Covenant Verses Contract Series

Following a Biblical timeline of covenants.

We have an understanding of God, is a partaker in covenant, covenant with his people, originally with the Hebrew people it is a fundamental understanding of how God and His people relate. We see this through the Old Testament, and we see it in the New Testament, in the New Covenant that Jesus commits too, with those who follow him.

There is a difference between a covenant and a contract.

A Contract is one in which boundaries are set; say I contract someone to build a house, I have a plan and specifications, we set a price, how payments will be made, when certain steps of the build will be completed, we set reasonable objectives, to develop a sense of order. We communicate professionally, both parties have a self-interest. Deviation from the plan could result in penalties, there are obligations, the builder has obligations that are legal requirements and if either of us fails to meet these requirements we have broken the contract. At the end of the build there may be a sum of money retained to ensure faults are repaired within a certain period.

In a covenant there is a mutual commitment, for instance in marriage vows, and please don’t get me wrong as someone who has been through divorce, I understand that sometimes things don’t always work out ideally.

But the ideal is that a covenant has no time limits, it is bonding in relationship through a heart commitment and connection of spirit. It comes with a steadfast resolve of loyalty, an overwhelming sense of devotion and a depth of determination that maintains the focus of the marriage. All marriages come into being through a ritual of commitment, on the wedding day. In Christian marriage, there are three parties involved; a man, a woman and God. It is a very personal engagement between partners. Any deviation from the covenant or wrongdoing in the covenant involves loss of confidence and a need to gain restoration of the relationship.

So, from God’s covenant with the Hebrew people, we get this reference to Jesus' covenant in Romans 9:4. “...the people of Israel.?Theirs is the adoption to sonship;?theirs the divine glory,?the covenants,?the receiving of the law,?the temple worship?and the promises.”

Paul had the understanding that the Jewish people were covenanted with God but that something else, the covenant of Christ, through his blood had to be accomplished to bring many others, not of Hebrew origin into a relationship with God.

Romans 11:25-27, says, I do not want you to be ignorant?of this mystery,?brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited:?Israel has experienced a hardening?in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in,?and in this way all Israel will be saved.?As it is written:

“The deliverer will come from Zion;

?? ?he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.”

Jesus himself said this about his sacrifice on the cross in Luke gospel, 22:19 and 20;

And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it,?and gave it to them, saying,?“This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying,?“This cup is the new covenant?in my blood, which is poured out for you.

And Mark 14:24

“This is my blood of the?covenant,?which is poured out for many,”?he said to them.”

At the last supper, Jesus knew what he had to go through, the price that he had to pay. Think on this; the blood he spilt,. The blood of Jesus, around 10 and a half pints, brought the sins of all who would repent and be redeemed, and therefore be justified with God. There has been no need from that time, to make sacrifices in the temple, Jesus paid the price for all of us, through teh new covenant in His blood.

The thing with this covenant, is that unlike a contract which is a mutual commitment usually achieved through negotiation, because of self interest of both parties that is agreed to for a term. In contrast the covenant made through Jesus, blood was made because of the love Jesus has for people. Those whose sins would and will be forgiven as they came into relationship with him. This was a one-off purchase of the sins of mankind through his blood.

Interestingly the writer of Hebrews, whose name is unknown at this time, made around fifty percent of the references to the covenant Jesus made. Remember the book of Hebrews was written to people of Jewish ancestry, people of the old testament covenants who were now Christians, it was written so that they would understand who Jesus is. Here are a few references the writer makes about Jesus:

Hebrews 7:21-22:

...but he (Jesus) became a priest with an oath when God said to him: