The Testament of His Will For You and I - Part 862

The old covenant is referred to as the old testament in our Bible. For those who may not know, a covenant exists between two parties. The old, as the name applies is old. That which is old decays and for the most part is ready to vanish away. In short, what is recommended in the scriptures is that the Old covenant be put on the shelf. This recommendation in spite of those religious cultures today who still present the old covenant and the Law within -- as if it were pertinent.

For the sake of understanding, let's expand on this point. The Law of the Old covenant was added because of transgressions. It was to serve as a schoolmaster, informing men and women of the difference between right and wrong. However, on that latter point, the people failed to live up to the Law and commandments. This is why the SEED had to come to whom the promise was made (the promised SEED being the Christ).

Further, the old covenant was a covenant of works. Within this covenant, man would do this and God would honour the agreement by fulfilling His part. But again, man utterly failed. Even though the covenant was good (because God is good), man’s flesh was still weak.  The people here did not recognize that God had cut them off, offering His rest to another people who sought Him and His righteousness. 

Thus came a new covenant whereby God became man’s only Saviour. Why? Because as the scriptures allude, there was no other in heaven that was capable of redeeming man from the bondage of sin. Therefore, JESUS -- God Himself was clothed in flesh whilst He was in the womb of His surrogate mother.

God without any assistance or planning by man was going to pay in full for Adam’s disobedience. Therefore, just as one man's sin brought the human race into captivity and bondage, so was one man’s righteousness going to negate the penalty that was pronounced upon all of Adam’s race.

The covenant then that is normally made between two parties, became just one party. That is, God is the sole party. God who is Spirit -- God Himself became a Son -- so that we might be saved. The other critical point here is that man had no say in the outcome of these events for man was not a participant. 

God purchased man’s salvation by Himself for it was God who laid down His life as a Son for you and I.

What we have then is not a covenant, in the context that the word covenant is normally used. Rather, what we have here is the Last Will and Testament of JESUS, the only begotten Son of God who prior to His crucifixion bequeathed all that was His to us believers. All that the Father (the unseen Spirit of the One Holy God) was His to share was bequeathed to you and I because of His love and grace. And, as a consequence, we become the inheritors of ALL things freely.

This is why we have become the sons and daughters of God. His friends. For we have come to JESUS without anything but our hearts to offer in return. As such, we then give our hearts to JESUS, obediently being baptized into God’s name which is JESUS. (Acts 2:37-42) We are now His children, for as many as have been baptized into JESUS the Christ, (the SEED of the Holy Spirit) have by so doing become eligible to receive of His Spirit.

In JESUS then, it is not a covenant that we have but rather the TESTAMENT of HIS WILL for our lives. This is why we are no longer in bondage serving a world and/or religious culture that contradicts the greatest love story ever told. In Jesus, we have been set free. 

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." (Galatians 5:1)

"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32)

Let him who hath ears to hear, hear. Stand in the offering plate.