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.
Jesus brings the needed change into our lives that will take us from our deadness into a dynamic, living relationship with the Almighty Creator. He mediates a new covenant. This new covenant was started by Jesus’ sacrifice of his blood or life on the cross of Calvary (Luke 22:20). This covenant has some similarities with the old covenant, in that God’s laws, direction, and will for us is at the focus. But the primary difference is that God’s laws are now written on our hearts or consciences by the Holy Spirit. We are now enabled by divine power to carry out the divine will. We have God’s help to live a victorious life free from the bondage of sin. The promise we are after is the “eternal inheritance” as God’s children. Basically, we want to get to heaven. We can begin to receive this inheritance now, in this life, and then in its fullness upon resurrection. The only way any of this is possible is because Jesus redeemed us from slavery to sin and the condemnation that goes with this. As Paul the Apostle shows in Romans 2-3, every human stands condemned under the law. For Jews, this was the written law of the old covenant. For Gentiles, this is the law of nature (including culture) written on the conscience, a basic sense of what is right and wrong. All have sinned and are therefore in need of God’s grace through Jesus Christ. The new covenant frees us from bondage under the law’s condemnation. We now have a new life which can experience the fullness of the promises of God. In terms of the illustration from Hebrews 3-4, we can now cross over into the Promised Land of full salvation. This is our goal in this life. We cannot do this on our own strength but through the strength of God through the Holy Spirit who will call us, lead us, cleanse us, and fill us.
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