TITLE:  MY RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IS BASE ON HIS GOODNESS NOT REGULATIONS AND LAWS

TITLE:  MY RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IS BASE ON HIS GOODNESS NOT REGULATIONS AND LAWS

SCRIPTURE:

“For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. 8 But God found fault with the people and said: “The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah.  9 It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord.  10 This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord.  I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts.  I will be their God, and they will be my people.  11 No longer will they teach their neighbor or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.  12 For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”  13 By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete, and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.”  (Hebrews 8:7—13 NIV)

OBSERVATION:

            There was nothing wrong with the first covenant from God’s point of view.  God does not make mistakes.  So, what was wrong with the first covenant?  God found fault with the people of Israel.  God made the first covenant with the Israelite’s ancestors while they were in Egypt, crying out for deliverance.  God heard their cry, and he led their ancestors by the hand and led them out of Egypt, yet they did not remain faithful to the covenant. Thus, God turned away from them. 

            The problem the children of Israel had was unfaithfulness.  God walked close to them.  He took them by the hand and led them out, yet they became unfaithful to God.  Many things had happened to the people of Israel in their journey with God.  They became a divided nation.  Thus, God said the days are coming when he will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. 

            The new covenant will not be like the old covenant in terms of regulations regarding their ancestors but on the basis of an oath that God gave about Christ, the indestructible life that will be in them. The new covenant will not be written on tablets of stones but in the tablets of their hearts.

            This covenant is based on the power of Christ, the indestructible life. 

• I will put my laws in their minds.
• I will write my laws on their hearts
• I will be their God
• They will be my people
• They will no longer have to be taught by their neighbors to Know the Lord because they will know me from the youngest to the greatest.
• I will forgive their wickedness.
• I will remember their sins no more.

This is the new covenant.  The new covenant is not on stone tablets but on the tablets of their hearts.  It is no longer based on regulations regarding their ancestors, but now it is something everyone has in their hearts.  The old covenant is gone, but the new covenant is in.  The old covenant is obsolete, trying to follow the rules and regulations, but now is an individual’s response based on the power of the indestructible life, which is Christ.  In other words, it is no longer a regulation, but God has given himself as a guarantor of the new covenant.  This is so powerful.  It is a great reminder of my relationship with Christ, the power of the indestructible life.  My relationship with Christ will not depend on regulations but on his person.       

APPLICATION:

            I am grateful for this reminder today that I do not need to come to Christ based on regulations but on his life living in me.  The truth is relationships cannot be regulated.  My relationship with God must be based on his goodness, faithfulness, and love extended to me as an unworthy sinner.  I am forever grateful for God’s grace and mercy extended to me unmerited.

PRAYER:

            Heavenly Father, I come to you in deep humility to acknowledge your grace and mercy.  I am forever grateful for your goodness by giving to me the power of your indestructible life to live in me.  Thank you for your goodness and mercy.  Thank you for being the initiator and the finisher of my faith.  Thank you for putting your laws in my mind and heart.  Thank you for being my God.  Thank you for allowing me to know you personally.  Thank you for the forgiveness of my sin and wickedness.  Thank you for not remembering my sins as you should, but forgive me and cleanse all my sins.  I pray all these in Jesus’ name.  Amen!