08/17 The Everlasting Covenant

Date: Friday August 17, 2012
Today’s Chapters: Jeremiah 30-31
Message Title: The Everlasting Covenant
Hello My Friend,

A covenant is an agreement, a legal contract, so to speak, between two people, it is written down, sealed, and to be executed just as the two agreed upon. Should one of the two break the covenant a penalty must be paid. When God created the first to people of the human race He made a covenant with them, “You are free to enjoy everything here, except one tree, do not eat any fruit from it or you die.” Of course, we all know that Eve was tempted by Satan, ate of the fruit from the tree, then gave some to Adam, and from that moment on the covenant between God and man was broken, the penalty, death, and for that one breach of the contract that penalty was passed down to all of us. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” – Romans 5:12.

God decided to make a way for the covenant to be reconciled, first, He chose some people, Israel, then He made a new covenant with them, “Obey my commands and I will be your God and you will be my people, and there is nothing I will not do for you.” Of course, we all know that Israel broke that covenant time and time again, but God never broke the covenant Himself, always promising to keep them a nation. “(For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.” -Deuteronomy 4:31.

God instructs Jeremiah to write down the words He has given him in a book concerning this promise. “Thus speaketh the LORD God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book. For, lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the LORD: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it. Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid. For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished. For thus saith the LORD, Thy bruise is incurable, and thy wound is grievous.” -Jeremiah 30:2,3,10-12.

What God is saying here that no sin goes unpunished, even those who are saved must face the consequences of their sins, but God promises that all who are saved remain saved, we cannot lose our salvation if we are living in sin. Never let a person, even a priest or pastor, convince you that you can lose your salvation. Once saved, always saved. Jesus died on the cross one time, that means we only have to ask Him once to save us, but that gift does not give us a free pass to live in sin and not face any consequences for them. “Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.” -Romans 6:8-12.

Through Jeremiah, God reconfirms His promise to the remnant of Israel (those who believe in Jesus) being carried into Babylon as well as the ones who were scattered all over the world. “At the same time, saith the LORD, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people. Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest. Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock. For the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he. Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.” – Jeremiah 31:1,2,10-12.

This promise is not only for the believing Jews, but all who come to the Shepherd, Jesus is our shepherd, He knows who are His, He is always watching over us, keeping us out of harms way, or directing us out of our troubles. One day we will no longer have to deal with Satan, sin, suffering, or pain, but until then there is nothing Jesus would not do for us, after all, He did lay down His life for us. “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.” – John 10:14-16.

The everlasting covenant, the promise of eternal life, is granted to those who believe in the finished work of Christ, which is His death on the cross, burial, and resurrection. Our belief and acceptance of Christ is the one and only signature that God accepts to give us eternal life. Once we believe and receive Him as our Savior God places that seal upon us, writes our name down in the book of life, and agrees to give us eternal life. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” – Romans 5:8-10.

Anyone can sign the agreement, it’s a verbal agreement, but no one can sign it for you, and God cannot place it upon you without your consent. You must verbally tell God that you believe that Christ died for you and that He alone is the only way to be pardoned of the death penalty placed upon you. Just like one man caused the breach of contract that separated us from God, one man amended the contract. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of onejudgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.” – Romans 10:9,10,17,18. Praise God!

Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You for the covenant that You made with me for believing in Your Son and accepting Him in my life. It is sad to learn that a large majority of people build their hopes and dreams on that which will pass away, but we who believe in Your Son build our lives on the better covenant which will be completely fulfilled as we cross over to the Promised Land. How wonderful to know that You save to the uttermost and no one will be denied a place in heaven who comes to You through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Thank You Jesus for laying down Your life for me and giving me eternal life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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