COVENANT
Dear Reader,
One of the goals of The Three Taverns is to inject fresh perspectives and encouragement into our lives. Sometimes that is political, sometimes spiritual, sometimes financial or entertainment. Our goal is to connect people willing to explore through discussions online but also face-to-face as reflected in the “Tavern Talks” I host at The Mission Cigar and Social (see below). In whatever way we can communicate let’s keep the conversations going!
I hope this small study opens up some fresh revelation.
All covenants that God made with men have been broken. Not because God could not keep them, but because WE didn't.
All covenants God made that are eternal He actually made with Himself.
Take, for example, the covenant with Moses and the people of Israel. The keeping of this covenant was totally dependent on the behavior of the people. God would keep His side, that was without question. But the people of Israel would remain a blessed nation only through performing according to the covenant reflected in the Ten "Words", or Ten Commandments.
But the covenant with Abraham is eternal. It preceded the covenant with Moses. And it was not bi-lateral, meaning between two parties, but it was UNI-LATERAL. God made it with Abraham based solely on God's own performance of bringing forth the Seed of Abraham, which was Himself in the Messiah. (see Galatians 3:19-20) We know it was a one-sided unilateral covenant because when it was ratified Abraham was asleep! (see Gen. 15:12 when God ratified the covenant) Abraham got into its blessings by merely believing it.
The covenant with David was also eternal. David had told God that he wanted to build Him a house, but God told him instead, “No, you can’t build me a house because your hands are too bloody. But I will build YOU a house.” (see 2 Samuel 7) God told him that he would make a kingdom that followed in David's family line, and that there would be a King and Priest who occupies the throne of David throughout all time. But this covenant was not made with David. It was overheard by David, but it was made between God the Father and God the Son. Psalm 110 is the most quoted Psalm in the New Testament scriptures and the writers and preachers there who quote it understand this to be fulfilled by the Messiah, Jesus.
We are the recipients of the blessings of this covenant. The life in Christ begins not with a big "DO" but with a big "DONE" because God took it upon Himself to finish it. We enter into the benefits by changing our minds about God and sin (repenting of missing the mark by aiming at the wrong things) and believing on the Lord Jesus Christ.
We enter into God's eternal covenants by belief in Christ Jesus.
God doesn’t join OUR program; we join HIS!
I define belief as "by-life" submission to the Person of Jesus Christ. Belief = by life.
It must be more than just a mental nod-- "sure, yeah, I believe in Jesus!" It is a "by-life" surrender to the Truth because we are told that even demons believe and shudder but they are not saved. "You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Well, good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror." (James 2:19) So saving belief must be more than merely knowing that Jesus and judgment is real. It is submitting “by life” to His plan.
Once you enter into this kind of relationship with the Savior and King He lives inside of you, He becomes your very life, and He begins an amazing work of changing you into His likeness. We don’t ADD Him to our life as one more activity to attend, he BECOMES our life. Jesus is the only plan of God for our eternal life.
This is Good News because it is simple, provable and eternal. This is the only way God could guarantee these covenants, because HE HIMSELF decided He would keep them.
Covenants between people are routinely broken, such as the marriage covenant. Covenants between people and God have always been broken, even from those who had incredible experiences with God's power, such as the Hebrews delivered from Egypt. But the covenant from God to Abraham, that God would give the whole earth to Abraham and his offspring (Romans 4:13) will never be broken. The covenant between God and David, that there would be a King on the throne of David for eternity (Isaiah 9:7), will never be broken. The covenant between the Father and the Son for that the enemies of God will be humbled under the feet of Jesus, and that Jesus would be a priest eternally for all believers (Psalm 110) will never be broken.
God does not join our plans. We are invited to join HIS. And we get in on these covenants NOT because we decide to “act like a Christian” but because we are invited to join HIM in HIS plans. And they are guaranteed to all who believe them.
JON SPARKS AT TAVERN TALKS
If you are local in the MID-TN area you are welcome to join us Tuesday mornings at “Tavern Talks.”
Jon Sparks will share his story with us at the next "Tavern Talks" on May 7th.
Jon is authentic, open-handed and open-hearted and loved by lots of folks. He's a gentle giant unless you get on the wrong side! Jon loves God, the "red head", life, cigars, the military, and lots of laughs. Come hear what he has to say.
7am at the The Mission Cigar & Social on Tuesday morning.
Bring your bible, your coffee, and Febreze if you want to freshen up before going to the office! Cigars are available for sale for guys who want their first one of the day.
We've had some fantastic meetings; come join us and make them even better!
Thanks to Mark Collins, Monte Collins, and William Horton and the Mission team for making these gatherings possible.
Looking up,
Tod Bell
Chief Tavern Host
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