PERSEVERANCE WORKS EXPERIENCE

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope (Rom 5:1-4, KJV). " . . . and perseverance, proven character . . . " (NASB). " . . . perseverance, character . . . " (NIV). "And steadfastness, approvedness; and approvedness, hope" (ASV).

Devotion 18 of 24

THE NATURE OF THE NEW COVENANT

The New Covenant is glorious. It is established upon "better promises" (Heb 8:6) and yields a better harvest. There is a general lack of awareness of the uniqueness of the New Covenant. I regularly hear teachers and preachers address the people of God as though they were like the recalcitrant Israelites of old. Hearty nods of approval follow the expression of such persuasions. The assumption that those in Christ operate with the same handicap as those under the Old Covenant is altogether false! There is no truth in such assertions.

The prophets made it clear that a new era was going to be inducted. It would be one marked by transformation. Willingness and obedience would characterize that time. Obstinance and disobedience would find no place in the New Covenant. Hear the Word of the Lord! "Moreover, the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, in order that you may live" (Deut 30:6). "And I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me" (Jeremiah 32:40, NASB). "I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God" Ezek 11:19-20, NIV). "My servant David shall be king over them; and they shall all have one shepherd. They shall follow my ordinances and be careful to observe my statutes" Ezek 37:24, NRSV). " . . . for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD" (Jer 31:34). "I will give them a heart to know that I am the LORD; and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart" (Jer 24:7). "I will put my spirit within you, and make you follow
my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances" (Ezek 36:27). "At that time I will
change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and serve him with one accord" (Zeph 3:9).

These are not expressions of mere desire, but promises of what God had determined to occur. They describe the effects of the new birth. They depict the result of being justified. They set before our minds the impact of being sanctified. They shout to us of the superiority of the New Covenant. If some imagine that these have no reference to the New Covenant, let them think again! Jesus is the fulfillment the Law and the prophets. That is what He came to do (Matt 5:17).

Jesus fulfilled the Law by embodying all of the types and figures contained in it, as well as perfectly obeying its moral code. He at once became the Lamb, Altar, and High Priest. He is the Deliverer, Builder, and holy Habitation. He made the sacrifice and Himself was the sacrifice. He was the slain goat and the one taken into the wilderness. He is the Deliverer and Lawgiver, the Means of cleansing and the way of Divine direction. Everything in the Law pointed to Him!

Jesus fulfilled the prophets by authoring all of the changes of which they prophesied. They spoke of His sufferings and glory (1 Pet 1:11). His "sufferings" related to the expiation of sin. The "glory" has to do with the impact of His salvation upon the hearts and lives of people. The change of heart, the presence of willingness, and the preference of holiness all take place in Him. Waywardness is no longer the manner of the people of God! We have a "better covenant!"

To further illustrate this grand truth, John wrote, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). NOTICE: he does not say "when we sin," but "IF we sin." Sin is the exception, not the rule, in the New Covenant! Those in Christ do not have a basic propensity to sin, but a secondary one. The "law of sin" is "another law" that is resident in their "members" (Rom 7:20-23). It is not representative of their primary persons.

PRAYER POINT: Father, through Jesus Christ I ask that You open the eyes of my understanding so I can more clearly see the hope of Your calling, and the rich repository of grace that is found in Jesus.

-- Tomorrow: THE NEW COVENANT--RELATED TO OUR SUBJECT --