SEEKING BETTER THINGS

"By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. . . . But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also He is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises." (Hebrews 7:22; 8:6)

Devotion 13 of 26

BETTER PROMISES

The New Covenant is enacted, or established, upon "better promises." "But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises" (Heb 8:6). The benefits of the covenant are here referred to as "better promises." They are the pillars of the covenant that support the conscience of the believer. They are divine commitments from a God who "cannot lie."

The blessings of the Old Covenant were contingent upon the strict and unfailing doing of the people. "Cursed is every one that continueth not in ALL things which are written in the book of the law to do them" (Gal 3:13; Deut 27:26). The wonderful promises of health, prosperity, and great blessing were preceded by these words: "And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day . . . " (Deut 28:1).

The Law made promises upon the basis of human achievement: "the man which DOETH those things shall live by them" (Rom 10:5). This is not the basis of the New Covenant; it has "better promises." Unlike the Law, life in Christ is not based upon doing, but on believing. "The just shall live BY FAITH" (Rom 1:17; Gal 3:11; Heb 10:38). For some, this is too difficult to receive. They insist upon maintaining a law mentality that bases divine acceptance upon doing. By "doing," I mean perfectly doing everything required by the Law. That is what the Spirit means by DOING the things specified by the law.

Let none imagine that faith excludes doing. God forbid! The primary doing under the New Covenant is believing. Everything else flows from that. Jesus put it this way, "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent" (John 6:29). Until that is done, nothing else counts, for "without faith, it is impossible to please God" (Heb 11:6).

Consider the "better promises" upon which the New Covenant is founded. They are all matters of the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes. Hear the Word of the Lord. "I WILL put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and THEY SHALL be my people. And THEY SHALL teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for THEY SHALL all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I WILL forgive their iniquity, and I WILL remember their sin no more" (Jer 31:33-34).

Consider the words of Ezekiel. "And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them; I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my ordinances and obey them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God" (Ezek 11:19). "A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances" (Ezek 36:26-27). Who can fail to see the superiority of these promises!

With these wonderful promises as the support of the New Covenant, the things are required of us becoming doable. Ponder what marvelous words are said within the framework of the New Covenant. "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Rom 10:13). "And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses" (Acts 13:39). Consider this marvelous promise. There was nothing like it in all of the Old covenant. "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38). While men foolishly haggle about baptism, the believer leaps to obey the command because of the glory of the promises attached to it. They are "better promises."

PRAYER POINT: Father, I thank You for a better covenant that is bases upon better promises. in Jesus' name I ask for grace to see the promises more clearly. I see they are the means through which obedience and faithfulness are provoked.

-- Tomorrow: WHILE WE ARE LOOKING --