Thoughts on the New Covenant

In my own studies over the years it became apparent to me that the work of God the Holy Spirit in the believer's life is a main focal point of the New Testament. Yea, it was a main focal point in the Old Testament prophecies of the then coming New Covenant. My own prayerful meditations on the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the believer's life brought me to a place where I was at odds with my Scofield Reference Bible; the very Bible that served as my devotional Bible.

It became apparent to me that His indwelling the Christian and bringing that individual to conformity to Christ was the Spirit's main emphasis. His work is to regenerate one who is dead in trespasses and sins. He works in concert with His Word (the Bible) in the regeneration of that person. He then uses His Word as a tool to sanctify that person. I acknowledge that there is a positional sanctification; please don't get me wrong there - but I also see that practical sanctification is inevitable. That the Christian is to be a temple of God in the Spirit is undeniable. Considering these things brought me to a point where I had to take a hard look at this whole idea of there being such a thing as a Christian who wilfully continued to live a life that was at variance with the commands of Christ. I examined 1 and 2 Corinthians and found that even though Paul called them carnal, yet they were a people earnestly looking for the return of Christ; a people that subbjected themselves to the rebukes of Paul - this despite the false teachers who sought to question Paul's authority - many of the repenting. Yes, this is the same congregation that Paul refered to as "epistles of Christ, written by the Spirit on the hearts, and read by men". Hardly can one find here the notion that a Christian can go on through life cold to the teachings of Christ. You won't find that notion taught in scripture; not anywhere.

Over time I began to conclude that the kingdom of God, at least the present aspect of it - His being in control over the universe and the elements is the subject for another discusion - , is centered upon people being conformed to the image of Christ. Please consider that the Spirit leads all true "sons of God". He changes the inclinations and dispositions of such so that they begin to desire the things of God, including that person's new-found desire to get into the Word. As the Christian prayerfully meditates on the teachings of Christ contained therein, the Spirit brings about a change, so that, over time, that individual's life begins to reflect the life of Christ that is within. This process, known as the sanctification process, also includes the intercession ministries of both Christ and the Spirit as well as the chastening of the Father. It also takes place within the Body of Christ as Christians live and interact with eachother.

Something else should be said at this point - The Sermon on the Mount is a description of the Spirit led life and is to be meditated on in order for the Spirit to do His work of molding the Christian into the image of Christ. Please don't treat the Sermon on the Mount as being for another people at a future time. It is to be meditated on NOW and used as a tool by the Spirit in the practical sanctification process.

Conformity to Christ is why God saved us. In my opinion this is inseparable from the Kingdom of God in its present aspect. Prayerful meditation on God's Word, obedience to it, and living within the Body of Christ are all our responsibilities in this whole idea of conformity to Christ, yea, the practical sanctification process.

Mark