Many of us know the importance of obeying God, but fewer people may be aware of how grace has transformed obedience from the old to the new covenant. Under the Law of Moses the only way to be blessed was through strict obedience; it was all about what man did, first. This covenant stated that if the people hearkened diligently to the Lord’s voice and observed all His commandments, only then would the blessings come on them and they would eat the good of the land. However, the finished works of Jesus changed all that for us.

The law was perfect; in fact, it was too perfect for imperfect people to keep. God’s ability to show favor to people was dependent on their behavior, so He made a new and better covenant that took people’s behavior out of the equation. The new agreement, based on the blood Jesus shed for us, extends the blessings of Abraham to everyone, not just to the Jews. The beauty of this current covenant is that it hinges on Jesus’ obedience, not ours; this means that we receive God’s blessings by faith, not by our works.

We no longer have to be weighed down with the awareness of sin and our powerlessness to overcome it. Because of what Adam did in the garden of Eden, we were born into this world as sinners. Because of what Jesus did on the cross, we were made righteous. Because of Him, believers are no longer sinners, but saints.

Under grace, it’s not necessary to follow a predetermined set of religious actions in hopes of getting God to give us healing, prosperity, peace, or deliverance. Christ has already made them available; our trust in Him puts us in a position to receive everything we need. Experiencing God’s best no longer depends on our performance.

Prayer:

God, Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, and His performance was flawless. We can now depend on His perfect obedience, not ours. We thank You for this. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Scriptures:

Deuteronomy 28:1, 2

Isaiah 1:19

Hebrews 8:8, 9, 13

Galatians 3:14

Romans 5:19