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Monday, September 20, 2010
Transition from Old to New
We have taken this digression from Ephesians 1to take a look at the Old and New Covenants. They existed in Old Testament times and New Testament times and are still present in individual believers and churches today. These two covenants represent the spirit of bondage and the spirit of liberty. They existed in the home of Abraham and they existed in God's home, the temple.
First, let's review the scripture about Abraham's home from a New Testament scripture. “It is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants. Abraham and Sara's choice to have a child through Sara's bondservant was a decision made in the flesh, while God brought them the promised child Isaac as they came to wait on God in faith.
It is important for us to recognize that one great cause of weakness in Christians is the Old Covenant spirit of bondage still rules their lives. Nothing but spiritual insight and understanding of the spirit of liberty and wholehearted acceptance and experience of the spirit of liberty of the New Covenant will bring us to that intimate relationship that God desires with each person He created. In Romans, Galatians and Hebrews we repeatedly see how believers were held fast in the bondage of the Old Covenant. In order to come to a full acceptance of our identity in Jesus Christ, we must first understand the implications of living in the freedom of the New Covenant promises. If we live after the flesh and the will of man, we are living in the spirit of bondage. If we choose to live by faith in the promises of God and His power, we live in the spirit of liberty.
This transition can also be seen in the Old Testament teachings of the temple. The priests could enter into the Holy Place to draw near to God. They were not allowed to go into the Most Holy Place because a veil separated these two areas and this veil kept them at a distance. Once a year the High Priest was allowed access into the Most Holy Place to be in God's presence. But we read in the New Testament that at Christ's death this veil was torn, and we are told His blood on the cross gives us full access to enter into His holy presence.
We have been given full access to the presence and throne of God. As it states in Ephesians 1, we are seated with Him in heavenly places. We have a choice to live a double life, living half flesh and half spirit. We can choose to live by our own fleshly self efforts or by the grace of God and the promises which Christ purchased for us with His own blood. As we continue to take a look at Ephesians 1 and the identity we have been given in Christ, let's ask God to help us understand and fully experience deliverance from sin and how to walk in the full power and blessings of the New Covenant promises. The veil has been torn and we have been invited into God's Holy presence. We need the Holy Spirit to reveal to us the mystery of this new birth experience and all we have gained in coming to know Jesus Christ. We truly “belong” to the God of this universe and the security of that is sealed by the Holy Spirit. The spirit of the life that is in Christ Jesus has made us FREE from the spirit of sin and death.
We will continue on Wednesday with our study of Ephesians 1. For more understanding about the two covenants, I recommend E.W. Kenyon's The Blood Covenant and Andrew Murray's Covenants and Blessings.
First, let's review the scripture about Abraham's home from a New Testament scripture. “It is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants. Abraham and Sara's choice to have a child through Sara's bondservant was a decision made in the flesh, while God brought them the promised child Isaac as they came to wait on God in faith.
It is important for us to recognize that one great cause of weakness in Christians is the Old Covenant spirit of bondage still rules their lives. Nothing but spiritual insight and understanding of the spirit of liberty and wholehearted acceptance and experience of the spirit of liberty of the New Covenant will bring us to that intimate relationship that God desires with each person He created. In Romans, Galatians and Hebrews we repeatedly see how believers were held fast in the bondage of the Old Covenant. In order to come to a full acceptance of our identity in Jesus Christ, we must first understand the implications of living in the freedom of the New Covenant promises. If we live after the flesh and the will of man, we are living in the spirit of bondage. If we choose to live by faith in the promises of God and His power, we live in the spirit of liberty.
This transition can also be seen in the Old Testament teachings of the temple. The priests could enter into the Holy Place to draw near to God. They were not allowed to go into the Most Holy Place because a veil separated these two areas and this veil kept them at a distance. Once a year the High Priest was allowed access into the Most Holy Place to be in God's presence. But we read in the New Testament that at Christ's death this veil was torn, and we are told His blood on the cross gives us full access to enter into His holy presence.
We have been given full access to the presence and throne of God. As it states in Ephesians 1, we are seated with Him in heavenly places. We have a choice to live a double life, living half flesh and half spirit. We can choose to live by our own fleshly self efforts or by the grace of God and the promises which Christ purchased for us with His own blood. As we continue to take a look at Ephesians 1 and the identity we have been given in Christ, let's ask God to help us understand and fully experience deliverance from sin and how to walk in the full power and blessings of the New Covenant promises. The veil has been torn and we have been invited into God's Holy presence. We need the Holy Spirit to reveal to us the mystery of this new birth experience and all we have gained in coming to know Jesus Christ. We truly “belong” to the God of this universe and the security of that is sealed by the Holy Spirit. The spirit of the life that is in Christ Jesus has made us FREE from the spirit of sin and death.
We will continue on Wednesday with our study of Ephesians 1. For more understanding about the two covenants, I recommend E.W. Kenyon's The Blood Covenant and Andrew Murray's Covenants and Blessings.
Lesson 10 The Old and the New Covenant
First, I will start by including information about “cutting covenant.” According to E.W. Kenyon there are three reasons men have cut covenant with one another.
1)A weaker tribe would cut covenant with a stronger tribe living in close proximity that they might be preserved.
2)Two businessmen might cut covenant when entering into a partnership to insure that neither would be taken advantage of.
3)If two men who loved each other as David and Jonathan in the Bible did, they would cut covenant for love's sake.
For more information about the method of cutting covenant, you might be interested in reading The Blood Covenant by Kenyon.
For now, we will relate the cutting of covenant to the terms Old and New Covenant in the Bible.
Let's look at the following scriptures
“It is written, that Abraham had two sons,the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was born of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants.” (Galatians 4: 22-24)
“Behold, the days come...that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel... not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers.” (Jeremiah 31:31-32) This passage is also quoted in Hebrews 8:13, “In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old.”
Jesus spoke of the New Covenant in His blood. It is important for every Christian to understand the two covenants. They indicate two stages of dealing with man. In the fellowship with God and man, there are two parties. With these two covenants, both God and man are given opportunity to demonstrate their part in the covenant. In the Old Testament, we find that man was given every opportunity to prove what he could do. As man proved unfaithful and weak, even with all the grace God bestowed upon him.
The New Covenant was the one promised by God would never be broken because He himself keeps it and ensures our keeping it also. It is an everlasting covenant.
God made man in His own image. The problem that was presented was man was given his own free will and the ability to choose his own way. God is always the Source and man the recipient of His grace. When man fell into sin, God's plan of salvation was already in place. He entered into the covenant of Salvation with man. There were still two sides of the relationship in this covenant... man and God. Man will always have a choice and this is the reason for the first and second covenants.
In the Old Testament, man's desires and efforts were fully awakened and he was given time and opportunity with God's help to prove His faithfulness. When his efforts and inability to conquer sin were evident, the New Covenant came. Man's true liberty from sin and recognition of who he really is in Christ would only come in his absolute dependence upon God.
There are two ways of serving and worshipping God, one in preparation and promise and the other fulfillment and possession of the blessing of God. Entering into a New Covenant relationship with God is the answer to experiencing the joy of the Spirit of Christ living in you. Your identity in Him will be sealed as you come to understand this everlasting covenant and all the blessings and promise of this more intimate relationship with Christ.
In the next lesson we will talk about the transition from Old Covenant to New Covenant.
1)A weaker tribe would cut covenant with a stronger tribe living in close proximity that they might be preserved.
2)Two businessmen might cut covenant when entering into a partnership to insure that neither would be taken advantage of.
3)If two men who loved each other as David and Jonathan in the Bible did, they would cut covenant for love's sake.
For more information about the method of cutting covenant, you might be interested in reading The Blood Covenant by Kenyon.
For now, we will relate the cutting of covenant to the terms Old and New Covenant in the Bible.
Let's look at the following scriptures
“It is written, that Abraham had two sons,the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was born of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants.” (Galatians 4: 22-24)
“Behold, the days come...that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel... not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers.” (Jeremiah 31:31-32) This passage is also quoted in Hebrews 8:13, “In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old.”
Jesus spoke of the New Covenant in His blood. It is important for every Christian to understand the two covenants. They indicate two stages of dealing with man. In the fellowship with God and man, there are two parties. With these two covenants, both God and man are given opportunity to demonstrate their part in the covenant. In the Old Testament, we find that man was given every opportunity to prove what he could do. As man proved unfaithful and weak, even with all the grace God bestowed upon him.
The New Covenant was the one promised by God would never be broken because He himself keeps it and ensures our keeping it also. It is an everlasting covenant.
God made man in His own image. The problem that was presented was man was given his own free will and the ability to choose his own way. God is always the Source and man the recipient of His grace. When man fell into sin, God's plan of salvation was already in place. He entered into the covenant of Salvation with man. There were still two sides of the relationship in this covenant... man and God. Man will always have a choice and this is the reason for the first and second covenants.
In the Old Testament, man's desires and efforts were fully awakened and he was given time and opportunity with God's help to prove His faithfulness. When his efforts and inability to conquer sin were evident, the New Covenant came. Man's true liberty from sin and recognition of who he really is in Christ would only come in his absolute dependence upon God.
There are two ways of serving and worshipping God, one in preparation and promise and the other fulfillment and possession of the blessing of God. Entering into a New Covenant relationship with God is the answer to experiencing the joy of the Spirit of Christ living in you. Your identity in Him will be sealed as you come to understand this everlasting covenant and all the blessings and promise of this more intimate relationship with Christ.
In the next lesson we will talk about the transition from Old Covenant to New Covenant.
Lesson 9 Forgiveness
From the Message Bible----
“Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we're a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free either. Abundantly free! Ephesians 1:7
How many times do we live as if we are totally and abundantly free? I don't know about you or your friends and family but as I have walked through this life, I have found we are a people often burdened by our fears, doubt and unbelief. What of this freedom that is spoken about in Ephesians 1? At this point I would like to digress to spend some time looking at both the Old and the New Covenant. Understanding the covenant blessings in Christ Jesus secured in the New Covenant of Christ's blood is essential to walking and living in the freedom for which Christ died.
“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts.... For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities (habitual sin) will I remember no more.” (Hebrews 8:8-12)
We are granted a clean slate at our new birth. Living under a burden of guilt from sin should no longer be our way of life. We cheapen the blood of Christ when we refuse to receive this absolution of our sins. Perhaps you have found this freedom in your walk with Christ. Or perhaps you find yourself , along with most Christians still living in the Old Covenant mindset, doing penance and continually looking for some form of sacrifice for your latest indiscretion. One of our greatest obstacles to living in the freedom of the New Covenant is misunderstanding God's total forgiveness of our sin.
“Now where there is absolute remission (forgiveness and cancellation of the penalty) of these [sins and lawbreaking], there is no longer any offering to be made to atone for sins. “ (Hebrews 10:18)
“I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: (return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.”) (Isaiah 44:22)
“I, even, I am He Who blots out and cancels your transgressions, for My own sake, and I will not remember your sins.” (Isaiah 43:25)
“Every benefit and blessing we possess in our redemption including complete and total victory over Satan, is based on Jesus and His triumph over Satan at the Cross. We have victory over Satan because of Jesus' shed blood. The oldtimers in Pentecost understood a truth about the blood of Jesus.” (Hagin, The Triumphant Church, p.187) As we close today, let us remember to make much of the blood of Jesus, our purchase price and receive and trust that our sins have been completely blotted out to be remembered no more. I leave you with this verse and a question....
“Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of the Dear Son; In whom we have redemption THROUGH HIS BLOOD, even the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:13, 14)
In our next lesson we will go beyond Ephesians chapter one to learn more about the Old and New Covenants. This teaching is essential in our understanding of our covenant blessings and our identity in Christ.
“Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we're a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free either. Abundantly free! Ephesians 1:7
How many times do we live as if we are totally and abundantly free? I don't know about you or your friends and family but as I have walked through this life, I have found we are a people often burdened by our fears, doubt and unbelief. What of this freedom that is spoken about in Ephesians 1? At this point I would like to digress to spend some time looking at both the Old and the New Covenant. Understanding the covenant blessings in Christ Jesus secured in the New Covenant of Christ's blood is essential to walking and living in the freedom for which Christ died.
“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts.... For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities (habitual sin) will I remember no more.” (Hebrews 8:8-12)
We are granted a clean slate at our new birth. Living under a burden of guilt from sin should no longer be our way of life. We cheapen the blood of Christ when we refuse to receive this absolution of our sins. Perhaps you have found this freedom in your walk with Christ. Or perhaps you find yourself , along with most Christians still living in the Old Covenant mindset, doing penance and continually looking for some form of sacrifice for your latest indiscretion. One of our greatest obstacles to living in the freedom of the New Covenant is misunderstanding God's total forgiveness of our sin.
“Now where there is absolute remission (forgiveness and cancellation of the penalty) of these [sins and lawbreaking], there is no longer any offering to be made to atone for sins. “ (Hebrews 10:18)
“I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: (return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.”) (Isaiah 44:22)
“I, even, I am He Who blots out and cancels your transgressions, for My own sake, and I will not remember your sins.” (Isaiah 43:25)
“Every benefit and blessing we possess in our redemption including complete and total victory over Satan, is based on Jesus and His triumph over Satan at the Cross. We have victory over Satan because of Jesus' shed blood. The oldtimers in Pentecost understood a truth about the blood of Jesus.” (Hagin, The Triumphant Church, p.187) As we close today, let us remember to make much of the blood of Jesus, our purchase price and receive and trust that our sins have been completely blotted out to be remembered no more. I leave you with this verse and a question....
“Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of the Dear Son; In whom we have redemption THROUGH HIS BLOOD, even the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:13, 14)
In our next lesson we will go beyond Ephesians chapter one to learn more about the Old and New Covenants. This teaching is essential in our understanding of our covenant blessings and our identity in Christ.
Redemption (continued)
It is only in Christ that we have all the spiritual blessing we have read about in Ephesians 1 including redemption and forgiveness. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they lost their position with God and threw all of mankind into slavery. Every man and woman born to natural parents is born a slave and slaves beget slaves. We are unable to free ourselves, just as slaves are unable to free themselves from their captors. It was necessary that we be “bought back,” or “ransomed,” in order that we might be free from the penalty of sin.
In Romans we read, “For the wages which sin pays is death, but the {bountiful} free gift of God is eternal life through (in union with) Jesus Christ our Lord.” ( Romans 6:23) At one time we belonged to the Lord but through Adam's transgression we were lost to Him thus requiring a Redeemer, someone to buy us back for the Lord.
Jesus' blood represents His life. We find that life is in the blood in these words of Leviticus...
Jesus came into this world through the virgin birth to give his life as a ransom for our sin and redeem us from the penalty of sin which is death. He was the only one qualified to “buy us back” because he was free from the nature and penalty of sin. When we receive Him as our Redeemer, he forgives us of the original sin in Adam, “according to the riches of His grace.” In Ephesians 1:8 we read “Wherein {in grace} he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence.” There is no sin too great that it will exhaust his grace to redeem and forgive. God abounds in grace towards man. God does everything, while man simply believes and receives.
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you (ransomed you by paying a price instead of leaving you captives) I have called you by your name; you are Mine.” (Isaiah 43:1)
In Strong's concordance, #1350 the word gaal (gaw-al'), from a primitive root, to redeem (according to the Oriental law of kinship,i.e. to be the next of kin (and as such to buy back a relatives property, marry his widow, etc...) : avenger, deliver (do, perform the part of near, next) kinsfolk (kinsman) purchase, ransom, redeem (er), revenger. He is our Kinsman Redeemer.
We are purchased with the blood of Jesus.
We are justified (just as if we had not sinned) and have right standing with God through the redemptive blood of Christ. (Romans 3:24)
He has provided the ransom from the eternal penalty of sin by His blood. I Corinthians 1:30
You may want to take some time to meditate on the book of Ruth, a beautiful foreshadowing, or picture of how Jesus is our Kinsman Redeemer.
I finish our thoughts today with the following scripture which you can declare with me if you have received Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
“For I know that my Redeemer and Vindicator lives, and at last He (the last One) will stand upon the earth.” (Job 19:25)
In Romans we read, “For the wages which sin pays is death, but the {bountiful} free gift of God is eternal life through (in union with) Jesus Christ our Lord.” ( Romans 6:23) At one time we belonged to the Lord but through Adam's transgression we were lost to Him thus requiring a Redeemer, someone to buy us back for the Lord.
Jesus' blood represents His life. We find that life is in the blood in these words of Leviticus...
Jesus came into this world through the virgin birth to give his life as a ransom for our sin and redeem us from the penalty of sin which is death. He was the only one qualified to “buy us back” because he was free from the nature and penalty of sin. When we receive Him as our Redeemer, he forgives us of the original sin in Adam, “according to the riches of His grace.” In Ephesians 1:8 we read “Wherein {in grace} he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence.” There is no sin too great that it will exhaust his grace to redeem and forgive. God abounds in grace towards man. God does everything, while man simply believes and receives.
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you (ransomed you by paying a price instead of leaving you captives) I have called you by your name; you are Mine.” (Isaiah 43:1)
In Strong's concordance, #1350 the word gaal (gaw-al'), from a primitive root, to redeem (according to the Oriental law of kinship,i.e. to be the next of kin (and as such to buy back a relatives property, marry his widow, etc...) : avenger, deliver (do, perform the part of near, next) kinsfolk (kinsman) purchase, ransom, redeem (er), revenger. He is our Kinsman Redeemer.
We are purchased with the blood of Jesus.
We are justified (just as if we had not sinned) and have right standing with God through the redemptive blood of Christ. (Romans 3:24)
He has provided the ransom from the eternal penalty of sin by His blood. I Corinthians 1:30
You may want to take some time to meditate on the book of Ruth, a beautiful foreshadowing, or picture of how Jesus is our Kinsman Redeemer.
I finish our thoughts today with the following scripture which you can declare with me if you have received Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
“For I know that my Redeemer and Vindicator lives, and at last He (the last One) will stand upon the earth.” (Job 19:25)
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