Day By Day By Grace January 22nd The New and Living Way Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us. (Hebrews 10:19-20) Here, life under the new covenant of grace is described as the new and living way. This could be contrasted with the old and dying way of attempting to live under the old covenant of law. The newness of grace is not really a matter of time sequence, because the grace of God actually precedes the law in mans history with God. The tree of life in the garden of Eden was Gods provision of grace for Adam and Eve. The promises of God to Abraham (given hundreds of years before the law) depended upon the faithful grace of God, not the legal performance of Abraham. The newness of grace is its everyday freshness and vitality. Day by day, by the grace of God, fresh measures of life are abundantly available to those who look to the Lord as their supply. This makes life with God fresh and new every day. Under the old covenant, only one person, the High Priest, could enter into the intimate presence of God in the Holy of Holies. Furthermore, this was only allowed one day a year. Such limited access would certainly get old in the hearts of all who hungered after the living God. Now, under the new covenant of grace, every believer in Jesus (our great High Priest) can confidently approach the Lord personally any moment of every day: Having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus. Through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, which forgives all of our sins, we can speak to the Lord and enjoy His presence in our lives continually. Jeremiah gave some early insight into this kind of fresh and vital relationship with God. Through the Lords mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, says my soul, Therefore I hope in Him! (Lamentations 3:22-24). The Apostle Paul wrote profoundly concerning such newness. But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter (Romans 7:6). This is the new and living way. This will never get old. O Lord of life, my heart yearns for this new and living way. O, how I long to dwell in Your presence day by day! Lord, I confess that every attempt to base intimacy with You on my best performance has always become so old and dying, so stale and lifeless. My soul is stirred with hope in You and this better way. O Lord, teach me to walk by this new and living way, in the name of Jesus, my great High Priest, Amen. Day By Day By Grace January 23rd Living as Servants of the New Covenant Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2 Corinthians 3:5-6) We who follow the Lord Jesus Christ are ministers of the new covenant. The term minister means servant. The phrase new covenant speaks of relating to God by grace. Thus, we are those who serve God by the resources of His grace. Our day by day lives, lived in service of the Lord God Almighty, are to be developed by the grace of God at work in us. What is involved in this biblical, heavenly approach to life here on earth? The first issue pertains to our inadequacy. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves. So often we overlook our personal insufficiency or try to convince ourselves that we can become sufficient with just a little more time, effort, or preparation. This approach is in direct disagreement with the Lord. God wants us to agree with Him. Even when we begin to face our spiritual inability to produce the kind of life God is looking for, we easily underestimate the extent of our deficiency. We may think that we are just not able to produce as much as God desires to see in our lives. The Lord has a more radical viewpoint. He says that we are not able to supply anything that He wants to see. Again, God wants us to agree with Him. The second issue pertains to Gods adequacy. Our sufficiency is from God. The sufficient resources for living the Christian life are to be found in God alone. We are to be the recipients of Gods grace, that is, His fully adequate supply. We are not to think we are the manufacturers of that grace. God is our source of all that is needed for godly living. Once more, God wants us to agree with Him. The difference between living by Gods supply or by our own resources is a life and death matter. The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Attempting to live the Christian life by our capabilities will eventually leave us exhausted, discouraged, condemned. Whereas, depending upon the Spirit of God to supply the abundant grace of God leaves us strengthened, encouraged, and comforted. Lord God of all grace, I humbly admit that I have often held a perspective so different from Yours on this subject of sufficiency. I have repeatedly behaved as though the Christian life depended upon what I could do from my own resources. Lord, this has always resulted in spiritual deadness. Please teach me to trust in Your Holy Spirit to bring forth into my experience the full sufficiency of Your immeasurable grace, in Jesus name, Amen. Day By Day By Grace January 24th Other Ways to Describe New Covenant Living If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me…be filled with the Spirit…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. (Luke 9:23; Ephesians 5:18; and John 10:10) Living as servants of the new covenant is not some exclusive, elitist religious concept, available only to an initiated few. Rather, it is just one way to describe the life that is to be experienced by all who have placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. For many believers, these terms involve unfamiliar language. Some familiar terminology that describes the same biblical reality would be Christian discipleship. A disciple is a follower of Jesus Christ. In Luke 9:23, Jesus explained what was involved in following Him as a disciple. Then He said to them all, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. In order to follow the Lord, a person must be willing to renounce the self-life, which is produced by ones own sufficiency. Then, that person must agree that such a self-produced life deserves to be judged and separated from God. Finally, everything that is needed for godly living must be found by pursuing a growing relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Some other terminology that depicts the essence of new covenant living would be the Spirit-filled life. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit. The Lord calls His people away from earthly influences that can dominate and diminish lives and urges us to live by the fullness of His Spirit. When Christians answer this call, they are willing to live by Gods powerful, unlimited resources, instead of by mans feeble, finite means. One other familiar phrase that comprises the same reality as life in the new covenant is the abundant life. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. When Jesus came into this world, His mission was not only to rescue us from the consequences of our sins but also to provide us with abundant life, a spiritually enriched life that only He could produce in us. New covenant living-it is the same reality as Christian discipleship, the Spirit-filled life, and the abundant life. Lord Jesus, I thank You so much for speaking of life in Christ in diverse terminologies. I want to be Your true disciple. I want to be Spirit-filled. I want to live the abundant life. Each perspective offers beautiful insights and necessary confirmations. Lord, help me also to understand and embrace the refreshing language of Your new covenant of grace. Dear Savior, I need all of the life-giving insights that Your rich vocabulary is designed to unfold! Day By Day By Grace January 25th New Covenant Provided by the Blood of Christ This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you…knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold…but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. (Luke 22:20 and 1 Peter 1:18-19) The well-known words from the Lords Supper in Luke 22:20 remind us that the glorious riches of grace found in the new covenant are all provided by the shed blood of Jesus Christ, as He died on the cross for us. This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. Customarily, we think of forgiveness of sins when we hear these words. Forgiveness is certainly included in the blessings secured by the death of our Lord. Notice, however, that Jesus did not say this cup is forgiveness in My blood. He said, This cup is the new covenant in My blood. The new covenant is far more than forgiveness of sins. As previously indicated, the Scriptures reveal that the new covenant has three basic areas of blessings. First is the forgiveness of sins. Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more (Hebrews 8:12). Second is an intimate relationship with the Lord. All shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them (Hebrews 8:11). Third is an internal work of God producing an increasingly godly life in and through us. I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts (Hebrews 8:10). The word of God further confirms that all of these grand blessings depend upon Gods provision, not our performance. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God (2 Corinthians 3:5). How can it be that such measureless spiritual abundance becomes ours through the new covenant of grace? Well, consider the amazing and effective redemption price paid to establish this new covenant. Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold…but with the precious blood of Christ. This new covenant was not purchased with limited earthly wealth, like silver and gold. Rather, it was paid for by infinite heavenly treasure, the blood of Christ. No wonder the new covenant provides such amazing and effective resources for all who depend upon the One who died for them. One final reflection-realizing all that the cup of the new covenant represents can turn the Lords Supper from a religious snack into a spiritual feast! Dear Heavenly Father, You have surely provided grace upon grace—complete forgiveness, intimate relationship, divine enablement! Yet, how could any less be supplied by such a rich price! Lord Jesus, thank You for pouring out Your lifes blood to make such irreplaceable Day By Day By Grace January 26th The Initial Grace of God I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more…For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Jeremiah 31:34 and Ephesians 2:8-9) Again, we have the opportunity to compare justifying grace and sanctifying grace, initial grace and on-going grace. This is always an edifying and valuable exercise, since we tend to forget that we are sanctified through the same means that we are justified. The initial grace that impacted our lives forever was the justifying, forgiving grace of God. The prophets of old proclaimed this hope. The writers of the New Testament related it to us today. I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more (Jeremiah 31:34; also in Hebrews 8:12). When we repented of our sins and called upon the name of the Lord, we were forgiven and justified, declared not guilty and righteous in His sight. This saving work of God on our behalf was all accomplished by the grace of God. For by grace you have been saved. The saving grace of God is applied to lives as they trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. By grace you have been saved through faith. None of this process originates in man. All of it comes from God. And that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. No aspect of salvation derives from the efforts of man, so no one will ever be able to brag about their contribution in being saved. Not of works, lest anyone should boast. All glory, now and forever, will go to the Lord Himself. He who glories, let him glory in the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:31). Yes, even faith does not source in man. Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). When we believed upon the Lord Jesus, it was in response to an authoring, revealing work that He was doing on our behalf. Jesus manifested Himself to us through the gospel as One who was able to save us sinners. The Holy Spirit was convicting us of our need. We trusted in His saving work for us. Thereby, He authored faith in us. Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honour and glory and blessing (Revelation 5:12). As we have seen previously (and will have opportunity to examine again and again), the grace of God, of which we partook for new birth and justification, is the same grace that must continually be at work in us for growth and sanctification. O Lord God of my salvation, I clearly see the full extent to which my being saved depended upon Your saving grace! Thank You for this priceless gift of grace. How glorious it is to stand justified in Your sight. Now that I might grow daily in a life of sanctification, I look to You and Your necessary grace, Amen. Day By Day By Grace January 27th The Ongoing Grace of God I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts…it is good that the heart be established by grace. (Jeremiah 31:33 and Hebrews 13:9) Our initial encounter with the grace of God involved forgiveness and justification. In Him we have our redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace (Ephesians 1:7). Rich measures of Gods grace washed away our sins and gave us new life in Christ. Of course, that initial justifying work of God could not exhaust His grace. Rather, it was according to the riches of His grace. There are unlimited riches yet available for our daily sanctification, our on-going growth in Christ. Hebrews 13:9 is one of the many places in Scripture that indicate progressive sanctification (that is, growth in godliness) is by grace. It is good that the heart be established by grace. This truth clearly pertains to sanctification and growth, not justification and new birth. At regeneration, we are given a new heart. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). Then, after receiving a new, soft, responsive heart, the spiritual stabilization of that new heart must follow. It is from within the heart that the development of applied righteousness must proceed. What is eventually seen and heard in our daily Christian lives sources from within the core of our inner being. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23). The Lord wants to work from deep within us. I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts. If an unstable, inconsistent life is being expressed outwardly, an unestablished heart within is the cause. Jesus taught that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34). Whatever is developing and filling up our inner man will eventually come out to be seen and heard. In order to develop in us an increasingly mature, Christ like walk, our heart must be established. The law of God is not designed to change mens hearts. Gods grace is the essential and sufficient cause to bring about this desired work of godliness. It is good that the heart be established by grace. Once more we have powerful biblical insight showing us that grace is not only Gods provision to forgive and birth us into His family, but grace is also His resource for the on-going work of maturing us as His children. O Lord, my strength, would you do a powerful work of your grace deep within my heart? I do not want to displease you or dishonour you by an immature and unstable life. Lord, forgive any futile attempts to change my heart by striving before the law. Your gracious work in me is my only hope!
Posted on: Sat, 25 Jan 2014 10:22:59 +0000
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