"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you." (Book of Prophet Isaiah, ch. 54, v. 10*)
"remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world." (Ephesians, ch. 2, v. 12*)
Do you believe that God views you differently than He views those who are not followers of Christ? The Lord is impartial, as the Bible states. However, there is something very important that we must not overlook – the covenant. In Hebrew, the term berith is used to describe the making of a contract, alliance, or agreement, but also a friendly or matrimonial vow and promise, accompanied by some sign or mark. In the story with Noah and the flood, the Lord says that the rainbow in the sky will serve as a sign for all generations, that the Lord promises never again to flood the earth with a deluge.
When He makes a covenant with Abram and tells him that He will become his God and multiply his descendants, God changes his name to Abraham and institutes the circumcision of every male child in His friend's lineage.
When He promises King Hezekiah that He will heal him from a deadly illness within three days and that on the third day he will enter the Lord's temple, the king asks for a sign. Then the prophet Isaiah says, "This is the sign from the Lord that He will do what He has promised: should the shadow go forward ten steps, or should it go back ten steps?" Hezekiah said, "It is easier for the shadow to go forward ten steps than to go backward ten steps." But the prophet Isaiah called upon the Lord, and He made the shadow go backward the same distance it had already set on the steps of Ahaz, ten steps." (Second Book of Kings, ch. 20, v. 9-11*)
The covenant is a promise initiated by God, in which you and we participate, each individually before God. The covenant is bilateral, so we have our part as well – to believe and be baptized: "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." (Gospel of Matthew, ch. 16, v. 16*)
You have made a covenant with God, which means that the Lord promises to be with and for you, to protect you, meet your needs, carry your burdens and pains, guide you, and involve you in fulfilling His plan. In return, you promise to be faithful, to be with Him, and to belong to Him. As discussed above, in the history of Israel, Yahweh has given many signs and markers to prove His promises. What sign has He given us who are part of the New Covenant?
The Lord gives us His Son. He gives Him to the world, knowing what He/It means. The sign of the New Covenant is a blood one. On the cross, Jesus shows the love of the Father for you, which does not depend on something you have given or could give, but on His heart of mercy, faithfulness, and love. God says on the cross: "If you have doubted My promise, My vow to you, that I cannot or do not want to change and save you, look at the cross. This is how much I love you, this is how faithful I am – to death." It is because of this sacrifice and because of the resurrection that we are made "righteous" or justified in God's eyes. We have a different status due to the eternal sacrifice of His only begotten Son, who saves us if we believe in Him. This means that God views you differently and the people in the world differently.
We may live under the same circumstances, face difficulties, feel attacks, struggle with weaknesses and temptations, but Christ says about us: "They are not of the world, even as I am not of it." (Gospel of John, ch. 17, v. 16*)
For us, who are not of this world and who are the heirs of the promise and of the Covenant, different rules apply. We are under God’s faithful protection, regardless of what we may see with our eyes, hear with our ears, or even feel physically and emotionally. Eternal condemnation is not for God's children; for them is salvation and the promise. Even when we are justly punished by God, if it should happen that we lose our lives, we must know that this is not fatal because "when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world." (First Corinthians, ch. 11, v. 32*)
For God's children, sorrow, trials, shortcomings, punishment, and even death do not have the same significance and power as they do for the world because of the Covenant's blood.
Challenge for the week: Remind yourself throughout the week that the sacrifice of Christ is what justifies you and allows you to be in a covenant with God. You are different because of Christ. With the help of a brooch, bracelet, dot on the hand, favorite tie, or badge on the backpack, you can remind yourself throughout the week that the Lord looks at you differently and has promised you faithfulness and eternal love.
*Biblical quotations are according to the text of the Bible, new translation from original languages © Bulgarian Bible Society 2013.
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