Hello friends, Mike Adams here with the Un Sunday show. Let's take five and talk about a Jesus light theology of the New Covenant. A new covenant without Jesus? Hey, let me tell you, it happens, and I'm living proof. Without maybe the wrong word, I'd probably go with a Jesus light theology of the New Covenant L I T E a Jesus Light Theology of the New Covenant. I think that's a more accurate description of what I want to talk about. Twice in the Old Testament book of Isaiah, in chapter forty two verse six and again in chapter forty nine and verse eight, the coming Messiah himself is called the promised new covenant. Jesus is the new covenant. The new covenant isn't something outside of Jesus that he brought along with him. He himself is the new covenant, and his shed blood is the blood of the covenant. So he's the covenant, the covenant maker, and the mediator of the new covenant, we're told in Hebrews chapter six. But when our pursuit of the new covenant becomes more about gathering information than it is about knowing the person who is the covenant, things get ugly, and let me tell you, they can get ugly fast. When our study of the new covenant becomes more about data mining the pages of Scripture, and less about relaxing into relationship with the covenant maker himself, Jesus, there's something seriously wrong with our theology of the new covenant. When our comparison of the old covenant with the new focuses more on the performance of those under each covenant, where the actions, words, and attitudes of the people become the litmus test for who is a believer and who isn't? We've missed the point entirely. When Jesus who is the new covenant, receives only occasional honorable mention in our conversations, our conferences, our sermons, and our seminars instead center on the performance of the people? We're on a slippery slope, where our theology of the new covenant has become man centered, performance centered, and fixated on the wrong things. The point of the new covenant isn't a change of life and a new heart. These things are certainly true byproducts of a relationship with Jesus, but they're not the point. When we make them the point, our theology of the New Covenant has become a man centered theology with performance based Christianity at its center, regardless of what we may want to call it. It's in that setting where Jesus gets occasional mention, but the rest of what we say or write is centered on our own performance and the performance of those around us. Because after all, those who are part of the new covenant have a new heart and a changed life, right? And so the new heart gets placed on a pedestal, and because we've received the new heart, we need to be making progress, whatever that means in the environment that we're in. And if you're not progressing like we think you should be, or according to our expectations, you may not even be a believer. After all, you have a new heart, and change is expected. Change is anticipated. And the change that is expected and anticipated has been defined by whatever the group says it should be, or whatever the leadership of that group says it should be. And it has to be accomplished according to the deadlines set by the leaders. In other words, our tendency in a Jesus like theology of the new covenant is to idolize the new heart. Years ago I was stuck in this kind of circular reasoning where the new heart is idolized, and every believer, old covenant and new covenant, was assumed and expected to always rise above their trials and their circumstances sooner than later because of the new heart. Because of the new heart, you and I were expected to be some sort of Christian superhero, and the barometer for authenticity was constant progress, whatever that means. But listen, we don't need another hero. We already have one, and one is all that we need, and his name is Jesus. His name isn't Mike. In Matthew chapter five, Jesus reminded the people that God's standard is perfection, not progress. So he gave us a substitute, not a performance goal. The new covenant isn't a moral improvement plan, it's a one way rescue. The new covenant is a covenant that was made between the members of the godhead, not between God and us. That's Hebrews chapter six. Because of that it can never be broken, nor can it ever fail. Jesus has all the skin in the game, we have none. God Himself made the covenant with Himself, and we are the beneficiaries of it, because He loves us. Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect meets its fulfillment in Jesus' last words on the cross. It is finished. But we have a propensity for doing, don't we? What must we do? Or what's our part in this? A some of the questions that we probably ask. Surely, I know, don't call you Shirley, but surely there has to be something we can do to contribute to the outcome. That's how we're wired, isn't it? It's always been that way. When asked what we must do to do the works of God, Jesus simply replied This is the work of God that you believe in him whom God has sent. That's in John six. In other words, there's nothing we can do. Inclusion in the new covenant results from belief. Belief in Him whom God has sent to do for you and to do for me what you and I are unable to do for ourselves. In other words, there's nothing we can do. Here's the good news grace requires nothing from you. This is the gospel. This is the new covenant, the new covenant which was inaugurated by his blood, not our sweat. Do you want a Jesus light theology of the new covenant that showcases your theological prowess and your performance based Christianity instead of Jesus? Get gospel amnesia and forget the message of grace and you've got your wish. Listen, I've been there. I've done that. I hope you have a good day.