How can I become a part of what God is doing in the world?
“Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” – Genesis 15:6
A covenant (or testament) is an agreement between two parties. God made five covenants in the Old Testament—Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David—and one in the New Testament, the new covenant through Jesus.
Mark E. Moore summarizes the covenants this way in his book, Core 52:
| Covenant | Condition(s) | Blessings | Curses |
| Adam | Abstain from one tree | Fellowship with God | Death and exile |
| Noah | Build an ark | Survival | Annihilation |
| Abraham | Circumcision | Offspring and land | Cut off |
| Moses | Ten Commandments | Land and kingdom | Exile |
| Daivd | Fidelity to Yahweh | Throne in Israel | Divided Kingdom |
| New | Fidelity to Jesus | Eternal life | Damnation |
What does this mean for us as followers of Jesus?
One, we are in a covenantal relationship with God and this implies both responsibility and community. We are part of God’s kingdom, the church, and we trace our heritage back to our father Abraham.
Two, by design, all of the previous covenants pointed toward and were fulfilled by Jesus.
Three, the condition of every covenant is faith, and Abraham’s faith (trust) in God is the model of fidelity for Christians today.
Our verse this week says, “Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.”
Abraham left his homeland for a new one, circumcised his household, and willingly offered his promised son (Isaac) on the altar.
God is calling us to be both obedient to His Word in the Scriptures and to the leading of the Holy Spirit. By doing so, we are imitating the faith of Abraham.
And remember, this isn’t blind faith because our obedience is a natural response to what God has already done for us.
