Better Promises

[Daily Devotional]

Better Promises 

He is the mediator of a better covenant which was established upon better
promises. Heb. 8: 6. 

The Israelites had been specially charged not to lose sight of the
commandments of God, in obedience to which they would find strength and
blessing. 

They had witnessed the proclamation of the law in awful majesty, and had
trembled with terror before the mount; and yet only a few weeks passed
before they broke their covenant with God, and bowed down to worship a
graven image. They could not hope for the favor of God through a covenant
which they had broken; and now, seeing their sinfulness and their need of
pardon, they were brought to feel their need of the Saviour revealed in the
Abrahamic covenant and shadowed forth in the sacrificial offerings. Now by
faith and love they were bound to God as their deliverer from the bondage of
sin. Now they were prepared to appreciate the blessings of the new covenant.


The terms of the "old covenant" were, Obey and live: "If a man do, he shall
even live in them" (Eze. 20: 11; Lev. 18: 5); but "cursed be he that
confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them" (Deut. 27: 26). The
"new covenant" was established upon "better promises"-- the promise of
forgiveness of sins and of the grace of God to renew the heart and bring it
into harmony with the principles of God's law. 

The blessings of the new covenant are grounded purely on mercy in forgiving
unrighteousness and sins. . . . All who humble their hearts, confessing
their sins, will find mercy and grace and assurance. Has God, in showing
mercy to the sinner, ceased to be just? Has He dishonored His holy law, and
will He henceforth pass over the violation of it? God is true. He changes
not. The conditions of salvation are ever the same. Life, eternal life, is
for all who will obey God's law. . . . 

Under the new covenant, the conditions by which eternal life may be gained
are the same as under the old-- perfect obedience. . . . In the new and
better covenant, Christ has fulfilled the law for the transgressors of law,
if they receive Him by faith as a personal Saviour. . . . In the better
covenant we are cleansed from sin by the blood of Christ.

>From God's Amazing Grace - Page 135