Tuesday, March 22, 2022

Commentary: The Covenant Day


by Guy C. LaMar

IN accordance with the promises that God gave to Abraham, as recorded in Genesis 15:3-6 and Genesis 22:15-18, our Lord Jesus Christ began the New Covenant on Passover day. Therefore the 14th of the 1st month - Passover day - can rightly be called the Covenant Day.

Our Lord Jesus Himself is the One who established this day as the Covenant Day by His commands for this day and by His actions on this day!

Our Lord Jesus Himself made the Covenant Day - Passover - the primary day, and the only day, for the renewal of the NEW COVENANT relationship between each individual true Christian, God the Father, and Himself.

This New Covenant relationship can only be entered into by the operation of the loving grace of God. And, God's loving grace begins with the calling by God the Father - cf. John 6:44.

Each individual person must respond to God the Father's calling by repentance, proper baptism, and loving obedience to the living Word of God, Truth of God, and the ultimate Plan of God. And when these conditions are fulfilled, Jesus Christ will "'pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper'" (John 14:15-17) - the glorious Holy Spirit to each individual person He calls out of this world.

The Holy Spirit enables each person to worship God in spirit and in truth! Recall: "'But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him'" - John 4:23.

"'God is Spirit, and those who worship Him, must [In Greek dei, meaning "it is a must, it is necessary, ought" - Strong's #1163] worship in spirit [or, through the Spirit of God; aided by the very mind of Jesus Christ] and truth'" - vs. 24.

What our Lord Jesus is revealing by these words is not just a suggestion - IT IS A COMMAND! The Greek text is emphatic - it is an imperative command! Our Lord Jesus is revealing the ONLY WAY to enter into the New Covenant relationship with God the Father.

This New Covenant relationship is offered only to those who love God the Father and Jesus Christ and keep Their commandments and live "'by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God'" - Matthew 4:4.

This is the FOUNDATION of the true Christian faith by the loving grace of God under the New Covenant!

The only Way to God the Father is through Jesus Christ! He Himself established the New Covenant with His own blood, and He Himself reveals the ONE TRUE WAY to enter into that special relationship with God the Father.

Our Lord Jesus emphatically states, "'I AM the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me'" - John 14:6.

God the Father's very Plan for the redemption of all mankind is revealed in the life and death of our Lord Jesus Christ - Our Passover! Notice: "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone" - Hebrews 2:9.

No human work can possibly replace or be substituted for this awesome sacrifice of Jesus Christ! His precious blood alone can reconcile us to God the Father. And once we have been reconciled, it is through the risen Jesus Christ, as our High Priest, at the right hand of God the Father, that we are saved by the loving grace of God.

"But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5) even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6) and raised us up together [through the operation of proper baptism], and made us sit together in the heavenly places [through the begettal of God's Holy Spirit] in Christ Jesus, 7) that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves [In Greek ou, meaning "no, not, not at all, in no way, absolutely not" - Strong's #3756]; it is a gift of God, 9) not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10) For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" - Ephesians 2:4-10.

True Christians are to continually worship God the Father and Jesus Christ in spirit and in truth. They are in actual true covenant with God the Father and Jesus Christ!

And because they worship God as He commanded, they are faithfully and lovingly keeping the Christian Passover as commanded by Jesus Christ in the New Testament. They are observing it on the correct Covenant Day for the annual renewing of the New Covenant.

This means that they are faithfully observing the Christian Passover on the 14th day of Nisan (the 1st month according to the calculated Hebrew calendar) which is April 14th at sunset until April 15th at sunset according to the Gregorian calendar, 2022. The same time of day that our Lord Jesus instituted the new symbols, and the proper manner He Himself commanded at His last Passover. Each year, they fulfill all THREE PARTS of the Passover exactly as our Lord Jesus commanded:
  1. Participating in the foot washing.
  2. Eating the unleavened bread and,
  3. Partaking of the wine.
So, by partaking of the Christian Passover, as our Lord Jesus Christ commanded, they are rededicating their lives to walk in His Way and live their lives by Him. Recall: "'He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57) As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me'" - John 6:56-57.

Our Christian relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father is renewed each year by participating in the Christian Passover.

The true meaning of the Christian Passover goes far beyond understanding the correct day and the correct manner for its observance.

In reality, the Christian Passover is the FOUNDATION of God's ultimate Plan for the redemption of all mankind - now and for all eternity!

God the Father gives us His glorious and magnificent love and grace THROUGH Jesus Christ Our Passover!

Let us properly partake of the symbols of the New Covenant as our Lord Jesus Christ commanded.

Let us renew our covenant relationship with God the Father and Jesus Christ.

Let us rededicate our lives in the love and grace of God as we partake of the New Covenant Passover - the Christian Passover.

It is like when we were baptized, we took on a NEW self. □


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1 comment:

  1. I appreciate your serving the brethren, and thanks.....

    ReplyDelete

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