The Disciple and the New Covenant.

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This Sunday I spoke in the morning about the difference between a mere church-attender, and a disciple of Jesus Christ, and at night about the new covenant. These two ideas are related. I had a nice row of young people on the front rows. I am anxious to establish the youngsters in true Christian discipleship, because the days to come in America are going to be difficult spiritually and physically.

(12/3/2006) There really are two kinds of saved people mentioned in the New Testament. The first kind are those who are saved from destruction. Whoever receives Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour, and then is baptized in water, will be saved from destruction in the Day of Judgment and brought forward to life on the new earth. Whoever refuses to receive Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour is lost to the Presence and redemptive operations of God. To be saved is to be part of the Kingdom of God.

But the great bulk of the New Testament is written to God's elect, the saints (holy ones), those who have been called out of the world to be specially close to God, just as was true of the nation of Israel of the Old Testament.

The elect also shall be saved from destruction in the Day of Judgment, but they are called to be disciples. This means they must deny themselves, put Christ above their relatives, friends, and their own life, take up their personal cross of pain and imprisonment, and follow Jesus Christ each day of their life.

These are the members of the royal priesthood. They are disciples. They are God's elect, chosen from the foundation of the world to serve the nations of saved people as rulers and representatives of God and the Lamb.

It is interesting to note in the Old Testament that when one of God's leaders was in charge, such as Moses, or Joshua, the people obeyed the Lord. But as soon as Joshua died, the people milled around in confusion, not destroying the inhabitants of Canaan but inter-marrying with them and worshiping their idols.

So it will be true in the ages to come. If order is to prevail, if Paradise is to be maintained, there must be strong, righteous rulers who are sternly obedient to God. They will govern mankind for eternity.

There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 22:5)

I am terming this briefest of essays "The Disciple and the New Covenant." This is because the new covenant, the only Christian covenant, is about discipleship, not about being saved, as we use the term "saved" meaning to go to Heaven when we die. The new covenant, found in chapter Eight and Ten of the Book of Hebrews, is about writing the eternal moral law of God in our mind and heart.

Each disciple of Jesus Christ must have the eternal moral law of God written in his or her heart and mind—in his mind so he will understand it; in his heart so he will be rejoice in it and be willing to perform every aspect of it.

I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart. (Psalms 40:8)

The verse above is referring to the Lord Jesus Christ. It must be true also of every disciple, every member of the royal priesthood.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Tree of Life. He also is the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil is the eternal moral law of God. It is the Word of God in judgment.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Word of God made flesh. He is the eternal moral law of God made flesh. He does by nature that which pleases God. He abhors and rejects by nature that which does not please God.

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