Saturday 7 January 2023

Lesson 2 Review: God’s Covenants With Us

 

Lesson 2 God’s Covenants With Us

Introduction

Memory Text: “‘Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God’” (Deuteronomy 28:1, 2, NKJV).

God is in a covenant with us, and some of these covenants require that we keep our part of the bargain. Some of the covenants we have with God are unilateral, for example “ ‘He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust’ ” (Matt. 5:45, NKJV). This week’s lesson concerns some of the significant bilateral covenants between God and His children.

What is the nature of the Salvation Covenant?

Salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ alone, but we must fight the good fight. We do not merit God’s salvation by our deeds, but we choose to claim this Salvation by our actions. Our faith is justified by our actions, we are to show our faith by works, by showing that we love God, and by keeping God’s commandments.

What were the Israelites to do despite the fact that they were God’s chosen people?

Though God had chosen the Israelites to be a blessing, they by their actions are to choose to accept these blessings. They were “to hearken diligently”.

What does it mean to put God first?

Putting God first is an act of faith, an act of trust, a manifestation of trusting in the Lord with all your heart and not leaning on your own understanding.

What should spur us more to put God first?

The cross is more reason why we should put God first. God is not only our Creator (John 1:1-4) and Sustainer (Hebrews 1:3), but also our Redeemer (Revelation 5:9), honoring God with our substance is the least we can do.

How were the Israelites to return to God in Malachi 3:7-11?

“ ‘Bring all the tithes [the whole tithe] into the storehouse’ ” (Mal. 3:10, NKJV).

What are the promises that come with bringing the tithes?

“ ‘I will … open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room  enough to receive it’ ” (Mal. 3:10, NKJV). ‘If there is no room enough to receive it, we have a surplus with which we can help others and help to advance the cause of God.’

What example is there for us in the Bible of obedience to the command of tithe and offerings?

There was a genuine revival in Judah during good King Hezekiah’s reign when the people “brought in abundance the firstfruits of grain and wine, oil and honey, and of all the produce of the field; and they brought in abundantly the tithe of everything” (Second Chronicles 31:5, NKJV).

What part must we play in the Great Controversy amidst the fact that salvation is unmerited on our part?
‘Using the sacred gift of free will, free choice, we must choose to follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit and obey what God calls us to do.

What are we to do in order to receive God’s promises in Matthew 6:25-33?

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matt. 6:33, NKJV).

What are we to do to have God's peace in the light of Isaiah 26:3?

Our minds must be stayed on God and our trust should be in God.

What happens when we confess our sins?

He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

What is the condition for God to forgive our sins and heal our land?

Humility, prayer, seeking God’s face, and turning from our wicked ways.

In Conclusion,

God’s covenant with us is a covenant of love, and of course, we cannot show that we love God if we do not keep our part of the bargain. We are to put God first in our lives, I pray that God provides us with the grace to do this in Jesus’ name. 

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