A covenant community of God’s people
Covenant may not be a common word for you, as is the case for many people in the western world. However, in Bible times covenant was a very common concept and it is one of the most used words of the Bible. In fact, the Bible is divided into two part normally called the Old and the New Testament which actually means the Old and the New Covenant. Hopefully, after today’s study you will have reached a better understanding of the church as the covenant community of God’s people.
A covenant fellowship
The Church Jesus is building is a fellowship of people who have received a share in the new covenant in Jesus’ blood. Throughout the Bible we see that God is a righteous God. He is intrinsically a covenant God, a fellowship of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. From the very beginning he has made covenants with mankind and given them promises of good. Because of sin mankind has been unable to live out the covenant in the way God intended. Therefore he spoke about a new covenant which he would make, - a different covenant from those which man broke.
Jesus says that he is the new covenant. Through him God has given us salvation and an eternal inheritance. All that God had previously promised finds its fulfilment in the new covenant in Jesus Christ. In the new covenant we receive forgiveness from sin; release and healing from sickness and troubles; protection and help against all attacks of the devil and provision in such a way that all our needs are met. Jesus is always near us, his presence accompanies us, and we are never alone.
Our obligations under the new covenant are to love Jesus, be faithful to him, live according to his word and live out the covenant in relation to the Christians in the church in love and faithfulness.
Covenant is an expression of love. Love always leads to commitment. True love is always faithful and pure. We can say that covenant is love put into practice. When we commit ourselves to Christ, he makes us partakers of his covenant and adds us to the church which is the community of covenant keepers. In this community we are nurtured and brought to maturity in the company of loyal friends.
We are a true covenant fellowship when we:
love one another (John 13:34-35)
forgive one another (Col. 3:13)
speak well of and rightly about one another (Jam. 4:11; 1 Cor. 5:11; Prov. 16:28)
are open with one another (Prov.27:5-6; Matt. 18:15)
help one another materially (1 John 3:17-18)
This list could be much longer and the subject of covenant or pact is well worth a thorough study in the word of God. The Bible is the book about the Old and the New Covenant. It is all about God’s promises to his covenant people and about their obligations to God and each other.