The Daily Word of Righteousness

The True Nature of the New Covenant, #12

And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 12:17)

Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. (Revelation 14:12)

That John is not speaking here of Jewish saints who are attempting to keep both the Law of Moses and the Christian salvation is clear from other statements of the Apostle:

And hereby we do know we know him, if we keep his commandments. (I John 2:3)

Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. (Revelation 22:14)

"Sin is the transgression of the law," John declares (I John 3:4). Christ was manifested in order to deliver us from transgressions of the law of God.

Christ did not come to waive the commandment of God that we live uprightly and walk humbly with God. Christ came to change us so by nature we always will keep the eternal moral law of God. This is what it means to be changed into the image of Christ, for Christ always observes the commandments of God.

There is no sin in Christ, and there will be none in us when He has completed the work of the new covenant in us.

Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. (I John 3:6)

If we abide in Christ we will not sin for His power is keeping us. When we sin we are to confess that sin and go to the Throne of God for grace so we will not repeat the sin. We maintain our fellowship with God by confessing our sins and gaining the power to resist sin.

The believer in Christ who is walking in sin has not seen Christ and does not know Christ. Such is the declaration of the Word of God and there can be no alteration of the Word. Contemporary Christian teaching is in error on this point.

We have been deceived.

Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. (I John 3:7)

"Doeth righteousness" is not referring to imputed (ascribed) righteousness, it is speaking of our practicing righteousness. Whoever teaches that Christianity is an unconditional forgiveness of our sins apart from our transformation into righteous behavior is leading the Lord's sheep astray.

He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. (I John 3:8)

Christ was not manifested in order to forgive the works of the devil in us. He was manifested in order to destroy the works of the devil in our personality. Forgiveness is included in the new covenant, but the main purpose is to destroy sin. To stress forgiveness in a covenant whose main emphasis is the writing of the law in the heart is to circumvent the intent of the covenant.

To be continued.