The night before his crucifixion, Jesus dined with his disciples in celebration of the Passover. At this meal, commonly known as the Last Supper, Jesus lifted a cup of wine and declared, “This cup . . . is the New Covenant in my blood” (Luke 22:20). At this declaration, Jesus revealed that his death would inaugurate the New Covenant the Old Testament prophets (such as Jeremiah and Ezekiel) prophesied that God would make with his people in the last days. At last, the promises of restoration and reconciliation foretold from the days of Adam and Eve would be accomplished. God and humanity would once again be in fellowship with one another without the stain of sin and death.
This kind of reconciliation could only be accomplished through Jesus. The writer of Hebrews stated it plainly: Jesus “entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption” (Hebrews 9:12). Jesus’s finished work on the cross means that the payment for sin has been made once for all and will never need to be repeated. Through him, we are able to have an eternal redemption from the oppression of sin and broken fellowship with God.
So, what does this mean for the former promises of God? Are those covenants obsolete because of Jesus? Jesus answered this question in the Sermon on the Mount: his life, death, and resurrection did not abolish the law and the prophets, but rather he is the fulfillment of them (Matthew 5:17). The law revealed Israel’s need for a savior. It showed God’s people how to live and what he expected from them—faithfulness, holiness, and a self- sacrificing love for God and others. But because of their hardened and idolatrous hearts, they were unable to live up to God’s standards, as is true for us apart from Jesus. Jesus perfectly embodied the spirit of the law, thus fulfilling it, so we are no longer bound to obedience to the old covenants, but instead we live in the freedom of the New Covenant secured by Jesus on the cross.
Though we are no longer bound to the old covenant, we are still called to live differently as God’s people. But now, in Jesus, we are empowered to live as God desired for his children, because “the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, [will] purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God” (Hebrews 9:14). No longer are we condemned under a law we could never fulfill, but instead, through our renewed relationship with God the Father through the sacrifice of his Son, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to holy living. Because of God’s Spirit dwelling within us through Jesus, we can live in faithfulness, righteousness, holiness, full of love for God and for others, as God has called us to do.
Thank God for the blood of Jesus! In my full reliance in Him & His finished work on the cross I am able to live a life pleasing to God. Abiding in Him is the only way to faithfully walk with God! On my own I can do nothing but with Him all things are possible!
I don’t have to do ‘good works’ to earn my place in heaven. I can walk by faith, listening to God, and being obedient without fear that I didn’t do enough, or I am not clean enough.
But we must continually desire to do Gods will it’s not a ticket to sin. That’s an abomination to GOD . We must love HIM HE is our all in all “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
James 2:17 NKJV
The New Covenant inspires faithfulness in my walk with God because it makes me not want to do life any other way. The only way I am truly free and truly alive is through Jesus. Any other walk of life would just lead me back to sin and separate me from God. I don’t ever want that!
Really, it makes me incredibly thankful to him. It’s a part of the overall picture that shows his love to me and which I accept with my whole being. How can I do anything to repay him for what he has done? He has given so much for me. The love he has for me spurs me on to be in him and with him. It is not because it’s a logical thing for me to do. It’s not automatic that I will be faithful to him because of what he’s done for me. It’s an internal thing. It’s like what he says, that he writes his laws in my heart and mind. If it were on paper it would only be logical, external. However, when it’s inside it’s beyond words. It’s experienced. It’s part of our being. It’s because he is in us.
Blessed be God our Father who had created us to be redeemed by his son do that we can be Jesus’s bride.
Love this!
Because of Jesus, I am forgiven and I am able to see the current world from an eternal perspective. I want to live out my life in faith, worshipping Him in every moment for all He has done.
It’s not my own efforts, God does it all. Jesus died for my sins but He also helps fight against my sinful nature. So, in all I have a savior and counselor who does it all for me. It’s not that I don’t have to be active in my walk with Christ but I don’t get to earn my way. It takes the pressure off and most importantly it takes the pedigree off. I mean, your past, your family, your status means nothing to Christ. Isn’t that something to wonder about…
The BIG question? He called, am I listening?