Jer 31:31 " The LORD says, "The time is coming when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 32 It will not be like the old covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and led them out of Egypt. Although I was like a husband to them, they did not keep that covenant. "
The Old Covenant was the Commandments that God gave to Moses.
Jer 31:33 The new covenant that I will make with the people of Israel will be this: I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
I will put my law within them? This would be the Holy Spirit, would it not? God does not change, but He does make (obviously) new covenants. He didn't abolish the old, because the Old serves as a reminder (Heb. 1:3). He made a New Covenant, He gave us His law written on our hearts and in our minds. So with the Holy Spirit living in each one of us, we know right from wrong. We don't need a list to follow any longer.
34 None of them will have to teach a neighbor to know the LORD, because all will know me, from the least to the greatest. I will forgive their sins and I will no longer remember their wrongs. I, the LORD, have spoken."
We can know the Lord, WITHOUT a person having to point things out or teach us. We can believe and be saved. Then we can read His words, and understand them. Why? Because of the Spirit, because God is living in us! How awesome! How exciting! We need only Him to gain understanding (Gal. 3:20). He lives in our hearts!!!
Even more exciting, now because of Christ dying on the cross, and now the Holy Spirit in us, God no longer remembers our wrongs.
And now because we have the Holy Spirit living inside of us, He shows us the way, He directs our paths. We can choose to listen or not to listen. To truly be saved, means that we follow in God's Ways, we desire to serve Him. We listen to the Lord in us.
Thank you God for making the New Covenant with your people! Because You know how sinful and how inadequate we are. Thank You for confirming to me time and time again of Your goodness and Your grace. Thank You for living in my heart and allowing this me to be a temple for You and Your words. Thank You for Your Comfort and love. Please continue to give me a desire for You and serving You in any ways that You see fit, Lord. I love You so much!!!
2 comments:
Ok, not a sister (I'm starting to think maybe I shouldn't be poking around on this blog)), but here's my two cents:
You hear people say, "God does not change." And that's true...but what some people don't realize is that the means by which He relates to people HAS changed.
As children of God, we no longer relate to God by the terms of the law. This is why I love this verse. You can see it right there: "It will not be like the old covenant...." In other words, our relationship with Him is not dependent on what we do for the Lord; rather, it's all dependent on what He HAS DONE for us. Remember, "It is finished."?
That's the difference between the Old and New Covenants.
Is the Old Covenant gone? No it isn't; it's for the lawless and sinners, to point them to Christ. "But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor."
I love the New Covenant.
I can call you MISTER... K Bill? You are absolutely right. I had read this passage before, then last night one verse lead to another, which lead to another. Then I came to the New Covenant. It's so encouraging. I love it too!!!
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