Our New Covenant in Christ (Genesis Part 11)
Time Stamps
00:00:00 - Welcome and introduction to covenant
00:02:04 - Talk begins: Our New Covenant in Christ.
00:05:40 - Abraham's covenant with God: Why did God put everything on the line?
00:13:48 - How marriage reflects God's covenant relationship with us
00:21:00 - Our identity in the new covenant through Christ
00:29:33 - Taking communion as a covenant ceremony
00:31:33 - Conversation Street: Marriage as a picture of God's covenant love
Why God Put Everything on the Line
In the eleventh installment of our Genesis series, Matt Edmundson dives deep into one of the Bible's most foundational concepts – covenant. It's a topic that transforms how we understand our relationship with God, our marriages, and even our own identities. Through examining Abraham's story in Genesis 15, Matt reveals the radical nature of God's commitment to us and how it changes everything.
What Is a Covenant, Really?
Most of us have a vague understanding of covenants, perhaps equating them with contracts or agreements. But as Matt explained, a covenant is something far more profound:
“Covenant is not a contract. Because a contract can be broken, usually with very little consequence. There might be a fine if I break my mobile phone contract but it’s not like EE is going to come and kill me, right?”
Ancient covenants were serious business. They involved three key elements:
a ceremony,
an exchange of vows,
and a solemn, binding agreement sealed in blood.
The closest modern parallel we have is marriage – which explains why marriage features so prominently in biblical teaching about our relationship with God.
The Mind-Bending Covenant with Abraham
In Genesis 15, we find Abraham receiving extraordinary promises from God – land, wealth, and countless descendants. Yet God doesn't just make verbal promises. He establishes a covenant through a ceremony that would have been familiar to Abraham but seems strange to modern readers.
Animals were cut in half, creating a bloody pathway between them. Normally, both parties would walk this path together, symbolically saying, "May what happened to these animals happen to me if I break this covenant."
And it goes deeper.
Abraham doesn't walk the path. God alone – appearing as a smoking fire pot and flaming torch – passes between the pieces, taking full responsibility for the covenant's fulfillment.
“In this story in Genesis, Abraham’s not in that mess; it’s God that is in it. So Abraham and God make a covenant, but what this means is God takes all the responsibility for that covenant upon himself. Not Abraham. God takes it all, which is why everyone’s like, and what is going on here?”
This was unprecedented in ancient times. Gods were supposed to be distant, demanding, and temperamental – not self-sacrificing and committed to humanity.
What Did God Put on the Line?
The simple answer: Himself.
This covenant foreshadows Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross. Just as God walked alone between the animal pieces before Abraham, Christ walked alone to Calvary. In both instances, God takes on the consequences and responsibilities of the covenant.
At the Last Supper, Jesus explicitly connected His sacrifice to covenant:
"This cup is the new covenant in my blood."
When we participate in communion, we're not just remembering a historical event. We're participating in the covenant ceremony Jesus established, acknowledging our place in this extraordinary relationship.
How Does This Change Our Lives Today?
During Conversation Street, Dave and Sharon explored how understanding covenant transforms three key areas:
1. Our Marriages
Marriage isn't just a legal contract with an escape clause – it's a covenant relationship that mirrors Christ's relationship with the church. Dave emphasised that even when relationships face challenges, the covenant commitment remains:
“I would discourage people from thinking, well, if it doesn’t quite go the way I want, there’s an exit. I think when you identify something in your vulnerable moments, the enemy will just give you the prod and say, there’s a door.”
The biblical model calls husbands to "love your wives as Christ loved the church" – sacrificially and unconditionally. This love isn't dependent on reciprocation; it's a covenant commitment.
2. Our Relationship with God
Unlike transactional religious systems where you "do good, get good," covenant relationship is based on grace. God invites us in not because of our performance but because of His choice.
This doesn't mean we can sin freely without consequences. As Sharon and Dave discussed, true repentance comes from understanding that sin grieves God's heart and damages the relationship – not just breaks rules.
3. Our Identity
Perhaps most profoundly, covenant changes who we are at our core:
“Our old, fragmented, broken identities are replaced with our covenant identity with Christ.”
We are no longer defined by our past, our failures, or even our successes. We are defined by our covenant relationship with Christ, bound to Him in a union that even death cannot break.
Why This Matters
The concept of covenant helps us understand the unwavering nature of God's commitment to us. When Paul wrote, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" he was expressing a covenant certainty – that nothing can break the bond God has established with us.
This brings profound security to believers. As Matt explained:
“Nothing can separate me from his love. Your body might be broken. Depression might be ravaging your mind. You may be hungry and or lonely or destitute and broke. War may be just destroying your nation. But does any of that separate you from the love of God? Absolutely not.”
Taking It Forward
Understanding covenant transforms how we approach life's challenges. It gives marriage a firmer foundation than fleeting emotions. It provides security when our faith is tested. And it reminds us that God's commitment to us is not casual or conditional – it was sealed with Christ's blood.
Next time you participate in communion, remember you're not just performing a ritual. You're acknowledging your place in a covenant relationship with God Himself – a covenant where He took all the responsibility and put everything on the line.
Join us next week as Sharon continues our Genesis series, exploring Abraham's story further and addressing the challenging question: "Is God cruel?" Sunday at 7:00 PM UK time, online or in person at the Frontline Centre.
Listen to the full message on our podcast or join us next Sunday evening for our live service.
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