Jeremiah 31
But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
Ezekiel 36
22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went. 23 I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord,” declares the Lord God, “when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight. 24 For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land. 25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 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. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. 28 You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God. 29 Moreover, I will save you from all your uncleanness; and I will call for the grain and multiply it, and I will not [j]bring a famine on you. 30 I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field, so that you will not receive again the disgrace of famine among the nations. 31 Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and your abominations. 32 I am not doing this for your sake,” declares the Lord God, “let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel!”
---
A new nature is promised, desires change, a new heart, a loathing of the old self. Though these promises are made to Israel, Paul expounds on the grafting in of the nations to 'Israel' through faith in Christ. So we are one body, Jew and gentile. I was actually reading Hebrews 10 this morning and the concept of the new covenant struck me as absolutely incredible. God under no obligation decided to make it, where he not only forgives our sin through Christ but causes in us an actual desire to obey and power to actually follow through with those desires. Accompanied by the humbling retrospective glace back at past crimes committed against him with bitter regret. This he does not for our sake, but to make His name great. To demonstrate his grace and mercy.
A challenge is found in this reflection though. Am I a partaker of this covenant? Are what these scriptures describe evident in my life? Do we have new desires, or as Jesus said 'a hunger and thirst for righteousness'? More importantly, do those desires show forth in action - do we bear fruit? Or are we tasteless salt with no use and baron trees only good for the fire as Christ mentioned?
These thoughts have challenged me this morning. The apostle John iterated a similar challenge in his epistle:
1 John 2
3 By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: 6 the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.
Also Jesus said a similar thing 'why do you call me Lord Lord but do not do the things I say?' and "whoever loves me will keep my commandments".
This isn't spiteful obedience murmuring under your breath - wishing you didn't have to but only do so for fear or custom. The regenerated heart desires to obey, and disobedience hurts it. Like hurting someone you love produces deep regret...the loathing the above verse talks about.
Romans 12:9
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
Ezekiel 36
22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went. 23 I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord,” declares the Lord God, “when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight. 24 For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land. 25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 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. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. 28 You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God. 29 Moreover, I will save you from all your uncleanness; and I will call for the grain and multiply it, and I will not [j]bring a famine on you. 30 I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field, so that you will not receive again the disgrace of famine among the nations. 31 Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and your abominations. 32 I am not doing this for your sake,” declares the Lord God, “let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel!”
---
A new nature is promised, desires change, a new heart, a loathing of the old self. Though these promises are made to Israel, Paul expounds on the grafting in of the nations to 'Israel' through faith in Christ. So we are one body, Jew and gentile. I was actually reading Hebrews 10 this morning and the concept of the new covenant struck me as absolutely incredible. God under no obligation decided to make it, where he not only forgives our sin through Christ but causes in us an actual desire to obey and power to actually follow through with those desires. Accompanied by the humbling retrospective glace back at past crimes committed against him with bitter regret. This he does not for our sake, but to make His name great. To demonstrate his grace and mercy.
A challenge is found in this reflection though. Am I a partaker of this covenant? Are what these scriptures describe evident in my life? Do we have new desires, or as Jesus said 'a hunger and thirst for righteousness'? More importantly, do those desires show forth in action - do we bear fruit? Or are we tasteless salt with no use and baron trees only good for the fire as Christ mentioned?
These thoughts have challenged me this morning. The apostle John iterated a similar challenge in his epistle:
1 John 2
3 By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: 6 the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.
Also Jesus said a similar thing 'why do you call me Lord Lord but do not do the things I say?' and "whoever loves me will keep my commandments".
This isn't spiteful obedience murmuring under your breath - wishing you didn't have to but only do so for fear or custom. The regenerated heart desires to obey, and disobedience hurts it. Like hurting someone you love produces deep regret...the loathing the above verse talks about.
Romans 12:9
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
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