This Is the Covenant I Will Make With Them After Those Days, Saith the Lord - Part 1307

More often than not, the old covenant law and ten commandments, and the new testament teachings of grace are being inextricably intertwined in church teachings, but not necessarily for the betterment and growth of the Jesus believing community. The problem that is emerging in these final days of this dispensation is a serious lack of understanding of the Word. Unfortunately, as we know, the tendency of natural man is to listen and accept what our peers are saying, even when we personally know the Source -- from whence came our salvation.

Luke 16 speaks specifically to this point, whereas, the devil negotiated with the debtors to pay a little toward their dreadful situation -- even when the Lord of glory paid the ultimate price on the cross to set us free. To cite a different analogy, it is like going to a doctor for healing, while the ultimate Healer -- our Lord God and Saviour (who created men and women in the beginning) is pushed to the sidelines.

But what about the Word of God? Where does the Word stand in our life? Have we made Jesus both Lord and Christ? (Acts 2:36) Do we trust Him to be our all in all? (Colossians 3:1-5) For when we do, our desire to learn and understand the scriptures, and to personally know the One in whom the volume of the book is written, becomes apparent. Our daily desire being to immerse ourselves in the refreshing and anointing that is inherent in being filled with His Spirit, who will lead us into all truth. (John 16:13)

More aptly put, our heart's prayer --"Give us this day our daily bread ..."

In the scriptures, we see that the Word is Jesus the Christ. But we also know this same Word to be God Almighty. John clarifies this for us in his writings. "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." (John 1:1-5)

"He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not." (John 1:10-11) "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)

Jesus said to His disciples, "I and My Father are One." (John 10:30) Indeed, according to scripture, God was manifest in the flesh. (I Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:21-23)

And yet, look around at he religious community of today. Ask most of the church leaders to explain the Godhead according to His Word, using only scripture as a foundation, and the responses will include established church statements of faith, long-standing traditions of men, and religious dogma, among other writings of men. Rarely, will the one and only referee -- the Word of God -- be used to clarify the truth.

This explains why Jesus prayed, "Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy Word is truth. As Thou hast sent Me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sake's, I sanctify Myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word -- that they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be One in us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me.

And the glory which Thou gave Me I have given them; that they may be One, even as we are One. I in them, and Thou in me, that they may be made perfect in One; and that the world may know that thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved Me.

Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am; that they may behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me: for Thou lovedst Me before the foundation of the world. "O righteous Father, the world hath not known Thee: but I have known Thee, and these have known that Thou hast sent Me. And I have declared unto them Thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them." (John 17:17-30)

Note the scripture above which states, in part - "but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word ..." -- the words of the apostles that He sent into the world -- correlates with what is written in Acts. "The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after that He THROUGH the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom He had chosen: to whom also He shewed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God." (Acts 1:1-3)

It is because of these tidbits of knowledge and wisdom from the Word that I encourage each and everyone of you to read and study the Word whenever (and wherever) the opportunity arises. (II Timothy 2:15) Get to know Jesus even better through His Word because there is no other truth in this world that is also absolute. This same Word which sanctifies and justifies us and clothes us with His righteousness when we repent and are water baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:36-47)

Returning to the original point made in the beginning of this post -- the mixing of old wine with the new wine, and vice-versa, let's look at a scriptural passage from Hebrews 10:

"Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that He had said before, "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days," saith the Lord, "I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin, having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh.

And having an high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised;) and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." (Hebrews 10:15-25)
The Holy Ghost as a witness to us. The one and same Holy Ghost who overshadowed Mary so that she would bring forth a Son -- Emmanuel -- God with us. (Matthew 1:21-23) Thus, as believers in Jesus by faith, we need to recognize that part of that holding fast to the profession of our faith without wavering is reading and understanding what the good news gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by extension the apostle' doctrine, actually states.

And, in so doing, press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of "God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you." (Philippians 3:14-15)

Therein, the promise of promises.  The same God who created us in the beginning loved us enough to dwell among us. And today, this very same Lord God Almighty is still inviting us to the most elaborate wedding feast ever. He Himself who knew no sin has not given up on us. In fact, He has a purpose for our lives that He wrote in our hearts while we were still in our mother's womb. We just need to honestly seek the Lord Jesus in everything we do -- both in word and in deed -- responding in humility to His love and mercy and grace -- acknowledging Jesus to be the greatest love story ever told.

As apostle Paul wrote, be victorious.

"For if ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory ...

Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him." (Colossians 3:1-17)

Stand in the offering plate.