The covenant between God and humanity goes beyond religious dogma and doctrine alone; instead it defines our relationship with heaven. By accepting the covenant, we open our lives to God’s love and His promise of salvation.
Part II: Commentary
Painter Willem de Kooning, who lived in New York City, spent time in rural North Carolina, and one evening he and his wife exited a party and walked outside. The sky was cloudless; the stars sizzled. “It was a sight never seen in the city, where the reflected glare blanked out the stars and only a slice of the sky was visible from a loft window. ‘Let’s go back to the party,’ de Kooning said suddenly. ‘The universe gives me the creeps.’ ”—Mark Stevens and Annalyn Swan, de Kooning: An American Master (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc., 2006), pp. 263, 264.
The Creeps?
Sure, a place measured in light-years by entities like us, measured in feet and inches, would seem creepy. And then, squatting for millennia at the center of the universe (or so we thought), only to be ingloriously exiled to the fringes of one galaxy out of trillions—our egos have taken a hit.
“The life of a man,” David Hume lamented, “is of no greater importance to the universe than that of an oyster.”
That depends upon the universe, actually. In a meaningless, purposeless, and godless one, you could make that argument, perhaps (though even then, an oyster?). But not in the universe depicted in Scripture like this: “Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus” (Matt. 1:24, 25, NKJV).
Humanity is so important that the God who created the universe became part of it. (Compared to what it took to make the universe in the first place, becoming part of it would be easy.) The One whose creation is measured in light-years shrank into Someone measured in feet and inches.
Willem de Kooning, limited by the laws of nature, couldn’t transform himself into one of his creations. But God, not limited by those laws, could—and did, and that’s who Jesus of Nazareth was. The Creator became a person, a human being who, as one of us, has thus linked Himself to us with ties that will never be broken.
And central to the covenant promise is what Christ did by coming and dying so that we have the promise of eternal life. This is ours not by works but by grace, and it becomes ours by faith.
And faith, like a chariot wheel, rolls us to the portals of grace. To believe in Christ means to believe that Christ’s death possesses the omnipotence to eradicate every past sin. This is called justification by faith. To believe on Christ means to believe that the Paraclete (the cosmic Comforter), through Christ’s priesthood, can impart omnipresent grace to overcome our character deficiencies. This is called sanctification by faith. To believe Christ simply means to trust His omniscience. It means to lean the entire personality on the flawless, life-changing mind and heart of the Resurrection and the Life. Yes, we are saved by grace, but faith is the bus ride that transports us to the venue of grace.
New Covenant and Eternal Life
“Throughout the NT this good news about the resurrection is far more than interesting data about the future. It transforms life in the present by investing it with meaning and hope. Because of their confidence about their destiny, Christians already live a new kind of life. Those who live in the hope of sharing the glory of God are transformed into different people. They can even rejoice in suffering, because their lives are motivated by hope.”—John C. Brunt, “Resurrection and Glorification,” in Handbook of Seventh-day Adventist Theology, p. 349.
New Covenant and Mission
“The ultimate focus of all Bible prophecy and salvation history is the establishment of the kingdom of God on earth. Holy Scripture begins with Paradise created and lost (Gen. 1–3) and ends in the NT with Paradise restored (Rev. 21; 22). The election of Israel as the chosen covenant people of God was not an end in itself but God’s appointed way to establish a visible sign before the nations of the justice and peace of the coming kingdom of God. Christ Jesus taught the New Covenant people, His church, to pray, ‘Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven’ (Matt. 6:10). Thus the apostolic gospel message received its apocalyptic perspective in fundamental continuity with God’s covenant with ancient Israel.” —Hans K. LaRondelle, “The Remnant and the Three Angels’ Messages,” in Handbook of Seventh-day Adventist Theology, p. 857.
Part III: Life Application
For Reflection: Browsing through a book of quotations, you may note that the most fascinating quotes are often statements made by people on their deathbeds. A famous atheist’s last words were “About to take a fearful leap into the dark!” All of God’s covenants, all of His promises, are nailed to one simple desire—He wants to save us from sin. With the end of life comes the verdict of our covenant relationship.
1. A pastor said, “I believe in deathbed confessions. I know God accepts them, but I have to admit I’m a bit nervous about them. I can’t help wondering if the confession is absolutely genuine.” It is natural to speculate about the motives of others. How does God view the approaching sinner asking for salvation? How does God’s knowledge of the future affect His response?
2. Entering into a covenant relationship with God cleanses us of guilt and regret. It also fills us with joy. Imagine what happens in the courts of heaven when you take the first step toward eternity in heaven. What do you think your guardian angel might say? In the heavenly scheme of things, how does entering into a covenant relationship with God affect your access to eternal life?
3. Two thieves hung on either side of Jesus. One mocked Him. The other asked for salvation.With what confidence can a person claim God’s promise after years of turning away? Notice that Jesus did not address the thief until the thief spoke to Him. What does this say about the role of the Holy Spirit? How does this help us to understand that we can ask for salvation regardless of how hopeless we think we might be? The thief lived only a short while after accepting Christ. What impact, however, can his life as a Christian have on others? How does entering into a covenant relationship with God affect our response to missions and evangelism?
4. Someone has described the thief’s eleventh-hour salvation as “literally blundering into Paradise.” Do some people try to take advantage of God’s grace by waiting to accept Christ after they have lived the way they want, as the thief did? Explain. How would you convince a person of the importance of accepting Christ now instead of waiting until the eleventh hour?
5. Ambrose, an early Christian preacher, said, “How much richer was Christ’s grace than the malefactor’s prayer!” Why do we sometimes question our Christianity when there is more than enough of God’s grace to compensate for our every sin? Why is being a Christian more than claiming the title? Does being a Christian mean you will be saved? Explain. What verses could you quote to verify your salvation?
6. Many people spend their lives looking for happiness, which is usually fairly elusive. Joy, a fruit of the Spirit, is something we should hope for. What is the difference between happiness and joy? Is joy, like happiness, something we can presumably achieve, or is it, like salvation, given to us? Explain.
7. There are many things we are capable of doing that are worthy of feelings of guilt. God through Christ offers us a way to escape from that guilt. Does that necessarily mean we can, or should, stop feeling guilty? Is it irresponsible to do so? Explain.
8. We often hear the expression “Let your conscience be your guide.” Is your conscience identical to the new heart that God promises in a number of places in the Bible? Is your conscience really that reliable of a guide?
9. Jesus promises us eternal life through faith in Him. Why is eternal life desirable? Does it mean something other than merely living one day after another, without an end in sight? How do you think eternal life with Christ will be qualitatively different from our current existence?
10. Our current task as Christians in the world is to spread the good news of Christ to the world. Does this mean that all Christians must have the personalities of persuasive salespeople? Why, or why not? How can Christ use the whole spectrum of personalities and talents to bring His message to those who need it?
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Study Focus: John 10:10
Part I: Overview
The covenant between God and humanity goes beyond religious dogma and doctrine alone; instead it defines our relationship with heaven. By accepting the covenant, we open our lives to God’s love and His promise of salvation.
Part II: Commentary
Painter Willem de Kooning, who lived in New York City, spent time in rural North Carolina, and one evening he and his wife exited a party and walked outside. The sky was cloudless; the stars sizzled. “It was a sight never seen in the city, where the reflected glare blanked out the stars and only a slice of the sky was visible from a loft window. ‘Let’s go back to the party,’ de Kooning said suddenly. ‘The universe gives me the creeps.’ ”—Mark Stevens and Annalyn Swan, de Kooning: An American Master (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc., 2006), pp. 263, 264.
The Creeps?
Sure, a place measured in light-years by entities like us, measured in feet and inches, would seem creepy. And then, squatting for millennia at the center of the universe (or so we thought), only to be ingloriously exiled to the fringes of one galaxy out of trillions—our egos have taken a hit.
“The life of a man,” David Hume lamented, “is of no greater importance to the universe than that of an oyster.”
That depends upon the universe, actually. In a meaningless, purposeless, and godless one, you could make that argument, perhaps (though even then, an oyster?). But not in the universe depicted in Scripture like this: “Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus” (Matt. 1:24, 25, NKJV).
Humanity is so important that the God who created the universe became part of it. (Compared to what it took to make the universe in the first place, becoming part of it would be easy.) The One whose creation is measured in light-years shrank into Someone measured in feet and inches.
Willem de Kooning, limited by the laws of nature, couldn’t transform himself into one of his creations. But God, not limited by those laws, could—and did, and that’s who Jesus of Nazareth was. The Creator became a person, a human being who, as one of us, has thus linked Himself to us with ties that will never be broken.
And central to the covenant promise is what Christ did by coming and dying so that we have the promise of eternal life. This is ours not by works but by grace, and it becomes ours by faith.
And faith, like a chariot wheel, rolls us to the portals of grace. To believe in Christ means to believe that Christ’s death possesses the omnipotence to eradicate every past sin. This is called justification by faith. To believe on Christ means to believe that the Paraclete (the cosmic Comforter), through Christ’s priesthood, can impart omnipresent grace to overcome our character deficiencies. This is called sanctification by faith. To believe Christ simply means to trust His omniscience. It means to lean the entire personality on the flawless, life-changing mind and heart of the Resurrection and the Life. Yes, we are saved by grace, but faith is the bus ride that transports us to the venue of grace.
New Covenant and Eternal Life
“Throughout the NT this good news about the resurrection is far more than interesting data about the future. It transforms life in the present by investing it with meaning and hope. Because of their confidence about their destiny, Christians already live a new kind of life. Those who live in the hope of sharing the glory of God are transformed into different people. They can even rejoice in suffering, because their lives are motivated by hope.”—John C. Brunt, “Resurrection and Glorification,” in Handbook of Seventh-day Adventist Theology, p. 349.
New Covenant and Mission
“The ultimate focus of all Bible prophecy and salvation history is the establishment of the kingdom of God on earth. Holy Scripture begins with Paradise created and lost (Gen. 1–3) and ends in the NT with Paradise restored (Rev. 21; 22). The election of Israel as the chosen covenant people of God was not an end in itself but God’s appointed way to establish a visible sign before the nations of the justice and peace of the coming kingdom of God. Christ Jesus taught the New Covenant people, His church, to pray, ‘Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven’ (Matt. 6:10). Thus the apostolic gospel message received its apocalyptic perspective in fundamental continuity with God’s covenant with ancient Israel.” —Hans K. LaRondelle, “The Remnant and the Three Angels’ Messages,” in Handbook of Seventh-day Adventist Theology, p. 857.
Part III: Life Application
For Reflection: Browsing through a book of quotations, you may note that the most fascinating quotes are often statements made by people on their deathbeds. A famous atheist’s last words were “About to take a fearful leap into the dark!” All of God’s covenants, all of His promises, are nailed to one simple desire—He wants to save us from sin. With the end of life comes the verdict of our covenant relationship.
1. A pastor said, “I believe in deathbed confessions. I know God accepts them, but I have to admit I’m a bit nervous about them. I can’t help wondering if the confession is absolutely genuine.” It is natural to speculate about the motives of others. How does God view the approaching sinner asking for salvation? How does God’s knowledge of the future affect His response?2. Entering into a covenant relationship with God cleanses us of guilt and regret. It also fills us with joy. Imagine what happens in the courts of heaven when you take the first step toward eternity in heaven. What do you think your guardian angel might say? In the heavenly scheme of things, how does entering into a covenant relationship with God affect your access to eternal life?3. Two thieves hung on either side of Jesus. One mocked Him. The other asked for salvation.With what confidence can a person claim God’s promise after years of turning away? Notice that Jesus did not address the thief until the thief spoke to Him. What does this say about the role of the Holy Spirit? How does this help us to understand that we can ask for salvation regardless of how hopeless we think we might be? The thief lived only a short while after accepting Christ. What impact, however, can his life as a Christian have on others? How does entering into a covenant relationship with God affect our response to missions and evangelism?4. Someone has described the thief’s eleventh-hour salvation as “literally blundering into Paradise.” Do some people try to take advantage of God’s grace by waiting to accept Christ after they have lived the way they want, as the thief did? Explain. How would you convince a person of the importance of accepting Christ now instead of waiting until the eleventh hour?5. Ambrose, an early Christian preacher, said, “How much richer was Christ’s grace than the malefactor’s prayer!” Why do we sometimes question our Christianity when there is more than enough of God’s grace to compensate for our every sin? Why is being a Christian more than claiming the title? Does being a Christian mean you will be saved? Explain. What verses could you quote to verify your salvation?6. Many people spend their lives looking for happiness, which is usually fairly elusive. Joy, a fruit of the Spirit, is something we should hope for. What is the difference between happiness and joy? Is joy, like happiness, something we can presumably achieve, or is it, like salvation, given to us? Explain.7. There are many things we are capable of doing that are worthy of feelings of guilt. God through Christ offers us a way to escape from that guilt. Does that necessarily mean we can, or should, stop feeling guilty? Is it irresponsible to do so? Explain.8. We often hear the expression “Let your conscience be your guide.” Is your conscience identical to the new heart that God promises in a number of places in the Bible? Is your conscience really that reliable of a guide?9. Jesus promises us eternal life through faith in Him. Why is eternal life desirable? Does it mean something other than merely living one day after another, without an end in sight? How do you think eternal life with Christ will be qualitatively different from our current existence?10. Our current task as Christians in the world is to spread the good news of Christ to the world. Does this mean that all Christians must have the personalities of persuasive salespeople? Why, or why not? How can Christ use the whole spectrum of personalities and talents to bring His message to those who need it?