From Gary... Fear

It is unpopular to speak of the "Fear of the LORD". This is foolishness!!!  Why shouldn't one fear God? Consider that HE has the power to create everything and sustain it for eons beyond eons. HE has the power to consign people to hell (Gehenna) or grant them access to heaven. I found a couple of references on the net that explain the concept plainly;the links are listed below and are worth taking the time to read...

What does it mean to fear God?

http://www.christianitytoday.com/biblestudies/bible-answers/spirituallife/what-does-it-mean-to-fear-god.html

Fear; some questions answered 

http://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/131/how-can-we-understand-fear

Frankly, the world can be a scary place and many very bad things can happen to you, but whatever can happen to you here is nothing compared to eternal punishment.  Jesus said it well: 

Matthew, Chapter 10

 24  “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord.   25  It is enough for the disciple that he be like his teacher, and the servant like his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household!   26 Therefore don’t be afraid of them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed; and hidden that will not be known.   27  What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in the ear, proclaim on the housetops.   28  Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.

I know this can be a difficult topic for some, but my take on all this is that for the Christian, fear is putting God on the throne of your life and following HIM with respect and awe in every aspect of your life. At the judgment, Christ will continue to intercede for us, so the dread aspect of fear will not come into play.  Without Christ- only terror awaits, so, BE AFRAID, BE VERY AFRAID!!!

From Jim McGuiggan... Correct views or warm righteousness? (2)

Correct views or warm righteousness? (2)

Because it’s true that God desires mercy (covenant love that expresses itself in kindness and justice toward the neighbour) rather than the keeping of ordinances, people are tempted to dismiss ordinances as close to irrelevant in the lives of believers (OT or NT).

You can’t read the OT without seeing that the prophets rebuked the people for substituting religious ordinances for lives of faith-filled obedience. Micah 6:6-8, Isaiah 58:1-7 and Amos 5:21-24 illustrate this well and see Psalm 40:6-8 and 51:6-17.

So why didn’t Israel simply dismiss ordinances altogether? Why didn’t they say, “God really wants heartfelt allegiance to him and lives of righteousness and kindness so let’s forget all the things like circumcision, Sabbath observance, Passover and such”?

Wise men and women who are at home in the Scriptures and biblical theology would be able to give us a long list of good reasons why they didn’t but the rank and file of us have a couple of obvious ones we can rest on.

For one, God instituted these ordinances and whether the Jews understood all his wise reasons for doing so it wasn’t for them to debate with their King. God is a great King and as such he must be honoured even in the matter of ordinances (compare Malachi 1:6-14).

Secondly, ordinances that embodied truths about God’s self-disclosure proclaimed things about God! It’s true that the fundamental truths about God were lived out in how they lived in honour and justice with each other but ordinances like circumcision, Passover, Ingathering, Tabernacles and Sabbath gave meaning to their community living. Circumcision reminded them that they were children of Abraham and covenanted with God through him by grace. Passover reminded them that they were a people redeemed by grace from national oppression and so forth.

There were non-elect Gentiles that treated one another with neighbourly kindness and justice (compare Romans 2:14-16) but they had no mark of circumcision saying they were the elect of God, they had no Passover saying they have been the object of a gracious redemption and they had no Sabbath to signify election and God’s total provision. If the lives of non-elect people like Ruth the Moabite were compared with other fine Jewish women they would all be admired for their gentleness and generosity of spirit.

The ordinances spoke their truthful message about God even if Israel abused them! The ordinances spoke a condemnation on Israel when Israel refused to live up to the meaning of those ordinances. The ordinances proclaimed truths about God and his character and purpose as surely as the lovely lives of obedient and faith-filled Israelites did.

We don’t learn to despise or think little of the ordinances of God from the Bible because they shape the believer’s understanding of his/her life of obedience. The ordinances proclaim the soil out of which their virtue takes it rise. The believing Jew would tell the world of Passover and Sabbath and the Christian world tell the world of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper because the ordinances were a witness to God and his work (see 1 Corinthians 11:26). While a life pursuit of holiness, righteousness and kindness is an indispensable marker of the believer it is not to be severed from the God-appointed ordinances which shape the identity of God’s people and the nature of their pursuit of holiness.

“But who cares why we are virtuous and righteous or what kind of religious soil they spring from? Is it not enough that we all treat one another decently and with justice?”

I’ve heard that question expressed hundreds of times in my life. I’ve often asked it! For those who have little time for religion (but who nevertheless live on the bread brought to the world via the Hebrew—Christian scriptures)—for those who have little time for religious ordinances, their theological meaning and witness are wholly irrelevant. “Look at me! I live as well as any of you religious people so it’s clear I can get along very well without your ‘truth’ and ordinances.” I’ve often heard that too from decent and upright people who weren’t speaking in arrogance but in honest debate.

With many others I would answer that God is at work in their lives whether they acknowledge him or not and that our faith and ordinances included proclaim truth about God that their lives without faith or ordinances do not. [To be continued, God enabling.]

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, theabidingword.com.

From Mark Copeland... The Earthly Sanctuary (Hebrews 9:1-10)

                      "THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS"

                     The Earthly Sanctuary (9:1-10)

INTRODUCTION

1. The main points in the "The Epistle To The Hebrews" are rather 
   simple...
   a. The superiority of Christ - He 1:1-7:28
   b. The superiority of the New Covenant - He 8:7-10:18

2. In the "transition passage" of He 8:1-6, we find...
   a. The first point summarized - He 8:1
   b. The second point introduced - He 8:2-6

3. In demonstrating the superiority of the New Covenant, three points
   are made...
   a. The New Covenant is based upon "better promises"
   b. The New Covenant pertains to a "better sanctuary"
   c. The New Covenant provides a "better sacrifice"

4. In He 8:7-13 we read of the "better promises"...
   a. Foretold through the prophet Jeremiah - cf. Jer 31:31-34
   b. In which God promised a closer relationship with His people, made
      possible by the forgiveness of sin

5. In chapter nine, our attention is now drawn to the matter of the 
   "better sanctuary" provided by the New Covenant...
   a. To appreciate the author's argument, we must be acquainted with 
      the sanctuary of the first covenant
   b. Therefore we find a brief discussion concerning "The Earthly 
      Sanctuary" - He 9:1-10

[We could turn back to the books of Exodus and Leviticus to read about
the earthly sanctuary, but in our text we find a helpful and concise 
summary.  Beginning with...]

I. THE EARTHLY SANCTUARY:  ITS DESCRIPTION (1-5)

   A. THE HOLY PLACE (2)
      1. This was the first part of the tabernacle, in which the 
         priests entered daily
      2. Inside of it were...
         a. The lampstand - cf. Exo 25:31-40; 26:35
            1) Placed next to the south wall of the tabernacle
            2) Made of gold and had seven lamps for burning olive oil
            3) It was never allowed to go out
         b. The table and the showbread - Exo 25:23-30; 26:35; Lev 24:
            5-9
            1) A table overlaid with gold
            2) On which were kept twelve loaves of bread, in two rows
               of six
            3) Fresh loaves were brought in each Sabbath, and the old
               were eaten by the priests - cf. 1Sa 21:3-6; Mt 12:3,4

   B. THE HOLIEST OF ALL (3-5)
      1. This was the part of the tabernacle behind the veil, also
         called "The Most Holy" - Exo 26:31-33
      2. This innermost room of the tabernacle, the holiest place in
         the worship of Israel, had...
         a. The golden altar of incense (golden censor, KJV)
            1) The golden altar of incense was actually in the Holy 
               Place, just on the other side of the veil separating the
               two rooms - Exo 30:1-10
               a) On this altar sweet spices were continually burned
                  with fire taken from the brazen altar (which was
                  outside the tabernacle)
               b) The morning and evening services were begun by the
                  high priest offering incense on this altar
               c) Once a year, the High Priest would take a censer of
                  burning coals from this altar along with incense into
                  the The Most Holy Place - Lev 16:12
            2) It is appropriate to say the The Most Holy Place "had"
               the golden altar...
               a) For the smoke of the daily incense would permeate 
                  through the veil, and as such be "a perpetual incense
                  before the LORD" - Exo 30:8
               b) The annual ceremony on the Day of Atonement connected
                  in a tangible way the altar of incense with The Most
                  Holy Place - Lev 16:12
         b. The ark of the covenant
            1) A chest made of acacia wood, about four feet long by two
               and half feet high and wide - Exo 25:10-16
            2) Covered with gold, it was the most sacred thing in the
               tabernacle
            3) In it contained...
               a) The golden pot that had the manna - Exo 16:32-34
               b) Aaron's rod that budded - Num 17:1-11
               c) The tablets of the covenant - Deut 10:1-5
            4) Covering the ark was the mercy seat - Exo 25:17-22
               a) This lid, covered with gold, was topped with two 
                  cherubim (with wings stretched upward, and their 
                  faces "toward each other and toward the mercy seat.")
               b) The Lord was said to appear in a cloud above the 
                  mercy seat - Lev 16:2; Num 7:89; 2Ki 19:5

[As stated by the author himself, "of these things we cannot now speak
in detail". But a little more is now said regarding the ritual of the
earthly sanctuary...]

II. THE EARTHLY SANCTUARY:  ITS RITUAL (6-7)

   A. THE RITUAL OF THE HOLY PLACE (6)
      1. Every morning and evening, the priests would go into The Holy
         Place "performing the services"...
         a. They would trim the lamps on the lampstand - Exo 27:20-21
         b. They would offer incense on the altar of incense - Exo 30:
            7-8
      2. On the Sabbath, the priests would replace the Showbread - Lev 25:4-9
      -- But none went into The Most Holy Place during these daily
         services

   B. THE RITUAL OF THE MOST HOLY PLACE (7)
      1. Once a year, only the high priest entered The Most Holy Place 
         - Lev 16:2
         a. On the Day of Atonement
         b. The tenth day of the seventh month - Lev 16:29
      2. The high priest would do three things:
         a. Offer the incense to cloud the mercy seat - Lev 16:12-13
         b. Sprinkle the mercy seat with the blood of a bull, as a sin
            offering for himself and his family - Lev 16:11,14
         c. Sprinkle the mercy seat with the blood of a goat, as a sin
            offering for the people - Lev 16:15
      3. In this way he offered blood for his own sins and those of the
         people committed in ignorance - He 9:7

[With this summary of the ritual of the earthly sanctuary, we are 
reminded of the sort of services rendered under the first covenant. But
what was the true purpose of such service?  And did the sacrifices 
provide complete redemption?  These questions are addressed in the next
three verses...]
         
III. THE EARTHLY SANCTUARY:  ITS SYMBOLISM AND LIMITATION (8-10)

   A. IT WAS SYMBOLIC...
      1. As already stated, the tabernacle and its service was "a copy
         and shadow of the heavenly things" - He 8:4-5; cf. He 10:1a;
         Col 2:16-17
      2. Thus it was "symbolic for the present time" - He 9:9
         a. Symbolizing what eventually would occur when Christ came
         b. Symbolizing what Christ has now done in reality when He 
            entered heaven - cf. He 9:11-12,24-26
      3. The Holy Spirit was thus indicating that "the way into heaven
         itself was not yet made manifest" - He 9:8

   B. THERE WERE LIMITATIONS...
      1. The gifts and sacrifices could not make one perfect in regard
         to the conscience - He 9:9; cf. He 9:14; 10:1-4
      2. The ceremonies involved "fleshly ordinances imposed until the
         time of reformation" - He 9:10
         a. Just as the sanctuary was "earthly", the ordinances were 
            "fleshly"
            1) In contrast to that which is heavenly, spiritual
            2) Indeed, all of the ritual was designed to impact the 
               physical side of man
               a) I.e., his senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch)
               b) E.g., the burning of incense, the blowing of 
                  trumpets, the vestments
         b. Such ordinances were designed to be temporary
            1) Until "the time of reformation", when changes in worship
               would be made
            2) Indeed, now God expects "spiritual" worship - cf. Jn 4:
               21-24
               a) Worship that is more in keeping with God's true 
                  nature (Spirit)
               b) Worship that focuses on the inner man
                  1/ E.g., singing, where the emphasis is on melody 
                     made in the heart - Ep 5:19; Col 3:16
                  2/ Even in the Lord's Supper, which has physical
                     elements, the emphasis is on the communion we
                     share in the body of and blood of Jesus as we
                     commemorate His death - 1Co 11:23-26; 10:16-17
         -- Therefore we should not be surprised to learn that the
            early church did not simply institute the fleshly
            ordinances of the first covenant into their worship

CONCLUSION

1. The earthly sanctuary and its fleshly ordinances served God's
   purpose well...
   a. It revealed the terrible nature and high price of sin
   b. It revealed the need for the shedding of blood to provide the 
      remission of sin
   c. It prepared people for the coming of the ultimate sacrifice and 
      complete redemption

2. But as useful as it was, it was temporary and symbolic...
   a. A copy and shadow of what was to come
   b. Designed to vanish away when what it represented came to pass

3. As we shall see more fully in our next study...
   a. Christ has come and entered into "the greater and more perfect 
      tabernacle"
   b. He has "obtained eternal redemption"
   c. He has made it possible to "purge your conscience from dead 
      works to serve the living God"

Why would one ever wish to go back to the earthly sanctuary and its 
fleshly ordinances?  Why do some people wish to introduce Old Testament
practices into the worship of the Lord's church?

It can only be a failure to appreciate what we now have in Christ, and
the kind of worshippers God now desires.  As Jesus told the Samaritan
woman at the well...

   "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will
   worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking
   such to worship Him.  God is Spirit, and those who worship Him
   must worship in spirit and truth." (Jn 4:23-24)

Are we worshipping God the way He desires?  Or whatever way that
appeals to our fleshly senses and personal desires?

Brethren, think on these things...

 Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

From Gary... Vitameatavegamin

I know, I know- this isn't a great picture; but for those who have seen this episode, it is among the best work she (Lucille Ball) ever did!!! And it was funny!!! I enjoy a good laugh and being around people who love to enjoy life and I wonder... did Jesus ever laugh? Well, I don't know of anywhere in the New Testament that says he did, but if he did, it probably was at this occasion...

John, Chapter 2

 1 The third day, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there. 2 Jesus also was invited, with his disciples, to the marriage.  3 When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no wine.” 

  4  Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with you and me? My hour has not yet come.” 

  5  His mother said to the servants, “Whatever he says to you, do it.”  6 Now there were six water pots of stone set there after the Jews’ way of purifying, containing two or three metretes apiece.  7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the water pots with water.” They filled them up to the brim.  8 He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the ruler of the feast.” So they took it.  9 When the ruler of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and didn’t know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the ruler of the feast called the bridegroom,  10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when the guests have drunk freely, then that which is worse. You have kept the good wine until now!”

Weddings are a time of rejoicing, a time of merriment and laughter. Perhaps the wine had something to do with that, perhaps not, but the situation was a happy one, nonetheless. That Jesus' first miracle was turning water into wine (and good wine at that) says something about him personally. Yes, I do think he laughed (even though I can't prove it) and I encourage you do to the same today. What was that old saying? Something like... Laughter is the best medicine!!!  One thing is undisputed- it is better than vitameatavegamin!!!

From Jim McGuiggan... Correct views or warm Righteousness? (1)

Correct views or warm Righteousness? (1)

I want to work with some questions concerning the importance of “correct views”. Must we choose between correct views and a life of warm righteousness? If a person has correct theological views but chooses to live unrighteously most of us would know where he is before God. If a person lives a life of warm generosity and uprightness should we say his theological views don’t matter before God?

Recently I’ve been reading quite a bit from an old writer called John Watson who laid great stress on character and righteous behaviour and he does such a good job that at times I’m tempted to think that doctrine is close to irrelevant. I need no convincing that correct doctrine if it’s combined with a self-chosen lousy lifestyle is more of a judgment than a blessing (see that in Romans 2:1-3:19).

If I had had to be away and needed someone to watch over my Ethel while I was gone I’d have to know that the one in whose care I’d leave her was someone of character as well as competence. I’d look for patience, compassion, gentleness and strength. I wouldn’t ask if they were amillennial or premillennial; I wouldn’t ask if they practiced a faith-baptism for the remission of sins or infant baptism; I wouldn’t inquire if they believed Jesus rose bodily from the dead or what their view of the atonement was. I wouldn’t even care if they were atheist or theist. In such a situation I would regard correct theology as irrelevant if I knew they had depth of character and would commit to taking care of my Ethel. I didn’t quiz the surgeons, cardiologists, GPs or anyone else on their theological positions when I agreed to them working to bring Ethel through a score of life-threatening experiences.

In short, there are times and circumstances in which theological convictions are completely irrelevant. They’re certainly no substitute for genuineness of character and a virtuous heart whether that virtue and moral fineness is found in a Christian, Buddhist or atheist.  

So what are we to do? Dismiss theological truth entirely and insist that warm moral uprightness is everything?

If we say, “That depends on which theological truth we choose to dismiss” we seem to be saying that some theological truth must be maintained along with a virtuous life. Is that the case?

All biblical and theological truth is surely meant to fully equip us to live so as to glorify God (2 Timothy 3:16-17) so we’re not to isolate it from life—that’s obvious enough. Theological convictions can be worthless if they don’t transform the inner world in some foundational way but are we right if we dismiss them as irrelevant? All right, it’s better to have theological truth along with a virtuous life but, in the end, is it a virtuous life that is indispensable—is theological correctness dispensable fine-tuning?

To put it bluntly: In regard to the care of my loved ones theological differences would mean nothing. What difference does it make to your relationship with God if you’re a Buddhist, a Jew or a Christian so long as your life is warm and decent and generous? If the answer is that it makes no difference at all then it isn’t only NT ordinances (like Baptism and Holy Communion) that become dispensable—more critical by far, foundational truths such as “Jesus is Lord” become dispensable.

The temptation to sideline truth is real and powerful. How often have I been mocked by a critic with a text from Jesus? “What do you more than others?” he wanted to know of his followers. He didn’t but he could as well have asked, “Why don’t you do as much as others?” Of uncovenanted people Paul asked (Romans 2:26-29 along with 2:14-15); “If those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised?” Here we have uncovenanted people (that is, people outside the Jewish covenantal Torah) living better than those who were children of the covenant.

[This ought to put an end to the claim that only the elect can live in warm righteousness that pleases God!]

Yes! But does the fact that some Gentiles outlived some Jews give us grounds for dismissing God-revealed truth to his covenant people as irrelevant to their standing before God? Because some non-Christians live better than some Christians, does that mean the truth of God revealed in and as Jesus Christ is dispensable? [To be continued, God enabling.]

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, theabidingword.com.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have to think about this post from Jim. At the outset, I am not sure that I agree with what he says. Something bothers me about it. Perhaps it is the way it is phrased... like I said- will have to think about this one...

Gary

From Mark Copeland... The Promises Of God's New Covenant (Hebrews 8:7-13)

                      "THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS"

              The Promises Of God's New Covenant (8:7-13)

INTRODUCTION

1. Up to this point, the focus of "The Epistle To The Hebrews" has 
   been on Christ...
   a. His superiority to prophets, angels, Moses
   b. The superiority of His priesthood to the Levitical priesthood

2. With the transition in He 8:1-6, the focus shifts to the New 
   Covenant...
   a. A new covenant in which Jesus has already been described as:
      1) The "surety" (guarantor) - He 7:22
      2) The "Mediator" (one who intervenes) - He 8:6
   b. In both passages, this covenant was described as a "better" 
      covenant

3. Better than what?  Better in what way?  In Hebrews 8, we learn the 
   answer...
   a. Better than the "first covenant" - cf. He 8:7
   b. Better because of the "promises" contained in it - cf. He 8:6

[In this study, "The Promises Of God's New Covenant", we shall examine
our text (He 8:7-13) to ascertain how the New Covenant is better, 
especially with regard to its promises.

Let's begin by noticing...]

I. GOD'S PROMISE OF A NEW COVENANT (7-9,13)

   A. THE FIRST COVENANT WAS NOT FAULTLESS... (7)
      1. Otherwise, there would have been no need for a second covenant
      2. We have already seen concerning the first covenant that...
         a. The Levitical priesthood could not bring perfection - He 7:
            11
         b. The Law made nothing perfect, and was therefore annulled 
            due to its weakness and unprofitableness - He 7:18-19
      3. This inadequacy has special reference to the sacrifices of the
         first covenant...
         a. They could not make those who approach perfect - He 10:1-3
         b. The blood of animals offered by the priests could not take
            away sins - He 10:4,11

   B. THE PEOPLE OF THE FIRST COVENANT WERE ALSO AT FAULT... (8-9)
      1. God found fault because they did not continue in His covenant 
         - cf. Jer 11:7-10
      2. For this reason He disregarded them, allowing them to be taken
         away by their enemies - cf. Jer 11:11-14
      -- Even so, He did not leave them without some hope, for through
         the prophet Jeremiah He made a promise...

   C. GOD PROMISED A NEW COVENANT... (8-9)
      1. Promised in Jer 31:31-34
      2. In which God would make a "new covenant" with Israel and Judah
      2. A covenant different than the one made at Mt. Sinai (how, we
         shall see in a moment)

   D. THE NEW COVENANT HAS MADE THE FIRST "OBSOLETE"... (13)
      1. By even calling the promised covenant "new", God made the
         first covenant obsolete
         a. The old covenant actually continued on for about 500 years
            after Jeremiah
         b. But with the promise of the new, attention would be taken
            away from the old covenant and directed toward the new one
            that was coming!
      2. Its obsolescence was especially seen in the days of the Hebrew
         writer...
         a. It was "becoming obsolete and growing old"
            1) The death of Jesus rendered the sacrifices of the first
               covenant unnecessary
            2) Before long, the temple itself would be destroyed, and
               along with it, the last vestiges of the Levitical 
               priesthood
         b. Truly, it was "ready to vanish away"

[So God promised a "new covenant" to replace the "old covenant"; and 
Jesus is the "Mediator" of this covenant, which is "a better covenant".
Better in what way?

Better because it "was established on better promises".  Let's now 
consider some of...]

II. GOD'S PROMISES INVOLVING THE NEW COVENANT (10-12)

   A. IT WILL BE INWARD AND SPIRITUAL... (10)
      1. "I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their 
         hearts"
      2. The first covenant had its laws written on tablets of stone; 
         the new covenant is one that requires God's laws be written in
         our hearts
      3. It is not enough to have God's Word in our hands, on our 
         coffee tables, etc.
         a. We must plant God's Word into our hearts - cf. Jm 1:21
         b. For only then can we truly be born again by the 
            incorruptible seed, the word of God - 1Pe 1:22-23
      -- Are you living up to intent of the New Covenant, or are you
         little different than those under the first covenant, who had
         the Word, but not on their hearts?

   B. IT WILL PROVIDE A CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD... (10)
      1. "I will be their God, and they shall be My people"
      2. The actual terms of this promise is really nothing new - cf. 
         Exo 6:7; Lev 26:12
      3. But in each successive "age", its promise is filled with fresh
         meaning; for example...
         a. In "this age", we enjoy a closer relationship with God 
            - cf. 2Co 6:16-18; 1Pe 2:9-10
         b. But even more so, in the "age to come", which is in 
            eternity - cf. Re 21:1-7
      -- Are you utilizing the blessings whereby you can have a closer
         relationship with God?

   C. IT WILL BE WITH PEOPLE WHO KNOW THE LORD... (11)
      1. "None of them shall teach...saying, 'Know the Lord', for all
         shall know Me..."
      2. The New Covenant will be with people who have already come to
         know the Lord
         a. Unlike the first covenant, in which people entered it at 
            birth; as they grew up, they needed to be taught about the 
            Lord
         b. In the new covenant, one must come to know the Lord before
            they can enter the covenant
      3. So it is that one must believe in Jesus before they can enter
         into a covenant relationship with their Lord through baptism 
         - cf. Ac 8:36-38
      -- Does not this feature of the New Covenant preclude the 
         practice of infant baptism?

   D. IT WILL PROVIDE TRUE FORGIVENESS FOR SIN... (12)
      1. "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their
         sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more"
      2. Here is the ultimate basis of the blessing previously 
         described; by virtue of the forgiveness of sins can we truly 
         be God's people, and He our God!
      3. Thus the New Covenant provides what the first covenant could 
         not:  true forgiveness of sins! - cf. He 10:1-4,11

CONCLUSION

1. Such are "The Promises Of God's New Covenant"...
   a. As foretold through the prophet Jeremiah
   b. Now fulfilled through the coming of Jesus and His death on the 
      cross
   -- By virtue of "better promises", Christ is truly the Mediator of a
      "better covenant"!

3. But there is more to be said about why the New Covenant is a better
   covenant...
   a. It also has a better sanctuary
   b. It also has a better sacrifice
   -- But consideration of these things will be saved for later

At this point it might be appropriate to ask:

   Have you truly entered into a covenant relationship with the Lord?

The entrance terms of this New Covenant are simple:  They involve faith
in Christ and a confession of that faith (Ro 10:9,10), along with 
repentance of sins and baptism into Christ (Ac 2:36-39). 

The promised blessings of the New Covenant await any and all who are 
willing to so respond to the gospel of Christ!

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

From Gary... A MASTERPIECE OF....

You are someone special because God made you, Jesus died for you and God's Holy Spirit intercedes with the Father for you. You are special!!!  Although each one of the boxes in the graphic above could have a paragraph devoted to it (probably, much, much more than that), I would just like to make a few brief comments concerning the top one...

Ephesians, Chapter 2

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.

Strongs dictionary # 4161: poiema
whence Eng., "poem," denotes "that which is made" (from poieo, "to do, make"), Rom. 1:20, "the things that are made;" Eph. 2:10, "(His) workmanship."

I really like the idea that we are "living poems".  Our lives flow with beauty and elegance that is a reflection of God's physical creation as well as HIS Spiritual creation within us through HIS word. Our poem has a purpose- good works, and that designed by the Almighty for HIS OWN PURPOSES. And we should do (walk in) them.   You know, I never really thought of God as a master poet before and I bet that his works don't even need to rhyme- they probably sound wonderful anyway!!!