NEW COVENANT
A covenant is an agreement, that is binding and in the Biblical context, one between God and man. God, having created man, and given him a free will, promises to love him, guide him and lead him to everlasting life. Man, having been created in God’s image, needs to fulfill his purpose here on earth, this purpose revolving around submission to God. While God never fails on his promise, man was unable to keep his end of the covenant, because the sinful nature within prevented him from doing what was required. And so God in his mercy provided himself, to take on human form and gave himself up on the cross, so that man would be able to meet the requirements of God. Three new aspects of this covenant are given below.
New Priest: The temple ritual of the imperfect High Priest offering sacrifices on behalf of the people before God to cleanse them from their sins demonstrates both the gravity of sin as well as well as the inability to be cleansed forever. When Jesus offered himself, he became the perfect High Priest, who not only identified with human life and suffering, but also was perfect, without sin.
Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. (Hebrews 7:26,27)
New Blood: The fact that blood needed to be shed for forgiveness of sins reminds us of the seriousness of sin, and the need for a life to be given up to provide restitution. While the shedding of blood and the taking of the life of an animal was significant, it could only provide cleansing temporarily and symbolically. But when Jesus offered himself up, shedding his own blood as a sacrifice, cleansing became eternal and real.
He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. (Hebrews 9:12)
New Law: God’s laws are perfect, and not an iota of his laws can be taken away. However man’s sinful nature prevented him from doing good. While the Old Testament laws were a guide for man to submit to God, enablement was missing. When Jesus gave himself up and provided us with the Holy Spirit to dwell within, enablement to carry out God’s laws became a reality.
The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant ………. I will put my laws in their minds, and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord, because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more. (Hebrews 8:7-12)
Behold, all things are new in Christ; and the impossible covenant has now become a reality.
