Without the faithfulness of Messiah Jesus playing his covenantal part, the righteousness of God in His own covenantal role could never have been sufficiently manifested (Romans 3:21-2), displayed (Romans 3:25-26), or revealed (Galatians 3:23-24, Romans 1:17). Messiah’s faithfulness, even to a despised, shameful death of the cross, paved the way for God’s historic intervention to show off His own righteousness by raising His mutilated Son up from the grave, out of humiliation, and on to glorious splendor! [8/14/07]
The Old Covenant at Mt. Sinai was a covenant of law…of letter. It was suitable and fitting for children who had not yet matured under the guidance of God’s Wholesome Spirit, but were still being tutored under their ABCs, their weak and poor elementary school primers, and still needed threats and switchings in order to get their assignments done. But then along comes the New Covenant, full of Wholesome Spirit to counsel, teach, testify, expose, guide, and inform (John 14:16-17, 26, 15:26, 16:7-15). In this new manner God historically fulfills His promise,
Imparting My law into their comprehension,
On their hearts, also, shall I be inscribing them,
And I shall be to them for a God,
And they shall be to me for a people,
And by no means should each be teaching his fellow citizen,
And each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord!’
For all shall be acquainted with me, from their little to their great,
And of their sins and their lawlessnesses should I under no circumstances
still be reminded. [Hebrews 8:10-12; Jeremiah 31:33b-34]
Yet now, knowing God, yet rather being known by God, how are you turning back again to the weak and poor elementary school [escorts, guard[ian]s, and administrators—“not really school so much; it’s the Principal of the thing!”] under which you desire to slave again anew? [Galatians 4:8-9; cf. 3:22-4:7]
Away with those old first-grade rules! Let’s set sail under the fresh gusts of Wholesome Spirit being perpetually wafted from the favorable Heavens, soak up the “be-attitudes” of Jesus and learn from his own gracious explanations and example of actions recorded by eye-and-ear-witnesses in the four Gospels. For we are no free to love—this is the new law of liberty whose compulsion stems from within, where the Kingdom of God now originates, by God’s Spirit, and corroborates the voice of the likewise anointed Jesus. This New Covenant is not composed of laws but of pneumatic disposition that picks up the strands of valid impulse refracted by the Old Covenant and recharges them to undertake ‘freely designed projects’ (à la Herman Dooyeweerd) untrammeled by elementary prohibitions intended for the safety of those who don’t yet know God on their own. [8/14/07]
“THOU SHALT BRUISE HIS HEAL”
To the question, “Who really killed Jesus?” Scripture gives the definitive answer in prophetic, poetic concentration at the very outset, for all to see and ponder. Genesis 3:15 declares, “And enmity am I setting between you [the Serpent] and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He shall hurt your head and you shall hurt his heel.” Jesus had an Achilles heel (of sorts)—he was mortal, the first time around! But not to worry; his sinlessness guaranteed that his mortal wound would not be a terminal condition! Quite the contrary, not only did it ensure him a resurrectionary sequel to a mortal existence, but it likewise insured and indemnified for life agelong all who wished to participate in that same destiny by faith. It’s simply a matter of policy! GOD’S INSURANCE PLAN HAD THE WHOLE FAMILY OF ADAM COVERED. GOD HIMSELF TOOK OUT THE POLICY BEFORE CONTINGENCIES EVEN EXISTED. GOD THE FATHER AND THE SON MADE A COVENANT BEFORE THE EONS THEMSELVES WERE CONTRACTED FOR. THEY BOTH WOULD SHARE THE COSTS TO PROTECT THEIR FUTURE ASTRONOMICAL INVESTMENT. A PRUDENT MOVE. THEY’RE HAPPY THEY DID. IT WAS A SMALL PRICE TO PAY AFTER ALL. [8/14/07]
The Premial Atonement 