{"id":389,"date":"2010-11-22T05:38:31","date_gmt":"2010-11-22T05:38:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=389"},"modified":"2010-11-22T05:38:31","modified_gmt":"2010-11-22T05:38:31","slug":"bulletin-articles-issue-47-november-2010","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=389","title":{"rendered":"Bulletin Articles Issue #47 November 2010"},"content":{"rendered":"

“Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.” – Hebrews 9:20
\n<\/strong>
\nThere is a strange power about the very name of blood, and the sight of it is always affecting. A kind heart cannot bear to see a sparrow bleed, and unless familiarized by use, turns away with horror at the slaughter of a beast. As to the blood of men, it is a consecrated thing: it is murder to shed it in wrath, it is a dreadful crime to squander it in war. Is this solemnity occasioned by the fact that the blood is the life, and the pouring of it forth the token of death? We think so. When we rise to contemplate the blood of the Son of God, our awe is yet more increased, and we shudder as we think of the guilt of sin, and the terrible penalty which the Sin-bearer endured. Blood, always precious, is priceless when it streams from Immanuel’s side. The blood of Jesus seals the covenant of grace, and makes it forever sure. Covenants of old were made by sacrifice, and the everlasting covenant was ratified in the same manner. Oh, the delight of being saved upon the sure foundation of divine engagements which cannot be dishonoured! Salvation by the works of the law is a frail and broken vessel whose shipwreck is sure; but the covenant vessel fears no storms, for the blood ensures the whole. The blood of Jesus made his testament valid. Wills are of no power unless the testators die. In this light the soldier’s spear is a blessed aid to faith, since it proved our Lord to be really dead. Doubts upon that matter there can be none, and we may boldly appropriate the legacies which he has left for his people. Happy they who see their title to heavenly blessings assured to them by a dying Saviour. But has this blood no voice to us? Does it not bid us sanctify ourselves unto him by whom we have been redeemed? Does it not call us to newness of life, and incite us to entire consecration to the Lord? O that the power of the blood might be known, and felt in us this night!\u00a0 Spurgeon.<\/strong><\/p>\n

COVENANT FAITHFULNESS-John MacDuff,1849. <\/strong>“How precious also are Your thoughts unto me, O God!”<\/p>\n

“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet My unfailing love for you will not be shaken, nor My covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you. <\/em>Isaiah 54:10\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The mountains<\/em> are the most stable objects in the material world\u2014nature’s noblest emblem of immutability. But these have “change” written upon their stupendous brows. Time is furrowing them with wrinkles\u2014wearing down their colossal forms. Atmospheric influences are subjecting them to continual waste and decay. The hoary-crowned Alp is included in the doom, “All these things shall be dissolved.” But, more enduring than mountains of primeval granite is God’s kindness. Whatever is dearest to us may change\u2014and sooner or later must perish. The gourd<\/em> we have lovingly nurtured and tended may wither, like Jonah’s, just when most needed. The gold<\/em> we have taken a life-time to amass, may be forfeited by one adverse turn of capricious fortune. The brook<\/em> which for long years has sung its joyful way at our side, may be dried in its channel. The “staff and beautiful rod” which blossomed in our household may be broken, and strewed in withered leaves at our feet. The cistern<\/em>\u2014hewn with such pains\u2014may be fractured by a stroke of the chisel while hewing it, and lie scattered on the ground in fragments of shapeless ruin.\u00a0 But God’s love is immutable and immovable! Mark the succession of golden links\u2014”precious thoughts,” in our motto-verse. He speaks of the “covenant,”\u2014”the covenant of peace,”\u2014of “My peace”\u2014a covenant not to be “removed.” These are glorious guarantees. Mountains, rocks, forests, all may decay and will decay; but “the Lord lives”\u2014”His years shall have no end;”\u2014”The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting, upon those who fear him.”\u00a0 Nothing can assail the believer’s safety or undermine his security. The oriental shepherds were used to girdle their flocks and folds with a belt of fire, to scare away the devouring wolves. ‘I,’ says God to His Zion, and to each child of Zion, ‘I will be that fiery defense. This covenant of My peace will be as a wall of flame\u2014once within My fold you are safe forever. My sheep shall<\/em> never\u2014can<\/em> never, perish.’ “Our cause,” says Luther, “is in the very hands of Him who can say with unimpeachable dignity, ‘No one shall pluck it out of My hands.’ I would not have it in our hands, and it would not be desirable that it were so. I have had many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have been able to place in God’s hands, I still possess.” “As soon might Satan,” says Charnock, “pull God out of heaven, undermine the security of Christ, and tear Him from the bosom of the Father, as deprive His people of their spiritual life.” Believer, rejoice in this faithful, covenant-keeping God. Anchor your soul on this Rock of the Divine veracity. The great adversary may try at times to impair your confidence\u2014shake your trust\u2014lead you to question your personal interest in the great salvation. But what are his negatives, to one affirmative of that God who cannot lie? His covenant of peace has something better than your own ever-fluctuating frames and feelings to rest upon. It is ratified by His own oath and promise. “The counsel of the Lord stands forever; the thoughts of His heart to all generations. “Just as the mountains surround and protect Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds and protects His people, both now and forever.<\/em><\/strong> Psalm 125:2<\/strong><\/p>\n

THE SURETY OF THE COVENANT<\/strong> – Hebrews 7:22\u00a0 – Don Fortner<\/p>\n

In the covenant of grace, before the world began, the Lord Jesus Christ voluntarily offered himself to be our Surety. He willingly took on himself all the responsibilities and liabilities of his covenant people. He is our Surety in an absolute sense. He agreed to do for us whatever God required of us for our eternal salvation. And God the Father accepted his Son as our Surety. Now, as soon as Christ became our Surety, God ceased to look to us and hold us responsible to satisfy his demands. He looks to Christ our Surety. God holds our Surety responsible to satisfy his demands for us. That being true, my heart rejoices, because “he shall not fail!”<\/p>\n

He Hath Made The First Old.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 –\u00a0 \u00a0 Don Fortner <\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIn that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 Hebrews 8:13<\/em><\/p>\n

It was never God\u2019s intention for sinners to be saved by the observance of the laws and ceremonies given in the Old Testament. Those laws and ceremonies were intended only to serve as types and pictures of Christ to turn us to him. Now that Christ has come, any observance of those laws and ceremonies he fulfilled as our Substitute is worse than ingratitude. \u2013 It is idolatry!<\/p>\n

A New Covenant <\/strong><\/p>\n

The opening words of verse 13 (\u201cIn that he saith a new covenant\u201d<\/em>) refer us back to verses 7 and 8 and to Jeremiah 31:31, the Old Testament passage being expounded in this chapter. If the first covenant (the law) had been faultless, if sin could have been put away by the observance of the legal statutes given at Sinai, there would have been no need for another. As Paul puts it in Galatians 2:21, \u201cIf righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/em><\/strong>\u201cHe hath made the first old<\/em>.\u201d — If the second is new, the first must be old. This is very much the same thing we read in Hebrews 10:9. \u201cHe taketh away the first that he may establish the second<\/em>\u201d Heb. 10:9). Finding fault with the first covenant, it had to be set aside to make room for the new covenant, the covenant of grace to which it pointed.<\/p>\n

The Old Covenant \u2013 Don Fortner<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

Once Christ came, the old covenant was antiquated, out of date, and made old, made old by God\u2019s design and purpose. Therefore, it vanished away. Why it is so difficult for people to see this I cannot imagine. Why religious people insist upon trying to mix law and grace is, to me, unfathomable. Why multitudes try to mix the old covenant ceremonies with new covenant ordinances, or old legal precepts with spiritual worship, is baffling.<\/p>\n

Perhaps you are thinking, \u201cHow do people try to mix the old and the new?<\/em>\u201d \u2013 Those who imagine that by sprinkling a little water on a baby\u2019s head (in a perversion of Christ\u2019s ordinance of baptism), they bring their child into a covenant relationship with God, are not only guilty of perverting God\u2019s ordinance but also of trying to maintain the Jewish law of circumcision. \u2013 Those who try to enforce sabbatical laws and mix them with the worship of God try to mix law and grace. \u2013 Those who would make believers live by the rule of the Mosaic law try to mix law and grace.<\/p>\n

The Scriptures are crystal clear in declaring that the old Mosaic covenant is totally fulfilled and brought to its conclusive end by the gospel. In this gospel age, it is emphatically, the old covenant. \u201cWe are not children of the bondwoman <\/em>(the law), but of the free <\/em>(the gospel). Standfast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hat made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage<\/em>\u201d (Gal. 4:31-5:1).<\/p>\n

The covenant of grace<\/strong> –\u00a0 (Thomas Brooks, “Paradise Opened<\/a>” 1675)<\/p>\n

“He has made with me an everlasting covenant<\/strong>,
\nordered in all things, and sure. Will He not bring to
\nfruition my salvation and grant me my every desire?”
\n2 Samuel 23:5<\/p>\n

All mankind would have been eternally lost\u2014had God
\nnot, of His own free grace and mercy, made a new
\ncovenant <\/em>with sinful man. The fountain <\/em>from whence
\nHis new covenant flows, is the sovereign grace and
\nmercy of God. There was nothing outside of God, nor
\nanything in God, but His mere mercy and grace\u2014which
\nmoved Him to enter into covenant with poor sinners,
\nwho were miserable and loathsome and polluted; and
\nand were actually in arms against Him!
\nAs there was nothing in fallen man to draw God’s favor
\nor affection towards him; just so\u2014there was everything
\nin fallen man which might justly provoke God’s wrath and
\nindignation against him! Therefore it must be a very high
\nact of favor and grace\u2014for the great, the glorious, the holy,
\nthe wise, and the all-sufficient God\u2014to enter into covenant
\nwith such a forlorn creature as fallen man was!
\nOh, the admirable counsel, wisdom, love, care and
\ntenderness of the blessed God\u2014which sparkles and
\nshines in the well-ordering of the covenant of grace!
\nOh, how lovely and beautiful, with what symmetry
\nand proportion, are all things in this covenant ordered
\nand prepared! Oh, what head can conceive, or what
\ntongue can express\u2014that infinite wisdom which God
\nhas manifested in ordering the covenant of grace\u2014so
\nas it may most and best suit to all the needs, and
\nstraits, and necessities, and miseries, and desires,
\nand longings of poor sinners’ souls! Here are fit and
\nfull supplies for all our spiritual needs! In the covenant
\nof grace, every poor sinner may find . . .<\/p>\n

a suitable help,
\na suitable remedy,
\na suitable support,
\na suitable supply!
\nThe covenant of grace, is so well ordered by the
\nunsearchable wisdom of God, that you may find in it . . .
\nremedies <\/strong>to cure all your spiritual diseases,
\ncordials <\/strong>to comfort you under all your soul-faintings,
\nand a spiritual<\/strong> armory <\/strong>to arm you against . . .
\nall sorts of sins<\/em>, and
\nall sorts of snares<\/em>, and
\nall sorts of temptations<\/em>, and
\nall sorts of oppositions<\/em>, and
\nall sorts of enemies<\/em>\u2014whether inward
\nor outward, open or secret, subtle or silly.
\nDo you, O distressed sinner\u2014need . . .
\na loving God<\/strong>,
\na compassionate God,
\na reconciled God,
\na sin-pardoning God,
\na tender-hearted God?
\nHere you may find Him in the covenant of grace!
\nDo you, O sinner\u2014need a Christ<\/strong> . . .
\nto counsel you by His wisdom,
\nto clothe you with His righteousness,
\nto enrich you with His grace,
\nto enlighten you with His eye salve,
\nto justify you from your sins,
\nto reconcile you to God,
\nto secure you from wrath to come,
\nto bring you to heaven?
\nHere you may find Him in a covenant of grace!
\nDo you, O sinner! need the Holy Spirit<\/strong> . . .
\nto awaken you,
\nto convince you of sin, righteousness and judgment,
\nto enlighten and teach you,
\nto lead and guide you in the everlasting way,
\nto cleanse you,
\nto comfort you?
\nHere you may find Him in the covenant of grace!
\nO sinner! Do you need grace<\/strong>, all grace, great grace,
\nabundance of grace, multiplied grace? Here you may
\nfind it in the covenant of grace!
\nO sinner! Do you need peace, or ease, or rest, or
\nquiet in your conscience<\/strong>? Here you may find it in the covenant of grace!<\/p>\n

O sinner! Do you need contentment, or comfort<\/strong>,
\nor joy, or satisfaction? Here you may have it in
\nthe covenant of grace!
\nO sinner, sinner! whatever your soul needs are<\/em>\u2014they
\nmay all be supplied out of the covenant of grace!
\nGod, in His infinite wisdom and love, has laid into
\nthe covenant of grace, as into a common storehouse,
\nall those good <\/em>things, and all those great <\/em>things, and
\nall those suitable <\/em>things\u2014that either sinners or saints
\ncan either desire or need!<\/p>\n

EVERLASTING ESPOUSAL \u00a0\u00a0–\u00a0 John Mac Duff\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 – <\/strong>“How precious also are Your thoughts unto me, O God!”<\/p>\n

And I will betroth you unto Me forever; yes, I will betroth you unto Me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving-kindness, and in mercies.<\/em> Hosea 2:19<\/p>\n

The most endearing as well as the most exalted relationships of earth are employed to illustrate and symbolize God’s love to His people. He is represented comforting as a mother, pitying as a father, sympathizing as a friend, healing as a physician, bestowing as a king. Here He is described as entering into everlasting espousals with His Church, and with every redeemed member of it\u2014in the depths of a past eternity, pledging His vow to His betrothed Bride\u2014putting the espousal-ring on her finger; summoning Righteousness, Judgment, Loving-kindness, and Mercies, as witnesses of the magnificent ceremony, to sign and ratify the marriage-contract.<\/p>\n

How uncertain are earth’s apparently securest ties! Brother may be severed from brother, husband from wife, child from parent, friend from friend. But, in our union with God\u2014linked to Him in the bonds of the everlasting covenant\u2014the pang of separation can neither be felt nor feared. Age can never plough its furrows on the brow. Sickness can never blanch the cheek. Death can never unlock the fountain of tears. The grave can never close over our “loved and lost.” “I will betroth you unto Me forever!”<\/em><\/p>\n

As in the human union which here, as in other passages, is made the type and symbol of the nobler covenant, that Divine espousal is reared on the twofold basis of HONOR and of LOVE. Righteousness<\/em> and Judgment<\/em>, the two representatives of God’s honor, come first; Loving-kindness<\/em> and Mercy<\/em> follow. It is a union founded on everlasting truth, justice, and rectitude. These attesting witnesses sign the contract around the Cross of Calvary. There “mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” “Christ also loved the Church, and gave Himself for it.” What an endless dowry did that mighty Sacrifice purchase and secure for the Bride of heaven!<\/p>\n

Soon the festal-day shall be here; when the betrothed spouse shall be presented to the heavenly Bridegroom\u2014ushered into the blest pavilion of His own presence. The marriage-procession is even now on foot. The train is sweeping along to the hall of the King’s palace. Righteousness, Judgment, Loving-kindness, Mercy, these are the four torch-bearers lighting<\/p>\n

the way to the gladsome scene. Have we heard and obeyed the midnight summons, “Behold, the Bridegroom comes; go out to meet Him?”<\/p>\n

Let them boast in this alone: that they truly know Me and understand that I am the Lord who is just and righteous, whose love is unfailing, and that I delight in these things. I, the Lord, have spoken! <\/em>Jeremiah 9:24<\/p>\n

Covenant Mercies\u00a0 –\u00a0 \u00a0Tom Harding<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain. Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow. (<\/em>2 Sam.23:1-5)
\nSometimes the last words of a man are regarded, remembered and sometimes even recorded for all to read and think upon. Certainly this is true of David. God is about to call him home to glory, in this special time, he found his comfort, hope, and salvation in God\u2019s covenant of mercy and grace revealed in Jesus Christ, Who is the Surety of the Covenant (Heb. 7:22). Although David had won many victories, even reigned over Israel for forty years as God\u2019s King, and was used of God to write many Psalms, his hope of salvation was not what he accomplished, but rather in Christ alone. David describes the hope of every believer in verse five (2Sam. 23:5). Although we are sinners (Psalm 51:5), although we are guilty before God (Rom. 3:19), although we deserve nothing but judgment and God\u2019s wrath (Rom. 6:23); yet, God delights to show mercy because of the eternal covenant of grace made with Christ Jesus before the world began (Heb. 13:20). Our sinful condition does not hinder His almighty purpose and grace in Christ (Dan.4:35; Ro.5:6).<\/p>\n

Remember these five things about this covenant of grace in Christ!
\n1). This covenant of grace is everlasting!<\/p>\n

Everlasting in its council. Before there was a sinner there was a Saviour. Before Adam fell, the Surety stood (Rev.13:8). Everlasting in its continuance. Whatever God does it shall be forever (Eccl. 3:14). Everlasting in its consequences. The believer is predestinated to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:28-30).
\n2). This covenant of grace is ordered in all things!<\/p>\n

The mercies and grace of God are not left to luck, chance nor the sinner\u2019s depraved will, but to the determinate council and purpose of God <\/em>(Eph. 1:3-6). This places the accomplishment of our salvation not in our hands, but in the hands of Christ alone, Who cannot fail (Isa. 42:4). Salvation is of the Lord!
\n3). This covenant of grace is sure!<\/p>\n

It stands upon a sure foundation. The Lord Christ Jesus is the foundation upon which this covenant rests, He is the solid Rock (2 Tim.2:19; Isa. 28:16).
\n4). This covenant of grace is all my salvation (Heb. 13:20)!<\/p>\n

It is completely upon Jesus Christ, His person, sacrifice and righteousness that the believer has any measure of confidence in salvation. Jesus Christ is not a way, He is the Way, Truth and Life ( John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Col. 2:9-10).
\n5). This covenant of grace is all my desire!<\/p>\n

We rejoice in Jesus Christ and have no confidence in the flesh. We desire to know more about Jesus Christ and to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Him (Phil. 3:3-9). This is the earnest desire of every believer (Matt. 11:25-28; 1Pet. 2:2)!<\/p>\n


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“Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.” – Hebrews 9:20 There is a strange power about the very name of blood, and the sight of it is always affecting. A kind heart cannot bear to see a sparrow bleed, and unless familiarized by use, turns away with horror […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-389","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bulletin-editions"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/389","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=389"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/389\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":391,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/389\/revisions\/391"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=389"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=389"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=389"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}