Many of us know the importance of obeying God, but fewer people may be aware of how grace has transformed obedience from the old to the new covenant. Under the Law of Moses, strict obedience gave birth to blessings. Obedience to the law was the root to everything, and it was all about what man did first. This covenant stated that if the people hearkened diligently to God’s voice and observed all His commandments, only then would the blessings come on them and they would eat the good of the land.

The law was too perfect for imperfect people to keep. God’s ability to show favor to the people was dependent on their behavior, so He made a new and better covenant with them. The new agreement extends the blessings of Abraham to everyone, not just the Jews. The beauty of this current covenant of grace is that it hinges on Jesus’ obedience, not ours; this means that we receive God’s promises by faith, not by our works.

We no longer have to be weighed down with the awareness of sin and our powerlessness to overcome it. Because of what Adam did in the garden of Eden, we were born into this world as sinners. Because of what Jesus did on the cross, we were made righteous. Because of Jesus, believers are no longer sinners, but saints.

We no longer have to follow a predetermined set of religious actions in hopes of getting God to give us healing, prosperity, peace, or deliverance. The finished works of Jesus have already made them available, and our trust in what He did puts us in a position to receive everything we need. We can be grateful and thankful that receiving from God no longer depends on our performance.

Prayer:

Lord, Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, and His performance was flawless. We can now depend on His perfect obedience, not ours. In Jesus’ name, I thank You.

Scriptures:

• Deuteronomy 28:1, 2
• Isaiah 1:19
• Hebrews 8:8, 9, 13 AMPC
• Galatians 3:14
• Romans 5:19