Covenant of Sacrifice...(God is Love Series Part II)

August 20, 2009

Danielle Joyner Kelley

“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.” Luke 22:20.

What we typically include in our personal definition of love is whether or not someone honors their side of the bargain. In our “give and take” nature, we want something back for putting ourselves out there. Because we attach those types of strings to our love, we see this as a contract.

However true love is not a contract, it is a covenant. Covenants have existed since early in time. For example, God made a covenant with Noah after Noah obeyed His command to build an ark promising that He would not flood the world again, and the rainbow was the sign of that covenant. Genesis 9. He also established a covenant with Abraham (then Abram) telling him that he would be “the father of many nations”, but he had to obey certain laws involving the flesh.

Simply put, a covenant is a promise from God to people on Earth, and there are two sides: God and the other person (or people). At times, these covenants appear as a promise from God without us having to do anything. Other times show that we act to fulfill our part of the bargain and inherit His promise. Regardless, God always does more on His part whether or not we do any work.

Under the old covenant, seen in the Old Testament, work done by people dealt in large measure with forgiveness. People were aware of God’s law, what sin was, and what we should and should not do. At that time animals were sacrificed by people as offerings for sins. “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life.” Leviticus 17:11. But animals were not enough to cure our shortcomings. “But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins." Hebrews 10:3.

Our shortcomings came in large part from the fact that historically, people could recite the law but failed to follow it. Because of our human nature we are prone to those falls. “I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” Romans 7:18-19.

Something had to be done to save humankind. God established a new covenant, in the New Testament, that took the place of the old one, and Jesus was the final sacrifice and the way to God despite our sins. “Then he said, ‘Here I am, I have come to do your will.’ He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Hebrews 10:9-10.

The enemy has convinced people this story does not make sense, but Christians know better. After Jesus death, the Holy Spirit was sent to live within believers, and He is the guide into “all truth”. John 16:13. He provides the explanations we seek, including why this event took place. “The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: "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.” Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” Hebrews 10:15-17; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Isaiah 59:21.

God gave us a way to follow Him through the Holy Spirit’s guidance. “And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:3-4.

All that was asked of humankind was to believe. “But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:21-24.

In a contract, our obligation would not be equal to the work God had to do. In such an instance, the contract would likely be rendered unenforceable.

Luckily for us true love is a covenant and not a contract.