Jesus was preordained to die before the foundation of the world.

1 Peter 1:19-21

God sent Jesus at the proper time to die on the cross. Galatians 4:4

Man had sinned; therefore man would have to die to reconcile for mankind.

The blood of animals was not sufficient.

• Not just any man would do. Only Jesus, who was completely man and completely God could complete the task.

• Blood had to be shed, but it had to be blood that was free from sin.

• Human blood is supplied by male seed.

  1. The blood of Jesus was supplied by God through the immaculate conception.

  2. Jesus’ blood was free from sin nature; thus, an acceptable sacrifice.

  
  

Better covenant with better promises. Hebrews 8:6

• Old Covenant was imperfect and could not reconcile man fully to God. Hebrews 8:7

• The law in the Old Covenant was a temporary measure to show man’s sin and his inability to fulfill God’s requirement.

  Galatians 3:24-25

Jesus came to fulfill the law. Matthew 5:17-18

• Jesus fulfilled the law. The law was added only until the Seed (Jesus) came. Galatians 3:19

• Once Jesus shed His blood, the sacrifice of animals was unnecessary.

The Abrahamic covenant is still in effect. Genesis 12

The covenant God made with Abraham is eternal, it cannot be done away with until it is fulfilled.

• The Abrahamic covenant will be completed at the Second Coming.

• When Jesus returns, all the land promised to Abraham in Genesis 15 will be restored.

• This will fulfill all covenant promises. The covenant will then be done away with and we will go into the thousand- year (millennial) reign of Jesus Christ.

• Abrahamic covenant will be replaced because it will no longer be necessary.

We are free from the curse of the Law. Colossians 2:14

Jesus blotted out the handwriting of ordinances contrary to us.

He took the Law and nailed it to the cross. 

Old covenant was sealed by the blood of man. Abraham at circumcision.

New covenant is sealed by the blood of God.  Jesus at the cross.

Shedding of blood is always a necessary part of the blood covenant.

• The New Covenant is better because it was sealed by the blood of God.

• Blood of Jesus was the only price sufficient enough to pay

  for mankind's debt of sin.

There are nine steps in a blood covenant.

Jesus fulfilled all the steps

• Jesus exchanged garments of sin. Isaiah 64:6, Romans 3:23, 2 Corinthians 5:21

  He took our garments of unrighteousness and gave us CLEAN garments!

• We receive God’s weapons and armor as a covenant privilege.

  Ephesians 6:13-17

  
  

• Jesus shed His blood to ratify (to approve formally; to validate) the covenant. 1 Corinthians 5:7, Romans 3:25

  1. Shedding of blood is always necessary for a blood

     
     

     covenant.

  2. The veil in the temple rent when Jesus died, signifying that there was no longer a separation between man and God. Matthew 27:51

  3. The blood of Jesus bought back our relationship with God.

  4. The curse on mankind was lifted once and for all.

  5. Jesus was the last Passover lamb to be slain.

  1 Corinthians 5:7

  • Blessing and cursing Galatians 3:13  Jesus was made a curse so we could be blessed.

  1. Jesus suffered all sicknesses, diseases, and torment so we don’t need to. Isaiah 53

  2. He was separated from God so we can have a relationship with Him.

  3. He went to hell to retrieve the keys of death, hell and the grave so that we can go to heaven. Revelation 1:18

     • Exchange of names

     We have a right to use the name of Jesus to request our needs and desires.

     In a blood covenant, partners have the right to use the other partner’s name. The name of Jesus is our covenant name.

     • Setting up a memorial, Jesus gave us communion as a memorial to Him.

       1. Each time we take communion, we remember His death and resurrection. 1 Corinthians 11:25-26

  • Splitting of animals

  i. The blood of Jesus was sufficient. The blood of animals was not needed.

  • Covenant meal The Last Supper Jesus shared with the disciples was a covenant meal. This meal consisted of bread and wine which are traditional covenant foods.  There is a LOT of significance to what Jesus did!

  1. In ancient Jewish tradition, a three-packet pouch filled with bread was on the Passover table.

     Jesus took bread from the center pouch, as is tradition, and broke it. Jews thought the bread represented Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the bread really signifies Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus broke the center bread, thus portraying the broken body of the Son.

  2. Ancient Jewish tradition also had four cups on the Passover table: three full and one empty which was placed upside down.

     • The three full cups signify Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The empty cup is the Messiah’s. Jesus took the Messiah’s cup, filled it, and drank from it. Mark 14:36

     • By this action He was saying, “I am the Messiah.”

  • Rub ash into the cut to make a scar. Isaiah 49:16, Galatians 6:17

  1. This scar was permanent evidence and proof of the covenant.

     
     

  2. “God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath “that by two immutable (unchangeable) things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us” (Hebrews 6:7-8). We joined an unchangeable covenant. We are one with God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. You can’t tell where the Father stops, and Jesus begins or where Jesus stops and we begin. We are truly united as one. And besides, how do you unmingle blood?” (Bob Yandian)

     
     

  3. Circumcision marked the Jews as covenant people.

  4. Today, our seal or mark of the covenant is the Holy Spirit. 2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13, 4:30

     Our covenant can never be broken because it was drawn up by God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. They will NEVER change or break a covenant. 

We have a covenant with God, signed with the blood of Jesus.

• When Jesus cried, “It is finished,” the word He used was “tetelestai.” This was the cry of a Roman general watching a battle from a hill. When he saw his side definitely winning, he cried this to let his troops know the battle was virtually won.

  Jesus had won the battle!!

• Many Roman soldiers were around the cross. One soldier who heard this cry said, “Surely this was the Son of God.” He could not understand why a man dying on a cross would shout the victory cry of a Roman general. For this he said, “Surely this was the Son of God.” Matthew 27:54

Justification: a state of acceptance and right standing before God into which one enters by faith through the shed blood of Jesus.

• The verb “justify” is a legal term which means to declare righteousness, to acquit, to pronounce sentence or acceptance. The cancellation of sins and then the imputation of the righteousness of Jesus unto us.

• A free gift and cannot be earned. It is God that justifies.

  Romans 5:1-2,15-16; Romans 8:33

• A change of position; before Jesus, you were under divine condemnation.

• God acts and treats the justified person as if he had always done nothing but good. See the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32.

• Justification (righteousness) brings blessings.

  1. Deliverance from death Proverbs 10:2

  2. Abundant life Proverbs 11:19,30; Proverbs 12:28

  3. Peace and confidence Isaiah 32:17

Regeneration: the act of God which imparts the life of Christ to the believer. Spiritual life occurs suddenly, appears mysteriously, and develops progressively. It promises to be able to transform the sinful nature and bring into it the life of God.

This is unique to Christianity no other religion offers this.

• New Testament descriptions of regeneration:

  1. A birth John 3:3-8

  2. A cleansing Titus 3:5

  3. A creation 2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 2:10

  God also gives man a new heart!

  • Regeneration is a supernatural act in which God imparts new life into the spirit of man. 1 Peter 1:23, Ezekiel 36:26

  • To be regenerated means that you have the life of God in you. John 15:5, Galatians 2:20, Colossians 1:27

Adoption

• God gives sonship to whom it does not naturally belong through adoption. Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:5

• God does not adopt believers as children, but they are born into God’s family as adult sons by the Holy Spirit through faith. The NKJV and NIV translations translate the Greek as the “adoption of children.” A more accurate translations is the “adoption of sons.”

• There are differences between Old and New Covenants.

  1. Under the Old Covenant, Israelites were treated as minor children because they were under the direction of governors and tutors, the Law. However, in the New Covenant believers are treated as fully grown sons.

  2. The chief advantage of adoption is that the Holy Spirit indwells and leads.

• There are benefits and privileges of relationship with the Father:

  1. Father's care Luke 12:4-7

  2. Chastisement Hebrews 12:5-11

  3. Comfort 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

  4. Inheritance Romans 8:16-17

• Sons receive blessings by being in the family of God.

  
  

  1. Share the family's name Philippians 2:9

  2. Share the family's likeness 2 Corinthians 5:17

  3. Share the family's love 1 John 1:3, 3:14

  4. Share the family's work and business

• Future blessings (A glorified body) Romans 8:23, Philippians 3:20-21

Sanctification

• God calls, cleanses, and separates believers from sin for

  His use and glory.

• Two-fold meaning: separation from evil and devotion to God.

  2 Corinthians 7:1

• To sanctify means to hallow or acknowledge to be worthy of reverence and praise. Luke 11:2, 1 Peter 3:15. To separate from things profane and dedicate to God – consecrated. Matthew 23:17. To purify or cleanse from impurities. Ephesians 5:26, 1 Thessalonians 5:23

• Sanctification is:

  1. Positional

     • The separation of the believer to God occurs at the time of conversion. 1 Corinthians 6:11, Hebrews 10:14, 1 Peter 1:2

     • Christ is the believer's sanctification.

       1 Corinthians 1:30

  2. Progressive

     • The purification of the believer from all that defiles. 2 Corinthians 7:1

     • The believer is conformed to the image of Christ.

       Romans 8:29, 2 Corinthians 3:18

     • Putting off the old life and putting on the new.

       Colossians 3:8-13

     • Present yourself totally to God as an act of your will. Romans 12:1

     • Renew your mind with the Word. Romans 12:2, Ephesians 4:23

     • Submit yourself to be matured under the ministry gifts. Ephesians 4:11-12

  3. Perfected

     • On the day of His coming we will be perfectly sanctified. Hebrews 10:14, Matthew 5:48, Hebrews 12:23.

• Sanctification teaches that when you became a Christian, you ceased to be ordinary.

  You are set apart for a special use!!