New Covenant Living By Pete BriscoeSample

No more middle ground

Remember how indispensable floppy disks were 12 years ago? You needed 15 of them just to back up the hard drive on your oversized computer. And now? Obsolete.

What if I told you the old covenant is obsolete—unnecessary—irrelevant to new covenant living? That’s a strong statement, which is why I’m glad I didn’t make it up.

By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear. (Hebrews 8:13)

It’s scary to consider such a large chunk of Scripture as being obsolete. In fact, I believe many of us cope with that truth by developing a mentality of middle covenant living. We ask the Holy Spirit to help us live the old covenant way, all the while suspecting—hoping—the old way is obsolete.

Jesus didn’t die so we could create a middle covenant. When He conquered death, He did something new—something never done before. He cleared the way for His Spirit to reside in His followers, so we’d never be separated from God again.

New Covenant Christianity is about the Holy Spirit guiding and directing us into the life He has for us. But what does that look like in everyday life?

I’ve listened as people have tried to explain their decision to leave their spouse for another person. “I’ve prayed about it,” they might say, “and I have peace that this is God’s plan.”

No, it isn’t. The Spirit will never lead you in a way that is contrary to the law already written. God said we should not commit adultery; He cannot be contrary to Himself.

So as a believer, what can you do with the large passages of law found in Scripture? Read them so you know what He’s planted in your heart. Get to know His character and standard of holiness from those passages.

The new covenant difference isn’t the absence of holiness, but it’s the presence of the Spirit. Our holiness no longer comes from a list but from His indwelling.

Jesus, I don’t want to straddle the fence between the Old and New Testaments. I reject a faith defined by my performance, and I cling to a faith made whole by Yours. Live through me—freely, abundantly. Make me new. Amen.

Reflection:

1. Identify “Old Covenant” obsolete beliefs in your life.

2. Do you believe the 3 essential promises of New Covenant living?

3. What can you do to embrace New Covenant living?

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