Joint-Heirs with Jesus!

          It is becoming increasingly clear to me that most of those who call themselves Christians have little or no idea of the benefits and blessings that are theirs, as the result of God’s having been predestined them to adoption as sons into the Family of God (See Ephesians 1:5).

          Most do seem to be aware that Jesus came to give us abundant life, but few seem to be living that life; instead, they are striving to become what they already are—children of the Living God, with all the benefits and blessings that pertain thereto. Sadly, they seem to be content living under the rules and judgments of the Old Covenant, rather than in the freedom and grace of the New Covenant.

          Although I have shared these before, over the next several days, I will be offering to you some of the benefits and blessings that are yours, as a participant in the New Covenant, a member of The Family of God. Below is the first offering:

Meeting the requirements of the Ten Commandments—perfect obedience—need no longer a concern for you because God did for you what the Law could not do for you, namely, this: For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit (Romans 8:3-4). In other words, as a bona fide member of the New Covenant, you can cease striving to meet the requirements of the Ten Commandments (requirements that God knew you could not meet from the beginning) because Jesus satisfied the Law’s requirement for you, namely, that sin be punished by death. You can cease striving and rest in His finished work!

          Oh, I know that some of you are already wanting to add to that, wanting to be sure that I make it clear that, as serious Christians, we must strive to keep the Commandments; after all, they were not suggestions. Before you jump on that horse, may I remind you that Paul called the Ten Commandments “the law of sin & death”? He did (see Romans 8:2-3). May I also remind you that Paul also called the Ten Commandments the “ministry of death?” He did (see 2 Corinthians 3:7). As a matter of fact, he also called it the “ministry of condemnation” (see 2 Corinthians 3:8).

         

         

"This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent" (John 6:29 NASB).