Let us review what we have so far:
And add one new point: We need to learn to speak our faith in non-religious terms. How else can we reach the world if we speak a different language? People who have no background in church might have a hard time making sense of "the Blood of the Lamb." The goal of these lessons is to enable us to think about our faith, and speak of it, in ordinary language.
Every worthy endeavor of human learning requires a bit of technical terminology. Fancy words, when properly used, are a form of shorthand. It allows us to make in-depth references without the necessity of stating the entire reference. Between you and I, when I say, "The Blood" we both know I refer to the Blood of the Lamb. That in itself calls up whole books of material explaining it's meaning to us. We cannot afford to recite whole books each time we want to discuss some particular application of His Blood. Avoiding this sort of reference when addressing outsiders is simply a matter of avoiding a high probability of misunderstanding.
The idea is to make them understand, not to confuse them. Our endeavor here is in part to ensure you and I have the same understanding of those terms. We do this by reducing the discussion, as much as possible, to terms we can all grasp, regardless of our level of faith experience. We clarify terms you have heard, and may have used, but may not have known their full meaning. We also refresh their meaning for those of deeper experience, and keep those word alive in our hearts.
What does Jesus say of those who would be His hands and feet?
A parable of Jesus on Duty -- Luke 17:5-10. First question: What does this passage tell us about duty? It tells us that our duty before God has no limits. To paraphrase, "Be it ever so much, we cannot possibly do enough." Second question: What does it have to do with increasing faith? This parable was given in response to the Disciples asking Him to increase their faith. The one word answer is "commitment." In a sense faith equals commitment. To say you cannot possibly do enough would be a crushing burden to anyone working in the flesh. To one living by the Spirit, it holds forth a goal, a standard, not a point of arrival. It says that we should never be satisfied, but continually looking for the next item, the next issue in our lives that calls for improvement. By the way, that process of improvement is a simple explanation of the fancy word "sanctification." There is no corner of our lives that is not subject to His detailed inspection, and to His demand for change. He owns it all -- you are committed.
Jesus teaches hate? -- Luke 14:25-35. We realize He speaks here in comparative terms, not in absolutes, in using the word "hate". The point is that even family has no precedence over commitment to Him. What about the salt? Our presence in the world should make a difference. Salt served two purposes in Jesus' day. First, it was the one thing added to animal products that made it possible to keep them more than a few hours without their rotting. Secondly, it made most foods more palatable. Ever eat meat with absolutely no salt in it, nor any other flavoring? It's not very pleasant. Indeed, most of us today could not bear to eat any meat, nor most dairy, without at least a little salt. Our presence as believers in this world makes it palatable to a Holy God, and preserves the flavor of redemption. The strength of our presence is in the strength of our commitment.
Does your commitment have limitations? Does your presence in situations change the flavor of things?
As the hands and feet of Jesus, we hold a unique place in His world. "A people of faith, a people committed..." This phrase has been seen much in Christian writings. It is the combined force of our individual commitments that gives us indentity. Originally, such a people were bound by their commitment to something known as a "covenant."
"Covenant" -- what does that word mean? It's closest idea in our Western culture is "contract." In a contract, you commit resources and conduct. In a covenant you commit yourself. Covenant is more personal than a mere "contract."
Let us examine some covenants in Scripture. There is some debate as to how many events in the Bible qualify as a Covenant with God. We will point to a few that are obvious.
First recorded covenant -- Genesis 8:20-9:17, The Noahic Covenant. God's promise:
Man's part:
It is strongly implied that man does not keep civil order, the "natural order" (specifically seasons, etc.) would also degrade.
Second recorded covenant -- Genesis 12:1-4. God's command: Leave everything behind and go to some undefined destination. Let's break that down into what it meant for Abraham.
Promise of God to Abraham:
This covenant was later confirmed several times. This is the first known example of a personal covenant with God, a covenant of personal salvation. It's upon the basis of this covenant that Paul refers to Abraham's faith (Galatians 3:5-9) as the promise offered to us all.
It is proper to say that, in a sense, both of these covenants are still in force today. The Lord still requires the world as a whole to adhere to the Noahic Covenant, regardless of any individual personal relationship with God, or lack of one. Paul confirms that the Covenant of Abraham was included in the Covenant of Jesus' Blood.
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Ed Hurst
14 June 2003, revised 23 October 2003
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