Covenant Life

Part 6 - Covenant Obedience

The best way to understand the place of good works in the Christian life is from the perspective of covenant. God Himself explains. "'Behold, days are coming,' declares the Lord, 'when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah... But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,' declares the Lord, 'I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people'" (Jeremiah 31:31 and 33). The basic covenant promise is at the end of the text. "I will be their God, and they shall be My people." This is appended to God's promise to write His Law on our hearts.

Ezekiel 36:26-27 gives the divine interpretation. "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances." Christians have new hearts. They are born again (John 3:3 and 5). They have new spirits. They are favorably disposed and inclined to the things of God (Romans 8:6). The Holy Spirit powers these new hearts and inclinations. "The love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us" (Romans 5:5). We cry to God with Psalm 119:97, "O how I love Your law!" The power of love for God and His commandments, born of the Spirit, causes us to observe God's ordinances self-consciously and deliberately. Thus God writes His law within us an on our hearts.

The apostle Paul puts all of this into a New Testament context in the church. "Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life" (2 Corinthians 3:5-6). We are servants of a new covenant born of the Spirit. The law was formerly written in stone. It is now written on our hearts.

Legalism kills. Thinking observance of the Law earns us a place with God is deadly. Woe to World Trade Center heroes who rely on their good deeds for divine approval. On the other hand, following God's commandments as an outgrowth of love for God born of the Spirit confirms our covenantal relationship with Him. Those who went to their deaths in rescue efforts trusting Jesus Christ have divine approval.

If God loves you through Jesus Christ, your reflexive response is love for God. You display your love in worship and service. You love the church and you love God's people. You faithfully attend the means of grace. You honor your parents. You value life and teach your children to value life. You are faithful in your marriage and in other relationships. You protect your own property and the property of others. You tell the truth and live by the truth at work and at play. Because the love of God fills your heart you are not greedy or lustful.

Maybe there are some areas to work on here. Because of a love for God in your heart, you acknowledge this and commit yourself to more faithful covenant living. God loves you. You therefore love and obey Him.