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Significance of the Cross >
The New Covenant (1)
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MESSAGE: AR176
Reconciliation with God
The New Covenant
Preached: 12 May 96 ▪ Edited: 12 Jun 02
Introduction | The Cross - God's strategy for the fulfilment of His purposes | The Cross - not the end of the story | Reconciliation with God | The New Covenant | Our response to the New Covenant: repentance and faith | Conclusion
At the beginning of the second message on the Reflections on the Death of Christ, I mentioned that we would be pondering over three key points to help us appreciate the Cross as the supreme manifestation of moral and spiritual strength and quality of life of the Lord Jesus and the nature of the triumph and accomplishments of the Cross. The three points are:
1. That the Lord Jesus went to the cross voluntarily, in the path of
truth and in obedience to God the Father.
2. The nature and intensity of the agony and suffering that the Lord
Jesus went through at the Cross.
3. The significance of what was accomplished at the Cross and the
implications for mankind and the fulfilment of God's purposes.
We have considered the first two points in the second and the third
messages (AR174 and
AR175). In this message, we will begin our
consideration of the third point - the significance of the Cross.
As we reflect on the suffering of the Lord Jesus on the Cross, we may
wonder: Why did God the Father send His only begotten Son to die such a
death? Why was the Son of God willing to die on the Cross if it was so
terrible?
This sentiment is understandable. Yet, the more we understand how
terrible the Cross is, the more we can appreciate its accomplishments
because the terribleness of what took place on the Cross is more than
matched by its accomplishments, which are marvellous and glorious beyond
description.
Was it not for this reason that the apostle Paul declared in 1
Corinthians 1:23, 24 that Christ is the “power of God and the wisdom of
God,” even though the crucified Christ was “to Jews a stumbling block
and to Gentiles foolishness”?
The positive meaning and significance of the Cross are so marvellous and
far reaching that in spite of the intense suffering and agony it
entailed, it is the will of God (the Father, Son and Holy Spirit) and
also an expression of His love and wisdom.
Sadly, though believers generally recognise the Cross as central to the
Christian faith, most have only a superficial understanding, insight and
appreciation of it. When they contemplate Christ's sufferings on the
Cross, they tend to concentrate on the physical sufferings of the Lord.
There may be some vague notions that He bore our sins, but there isn't
sufficient insight into the intensity, magnitude and the meaning of the
suffering involved. Likewise, there is generally a grave lack of true
appreciation of what was accomplished at the Cross.
How much we appreciate what the Lord went through at the Cross on our
behalf and what the Cross has accomplished and the implications involved
can have a significant bearing on our response to Him, our gratitude to
Him and on our motivation to live for Him and experience what He intends
for us. Let us therefore prayerfully look to the Lord for deeper insight
into these issues and follow through with a deep response to the Lord
and what He intends for us.
In a nutshell, we can say that the Cross is at the heart of God's
strategy for the fulfilment of His purposes. It is the basis for the
solution to the fundamental problems of man and it also opens the way
for man to rise up to the fullest potential of moral and spiritual
development. This is God's main concern for man at the personal level. I
say “opens the way” because not everyone will benefit from it and if
they do, it is not to the same degree.
The way we have developed in moral and spiritual stature would have a
direct bearing on our relationship with God and other people and the
depth of our fellowship with Him and with the brethren.
Moral and spiritual stature would also enable us to participate
meaningfully and effectively in the fulfilment of God's plan and
purposes. And God does have a significant role for man in the outworking
and fulfilment of His plan and purposes.
All these are major issues:
What took place at the Cross opens up the way for positive development in all these directions. Apart from the Cross, none of them would be feasible.
Another preliminary aspect to note is that the Cross is not the end of
the story. If it were so, as the apostle Paul puts it in 1 Corinthians
15, “Our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain” (v. 14). Not only
that, Paul also says, “Your faith is worthless; you are still in your
sins” (v. 17), and we will not have a living Saviour.
Beyond Christ's death on the Cross is His resurrection, ascension and
exaltation, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Let us look at Philippians 2:8-10:
Philippians 2:8-10
8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming
obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the
name which is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in
heaven and on earth and under the earth.
Verse 8 tells us that Christ humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death on a cross. But it did not end there. Notice the words in verse 9, “For this reason also, God highly exalted Him.” Because the Lord Jesus was willing to humble Himself and die on the Cross, God the Father highly exalted Him. The exaltation of Christ is linked to the Cross. And bound up together with His exaltation is His resurrection, ascension and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We see this in chapter 2 of Acts.
Acts 2:32, 33
32 “This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses.
33 “Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having
received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured
forth this which you both see and hear.
The apostle Peter was preaching on the day of Pentecost, which was the
occasion of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. He alluded to Christ's
death and resurrection when he said, “This Jesus God raised up again”
(v. 32). Then in verse 33, he talked about the exaltation of Christ to
the right hand of God. But before Christ's exaltation would be His
ascension. Next comes the outpouring of the Holy Spirit according to the
promise of the Father. One event followed the other and all are
inextricably linked to His death, that is, Christ's death -> His
resurrection, ascension, exaltation and the outpouring of the Holy
Spirit.
We may view the resurrection, ascension and exaltation of Christ and the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit as part of the significance of the Cross.
We may also view them all including Christ's death as one unit, one
event.
We will now go on to consider the significance of what was accomplished
at the Cross and their implications. In this message, I will concentrate
on the significance and implications under two main headings:
It is needful for us to have a good grasp of these basic truths primarily for ourselves first, and where appropriate, also to draw from our storehouse for sharing with others, including new converts, on the fundamentals of the faith. As we examine these truths, let us pay attention to the supporting scriptural texts so that when we share these truths with others, we may be able to do so with scriptural texts in support.
The first aspect I wish to consider with you concerns man's relationship
or lack of relationship with God. The basic problem of fallen man is
that he is separated from God because of the issue of sin.
The Scriptures makes it plain that “all have sinned and fall short of the
glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). Sin in man creates a barrier to his
relationship with the holy God. Man is also under the wrath of God and
the sentence and condemnation of death because, as the apostle Paul
declares in Romans 6:23, “The wages of sin is death.”
Because of the issue of sin that has to be dealt with, Christ endured
the Cross, bearing our sins and the punishment due to us. We saw this in
Isaiah 53:5, 6, 8, 12 in the earlier message AR174, how the Lord Jesus
was pierced through for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities
and how by His scourging we are healed (v. 5); how all of us like sheep
have gone astray; each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has
caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him (v. 6) and how He was cut
off from the land of the living and bore the sin of many because of our
transgressions, to whom the stroke was due (vs. 8, 12).
We may now be reconciled to God through Christ:
2 Corinthians 5:18, 19
18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself
through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not
counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the
word of reconciliation.
This passage tells us that through Christ's death, we can now be
reconciled to God. God took the initiative to bring us back to Himself.
Not only that, He has now committed to us the ministry of
reconciliation. Verse 15 of the same chapter makes it clear that the
context is about the death of the Lord Jesus for it says, “He died for
all ... and rose again on their behalf.”
We can be reconciled to God because, as Paul tells us in Ephesians 1:7,
we have been forgiven, having been redeemed by the blood of Christ:
Ephesians 1:7
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our
trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.
Note the words “in Him we have redemption through His blood.” Our redemption is linked directly to the shedding of the blood of Christ on the Cross. This opens the way for us to be forgiven of our trespasses. And this is something we do not deserve; it is according to the grace of God. Those whose sins are forgiven are no longer under the wrath of God and the sentence and condemnation of death.
1 Thessalonians 5:9, 10
9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation
through our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live
together with Him.
The above verses tell us that we can obtain salvation in Christ and thus
be free from the wrath of God, no longer having to live in fear of the
sentence and condemnation of death. The phrase “who died for us” in
verse 10 relates this assurance we can have to Christ's death. It went
on to say, “whether we are awake or asleep, we live together with Him”.
It is clear from the context that the terms “awake” or “asleep” do not
refer to being physically awake or sleeping. Instead, they refer to the
states of being alive or dead physically. Whichever state we are in,
whether physically alive or dead, we may continue living with Him.
Yes, in Christ, there is life even when one is physically dead. The
apostle Paul expresses in 1 Corinthians 15:54, 55 that death has been
swallowed up in victory and that death has lost its sting. Those who
trust in God therefore need not be fearful of death. Through the Cross,
it is now feasible for us to enter fully into life. Though the Cross
speaks of death, the death of Christ, at the same time it is the basis
of life for all.
The writer to the Hebrews tells us it is now feasible for us to draw
near to God's holy presence through the blood of Christ:
Hebrews 10:19-22
19 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place
by the blood of Jesus,
20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil,
that is, His flesh,
21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith,
having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies
washed with pure water.
In the Old Testament times, people were able to draw near to God through
the blood of bulls and goats because of the anticipation of Christ's
death. If Christ did not die, then the blood of bulls and goats would
not avail, because “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to
take away sins” (v. 4). But we now have confidence to draw near to the
holy God through the blood of Christ, having our hearts sprinkled clean
(v.19, 22).
To summarise, we can say that the way is now open for all mankind to be
reconciled to God at the personal level. As John 3:16 puts it, “For God
so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever
believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
But I want to emphasise that though the way is now open for all, there
is a need for a personal response. For us to experience forgiveness of
sins and reconciliation to God and to be redeemed through the blood of
the Lord, there is a need for a personal response of repentance and
faith. In Mark 1:15, the Lord Jesus proclaims, “Repent and believe in
the gospel." We need to repent and believe in the good news that God has
sent His only begotten Son to die on the Cross for us and trust in Him
for salvation. Otherwise we will perish.
I will now go on to a major aspect of the significance of the Cross and
that is, through the death of Christ on the Cross and through repentance
and faith in Him, believers have entered into the New Covenant
with God through the blood of Christ.
Let's look at Luke 22:20. This was just prior to the Cross, on the
occasion the Lord Jesus instituted the Lord's supper.
Luke 22:20
And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This
cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.”
The Lord Jesus makes it very clear that the basis of the New Covenant is
His blood which was shed on the Cross. In other words, the death of
Christ enables us to enter into this New Covenant.
Often, we see the significance of Christ's death only from man's angle
and fail to appreciate it from God's angle. In our plight, we long very
much to enter into salvation, to be free from the bondage of sin and
from a life of hopelessness and meaninglessness. However, we should also
appreciate the Cross from God's angle and be deeply impressed with the
fact that it also means very much to God.
The death of Christ opens the way for many things that God can now
freely make available to us without compromising His character. He can
now freely express His love and grace towards us, and transform us, that
we may be conformed to the image of His Son. He can now have deep and
eternal fellowship with us. It means very much to God that man should be
able to rise up to His calling in such a way. It rejoices His heart when
we undergo positive development and transformation in our inner being
and are able to participate meaningfully in the outworking and
fulfilment of His purposes.
So the death of Christ (together with His resurrection, ascension and
exaltation and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit), opens the way such
that it is now feasible for frail, finite, sinful man not only to have
their sins forgiven, but also to have fellowship at the deepest level
with the holy, almighty God. Beyond that, man can also rise up to the
highest level of moral and spiritual stature and participate fully in
God's plan and purposes. But I want to emphasise that although it is now
feasible for all these to take place, it may not be so in reality. In
fact, sad to say, generally we have only tasted a little of what God
intends for us. How can we fare better?
To what degree we attain to what God intends for our lives is dependent
on two key factors:
This is the life of faith, living in the truth.
We can say that Christ was willing to go down to the lowest depth of
humiliation and suffering so that fallen man who is in bondage and sin
can rise up to the highest height of moral and spiritual attainments,
meaning and quality of life. If Christ were not willing to go down to
such depth, it would not be feasible. And it means much to God that we
can rise up to that kind of level of meaning and quality of life, which
was God's intention when He created man.
As the apostle Paul puts it, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has
not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has
prepared for those who love Him." (1 Cor. 2:9). Some may think of this
verse as a reference to the future in eternity. However, though in
principle it can extend to all that God has prepared for us in eternity,
I see that the meaning of the verse is already in operation for all who
have entered into the New Covenant. The apostle Paul is communicating to
us the fact that there are very deep and wonderful things that God has
prepared for those who love Him. But how much do we know of these
things? How much have we entered into them? This is what we will go on
to consider.
Coming back to our consideration on the New Covenant with God, there are
several aspects I wish to cover with you. Some are accomplished facts
the moment we enter into the New Covenant. Others involve vast
potentials that lie before us, which we may experience in
ever-increasing measure. Though these may be familiar concepts, let us
not let their familiarity dilute our appreciation of their meaning and
significance.
Through Christ's death on the Cross and through repentance and faith in Him, we acquire a new and very important status as God's children. It does not require any accomplishment or any other thing we need to do to enjoy this status. We read this in the Gospel of John.
John 1:12
But as many as received Him (Christ) to them He gave the right to become
children of God, even to those who believe in His name.
The apostle John spoke further in his epistle about how wonderful it is that the almighty God is now our heavenly Father.
1 John 3:1
See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be
called children of God; and such we are.
“See how great a love” - it is indeed a very deep and great
manifestation of God's love that frail and sinful people can become
children of the great, almighty, holy and perfect God. And as if to
reassure us that this is true, the apostle John went on to say “and such
we are”.
Being a child of God is not an empty title. Together with it are many
significant privileges and implications. It immediately communicates to
us how God regards and treats us. God is now our heavenly Father and He
loves us and cares for us as His children. As children of the almighty
God, the sovereign ruler of all creation, we can trust Him in all
situations because we know that in His sovereignty, He is watching over
us, caring for us, providing for us, loving us and undertaking for us.
When we repent and believe in God and in Christ's death on the Cross, we are born again, born of the Spirit and regenerated. When Nicodemus came to see the Lord Jesus one night, the Lord spoke of the need to be “born again”.
John 3:3, 4
3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless
one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4 Nicodemus *said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He
cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?”
The original text translated as “born again” can also be translated
“born from above”. Both meanings are possible. As I see it, it is a very
beautiful thing that this particular word is used. We are both born
again and born from above.
“Born from above” has the meaning of being “born of the Spirit” (v. 6),
born of God. The apostle John had earlier in the same gospel mentioned
this truth in John 1:13 - “who were born, not of blood nor of the will
of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” As we receive Christ
into our lives, we have the right to become children of God (John 1:12).
This is because we have been born of God, born of the Spirit, born from
above.
But the term “born again” also has the meaning of being born a second
time. When Nicodemus replied the Lord Jesus, he said, “How can a man be
born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's
womb and be born, can he?”
Nicodemus knew that the expression “born again” has to do with the issue
of being born a second time. But he was puzzled. How can we be born a
second time? Surely it is not possible to enter once again into our
mother's womb? And indeed that is not what the Lord Jesus is talking
about. Yes, He is speaking of a second birth, but He is not referring to
a physical birth, but a spiritual one. It is being born of God, born of
the Spirit. It is the Spirit who gives us a new life.
Having been born of the Spirit, our body becomes His temple and the Holy Spirit now dwells in us. We read this in 1 Corinthians 6:19.
1 Corinthians 6:19
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is
in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?
The verse that follows tells us that we “have been bought with a price”
(v. 20), the price of the death of Christ on the Cross. So as we respond
to God in repentance and faith, we are born of the Spirit, and the
Spirit of God dwells in us, and our body becomes the temple of the Holy
Spirit. All these can be traced back to the death of Christ at the Cross
- the significance of the Cross and its implications.
The almighty God, the Holy Spirit, now dwells in us to teach, guide,
empower, transform, renew and work within us. Ultimately this is what
God is concerned about. His concern for us is not limited to helping us
go through various situations in life. He wants to transform and renew
us from within so that we can grow in moral and spiritual stature and
enter into deep fellowship with Him, actively participating in His
purposes.
The apostle Peter tells us that the way is now open for us to become partakers of the divine nature.
2 Peter 1:4
For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises,
so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having
escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
Isn't it marvellous that we finite human beings, with all our frailties
and sinfulness, can become partakers of the divine nature? The Son of
God took on our human nature in order to identify with us and to die for
us so that we may be able to partake of the divine nature.
The divine nature is related to the character and life of God. With the
Spirit of God dwelling in us and working in us, we can now experience
the reality of God's character being formed within us and thus we are
being conformed to the image of the Son of God. This is God's intention
for His children - not merely our trying to imitate the conduct and ways
of God, but His character being formed in us, and we then manifesting
the character of God in the way we live.
What is the evidence that the Spirit of God is working in us and
transforming our lives? It is the increasing reality of the fruit of the
Spirit becoming a part of our being - love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control. It is not
merely a fleeting experience nor something superficial but has the stamp
of the divine nature and divine reality in it. It is only when we
experience the reality of the transforming process and God's character
being formed within us that we become more able to maintain the love,
joy, peace, patience… and meaning within our hearts even as we go
through all kinds of trials. And it is this kind of reality formed
within us that is really important and critical to the Lord and for the
quality of our life in eternity.
When we, through repentance and faith, enter into this New Covenant, we
also experience and enter into eternal life because we now have the life
of God within us.
Sometimes, believers think that eternal life pertains to eternity and
since eternity is yet to come, so eternal life is in the future. This is
not so. The moment we become God's children, we have eternal life. The
apostle John highlights this in 1 John 5:11, 12.
1 John 5:11, 12
11 And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and
this life is in His Son
12 He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God
does not have the life.
If you have the Son of God, you have eternal life. If you do not have the Son of God, you do not have eternal life. Have you received Christ into your life, in repentance and faith? If He has come into your life, you have the Son of God and you also have eternal life. The apostle John goes on to say:
1 John 5:13
These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of
God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.
The apostle John says, “I write these things... so that you may know...” meaning that God does not want us to remain in ignorance. He wants us to realise that we already have eternal life. It is not something that pertains only to the future. Together with the reality that we are citizens of heaven (the next point), we should therefore live on earth with an eternal perspective and not live like those who are earthbound.
Having being born of the Spirit, we become citizens of heaven. We are in God's kingdom now, even though we are still living in this fallen world.
Philippians 3:20
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a
Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ
So let us realise that as we live in this world, we have dual citizenship. We are citizens of the country we belong to, but we are also citizens of heaven. And although we have earthly responsibilities in this world, even more important are our responsibilities as citizens of God's kingdom. It is in God's kingdom where our priorities lie, that is, in the kingdom that endures, the kingdom that really matters, the kingdom that will not be shaken.
Sometimes we grow a little and we are so elated. We think, “This is it. I have attained.” But realise that the Cross has opened up for us infinite potential for moral and spiritual development of which we have only tasted a little. This is at the heart of God's concern for our lives and we should pay careful attention to it during our time on earth, that is, to seek to learn, grow and attain moral and spiritual stature as much as we can. There are various passages in the Scriptures that speak of this. I will refer to two passages, one in Colossians and the other in Ephesians.
Colossians 1:25-29
25 Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship
from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry
out the preaching of the word of God,
26 that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and
generations, but has now been manifested to His saints,
27 to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of
this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of
glory.
28 We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with
all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ.
29 For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which
mightily works within me.
In the above context, Paul is talking about his ministry, his struggles, his sufferings on behalf of the church (vs. 24, 29). Let's look at some of the areas he brings up here.
Paul said that God called him to be a minister to “fully carry out the preaching of the word of God” (v. 25). The phrase “the preaching of” is not in the original text. So we can say that Paul was called “to fully carry out the word of God”. And this, the apostle did by various ways and means, including preaching. The fuller meaning of the phrase “word of God” encompasses all that God desires to communicate to us. At the heart of what God desires to communicate to us is “the mystery” (v. 26), and at the heart of the mystery is Christ (Col. 2:2), and an important aspect of the mystery is “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (v. 27). The Lord willing, this will be considered in detail in a new series of messages on the mystery and the fulfilment of God's purposes.
Paul explains in verse 26 that to “fully carry out the word of God” involves the fulfilment of the mystery that was hidden in ages past, but which God has now revealed to His people. God's intention is for us to know this mystery, at the heart of which is Christ. One major aspect of the fulfilment of God's purposes is “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (v. 27). Christ in us gives great assurance to us of the great potential within us to rise up to what God desires of our lives - the hope of glory. It gives us hope that we can be changed from selfish, ugly, weak, frail and sinful people into men and women of glory.
It is towards this end that Paul laboured, proclaiming Christ, admonishing and teaching every man with all wisdom so that he might present every man complete in Christ (v. 28). Have we spent time to consider what it means to be complete in Christ? Though we can never attain to its fullness, yet it is the goal that we should move towards - for our own lives as well as the goal of our labour in relation to the lives of others.
Furthermore, Paul says, “For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me” (v. 29). He knows that in order to achieve the goal, he must labour according to the power and wisdom of God. Likewise, we too should labour according to God's power.
In Ephesians 4, Paul again dwells on this subject of being “complete in Christ”. The word translated “complete” in Colossians 1:28 is translated “mature” man in Ephesians 4:13. Here, Paul is talking about personal growth and development in the context of church life or body life. In verse 8, we see that Christ, after He has ascended, gives various gifts to men. These gifts are for the equipping of the saints, for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ (vs. 11, 12). But what is the ultimate direction of all these? Verse 13 gives us the answer.
Ephesians 4:13
until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of
the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which
belongs to the fullness of Christ.
These are very deep things that Paul is talking about: unity of the
faith, knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man. And what is the
direction of this
“mature man”? “To the measure of the stature which belongs to the
fullness of Christ.” And we know Christ is the perfect God. Thus it
means that God wants us to move towards a life of perfection and the
Cross has opened up this possibility. That is why I mentioned earlier of
the infinite potential for moral and spiritual development. Christ in us
and we in Him opens the way for us to move in that direction. I will
elaborate on this significant phrase “in Christ” in the next message.
The Cross opens up for us life in all its fullness. In contrast to the thief who comes only to steal, kill and destroy, the Lord Jesus says, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). God's intention is that we live life in all its richness and fullness and not one that is miserable, poor, deprived. Here we are talking about life in all its richness and fullness in reality. From a worldly perspective, we may appear to be wretched, poor and disadvantaged, but from the perspective of God's kingdom, we need never be so.
We have seen in the above eight points that God has opened up for us
many things in the New Covenant that are very important. But what is our
part in the New Covenant? We may respond to this question in various
ways. But at the heart, it is basically that of
repentance and faith. That is how we enter into the New
Covenant. And that is also how we ought to continue in it.
In Mark 1:15, the Lord Jesus> preached, “Repent and believe in the
gospel.” To enter God's kingdom and enjoy all that God has for us in
Christ, we need to repent and believe. But the principles of repentance
and faith are not only for conversion and entry into God's kingdom; they
continue to be relevant as we fulfil our part in the New Covenant.
To repent is to turn away from our old way of life. Before we came to
know the Lord, we lived a life of sin, self-righteousness, self-life,
self-desires and worldliness. We have now turned away from that kind of
life to God, to walk with and submit to Him, and to live a life of true
discipleship.
The principle of repentance has another important aspect, and that is
having a repentant spirit. Having a repentant spirit would mean whenever
there is wrongdoing or failure, we do not seek to justify ourselves; but
coming to the Lord with a humble and contrite spirit, we confess our
sins, ask for and receive forgiveness, take whatever corrective measures
that are appropriate and carry on from there. We are deeply sorry for
the wrong done, but we are not discouraged. A repentant, contrite spirit
would mean absence of a spirit of rebellion, pride or
self-righteousness.
We need to exercise faith as we fulfil our part in the New Covenant -
faith in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Faith in
what God has done and provided for us through the Cross and in what God
intends for our lives in the New Covenant.
True faith is not just the recognition of truth, or merely having
concepts in our mind. It includes a positive response that is
appropriate to the truth that we have come to understand. It must first
involve insight into the truth. We must pray to God for spiritual
insight so that the truth becomes alive to us. The spiritual insight
must become convictions within us and form the basis upon which we can
properly exercise true faith and live accordingly. This is the life of
faith.
Now if we do not understand the truth, then we exercise our faith in
vain because our faith has no proper basis to rest on and act upon.
Faith in the truth is crucial. Paul tells us that God has chosen us “for
salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth”
(2 Thess. 2:13). So we need to seek the Lord and ask Him to help us know
the truth, have insight into the truth, and then on the basis of the
truth, exercise our faith, according to the guidance and enabling of the
Holy Spirit. And that is our part in the New Covenant.
The Cross is the foundational basis of God's plan of salvation. Salvation in the fullest sense goes beyond conversion and embraces all that God desires for our lives. God is full of redeeming grace towards a fallen world. All of us are lost and God wants to redeem us in His grace. And it is the Cross that opens the way for us, it being the foundational basis for us to enter into and live out the New Covenant - the New Covenant in Christ's blood (1 Cor. 11:25).
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Scripture Quotations
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Appearance & Reality > Death of Christ >
Significance of the Cross >
The New Covenant (1)
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