We Want To Be Covenantal Christians

When we get introduced to the issues that gave rise to the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, it’s not too long and we come to learn about God’s way of relating to His people. The biblical term customarily used is covenant. Many times in the Bible, a consistent pattern emerges that guides us on how He relates to His own people.

The pattern includes: 1) an introduction about God’s person and name, “I am the Lord,” 2) the provision of access to Him “…through the Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand…,” 3) an expectation of us to follow His commandments, “I am the Lord…You shall have no other gods before Me,” 4) the drawing on and heeding His on-going, sufficient and accountable presence, “…I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that may cling to Him for He is your life…” and 5) the prospect of living under the blessing of His triumph, “I will build My church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”

Covenantal Christians live out their daily faith:
1. Yes, God is our God. He made us, He owns us, and He’s our Savior.
2. Yes, God is holy and we need Christ through whom we may worship and live in the Spirit’s enabling power.
3. Yes, His ways, God’s laws, are our reliable guide. We fear Him.
4. Yes, He’s always with us, both comforting and correcting us in discipleship.
5. Yes, God is the Alpha and the Omega, faithful to us and to those coming behind us. We are forward-looking.

Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices
Who wondrous things hath done, in whom his world rejoices
Who from our mothers’ arms, hath blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.
Trinity Hymnal, p. 86

G. Mark Sumpter