2014-11-07
Good Morning Dear Ones,
Last week I was led to discuss why the Covenant of Grace is superior to the Covenant of the Law. We looked at several citations from the book of Hebrews [HE 7: 22; 8: 6, 10; 9: 11-12; 10: 14, 19, 23, 26-27]. Today, I’m led to take up the consequences of breaking the Covenant of Grace. While this may not be a comfortable subject, it is a necessary one, because our lives are at stake. These consequences are not a reason to refuse to commit to this covenant, but instead, may help to point out why committing to it grants us inner peace and eternal life.
Our examination of the Scriptures should have pointed out the problem with the old covenant—the slippery slope which befalls traditional Judaism of emphasizing format over the content, the Spirit, of God’s teaching, the descent into legalism. Because of God’s caring love for His human creation and His omniscience, God sees everything from heaven that goes on in the earth [PS 33: 13]. This is not said to frighten, but instead to let us know that His omnipresence enables Him to know what is going on with us and how He might help us. But it also allows Him to know when we are sinning. HE 10: 28-31, “Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him Who said, ‘It is Mine to avenge; I will repay,’ and again, ‘the Lord will judge His people.’ It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.’” The very same enormous power that brings us salvation when we submit to Him can be brought to bear against those who treat God with rejection and distain. God is not eager to act in this mode, but there are sinful humans who bring Him to it. He will never use this power in unrighteous ways.
<-- Back to Archives