The Bible tells us that "Jesus has obtained a more excellent ministry, because he is the mediator of a better covenant, which is based on better promises" (Heb 8:6-8). This makes us realise that, if we want an involvement with God that accords with God's grace and will, then we must comply with the covenant Jesus Christ has mediated to us.

Outside the covenant

If we are not compliant with the covenant mediated by Jesus, then our relationship and involvement with God is everything it ought not to be. Paul describes those outside the covenant of Christ as "dead in your trespasses and sins... sons of disobedience... children of wrath... strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world" (Eph 2:1-3,11-12). Nobody in their right mind would want to have that kind of relationship with God, would they?

By contrast, if we are under the covenant of Christ, then we "have our access to the Father in one Spirit... no longer aliens and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints and are of God's household" (Eph 2:4-10,18-22).

The above quotes come from Ephesians 2. This is a marvelous chapter and I recommend you read it all. It shows the stark difference between an involvement with God under Christ's covenant, and an involvement with God outside of it.

Ephesians 2 in separate window.

'Covenant Relationship'

Our right involvement with God is often described as a "covenant relationship with God." This is not a scriptural term. The Holy Spirit never speaks in terms of "a covenant relationship". This makes me wary of it, because unscriptural terminology is often a sign of unscriptural doctrine.

One mistaken idea, often conveyed under the heading of a "covenant relationship", is that the covenant of Christ is invalid for those outside of it. In other words the covenant of Christ has application only to those who are under it, not to those who are outside of it. The Bible's view is quite different...

• The covenant is mediated to all men. "There is one mediator between God and men" and he became "a ransom for all" and through him God "desires all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth" (1Tm 2:4-6). How can a covenant not apply to one to whom it has been mediated? To whomever the covenant is mediated, upon them the covenant is binding.
• The covenant in Christ's blood applies to all for whom his blood was shed. Christ's blood is the "blood of the new covenant" (Mtt 26:28). His blood was shed "for the whole world" (1Jn 2:2). How can a covenant not apply to one for whom the blood of the covenant was shed? For whomever the blood was shed, to them the covenant is ratified.
• The covenant applies to all for whom God confirmed his promise by an oath. God made a promise to all mankind (Jhn 3:16). God backed up that promise by making an oath to Christ concerning the validity of his high priesthood under the new covenant (Heb 6:16-20, cf Heb 7:21-22). How can a covenant not apply to one to whom God has made a promise that the covenant contains and guarantees with an oath? Whoever are able to believe like Abraham the promise and oath of God, to them the covenant applies.
• The covenant applies to all who are accountable in the day of judgment. Christ, at his second coming, will deal out "retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus" (2Th 1:8-10). How can a covenant not apply to one who is condemned for not obeying it? Whoever is accountable for not obeying the covenant, to them the covenant applies.

We find, therefore, that all people have a "covenant relationship" with Christ who has mediated and guaranteed the new covenant. Either they accept the covenant and are blessed by it, or they violate the covenant and are condemned by it. Their involvement or relationship with God is determined by the covenant. Either they are subject to grace as saints and sons of God through obedience of faith, or they are subject to wrath as enemies of God through disobedience and unbelief. Either way they have a relationship with God whether it is "a right relationship with God" or a wrong one. Either way they are involved with God, and the nature and outcome of that involvement is determined by their response to the covenant which Christ mediated to all mankind.

In passing, we should note that the old covenant, mediated by Moses, contains both "blessings and curses" (Deu 28:58-63; 30:9-10,15-20). That old law was weak in that it had no way, within itself, to help those who incurred its curses. To be freed from the curses, they had to look in faith beyond the covenant. They had to look to the Christ to whom the covenant was bringing them. The new covenant, mediated by Christ, also contains blessings and curses, but the blood of that covenant is Christ's own blood, and so the covenant itself has the means of removing its curses and bestowing its blessings (Gal 3:6-28).

Galatians 3 in separate window.

The Covenant is the Gospel

Before we close this lesson, there is one matter we have to address. We need to identify exactly what is the covenant which Christ mediated. I have heard some very complicated answers to that, involving various distinctions, divisions, and dispensations of the word of Christ. However the correct answer is quite simple. The covenant that Christ mediated is the gospel of Christ.

Paul was unaware of any distinction between the gospel of Christ and the new covenant of Christ. Paul writes to the "beloved of God in Rome, called as saints" and says, "I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome" (Rom 1:7,15). How could this be, if the gospel for sinners and the covenant for saints were two different and separate things? Paul would be eager to preach the covenant to the saints in Rome. He would not be eager to preach the gospel to them. However, Paul was indeed eager to preach the gospel to the saints, showing that the gospel of Christ is the covenant of Christ. The world is therefore not divided into those who are subject to the gospel and those who are subject to the covenant, for the gospel is the new covenant and all men are subject to it.

Take another example, in Paul's second letter to the Corinthians...

• A ministry of life to some, death to others ( 2Co 2:12-17)
• "Ministers of the new covenant" (2Co 3:6)
• This ministry was the preaching of the gospel (2Co 4:1-6)

2nd Corinthians in separate window.

Lesson Summary

All men have an involvement with God because the Son of God has shed his blood for all and thereby mediated the new covenant to all. The gospel of Christ is a covenant which God has made binding on all people, therefore all people are involved with God either as his enemies and under a curse because they regect the gospel, or as his sons and under grace because they accept the gospel. Our involvement and relationship with God is determined by our covenant with God, a covenant not invented or negotiated by us but mediated to us from God by Christ. We can make sure that we have a right relationship and involvement with God simply by believing and obeying the gospel which God has so graciously provided as the only valid covenant between us and him. This covenant was ratified by God's own oath and the shed blood of his own Son. How kind God is to have done this for us, and what fools we are if we do not yield ourselves body and soul to this wonderful covenant with God.

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