Psalm
103:1-2
Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within
me, bless his holy name. 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his
benefits.
Hebrews 8:6-10
10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of
Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind,
and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be
to me a people.
Understanding Covenant-Living
As revealed in
scripture, there are many wonderful benefits to being a child of God! However,
every benefit or blessing we receive
from the Lord is only made possible through our covenant relationship with
Him. It is a fact that God has
historically dealt with mankind according to covenant. A covenant is a mutual agreement between two
parties to fulfill certain promises or commitments made. A covenant differs from a contract in that
covenants are typically based on relationship.
When we except Jesus as our savior, then a covenant relationship between
God and us is established. Afterwards,
the believer lives daily in accordance with the covenant he or she has with God
(covenant-living). The word of God
serves as the policy for our lives to help us stay in covenant with God while
experiencing all of His benefits. It is
the very heart of the Father that we experience all of his benefits through
“covenant living”.
Covenant-Living
vs Comfort-Living
Oftentimes we don’t
experience the full benefits of covenant living because we conveniently switch
over from covenant-living into comfort-living. What’s the difference?
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Covenant-Living
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Comfort-Living
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Pleasing God
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Pleasing Self
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Self-Denial
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Self-Gratifying
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Based on Love
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Based on Lust
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Long-term commitment
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Short-term commitment
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Reproving Sin
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Excusing Sin
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Relationship-driven
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Stuff-driven
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Covenant
Expectations
What does
God expect from us in our covenant with Him?
a)
God expects obedience.
1 Samuel 15:22
And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings
and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better
than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
b)
God expects holiness and righteousness.
Leviticus 19:2
Speak unto all the
congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy.
1 John 3:7
Little children, let no man deceive you: he
that doeth righteousness is
righteous, even as he is righteous.
c) God expects unwavering commitment.
Exodus 34:14
For thou shalt worship
no other god: for the Lord,
whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
Joshua 24:15
And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day
whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your
fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of
the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
d) God expects our
relationships with others to be a reflection
of our covenant with Him.
1 John 4:20
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his
brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen,
how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
Benefits of Covenant-Living
1)
God’s protection.
Psalm 91:9-11
Because
thou hast made the Lord,
which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; 10 There
shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. 11 For
he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
2) God’s prosperity.
Job
36:11
If they obey and serve him, they shall
spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
3) God’s promise of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:38
Then Peter said unto
them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for
the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all
that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
4) God’s forgiveness of our sins.
Isaiah 45:25
I, even I, am he that
blotteth out thy transgressions
for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.
5) God’s Grace Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace are ye saved
through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works,
lest any man should boast.
Romans 3:20-24
Therefore no one will be declared
righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become
conscious of sin. 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.
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