This lesson looks at the second C in Ephesians 2, the Covenant legislated by Jesus Christ and ratified by his blood. This covenant is the constitution of the church of Christ. In this lesson we see it as the covenant which previous covenants promised, the covenant which all mankind must obey, a covenant of both grace and works, a covenant that joins and does not divide, and a covenant based firmly on Christ.

Ephesians 2:12
 
"You were...strangers to the covenants of promise".

The Covenant Which Other Covenants Promised

God made covenants with man from Creation. For example, he made covenants with Adam, Noah, Melchizedek, Abraham, Moses, David, and others. The covenant he made with Israel through Moses is the one that is detailed and emphasised in the Bible. The covenants were "covenants of promise" in that they looked forward to Christ the Saviour. The prophets of old promised "a new covenant" (Jer 31:31).

"At that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world" (Eph 2:12).

The new covenant in Christ would take the place of the earlier "covenants of promise". Of course the new covenant has promises too, magnificent promises, but these do not rely upon another covenant to be fulfilled. The "covenants of promise" could not fulfil their promises, but relied upon the new covenant to come. The new covenant itself, however, is all sufficient because it is the covenant of the all sufficient Christ. That, incidentally, is one reason why we must not to add anything to this covenant or take anything from it.

The Covenant All Mankind Must Obey

It goes without saying that "children of disobedience" will not be saved. They are "children of wrath" (Eph 2:3) until they become children of faith and obedience. And what must they obey if not the covenant God has made with them?

"And you he has made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins. In them you walked in time past according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience" (Eph 2:1-2).

God prepared beforehand that people should walk in good works (Eph 2:10), and these are laid down in the covenant God has given us in Christ. People must obey these requirements or else.

Is a covenant an agreement?

We often hear the word covenant explained as "an agreement". This can be misleading if we think that the covenant is something negotiated between man and God, or if we get the idea that the covenant does not apply to us unless we agree to it. That is wrong.

The covenant is handed down to us by God, and mankind has no say in its terms, conditions, and requirements. It does, however, require our agreement, consent, and obedience, if we are to be saved by it. If we refuse our agreement and do not obey, then the covenant condemns us. This is because a lack of acceptance and obedience consitutes a lack of faith. Since we are saved "though faith" (Eph 2:8) then we are necessarily condemned without it.

The Covenant Of Grace And Works

Whilst the covenant requires obedience to its commandments, it is based upon "grace...through faith". Were the covenant based upon the obedience it requires, then it would fail. It would be a "a law of commandments" that would create "enmity" between us and God (Eph 2:15). There's nothing wrong with a covenant being a law of commandments, so long as it is based on its mediator's grace and power to offer forgiveness (Jer 31:31-34 Heb 8:6-7 Heb 9:14-15).

"...that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace you are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God before ordained that we should walk in them" (Eph 2:7-10).

The new covenant is effectual because of "the cross" (Eph 2:16) on which Christ made the perfect sacrifice of his flesh and blood. If it were not for this, and the grace of God behind it, the covenant would not work. It would rely upon us entirely, and our works of obedience would be insufficient. Instead the covenant certainly requires our obedience and faith, but relies upon God's grace in sending his Son to die for us that we might be able to live (Rom 3:23-24).

The Covenant That Joins And Does Not Divide

"For he is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of partition between us. He abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances. He did this to make in himself one new man out of two, so making peace so that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby. He came and preached peace to you who were afar off, and to them that were nigh... In whom you also are built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit" (Eph 2:14-17,22).

The "both" in this passage refers to the Jew ("those who were near") and the Gentiles ("you who were afar off"). What Paul says could, of course, apply to any enmity or division in human society. For example, "bond...free, male...female" (Gal 3:26-29). We could think of others: rich...poor, black...white, weak...strong, educated...illiterate, democrat...communist, and so forth.

Jesus Christ binds people together who were once divided. He makes them "fellow citizens... built together" (Eph 2:19,22). Jesus Christ makes peace, and his new covenant is a charter of peace --peace not only between man and God, but between man and man. The reconciliation of Onesimus the runaway slave to his master Philemon is a good example. (See Paul's Letter to Philemon).

The only separation that the new covenant causes, is a separation from "this world" of which Paul speaks at the start of our study chapter (Eph 2:2-3).

The Covenant Based Firmly On Christ

"You are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone" (Eph 2:20).

Christ, whom Paul previously called "the head over all things to the church" (Eph 1:22-23), is now called the "chief corner stone" in the church's foundation (Eph 2:20). The cornerstone is the stone from which all measurements are taken. Once laid true, it becomes the standard for all the rest of the structure. Christ's covenant is the standard for his church, because the covenant itself is based on Christ. A church is only as true as it is faithful to that standard.

Christ is mentioned at least eleven times in our study chapter (Eph 2).

Obviously everything the new covenant achieves is based upon Christ. Without Christ and his cross there would be no priceless covenant. The new covenant does what the former covenants could not do, because there's something special and powerful in the new covenant that was only promised in the old. It is the cross of Christ. And that is what our next lesson is about.

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