The New Covenant, pt. 2
What if I told you that every promise God ever made—from the rainbow after the flood to the throne of David, from the blessing to Abraham to the law given at Sinai—every single one finds its ultimate 'yes' in a carpenter from Nazareth? Today, we're going to see how Jesus doesn't just fulfill one or two prophecies... He's the key that unlocks the entire biblical story.
Welcome back to my channel, I'm Austin Duncan, and today we're diving into what I believe is the most mind-blowing aspect of biblical theology—how Jesus Christ serves as the fulfillment of not just some, but all of God's covenant promises. This is week 10 of our covenant series, and if you've been following along, you know we've traced God's covenant faithfulness from Noah through Abraham, Moses, David, and the prophetic promises of the New Covenant. Today, everything converges. Today, we see how Jesus is the lens through which the entire biblical narrative suddenly makes perfect sense.
The Mystery Revealed
Let me start with a story that sets the stage perfectly. It's resurrection Sunday, and two disciples are walking to Emmaus, completely devastated. Their Messiah is dead. Their hopes are shattered. Then a stranger joins them on the road—they don't recognize Him as Jesus—and He asks what they're discussing. After they pour out their grief, this stranger says something remarkable in Luke 24:25-27:
"O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" And then Luke tells us, "And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself."
Think about that for a moment. Jesus doesn't just point to a few messianic proof texts. He walks through the entire Old Testament—Moses, the Prophets, everything—and shows how it all points to Him. This isn't cherry-picking verses; this is a comprehensive theological framework. Jesus is claiming to be the interpretive key to all of Scripture.
Jesus' Self-Testimony (Luke 24)
The Divine Hermeneutic
Let's dig deeper into Luke 24, because Jesus gives us more detail later in the chapter. In verses 44-47, after His resurrection, Jesus appears to the disciples and says:
"These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled."
Notice the three-fold division here: Law, Prophets, Psalms. That's the entire Hebrew Bible, what we call the Old Testament. Jesus isn't saying, "Hey, there are some verses about me scattered throughout." He's making a comprehensive claim—the entire Scripture is fundamentally about Him.
The Greek word Luke uses in verse 45 is fascinating: διανοίγω (dianoigō), which means "to open completely." It's the same word used earlier when their eyes were opened to recognize Jesus at the breaking of bread. Jesus doesn't just explain Scripture; He opens it. He unlocks what was always there but couldn't be fully understood without Him.
Why This Matters
Here's what this means for us: If Jesus Himself says He's the key to understanding all Scripture, then we can't fully understand the Bible without seeing it through a Christological lens. This isn't imposing Jesus onto texts where He doesn't belong—it's reading Scripture the way Jesus Himself taught us to read it.
Think about it like this: Have you ever watched a mystery movie for the second time? Suddenly, all those seemingly random details make sense because you know the ending. That's what Jesus is doing here. He's showing that He was always the point, always the goal, always the solution God was working toward.
The Divine "Yes and Amen" (2 Corinthians 1:20)
Every Promise Fulfilled
Paul gives us perhaps the most sweeping statement about Jesus and covenant fulfillment in 2 Corinthians 1:20:
"For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory."
Let's break this down, because this is massive. The Greek word for "yes" here is ναί (nai)—it's an emphatic, absolute affirmation. And ἀμήν (amēn) means "truly" or "so be it." Paul is saying that every single promise God has ever made—think about that, every single one—finds its definitive, absolute fulfillment in Jesus Christ.
This isn't hyperbole. Paul is making a theological statement about the nature of God's promises and Christ's role in redemptive history. Every covenant we've studied—Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic, New Covenant—they all find their "yes" in Jesus.
A Modern Illustration
Let me give you a contemporary analogy. Imagine you've ordered a dozen different items from various online stores over the years, and they've all been marked "pending" or "processing." Then one day, you get a notification that says, "All orders fulfilled and delivered." That's what Paul is saying about Jesus. Every promise God made throughout the Old Testament was essentially "on order," and Jesus is the ultimate delivery of all of them simultaneously.
But here's where it gets even better—our response is "Amen." We're not passive recipients; we actively affirm and celebrate what God has done in Christ. When we say "Amen" in faith, we're agreeing with God's fulfilled promises and entering into their benefits.
How Jesus Fulfills the Noahic Covenant
The Promise of Preservation
Remember back in week 2 when we looked at God's covenant with Noah? God promised never to destroy the earth by flood again, to maintain seasonal stability, and to preserve creation until redemption was complete. How does Jesus fulfill this?
Paul tells us in Colossians 1:17: "And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together." Jesus isn't just a spiritual Savior; He's the cosmic sustainer. The reason the universe doesn't fly apart, the reason seasons continue, the reason creation endures—it's all because of Christ's sustaining power.
Jesus as the True Ark
But there's an even deeper fulfillment. Noah's ark saved eight people from the flood of judgment. Peter makes this connection explicit in 1 Peter 3:20-21, linking the ark to baptism and ultimately to Christ. Jesus is the true ark—the only refuge from divine judgment. Just as God shut Noah and his family into the ark for safety, we are hidden in Christ, secure from the ultimate flood of God's wrath.
Think about this: Every rainbow you see isn't just reminding you of God's promise to Noah. In light of Christ, it's reminding you that God preserves this world specifically so that redemption can be completed. As 2 Peter 3:9 tells us, "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance."
How Jesus Fulfills the Abrahamic Covenant
The Promised Seed
This is where Paul's exegesis in Galatians 3 becomes absolutely brilliant. He takes God's promise to Abraham about his "seed" (Hebrew: זֶרַע, zera; Greek: σπέρμα, sperma) and makes a grammatical observation in Galatians 3:16:
"Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, 'And to offsprings,' referring to many, but referring to one, 'And to your offspring,' who is Christ."
Some people have criticized Paul here, saying the Hebrew word for "seed" is collective. But Paul isn't making a simple grammatical argument—he's making a theological one. While the promise certainly included Abraham's physical descendants, Paul is saying that ultimately, fundamentally, the promise was always about one specific descendant: Jesus Christ.
Universal Blessing Through One
Remember God's promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:3: "In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." How does that happen? Through Jesus. Galatians 3:14 explains: "so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith."
Here's what's beautiful about this: The church's multiethnic, multinational nature isn't a plan B. It's the fulfillment of what God promised Abraham all along. When you look around a diverse congregation with people from every nation, tribe, and tongue worshiping together, you're seeing the Abrahamic covenant fulfilled in Christ.
Faith as the Pattern
Abraham was justified by faith (Genesis 15:6), and that becomes the pattern for all who would be Abraham's children. But here's the key—we don't just follow Abraham's example; we're united to Abraham's seed, Christ. Galatians 3:29 makes this crystal clear: "And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise."
You see how this works? It's not that we become Jewish to inherit the promises. It's that through union with Christ—the true Seed—we become Abraham's children and heirs of all the covenant promises.
How Jesus Fulfills the Mosaic Covenant
The Law's Impossible Demand
The Mosaic covenant, as we studied in weeks 5 and 6, presented God's holy standard but also revealed human inability to meet it. The law was good, but we were weak. Romans 8:3 captures this perfectly: "For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do."
So how does Jesus fulfill the Mosaic covenant? In two crucial ways: active obedience and passive obedience.
Active Obedience: Keeping Every Command
Jesus didn't come to abolish the law but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17). This means He perfectly kept every single commandment—moral, civil, and ceremonial. Every requirement God gave at Sinai, Jesus fulfilled completely. He loved God with all His heart, soul, mind, and strength. He loved His neighbor as Himself. He kept every feast, every Sabbath regulation, every dietary law, every moral precept—perfectly.
This is why Paul can say in Romans 10:4, "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." The Greek word τέλος (telos) translated "end" means both termination and goal. Jesus is both the law's goal—what it was always pointing toward—and its termination for righteousness, because He achieved what it demanded.
Passive Obedience: Bearing the Curse
But Jesus didn't just keep the law's commands; He bore its curse. Galatians 3:13 states: "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.'"
Every violation of God's law that you've committed, every command you've broken—Jesus took the penalty upon Himself. The Mosaic covenant said, "Do this and live; fail and die." Jesus said, "I'll do it for you, and I'll die for you, so you can live."
Jesus as the Better Moses
Hebrews 3:3-6 makes explicit that Jesus is superior to Moses: "For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself... Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant... but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son."
Think about the contrast: Moses was a servant in God's house; Jesus is the Son over God's house. Moses delivered Israel from Egyptian slavery; Jesus delivers us from slavery to sin. Moses mediated a covenant written on stone; Jesus mediates a covenant written on hearts. Moses' ministry was marked by fading glory (2 Corinthians 3); Jesus' ministry is marked by ever-increasing glory.
How Jesus Fulfills the Davidic Covenant
The Promise of an Eternal Throne
God promised David in 2 Samuel 7 that his throne would be established forever. But here's the problem—the Davidic line seemed to end with the Babylonian exile. The last Davidic king, Jehoiachin, died in Babylonian captivity. So how can the promise be fulfilled?
Enter Jesus. Luke 1:32-33 records Gabriel's announcement to Mary: "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."
Better Than David in Every Way
David was Israel's greatest king, but he had serious failures—adultery, murder, census-taking that led to plague. Jesus is the better David who lived without sin. David's kingdom was limited to Israel and surrounding territories; Jesus declares in Matthew 28:18, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." David died and was buried in Jerusalem; Jesus conquered death and reigns forever.
Present and Future Fulfillment
Here's something crucial to understand: Jesus is reigning now. Acts 2:29-36, Peter's Pentecost sermon, makes this explicit. Peter quotes Psalm 110 about David's Lord sitting at God's right hand and then declares: "Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified."
Jesus is currently reigning from heaven, but that's not the end. He will return to establish His kingdom fully on earth, sitting on David's throne in the renewed Jerusalem. The already-not yet tension we feel in the Christian life reflects this dual fulfillment—Christ reigns now spiritually and will reign then physically.
How Jesus Mediates the New Covenant
The Promise Made Real
Jeremiah 31:31-34 promised a New Covenant with four key features: God's law written on hearts, direct knowledge of God, complete forgiveness, and eternal duration. Jesus explicitly claims to inaugurate this covenant at the Last Supper. Luke 22:20 records: "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood."
Notice the connection to Exodus 24:8, where Moses said, "Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you." Jesus deliberately echoes this language but transforms it. It's not the blood of bulls and goats; it's His own blood. It's not a covenant that can be broken; it's an eternal covenant that He Himself guarantees.
Internal Transformation Through the Spirit
The New Covenant promise of the law written on hearts happens through the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus sends. Jesus promised in John 14:26: "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things."
This is why Christianity isn't about trying harder to keep rules. It's about receiving a new heart with new desires through the Spirit's work. Ezekiel 36:27 promised: "And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes." That "causing" happens through Christ's completed work and the Spirit's application of it.
Complete and Final Forgiveness
Hebrews 10:11-14 contrasts old covenant sacrifices with Christ's sacrifice: "And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God... For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified."
Did you catch that? Old covenant priests never sat down—their work was never finished. Jesus sat down because His work is complete. The Greek perfect tense in "he has perfected" (τετελείωκεν, teteleiōken) indicates a completed action with ongoing results. You are perfectly forgiven, completely accepted, fully righteous in God's sight—not because of your performance but because of Christ's finished work.
The "Better" Reality (Hebrews 9)
Understanding "Better"
The book of Hebrews uses the Greek word κρείττων (kreittōn), meaning "better" or "superior," to describe what Jesus brings. He's not just different from what came before; He's categorically superior. Let me show you how Hebrews 9 unpacks this.
Better Sanctuary (Hebrews 9:11-12)
"But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption."
The earthly tabernacle was a copy and shadow; Christ enters the heavenly reality. The earthly priests entered repeatedly; Christ entered once for all. They brought animal blood; He brought His own blood. They secured temporary covering; He secured eternal redemption.
Better Sacrifice (Hebrews 9:13-14)
"For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God."
Animal sacrifices dealt with external, ceremonial impurity. Christ's sacrifice purifies the conscience—it deals with guilt, shame, and the internal defilement of sin. This is why Christians can have genuine peace with God. It's not based on our ability to maintain ritual purity but on Christ's perfect sacrifice applied to our consciences.
Better Mediator (Hebrews 9:15)
"Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant."
Here's where the covenant-as-testament imagery becomes powerful. The Greek διαθήκη (diathēkē) can mean both covenant and testament/will. Christ's death doesn't just ratify a covenant; it activates an inheritance. You're not just forgiven; you're an heir. You don't just escape judgment; you receive eternal riches.
Living the New Covenant Reality
Transformation in Daily Life
So what does all this mean for how we live today? Let me get practical here, because this isn't just theology for seminary classrooms—this transforms everything about daily Christian experience.
Prayer: From Transaction to Relationship
Under the old covenants, access to God was limited and mediated. The high priest entered God's presence once a year, and everyone else stayed outside. But Hebrews 10:19-22 tells us: "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh... let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith."
Your prayer life isn't about earning God's attention through religious performance. You have immediate, constant, confident access to God's throne room because Jesus has opened the way. Prayer becomes conversation with your covenant-keeping Father, not transactions with a distant deity.
I know someone who struggled with prayer for years because they felt they had to "get right" before approaching God. Understanding that Jesus fulfills all covenant requirements freed them to come boldly, even in their weakness and failure. That's the difference covenant fulfillment makes.
Work: From Earning to Worship
The covenant performance mindset says, "I must work to earn God's favor." The New Covenant reality says, "I work from God's favor already secured in Christ." Colossians 3:23-24 captures this: "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward."
Your job becomes an act of worship. Whether you're coding software, teaching children, or fixing cars, you're serving the Lord Christ who has already secured your inheritance. A software developer told me that understanding this transformed his approach to debugging code—it wasn't just solving problems for his company; it was exercising dominion over creation as a covenant image-bearer, restored in Christ.
Relationships: From Contract to Covenant
Understanding how Christ fulfills covenant transforms how we relate to others, especially in marriage and family. Marriage isn't a contract where you're constantly evaluating whether your spouse is meeting your needs. It's a covenant where you commit to love sacrificially, the way Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25).
A couple I know was on the brink of divorce, both keeping mental spreadsheets of how the other was failing. When they understood that their marriage was meant to reflect Christ's covenant love—permanent, sacrificial, transformative—everything changed. They stopped asking, "What am I getting?" and started asking, "How can I reflect Christ's covenant faithfulness?"
Suffering: From Punishment to Purpose
Under the old covenant, suffering could feel like punishment for breaking God's law. But Romans 8:1 declares: "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Your suffering isn't payment for sin—Jesus already paid in full. Instead, suffering becomes part of living in a broken world while awaiting final redemption.
A friend with chronic illness told me that understanding Christ's covenant fulfillment transformed her relationship with pain. Instead of constantly wondering, "What did I do wrong?" she could rest in knowing her suffering wasn't punishment but part of groaning with creation for renewal (Romans 8:22-23).
Community: From Isolation to Family
The New Covenant creates a new covenant community—the church. You're not just individually saved; you're brought into a family. Hebrews 10:24-25 connects this directly to covenant realities: "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another."
Church isn't optional for covenant people. It's where we live out our covenant identity together. It's where we practice the "one anothers" of the New Testament—love one another, forgive one another, bear one another's burdens. These aren't nice suggestions; they're covenant obligations flowing from Christ's fulfillment.
Theological Integration
The Trinitarian Nature of Covenant Fulfillment
Something we need to understand is that covenant fulfillment in Christ is thoroughly Trinitarian. The Father plans and promises, the Son accomplishes and fulfills, and the Spirit applies and empowers. This isn't just the Son acting independently; it's the entire Godhead working in perfect harmony for our redemption.
The Father elected and predestined according to His covenant purpose (Ephesians 1:4-5). The Son voluntarily entered into what theologians call the "Covenant of Redemption" in eternity past, agreeing to become the covenant representative for His people. The Spirit was promised as the covenant gift who would apply Christ's work to our hearts (John 14:26, Acts 2:33).
Progressive Revelation and Fulfillment
It's crucial to understand that Jesus doesn't abolish previous covenants—He fulfills them. Matthew 5:17: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them."
Think of it like a flower. The seed contains everything the flower will become, but you can't see the full beauty until it blooms. The Old Testament covenants were the seed and stem; Christ is the full bloom. You don't throw away the stem when the flower blooms—you see that it was always leading to this moment.
This is why we still read the Old Testament. We're not reading obsolete literature; we're reading the same story we're in, just at an earlier chapter. When we read about Abraham's faith, we're reading about our spiritual ancestor. When we read about Israel's exodus, we're reading the preview of our exodus from sin. When we read about David's victories, we're reading about our King's ultimate victory.
The Already-Not Yet Tension
One of the most important things to grasp about living in the New Covenant age is what theologians call the "already-not yet" tension. The kingdom has already come in Christ, but not yet in its fullness. We already have new hearts, but we're not yet fully transformed. We're already forgiven, but not yet fully glorified.
This explains so much of Christian experience. Why do we still struggle with sin if we have new hearts? Because we live between the "already" of Christ's first coming and the "not yet" of His second coming. Why does the world still seem so broken if Christ is reigning? Because His reign is real but not yet fully manifested.
Understanding this tension keeps us from two errors: triumphalism (acting like everything should be perfect now) and defeatism (acting like nothing has really changed). The covenant is fulfilled in Christ, but we await the full experience of that fulfillment.
The Scholarly Perspective
Historical Development
Let me bring in some scholarly perspective here. Throughout church history, theologians have recognized Christ as the center of all Scripture, but they've articulated it differently.
Augustine wrote, "The New Testament is hidden in the Old, and the Old Testament is revealed in the New." He saw the entire biblical narrative as one unified story of redemption centered on Christ.
The Reformers, particularly Luther and Calvin, emphasized that Christ is the scopus (target or goal) of all Scripture. Calvin wrote, "We ought to read the Scriptures with the express design of finding Christ in them."
Jonathan Edwards developed what he called a "History of Redemption" approach, seeing all of history as the outworking of God's covenant purposes fulfilled in Christ. He wrote, "The whole universe was created for this end, that the eternal Son of God might be complete in a spouse."
Contemporary scholars like G.K. Beale and D.A. Carson have shown through detailed exegesis how New Testament authors consistently read the Old Testament as finding its fulfillment in Christ. This isn't imposing foreign meaning on ancient texts; it's recognizing the divine author's intended meaning throughout.
Hermeneutical Implications
This has massive implications for how we read Scripture. We don't just look for moral lessons or practical tips (though Scripture contains both). We look for Christ. When we read about Joseph being betrayed by his brothers, sold for silver, and later saving them from famine, we see Christ betrayed, sold for silver, and saving His brothers from spiritual famine.
When we read about the Passover lamb whose blood causes the destroyer to pass over, we see Christ our Passover lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7). When we read about the bronze serpent lifted up in the wilderness to heal all who look at it (Numbers 21), we see Christ lifted up on the cross (John 3:14-15).
This doesn't mean we allegorize everything or ignore historical context. It means we recognize that God was writing a unified story all along, and that story climaxes in Christ.
Addressing Common Questions
"Isn't This Replacement Theology?"
Some people worry that saying Christ fulfills all covenants means God has replaced Israel with the church. That's not what I’m saying. The covenant promises to Israel aren't canceled; they're fulfilled in Christ, and both Jewish and Gentile believers participate in that fulfillment through faith in Him.
Paul addresses this directly in Romans 11. The olive tree (covenant people of God) hasn't been cut down and replaced. Rather, some branches (unbelieving Israel) have been broken off, and wild branches (Gentiles) have been grafted in. But the root remains the same—God's covenant promises. And Paul promises that "all Israel will be saved" (Romans 11:26) as they come to faith in their Messiah.
"Does This Mean the Old Testament Doesn't Matter?"
Absolutely not! If anything, understanding Christ as the fulfillment of all covenants makes the Old Testament more valuable, not less. You can't understand the solution without understanding the problem. You can't appreciate the fulfillment without knowing the promise.
Every Old Testament story becomes richer when you see how it points to Christ. Every promise becomes more precious when you see it fulfilled in Him. Every command becomes more meaningful when you understand how Christ both kept it perfectly and enables us to walk in obedience through His Spirit.
"How Do I Apply This Practically?"
Start by reading Scripture with new eyes. When you read Old Testament narratives, ask, "How does this point to Christ?" When you read the Psalms, remember that Jesus prayed these prayers, fulfilled these prophecies, and embodies these truths. When you read the Prophets, see how their promises find their yes and amen in Christ.
In your daily life, stop trying to earn what Christ has already earned. Stop trying to maintain a relationship that Christ has already secured. Stop trying to pay a debt that Christ has already paid. Instead, live from the fullness of what's already yours in Him.
All Things New
As we wrap up, I want to bring you back to where we started—those two disciples on the road to Emmaus. Luke tells us that after Jesus explained how all Scripture pointed to Him, "They said to each other, 'Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?'" (Luke 24:32).
That burning heart—that's what happens when you see Christ as the fulfillment of all God's promises. The Bible stops being a collection of disconnected stories and becomes one unified narrative of redemption. Your life stops being a series of attempts to earn God's favor and becomes a response to favor already given. Your relationship with God stops being based on your performance and becomes grounded in Christ's perfect performance for you.
Every covenant we've studied in this series—from Noah's rainbow to Abraham's promise, from Moses' law to David's throne, from Jeremiah's new covenant promise to its inauguration in the upper room—they all converge in Jesus Christ. He doesn't just fulfill them sequentially or partially. He fulfills them completely, simultaneously, eternally.
The writer of Hebrews captures it perfectly in Hebrews 13:20-21: "Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen."
Did you catch that? The eternal covenant. All the covenants find their ultimate expression in one eternal covenant, sealed with Christ's blood, guaranteed by His resurrection, applied by His Spirit, never to be broken, never to be superseded, never to fail.
Final Challenge
So here's my challenge as we close week 10 of our series: Stop reading the Bible as a book of rules to follow or heroes to emulate. Start reading it as the story of Christ's covenant faithfulness revealed progressively throughout history and fulfilled perfectly at the cross and empty tomb.
Stop approaching God as if you need to earn His favor through religious performance. Start approaching Him with confidence, knowing that Christ has fulfilled every covenant requirement on your behalf.
Stop living as if your spiritual life depends on your ability to maintain covenant faithfulness. Start living from the reality that Christ's perfect faithfulness is credited to your account.
The gospel isn't just that your sins are forgiven. The gospel is that in Christ, every promise God ever made is yours. Every covenant blessing Abraham was promised, every privilege Israel was offered, every glory David's greater Son would inherit—it's all yours in Christ.
That's not hyperbole. That's not exaggeration. That's the message of the New Testament. You are covenant heirs of the God who keeps every promise, and He has proven His faithfulness ultimately, finally, and completely in Jesus Christ.
Brothers and sisters, this changes everything. When you understand that Jesus fulfills all covenants, you stop trying to write your own story of earning God's approval and start living in the story He's already written—a story where the ending is certain, the inheritance is secure, and the covenant-keeping God will never, ever let you go.
Next week, we'll explore what it means to live in this covenant reality practically—how understanding Christ's fulfillment of all covenants transforms our daily walk, our relationships, our mission, and our hope. But for now, let this truth sink in: In Christ, you are part of an unbreakable covenant with the God of the universe. Every promise He has ever made finds its yes in Jesus, and through Jesus, your life becomes an amen to the glory of God.
Welcome to the fulfilled covenant life. Welcome to the reality that in Christ, it truly is finished—and yet, wonderfully, beautifully, eternally, it's just beginning.
