New Covenant

DEVOTION

PROPHESIES AND FULFILLMENTS CONCERNING CHRIST

NEW COVENANT

Jer 31:31-34

31 "The time is coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. 33 "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,"  declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

NIV

Are there any questions about this new covenant being Jesus? Let us put it in his own words.

Luke 22:14-23

14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God."  17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, "Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."  19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."  20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. 21 But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. 22 The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him."  23 They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.

NIV

We could in include of verses such:

Heb 10:15-21

15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: 16 "This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds."   17 Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more."   18 And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin. 19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body,

NIV

And many others, but the point is for us to understand we live under this new and everlasting covenant God established with us through Christ Jesus. Although we have the very word of God recorded for us in written form, we also know that he has written his law upon our hearts and minds. What does that mean? Has he done that to every person, even those who live in such evil ways. Does that mean every person on earth has the capacity to know God within their own self? Would that mean people really do not need to translate the bible into every language on earth, so people can know about God? Is God just speaking about the children of Israel, or about all mankind, all of his creation? It would seem because Jesus died for all, that he is the last and only true sacrifice for sin, the sin of all men, then the rest of the covenant is also for all men. That would have to mean God has written his laws into the heart and mind of all people. It is just that some have suppressed the truth by their evil deeds.

Rom 1:18-25

18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator — who is forever praised. Amen.

NIV

This certainly makes it clear all men somehow within their hearts know God because he has written his laws on their hearts and minds, but they suppressed it and decided to do wickedness instead. But we live in a new way. We repented of that way of life and now live under the new covenant God made with us. We live in Christ Jesus. Our sin, all of them, past, present and future are forgiven. God will remember them no more. We will not need to account for our failures, our sin, because of this covenant. Now sure, we don’t just go about sinning at will, just so this covenant of grace may increase. By no means. But we also do not have to fret or worry or fear reprisal from God because we failed to live up to a perfect standard, never ever committing another sin. We have been freed from the Law of sin and death by the blood of Jesus. We are free to live in peace with God. Although God established many covenants throughout the history of man, before Christ, this is the last and the everlasting covenant. That means there will be no more needed. Within the context of conditional or unconditional covenants, it would seem right to see this one as a conditional and unconditional. He has unconditional established it, that is we did nothing to warrant it. However, conditionally, because in order for us to be in this covenant relationship with God, we have to accept his terms. We have to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Those are the only terms of this new and everlasting covenant. It is not required that some form of works that we could not  live up to, we would fail, and thus not be subject to the covenant. So we live, because we live under this new covenant. We know God within us, we know his laws, his decrees, and his love for us because we know Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We live within the terms of the New Covenant.