We read what Paul wrote to the Galatians, how possible it is for believers within the new covenant to still be held by old beliefs. Let us examine how the old covenant’s spirit of bondage can persist even within the new covenant’s promise of freedom.  In the home of Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac are both found. Ishmael born of a slave, and Isaac born of a free woman. Isaac was born through the promise and the power of God.  Ishmael lived for a time, then he was cast out, as Isaac was to be heir of all. Paul held up this picture to the Galatians of the life they were leading.  Many trusted the flesh which proved to lead them captive to sin, and to NOT live in the freedom of the new covenant.  Only through FAITH in the PROMISES and the mighty quickening POWER of GOD could they be made truly and fully free.   In the study of the two covenants, we shall see how the one causes the wobbly, feebleness of our professed faith in Jesus. The other, victory over the flesh.

This is written to encourage readers to take a decisive step into the Abiding Power and Full Devotion in Christ. The curtain was torn as Jesus gave up His Spirit so that we can have the power to live and walk always with the consciousness of God’s presence in us. The high priest in Jerusalem did not have the liberty of daily access into the Father’s presence. Throughout the church today, there are two classes of Christians. Many are content to live a mingled life of half flesh and half spirit, half self-effort and half grace. Others are not content with this, and they continue to seek God to know the full abiding power in their daily walk.  God help us all to be satisfied with nothing less. In the life of every believer, a crisis comes. None more clearly marked as their conversion from non-believer; to a grateful child of God. Many proclaim death to their dreams and goals as they desire to surrender all. Others get baptized and return to their inferior ways without consulting the Spirit of God within. The transition from ‘who I once was, to who God called me to be’ has been called the second blessing. This ultimate blessing should be taught to believers as His way of deliverance from the ordinary life of a Christian — the hearts desire is to abide in fellowship with God with a focused devotion to His kingdom. Stride Abiding

What may we expect from being led by the Spirit of God? Why was it that God made two covenants, not one and not three? Because there were two parties concerned. In the first covenant, MAN was to PROVE what he COULD DO and what he was. In the second, GOD would show what HE could do. The former was the time of need and preparation. Jesus came in the Father’s time to fulfill divine prophecy.  Proverbs tells us all to get understanding. Wisely the faithful seek to be filled by the Spirit of God just as it was needed following Pentecost. Confession makes a sinner, a child of God. Once full of ignorance and weakness, now empowered by the Holy Spirit. Without knowing what a whole hearted devotion that God asks for, the initial transition from the elementary stage of faith — grows gradually by reading the Bible. But in the great majority of cases, this healthy growth is not found. To those who yet stumble even after all their best efforts and intentions, that the same sin prevents peace in God, this post is intended to give HOPE.  What is needed to help seeking souls to take that step?  We must confess the sin of a life lived by its own understanding. One must see and believe in the life which scripture holds out, which Jesus promises to work and maintain unto completion. Striving in our own wisdom and strength, exhausted, we dare to surrender all to Jesus.

Confessing and giving up all that is of self and sin, we gladly yield wholly to Christ and His service. We believe and receive a new power to live life by the faith of the Son of God. The positive relief is clear, and marked by God as wonderful. Let us stand in the freedom with which Christ has made us. Pray: “Thank You Lord for the grace, and for all that I did not understand without the Holy Spirit’s wisdom. I choose to surrender all so that I can be led by the Spirit in me. I am not in control of how people respond to the Gospel, and I gladly allow the Spirit to work in them. Father, cover my home and family with Your protection and supply.”

The Old Covenant’s purpose was to reveal sin and prepare for the New Covenant’s redemption in Christ. Some may ask how God could make a covenant of which He knew that man could not keep. The answer opens up to us the whole nature and object of the covenant.  Faithfulness is essential to the attainment of God’s purpose. In taking Israel into the wilderness, God dealt with them as mankind received the due consequences of their disobedience.  A holy God must judge sin and evil. And as they suffered,  their conscious was stirred to long after God. The will to  choose God was birthed in Joshua and Caleb. Before Christ and His salvation could be revealed and truly appreciated, these faculties of man had to be stirred and wakened. The law of God took mankind into its training to make the very best that could taught by God’s external instruction. In the provision made in the law for a symbolical atonement, in all God’s revelation of Himself, as High Priest, Prophet and King, in His providence, all was done to touch and win the heart of His people. 

God gave force to the appeal to their self-interest, or their gratitude, their fear, or their love.  Under the law, administered by grace, mankind is trained up to humble self interest and fear of God.  This fans the desire to walk blameless in all His commandments.  The law promised life, but it could not give it. Read Deuteronomy 4.1, Galatians 3.21. The real purpose for which God had gave the law to Mises was the very opposite. It was meant to demonstrate death as the payment for sin. The law is to convince mankind of it’s sin, and so awaken the need of a Savior.  By the law we have the knowledge of sin,  and the whole world may seek a permanent solution for guilt. As many live under the works of the law, they remain under the curse.  BUT GOD, gave us JESUS.

The law is our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by FAITH. The great work of the law was to discover what sin was. Its hatefulness as a curse of God. Its misery, it’s power, binding man down in endless schemes. The divine offer of Jesus is the only hope of deliverance. In studying the Old Covenant, scripture represents the grace, mercy, and patience of God. His love, grace, and mercy was given to Israel. God intends to make His law and grace work out its purpose in the individual believer, to His glory. The whole of the Old Covenant is a school of grace. To prepare us for the fullness of grace and truth in Christ Jesus.  Study 2 Corinthians 3: 10-12.  The law, with its blessing and curses,  dominated the thoughts of man. The combination of the two aspects were made clear in Paul’s epistles.  His letters speak to all who live under the Master, under Christ.  The Old Covenant is absolutely indispensable for the preparation for what God had to do.  The two great lessons God would teach us by it are very simple. 1) The lesson of sin. 2) The lesson of holiness.

The Old Covenant attains its objective as it brings us to a sense of our helpless sinful nature.  And our hopeless impotence to deliver ourselves.  The pride of a soul often prevents an intense longing for God’s deliverance from sinning. Mankind naturally falls back into the power of the flesh. The holiness which the New Covenant offers should attract the masses. Our obedience is definitely impossible without God’s grace and the Holy Spirit. In the New Covenant, our triune God undertakes to give and keep the promise of eternal by faith in our Lord Jesus. The Holy Spirit gives the will and the power to obey and do His will.

It’s completely normal to have doubts or questions about God’s Word! Many people grapple with various interpretations, historical context, or specific passages. Doubt and fear are themes that often appear in scripture, and they are addressed in various ways. Doubt in Scripture. In John 20:24-29, Thomas doubts the resurrection of Jesus until he sees Jesus’ wounds. This story highlights that doubt CAN coexist with FAITH, and Jesus reassures Thomas, saying, “Blessed are those who have NOT seen and yet have believed.” In Judges 6, Gideon doubts God’s call to lead Israel against the Midianites and asks for signs. God graciously provides those signs, showcasing God’s patience with our uncertainties. James the brother of Jesus, encourages believers to ask God for wisdom without doubting, promising that those who ask in FAITH will receive. Mark 9:24 A father exclaims, “I BELIEVE; help my UNBELIEF!” suggesting that honesty about doubt is vital, and God meets us where we are. Many BIBLE characters, like Moses (Exodus 3) and Joshua (Joshua 1:9), experienced FEAR when called for significant tasks. God reassures them, reminding them to be strong and COURAGEOUS. In the Psalms, David often expresses fear in the face of enemies or hardships yet finds refuge in God (Psalm 23). Isaiah 41:10 This verse reassures believers, saying, “Do NOT FEAR, for I AM with you; do NOT be dismayed, for I AM your God.”  Be assured of God’s grace.

1 John 4:18 This word assures us that “PERFECT LOVE casts out FEAR.” UNDERSTANDING and embracing God’s love can alleviate fear. Both doubt and fear are natural human experiences WHICH GOD acknowledged in scripture. Rather than condemning these feelings, the Bible provides examples of individuals grappling with them and offers encouragement, reassurance, and guidance. Faith is often portrayed as a journey that includes these emotions, and believers are invited to bring their doubts and fears before God.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us NEW LIFE, a birth through the WORD of TRUTH, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all HE created. My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be QUICK to LISTEN, SLOW to SPEAK and SLOW to become ANGRY, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1