR LIPS: I read Psalm 50 awhile back and made an amazing discovery. The Lord was asking the lost man why HE was taking God's covenant into his lips? In context- it seemed that then the righteous would be expected to do so, not the lost man, the one outside Israel's covenant protection of God.

Precise knowledge: (Gr. epignosis) Most know that God established many covenants with men in the past. Do we know what a covenant is? I see that a covenant is a sacred contract. Its like a marriage contract. Its like a contract you sing for a loan. A covenant is a contract. Two people come together to make an agreement that satisfies the needs of the other. There is an exchange. Can you understand why a loving Creator would enter into contract with man?  

INTO OUR LIPS: I read Psalm 50 awhile back and made an amazing discovery. The Lord was asking the lost man why HE was taking God's covenant into his lips? It seemed that then the righteous would be expected to do so.

I also read Hebrews 6 and saw how that the lost man- discounts the value of the blood of Christ. I then realized a true believer then was one who respected the blood of the covenant as a holy thing. Again- what makes you a believer and keeps you a believer is your FAITH in the BLOOD of the covenant/contract.

Did you know its important what you say? Faith has a confession to be maintained. Faith speaks. Yet so does unbelief and doubt, fear. (the 3 enemies of faith).   We need to place the names of God into covenant context. Jehovah-Jireh, Jehovah-Tsidkenu, Jehovah-Rapha, etc. Ignorance of the WORD can hurt you, shorten your life!

Let us examine these thoughts: why does God establish covenants? What are terms and conditions?

Our relationship with the Holy Spirit- our Teacher, Guide, Personal Trainer, Coach, Helper, is based on the covenant.  

 

Proper understanding of our covenant will help dispel many wrong interpretations of scripture, as well as stabilize us in our relationship to God. It will help us frame all of scripture into its proper setting, place, with correct meaning.  We really can't grasp being a Christian without some understanding of how a covenant works. (1 Cor 1:26- 2:12)

At the end of this I want you to see this: a covenant is more than just an agreement. Its that plus more. It is a  binding contract between two or more parties. In Bible terms covenant means testament. We generally only think of testament as a division of the Bible into 2 parts. Well, that's a beginning.

Man desires at his heart these things: Stability, Consistency, Dependability. Dealing with us, God's creatures  He also wants these things from us. So we can begin to see how that 2 parties come together to form a compact, a contract beneficial to both sides. In our world examples could be labor-management, etc. They hammer out a contract- then agree to its terms. A marriage is a covenant. Of blood also. we've heard the term- blood brothers: created by a covenant. There is a covenant of salt, etc....

Examples of covenants: Labor management contracts=covenant = agreement= promise...

The marriage covenant- commitment...

CCR- covenants and restrictions...

Contracts for anything- to buy a home, installment payments, etc

They: set the terms and conditions, promises, legally binding and enforceable

God has entered into various covenants/ contracts/ agreements with mankind.  Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc... but for us as NT believers, I find that people's faith is lacking because they either have not heard of the covenant, or are ignorant of its provisions. And many people think of it this way: God has promises with conditions- He provides, and we obey. That's only part of the story.

Covenant- (New Covenant- Jer. 31)

You need to understand, that in a covenant - parties come together for a mutual benefit. If we will understand covenant, we will understand God's plans. Now when I say two parties come together for a mutual benefit you may ask- I know what we need from God- but what could He possibly need from us? When you see this- you'll have a more satisfying relationship with God based upon knowledge and not mere conjecture.

This will adjust our approach to the Lord. And our walk with Him will become something more beautiful, because we are enlightened by the Word - of the covenant. We will enjoy His covenant-kindness-mercy. We will see it as something unmerited but yet provided freely for us to enjoy.

So- what do we need from God and what does He need from us?  Some people have the idea that God does not need man at all. That God is just putting up with man- but He's probably counting the days when He can create some one or something better than man since man has been such as disappointment to his heart (Gen 6). remember the times in the Word where God's heart was grieved / affected...? (Gen 6) and also when He said to Moses- I'll destroy them- and make a nation out of you.

Does God need man? Does God need you? This is important for we've all heard some teaching that touches on this premise or argument. If we somehow do retain the idea that God does NOT need us to fulfill His plan- then you can see how it will affect you. You'll feel- well what does my life matter- God has a billion people- He doesn't need me! all that kind of garbage. Some of it filters even into philosophy or false doctrines. For example- God has His 144,000- too bad you're out of luck, man...

Let me ask this: if God did not need man why would He pay the highest cost in the universe to buy us back from the enemy? That alone does not compute. Think of it: then what is the value of one man to a loving Creator? This then re-frames out whole thinking- He loves every lost man so much! All this frames our talk of covenant.

The Cross shouts out to man- louder than any philosophical argument- is it then any wonder Paul said- I'll only speak of the cross? Christ crucified! Because it stops every other voice- crying out- I want you this much! The cross settles God's appeal to man- for his life!

   Recap:

Covenant is: and agreement, binding contract, sacred contract between parties,

It involves: Exchange. The weaker is blessed of the stronger. Look for these terms and Bible language-

            "When I am weak- then I am strong" that's covenant talk

            "The Lord is my Refuge and Strength" that's covenant talk!

            "We are IN HIM - He is in us"

            "I am in my Father" "My Father is in Me"

            Also so many scriptures: John 14-17, 2 Cor 5:17, Psalms 23, Psalms 91, Psalm 103.

            We have God's covenant protection

                                    covenant grace and favor

Hebrews 9-10 explains our covenant. Also Galatians. Contrasts:

OLD COVENANT	NEW COVENANT
Weaker	Better
Had faults	No faults
Could not sanctify	Purges completely
Could not change man within	Man is now changed within

Covenant Consciousness

Let us consider all of these faith statements that they are in fact covenant-consciousness-confessions:

I will say of the Lord, He is My refuge

Ye are my people I am thy God...

When I am weak.. then am I strong...

In my name ye shall...

By His stripes ye were healed...

I am the Vine- ye are the branches...

New Covenant in my blood.... shed for many for the remission/ removal/ eradication of sin...

Jehovah-Rapha, Jireh, Shalom, Tsidkenu

Covenant means connection to the Power Source... uninterrupted supply!

Irrespective of and independent of circumstances, the visible realm

I will boldly proclaim.....

If ye shall ask (as to demand of an enemy) anything IN MY NAME - I will do it!

We have EXCHANGED weakness for strength....

Sickness for healing... Death for eternal LIFE

TURMOIL for PEACE!

Can a covenant be disannulled? broken (abrogated/cancelled) by one party? Yes, men are known as covenant-breakers, but God cannot lie, cannot disannul the thing He has spoken... this is the integrity of HIS WORD. The prophets reminded God of His covenant- to continue with Israel though in unbelief and disobedience...

Now then, we can have confidence in the covenant - confess the covenant- take it into our mouth/lips- and enjoy all its benefits- provisions- our inheritance left for us- (if ye shall speak to this mountain- be thou removed..) He that believeth shall....

Our TALK- 2 Cor 4:13- we believe and therefore speak...

Our LOOK- 2 Cor 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things

which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things

which are not seen are eternal. 

Our WALK- 2 Cor 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

Many are waiting for God to do something- God is waiting for us to do something! to believe and receive.

He already did all He can do! the rest is up to men to respond IN FAITH

Now we can understand this passage anew and fresh-

2 Cor  5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  (see the exchange?) old for new

 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by

Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;  5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.  5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech

you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we

might be made the righteousness of God in him. (note the exchange)