Benefits of the New Covenant I

BENEFITS OF THE NEW COVENANT I

TEXT:

Hebrew 8:7-12, Luke 22:20, 1 Corinthians 11:25, 2 Corinthians 3:6, Hebrew 8:8, 12:24

Memory Verse:

 “For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah” – Hebrews 8:8.

 

INTRODUCTION:

The new covenant is described as a better covenant God established with His people (the church) because of the sacrifice of the blood of Jesus on the cross of Calvary with a better promise – Hebrew 8:6. This covenant is better than all other covenants God had entered with His people because it guarantees eternal life. The new covenant gives a promise of redemption to His people as individuals rather as a nation on the basis of His grace rather than a person’s adherence to the law. Christ is the mediator of the new covenant – Hebrew 12:24. It is a new relationship between God and humans mediated by Jesus and sealed by the blood of Jesus for the remission of the sins of man – Matthew 26:28. The old covenant (old testament) was a foreshadowing of the New foundation for what was to come. From the book of Genesis, the old testament pointed forward to the messiah or saviour. The New testament describes the fulfilment of God’s promise by Jesus Christ.

FACTS ABOUT THE NEW CONVENANT

1. The new covenant implies that there was some other covenant before, which is the old covenant. Examples; Edenic/Adamic covenant – God’s covenant with Adam in the garden of Eden Genesis 2:16-17, which was also talked about in Hosea 6:7. The Noahic covenant, the Mosaic covenant, the Land covenant, the Davidic covenant, etc. all these covenants were not established on a better platform which is ‘the blood of Jesus’. The scripture says that the introduction of the new covenant means the old covenant was faulty. The new covenant is described as a better covenant established on better promises. Hebrew 8:6-7, Exodus 19:23, Deuteronomy 29, Jeremiah 31:31-34.
2. Jesus established this covenant with His own blood, a day before He was crucified. Unlike the old that is established on the blood of animals. – Matthew 26:28.
3. Thirdly, keeping this new covenant is possible only by the activity of God Himself working in the minds and hearts of those who would enter into it Jeremiah 31:33.
   

   NOTE: The enablement to keeping God’s law is made available to us by the power of the Holy Spirit which God sent to the believer to enable him/her to obey Gods laws and do His will. He is the only one who is capable of writing or has written the laws of God in the heart of the believer and enabling the believer at the same time to obey.

4. The new/better covenant is between God and the believer. God and man do not enter into this relationship on equal terms. God out of his own choice and grace, offered man this relationship. And as such, man cannot alter it. He can only accept it or reject it.

CONCLUSION

God’s latest and most important covenant, which is the new covenant revealed in the Bible is centered on his promise. That is, His unwavering commitment to creating a new heart in those who unconditionally turn to him for help – Hebrew 10:16. Christians who subscribe to this new covenant have their sins forgiven and receive a new lease of life. The promise is that as we follow this covenant we are empowered to overcome satan and our eternity is guaranteed

QUESTIONS

1. How can a Christian keep the new covenant?
2. What is the sign of the new covenant?

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