Day 35- Our Part of the New Covenant

​Matthew 3:13-15
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.
(NIV)
               The whole point of this series is that if we want to experience the full measure of God’s goodness in your life, then we need to walk in the steps of Christ.  He was the ultimate example for us.  He came as a man in the flesh to reveal the Way to Life more abundant.  As we do what He did, then we follow the Way, the Truth, and the Life into God’s plan for our life.  But if Jesus fulfilled ALL righteousness, then what is there for us to do.  We couldn’t fulfill ALL righteousness even if we wanted to because we are all guilty of sin.  So how do we follow In His Steps?  How can we fulfill all righteousness?
               We have to remember that when Jesus said that He was to fulfill All righteousness, He was obtaining equity (Go back and read Day 28).  The purpose was to gain back for God the relationship He desired.  After the sin of the Garden, the Lord made a covenant with Adam, with Abraham, with Moses, with David.  These covenants were designed to keep Israel with God, but it was not full communion.  It was God’s mercy until Christ came to establish the New Covenant.  But a Covenant, remember, is a two-way promise.  When Jesus fulfilled all righteousness, it did not leave us, as believers, without responsibility.  Like every covenant, we still have our part to do.  When Christ came, He did what no other man could do.  He did not sin nor violate one aspect of the Law.  He fulfilled it completely, but He did not leave us without a Covenant. After fulfilling the Old Covenant, He established a New Covenant.  We still have a responsibility in order for the relationship of man to be restored to the Lord.
Galatians 3:10-14
10 For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” 11 Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.” 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
(NIV)
               We live by faith.  This is our part of the New Covenant.  But what does this mean-to live by faith, faith in what?  When we do not understand this essential principle, it will undercut the life God has for us in a serious way.  We live by faith in the New Covenant which is based on the old testament.  But rather putting our faith in the sacrifices of dirty sheep offering by unholy men to maintain connection to God, we now put our faith in Christ.  When we offer our sacrifices of praise and when offer our lives as living sacrifices, we do so in faith that these sacrifices have been made perfect by the sacrifice of Christ.  When we offer these to Christ, He is our priest that accepts our offerings and presents them perfectly to the Lord and through this, we have full communion with the Lord.  This is what we must have faith in. 
               We fulfill the New Covenant by offering our sacrifice to the Lord in faith that Jesus perfects them in Himself and through Himself and relationship is restored.  If we do not offer the Lord our sacrifices of praise and worship, our living sacrifice of holiness, and the sacrifice of our treasures or if we don’t offer these trusting God will honor them with His presence in our life, then we are not keeping our part of the Covenant.  Our faith is in Jesus as our sacrificial lamb.  Our faith is in Jesus as our priest, our atonement sacrifice, and our compassionate high priest.  We must live by faith.