Articles and Scriptures

Conenant and Discipleship

We discussed earlier how in the mideastern culture, when one entered into a blood covenant there was an exchange. They symbolically took on the life of the other. To give blood was to give life. They exchanged garments symbolically exchanging each other's character. They exchanged belts (which held the weapons) symbolically exchanging strengths. They exchanged weapons symbolically saying, " I will fight your enemies as you fight mine!" They would walk the walk of "death" to their independent way of life by walking between the halves of cut up animals. By doing this they were saying to God, "Do to me as these animals if I break this covenant!" It was a serious committment to each other that one did not enter into casually. They were in essence "dying to themselves" to take on the life of their partner. To remind themselves of this friendship blood covenant, they would mix each others' blood and put dirt in the incision causing a scar to remind them forever of this covenant. No other relationship was more important than the relationship of blood. They would exchange names which involved authority. They would exchange gifts. The blood covenant was ratified by oaths which involved promises for keeping the covenant and curses for breaking it. They would have a memorial feast and plant a tree or set up a stone memorial to further remind them of covenant. The word remember and the word friend are covenant words.

In a blood covenant, each party was to "pay the price". But when Yeshua (Jesus) died on the cross so that we could have a blood covenant relationship with him, he paid it all. There is nothing that we can add to that bridal price. He did it all.
Jesus' blood gave us HIS LIFE.
Jesus' blood gave us his character- righteousness.
Jesus' blood gave us victory over the devil and the assaults against us.
Jesus' blood enables us to have a relationship with him above any relationship.
His wounds in his hands and feet remind us of his everlasting committment.
Jesus' blood enables us to use his name and gives us authority.
Jesus' blood enables us to partake of his many gifts.
When we take communion, we are reminded of his precious blood which enables us to be his friend and to remember that we are in covenant with him.

Out of a response of thankfulness for all that he has done, we will want to follow him and to be taught of Him. This involves "taking up your cross" not for salvation but to be obedient to his leading and flow in his character so that others too might come to know Him. It is one thing to accept him as Savior, it is another to accept Him as Lord. One who follows Jesus as Lord is a disciple of Christ. A disciple is:
1. One who follows after for the purpose of learning from him; a pupil or scholar
2. One who is influenced by the doctrine or example of the teacher
3. One who is trained and disciplined under and brought under the control of

Galatians 2:20 says, " I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Our legal position in Christ is that we have died with him, are buried with him, and we are risen with him. But it is not only a position but it is a process, it is a way of life. To be crucified with Christ involves a daily, "not my will but thine be done." So if we are disciples of the Lord Jesus we will:
1. Lose our life or deny self or "die to self (become unselfish and think of others before ourselves). You give up your old life- sin and the " body of sin" or the mother of all sins- SELF.
"...If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." Luke 9:23 (See also Gal. 2:20 and Romans 6:3-14)

2. Take up your cross daily. The decision to die to self is a day to day, moment by moment choice. My life is not about me- it is about HIM- Christ. I take up his cross when I: (See Luke 9:23-27)

preach the gospel and endure persecution because of it
live a life of righteousness and endure persecution because of it
think of others before myself and suffer discomfort because of it
do the right thing even though it costs me

3. Follow Christ (Take on his life)

"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but shosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. " Luke 9:24

4. NO OTHER RELATIONSHIP IS MORE IMPORTANT!

"If any man come to me and hate (in comparison to the love for the Savior) not his father and mother, and wife and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:26

5. LOVING JESUS MORE THAN anything!- more than stuff!

"So, likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not ALL that he hath, he cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:33

6. Counting the cost of TOTAL surrender or yielding to the Lord

"For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he hath sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, this man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is a great way off, he sendeth ambassadors, and desireth conditions of peace." Luke 14:28-32

7. Continuing, ABIDING IN HIS WORD

"....If ye continue(3306- meno- to stay in a given place, state, relation or expectancy, abide, dwell, endure, continue, be present, remain, stand, tarry for) in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free."

8. ABIDE IN HIS LOVE

"It ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love." John 15:10

9. BEARING MUCH FRUIT

"Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples." John 15:8

Bearing fruit is winning souls and demonstrating Christ like character.

When Jesus said, ...Verily, verily, I say to you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him." John 6:53-56 he was talking of a blood covenant relationship- something that everyone in that part of the world knew about. Some view this verse as only relating to holy communion but it has a wider significance than partaking of his memorial meal. It is talking about a relationship - a life totally committed to him. He was asking the people to enter into a blood relationship with him. One did not enter into blood covenant casually. Is it any wonder that many no longer followed him after this statement?

We in the church have emphasized that salvation is a free gift. And it is. But if we are going to go on from faith to faithfulness, from grace to obedience, our lives will change. And that will cost us EVERYTHING.

© 2007 Dr. Edith Saller. All Rights Reserved.