Cause for a Happy New Year
Dearly beloved of God, welcome to a new year. It is not only a new year, but new things have come since Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us.
I Corinthians 11:23-26
23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
Jesus Christ ratified the new testament, or new covenant, when he gave his life for us. “Testament” is the Greek word, “diatheke,” which is translated as testament and covenant.
Hebrews 9:15-17
15 And for this cause he [Jesus Christ] is the mediator of the new covenant, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament [covenant] they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
A mediator is someone that mediates between two parties. I Timothy 2:5 and 6 say, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” God was one party, and Israel was the other.
9:16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
9:17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
In the new covenant God’s people have the forgiveness of sins by the riches of God’s grace which He abounded toward us, and He remembers them no more.
Jesus Christ was the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes regarding him. He gave people access to God. He gave spirit life.
Read II Corinthians 3, which contrasts the old covenant of the law given to Moses for Israel, with the new covenant of the spirit given to Judean and Gentile alike. The new covenant is much more glorious than the old covenant. The old covenant pertained to the flesh. That which is of the flesh is death, but the spirit gives life!
Romans 8:8-10
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body [old nature] is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
God no longer considers us to be “in the flesh,” He considers us to be “in the spirit” since the spirit from Him dwells in us. The spirit is life!
Galatians 3: 11-14
11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Jesus Christ redeemed people from the curse of the law by being made a curse for them. Through his accomplishments people can receive the promised spirit.
Galatians 3:21
Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
The old covenant of the law could not give spirit life, the new covenant does. Those who believe regarding Jesus Christ now have spirit life. New things have come!
II Corinthians 5:17 and 18 WT
17 Wherefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things passed away. Behold new things have come,
18 and all of the new things are from God, Who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and Who gave us the ministry of reconciliation
New things have come. We have a new covenant, in Christ we are a new creation, we are one new man in Christ, and we have new spirit life.
We are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus. We are reconciled to God, we received the new birth spirit, we have access to God by the spirit, we are justified and forgiven, and we have eternal life. Now we are the children of God, His heirs, and joint heirs with Christ.
There are more new things to come. We have the hope of salvation, and new bodies like Christ’s glorious body when he returns. When we were born again of the spirit we entered the kingdom of God, and when Christ returns we will physically enter it. It will take God the ages to come to display the exceeding riches of His grace in kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
Yes, dearly beloved, we have cause to celebrate the new things that have come.