Living Under the New Covenant
ICS Daily Devotions
Galatians 3:13-14 (NKJV) Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
We have seen how God related to the Israelites under the Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenants—the former unconditional, pointing to the coming Messiah, and the latter conditional on their obedience. But the story of God’s covenant faithfulness does not end there; in Christ, a new and better covenant was established. Unlike the Mosaic Covenant of blessings and curses, the New Covenant is sealed in Jesus’ blood and rests on His finished work at the cross.
We, the Gentiles, are the beneficiaries of the Abrahamic Covenant. As Christians, we operate under the blood of the New Covenant. Jesus has fulfilled the law for us and took upon Himself all the curses of the law when He hung on the cross for us. He was made sin for us so that we can have His righteousness and enjoy an abundant life now.
However, we still need to deal with the flesh that desires to live independently of God and be watchful of the devil’s schemes and temptations. God cannot be mocked, and we still reap what we have sown in the flesh and bear the consequences of our choices made in the flesh, even though Jesus had borne all the curses on the cross (Galatians 6:7-8). It comes with the free will that God has given us. God is still a God who observes His covenant and fulfils all the covenantal obligations to us.
Fortunately, believers today can live very different lives compared to the Israelites in the Old Testament because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Every one of us can be counselled by God. We can tap into His wisdom and be led by Him. The Holy Spirit empowers us to do what is right in the eyes of God. All we need to do is yield to Him as He prompts and leads us daily. The Holy Spirit can also give us new business ideas, strategies, and whatever resources we need if we listen to Him.
The people of Israel were very proud, even towards God. Therefore, God had to allow them to wander in the wilderness for forty years, causing them to be dependent on Him for manna daily. We can also take pride in our ways when everything is working well and we feel that we don’t need God. A tough economic environment often humbles us and brings us back to the basics of having faith in God and His Word, just like the people of Israel were taught not to live by bread alone but by every Word of God. What pleases God is our faith in Him. Throughout the Old and New Testaments, God has shown us that He wants us to utterly depend on Him through faith in Him, as revealed through His Word.
Sermon Series: Stay Humble in His Presence
