In what ways can we live out being part of God's covenant community? The Everlasting Covenant in Genesis 17:7 “I will establish My covenant as an everlasting covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you, to be God to you and to your descendants after you.” (Genesis 17:7) Key Truths About Covenant Community • The initiative is God’s—He “establishes” the covenant. • The covenant is “everlasting”—it endures beyond one generation. • Its central promise is relationship: “to be God to you.” • Believers in Christ are grafted into this same covenant by faith (Galatians 3:29; Romans 4:11). Living Out Our Covenant Identity 1. Walk before God blamelessly (Genesis 17:1) • Daily obedience, honest repentance, wholehearted devotion. • “Be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). 2. Bear the covenant sign—now written on the heart • Old sign: circumcision (Genesis 17:11). • Fulfilled sign: “circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit” (Romans 2:29; Colossians 2:11-12). • Live a life cut off from sin and set apart for God. 3. Gather around covenant celebrations • Baptism—public entrance into the community (Acts 2:38-39). • The Lord’s Supper—renewed remembrance of the blood of the new covenant (Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25). • Faithful, joyful worship with God’s people (Hebrews 10:24-25). 4. Pass the covenant to the next generation • Teach children diligently (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). • Model faith that is authentic, not merely inherited (2 Timothy 1:5). • Invite spiritual “descendants” through discipleship (Matthew 28:19). 5. Display covenant love within the community • “Love one another earnestly” (1 Peter 4:8). • Share burdens, resources, and encouragement (Acts 4:32-35; Galatians 6:2). • Pursue unity; avoid gossip and division (Ephesians 4:1-3). 6. Bless the nations as covenant ambassadors • The original promise: “All the families of the earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3). • Live and speak so others taste that blessing (Matthew 5:13-16; 2 Corinthians 5:20). 7. Stand on the covenant promises with unshakable hope • God’s faithfulness is the anchor (Deuteronomy 7:9; Hebrews 6:17-19). • Trust His provision, protection, and future restoration (Jeremiah 31:33; Revelation 21:3). Putting It All Together Living as part of God’s covenant community means embracing His ownership, cultivating a heart marked by the Spirit, gathering to remember His grace, raising up the next generation of faith, loving His people, serving His world, and resting in His unbreakable promises. |
    |