The New Covenant - Our Lord

Introduction

Matthew 7:21–23 KJV 1900

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Body

LORD - One who exercises authority over others.

Here we see the difference between a shallow acquaintance with Jesus and a deep growing relationship with Him: The desire to do only those things that please Him.

God equates love with obedience

Deuteronomy 30:20 KJV 1900

20 That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

Joshua 22:5 KJV 1900

5 But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.

John 14:21 KJV 1900

21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

John 15:10 KJV 1900

10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

1 John 5:3 KJV 1900

3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

2 John 6 KJV 1900

6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.

When we obey God, He shows us mercy

Exodus 20:6 KJV 1900

6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Deuteronomy 5:10 KJV 1900

10 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.

Deuteronomy 7:9 KJV 1900

9 Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;

Daniel 9:4 KJV 1900

4 And I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;

God blesses obedience

Joshua 1:8 KJV 1900

8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Isaiah 1:19 KJV 1900

19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

Deuteronomy 7:12–13 KJV 1900

12 Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers: 13 And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee.

God places a high value on obedience

1 Samuel 15:22 KJV 1900

22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to hearken than the fat of rams.

Jeremiah 7:22–23 KJV 1900

22 For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices: 23 But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.

Admitting that Jesus is the Lord does not get us into heaven.

Doing the will of God get us into heaven

Where do we find the will of God?

The Bible

Prayer

Godly counsel

Preaching and teaching

We need to read, and understand, and do God’s Word

We need to experience New Testament salvation

We need to pray and fast

We need to obey God in giving Him our tithes AND offerings

We need to study God’s Word and apply it to our lives

We need to be faithful to church

We need to be an effectual witness of who Jesus Christ is

We need to seek God’s will for our lives and then DO IT.

This takes prayer and seeking Godly counsel

God has placed each of us in His body according to His will

Ephesians 2:19–22 KJV 1900

19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

We need to discover what God created us to do and do it.

We’re tools on God’s tool belt

God is the builder

External works cannot and will not save us, only the internal qualities of submission and obedience to Jesus Christ.

Yes, faith is demonstrated by our works, but it is the faith that saves us, not the demonstration.

Kind of like when we receive the Holy Ghost we begin to speak in other tongues, but it’s not speaking in tongues that saves us. Receiving the Holy Ghost saves us.

Standards of conduct and dress will not save us. Personal holiness will save us.

It will not be because of lack of good works that people are sent to hell, but because they lack a relationship with Jesus Christ.

They were doing many good works. The problem was they weren’t doing the right works.

Our relationship is demonstrated by our obedience.

If we’re not doing what Jesus told us to do, it doesn’t matter anymore what other good works we do, we’re living in disobedience and rebellion to God!

Despite all their good works, Jesus calls them ‘workers of iniquity’.

The attitude of their hearts (pride, arrogance).

The focus of their works (themselves).

Conclusion

As Christians, we must submit ourselves to God in every area of our lives. It won’t come naturally, but when we learn to obey God, God’s blessings will be on us.