Today's Journal
GLORIOUS NEW COVENANT
Paul, an apostle, wrote to the Corinthians:“He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life. The old way, with laws etched in stone, led to death, though it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses’ face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away. Shouldn’t we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life? If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new way, which makes us right with God! In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new way. So if the old way, which has been replaced, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new, which remains forever!” (2 Corinthians 3:6-10)
I often read of groups that emphasize the importance having ‘right doctrine,’ or ‘correct practices,’ or ‘proper sacraments,’ and belonging to the ‘right theological emphasis’ (i.e., Reformed, unformed, deformed and many are Uniformed, Methodist, Pentecostal, Independent, non-denominational… or ‘We’ve Got it All Figured Out’ …whatever.) I also believe that certain ‘right’ doctrines are necessary. I think Christians should believe and practice obvious and uncomplicated Biblical texts… more than a Cum-Ba-Yah, rah, rah, rah experience. More than a Cheeto’s Church.
What I have never read in a Doctrinal Statement is a group that stresses ‘a new and glorious covenant’ as their benchmark of emphasis. One that shines as bright as the Son. Brothers and sisters, we need our faces to shine... no veils…just shine. “How much more glorious is the new way?’
“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.”
Jesus