SALT AND LIGHT IN THE WORLD

Matthew 5:13-16

In the Bible many great metaphors are used to describe true believers - Sheep of Christ (John 10:27, 14-15); Branches of the Vine (John 15:5); Living Stones (1Peter 2:5); Royal Priesthood (1Peter 2:9). With regard to their lifestyle, they are Wise as serpents, harmless as Doves, (Matthew 10:16); good soldiers of Christ (2Tim.2:3-4). Then we come to Salt of the earth and Light of the world.  One of these metaphors, Light of the world, applies to Jesus Himself. In describing believers as Salt of the earth and light of the world, Jesus was prescribing to us, the kind of lifestyle expected of us. Now apart from being a condiment, salt was used in covenant making in the Old Testament, to symbolize the inviolability or sacredness or stability of the covenant. The true Christian has an inviolable, stable character which should shine forth as light.

We should not isolate these verses (Mat.5:13-16) from the rest of the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12). They are firmly part of the great Sermon on the Mount. These verses are referring to true believers, who described as poor in Spirit, meek, mourn, peacemakers, pure in heart, hunger and thirst for righteousness, are persecuted for righteousness, are reviled and evil spoken of for the sake of Jesus Christ. These are the people Jesus was referring to as the salt of the earth and light of the world. We would like to explore this a little further and apply them to our own lives as Christians.

TRUE AND UNADULTRATED SALT OF THE EARTH

Mat.5:1-16; 1Peter 2:19, 21-23; Mat.5:44; Luke 6:28; Rom.12:14

Believers Called To Mourn

Believers Called To Meekness

Believers Called To Hunger For Righteousness

Believers Called To Be Merciful

Believers Called To Purity

Believers Called To Be Peacemakers

Believers Called To Endure Persecution for Christ’s Sake

Jesus is using salt here to illustrate the steadfastness of character of true believers. These are the people identified in the first 12 verses of the sermon on the Mount. These believers whether rich or poor are poor in spirit, they mourn, they are meek, they hunger and thirst after righteousness, they are merciful, they are pure in heart, they are peacemakers, they are persecuted for righteousness, and they are reviled and evil-spoken of for the sake of Christ. These are the people who are the salt of the earth – staying true to Christ in a world riddled with corruption.

 

Just take a look at the world today. Satan, sin, self, darkness, worldliness and corruption predominate among the peoples of the earth. God’s glory is insulted, Christ is rejected, the Holy Spirit is frustrated, God’ holy word of truth is cast down, repudiated and rejected. The Church is being treated as salt that has lost its flavour – cast out as useless, trampled by men everywhere.

Blessed are those who, seeing this spiritual poverty, mourn. They mourn for God’s glory, the mourn for the their sin and the sin of the Church. They mourn for cause of Christ which everywhere is being rejected. They mourn to see the Holy Spirit come back in power into the Church! These are the salt of the earth. Without meekness of spirit, it will be impossible for people to suffer the stiff opposition from the world today. True believers commit their affairs in the hand of Him who judges all (1Peter 2:19, 21-23).

True believers are both hungry and thirsty for righteousness, righteousness in thoughts, in words and in action; righteousness in behaviour; righteousness in the home, in the office, in school, and in public, and in the Church. Righteousness is doing things the right way, doing things God’s way, giving people what is their due, according to whether they are good or bad.

Jesus expects true believers to be merciful while living righteously! Righteousness means giving to everyone what they deserve. To be merciful means giving a person what they do not deserve. When righteousness demands justice and judgment, mercy provides forgiveness and forbearance. This is what Christ did on the Cross to procure mercy, forgiveness and reconciliation for lost humanity. And all who are true Christians are called to be like Christ (Phil.2:5-11).

Righteousness and mercy are attributes of God. God’s mercy is described as tender (Luke 1:78); plenteous (Psalm 86:5); great (1Kings 3:6); abundant (1Peter 1:3);and it is from everlasting to everlasting (Psalm 103:17). What a privilege to be given the grace to possess these qualities.

And now we come to one of the greatest inward qualities, purity. Blessed are the pure in heart Salt is pure when unadulterated.. Christians are pure when they maintain the Christ-like qualities and virtues imparted to them on salvation. We can impact the world when we remain pure. We can influence others when we remain true. We shine as lights to the world when our inner life is true, pure and holy.

TRUE AND UNVAILED LIGHTS IN THE WORLD

Believers As Living Epistles (2Cor.3:23)

Persevering In Well Doing In spite Of Opposition From Hell

Exhibiting Self-Denial in Contrast to The World’s Self-Indulgence

Exhibiting Heavenly Mindedness in Contrast to Worldly-Mindedness

Showing That Our Treasure is In Heaven in Contrast to Showing Their Treasure is On Earth

Showing Conformity To God’s Laws in Contrast to Their Shameless Violation of Them

Manifesting Faith In Christ In Contrast to Their Unbelief

Manifesting Submission to God’s Providential Dealings in Contrast to Rebellion against His Providence

True believers are the light of the world. Their inward life will shine forth outwardly as light. The lifestyle of the true believer cannot be mistaken. His inward virtues will shine through for all to see. Believers as light of the world have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness (Eph.5:11). Jesus our Saviour is the light of The world (John 9:5). The true believers are to be the light of the world, reflecting, not our own lights but the light of Christ (Phil.2:15).

Certain men of God stood out as light to their generations. Noah was a light to His generation. God said to Noah, “thee have I seen righteous…” (Gen.7:1). Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah were bright lights in the land of Babylon (Dan.1:8; 3:14-18). John the Baptist was a burning and shining light in the Land of Israel (John 5:33, 35).

Charles Finney said that the principal business of the Christian is to enlighten the world. Jesus told us to let that light so shine before men they would glorify our Father in heaven (Mat.5:16). This light means our good works, coming from the purity of heart within.

How can believers be the light of the world?

By being living epistles, written on the tables of the heart (2Cor.3:23); By persevering in well doing in spite of opposition from hell (Gal.6:9; 2Thes.3:13); by exhibiting self-denial in contrast to the world’s self-indulgence (Mat.16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23); by exhibiting heavenly mindedness in contrast to their worldly mindedness (Col.3:1-2); by manifesting faith in Christ in contrast to the world’s unbelief; and by total submission to God’s providential dealings in contrast to the world’s rebellion against God’s providence.

If we cannot do this, then there are two things to note: either we do not have the light of Christ or the light has gone off! It is dangerous to be in either of these cases. But we will carry on doing good works, denying ourselves for His sake, showing the mind of Christ in all things, knowing that our treasure is in Heaven where the Kingdom of Christ is. As the world sees our faith in Christ and our submission to His will, they will glorify our Father in Heaven (Mat.516).

THE PARADOX OF FLAVOURLESS SALT AND HIDDEN LIGHT

Is Your Christian Life Consistent With the light shown by Christ?

Where is Your Affection Fixed, in heaven or on earth (Col.3:2)?

What Virtues Do You Manifest/ or Lack (Gal.5:22-23, 2Peter 2:5-10)?

Can Others Tell By Observing/Interaction That You are a Christian (2Cor.2:14-16)?

Does Your Life Point People To or Away From Christ?

Do You Parade A Form Of Godliness without Its Power (2Tim.3:5)?

 

A paradox is an inconsistency, a contradiction, an absurdity, and an impossibility. It is not possible that salt should lose its flavour, if it is chemically consistent, if it is NaCl. Salt is not a mixture, but a chemically pure substance. If the chemical state is changed, then it is no longer salt (NaCl). With this in mind we look at the true Christian as the salt of the earth. The true Christian is to be stable in lifestyle as taught by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (Mat.5:1-16)! If this lifestyle is not found in the Christian, then the world will have no use of the Christian!

A true Christian has a certain spiritual consistency which, if missing will make it impossible to be recognised as a Christian. The first of these qualities or virtues is love (Gal.5:22-23). Then we look at (2Peter 1:5-10). The Master says that without these qualities or virtues, the Christian is a barren hypocrite. When a believer begins to set his/her affections on the things on earth rather than in heaven (Colossians 3:1-8), he has become a mixed compound parading as salt. He has become a compromised, backslidden, worldly person parading as a Christian. The world has no use of such Christians. The world will walk all over such Christians. Their testimony is tainted. Their life does not reflect Christ. They are like salt which has lost its flavour.

To be cast out is to become useless for the Kingdom of God. To be trampled by men is to be treated as useless by the world! Oh how this reads like fulfilled prophecy in many parts of the world. O God help me not to be useless in the Kingdom of God. In Europe and many parts of the world, the Church is being trampled upon. In many cases the Church has lost its voice altogether. They can no longer reflect Christ nor represent Him. They are no longer a rebuke to the world. They can no longer help the world. Because they abhor the life of holiness, righteousness and purity; because they reject the truth of the word of God for error, they are unable to combat the corruption that is in the world. They are not the salt of the earth nor the light of the world.

And what about those who say that Christianity is only a thing of the heart? They are also a paradox. How can you light a lamp and hide it under drum or bucket?

If we have the consistency of salt, if we have true Christian character, then it cannot be hid. We will be what Christ says we are, a city built on a hill, like Jerusalem, set on mount Zion! The Christ life in us cannot be hid. It will manifest itself in thoughts, words and action. The Holy Spirit in us cannot be hid. The love and affection of Christ in us must find an outlet. We will love, we will help, we will support, we will pray, we will assist, we will serve, we will win souls.

 

But those who have become flavourless salt are tasteless. They are of no use to Christ and no use to the world! Describing them in another way Jesus compared tem to lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold. Jesus has warned He will spit them out of His mouth (Rev.3:14-20). The have the name, Christian, but they do not have the life(Rev.3:1-3).

Because these Christians parade a form of godliness without power, they cannot attract men to Christ. In fact they send men away from Christ by their blatant lifestyle of hypocrisy.

Saints of God, if the Church is thrown out and trampled by men as salt without flavour, it is our fault. We have not been like salt in character and integrity, we have not shone the light of Christ. Nothing can prevent us from being the salt of the earth and a light to the world but our own refusal to live by the good works fore-ordained for us (Ephesians 2:8-10).

The Holy Spirit has been given to us to reshape us, remould us into the character of Christ (Gal.5:22-23). This list is representative, not exhaustive. If we lack the Holy Spirit, God is more willing to pour out His Spirit upon us than any father is willing to give his child some nice gift (Luke 11:13). The word of God has been given to us. Eternal life has been imparted to us.

This coming year you will need to let your light so shine that men will see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven. You will need prove by your life that you have the true faith of Jesus. Will your integrity as sound Christian be seen this new year? Will corruption flee from your presence this new year? Will darkness be dispelled by your presence this new year? Will some sinner be won to Christ by your life this new year?

The communion we take today is like a covenant with Christ, where we identify with Him in His suffering to save mankind. We are sharing in the bread and wine symbolizing His body and blood. As He is so are we in the world. We represent Him as the slat of the earth and light of the world. We must stand and pledge our allegiance to the Lord, to live out His life and to shine his light to the world, to glorify our father in Heaven.

THE BREAD OF LIFE

John 6:25-31; Exodus 16:4-35

Jesus made at least seven big “I AM” pronouncements. Jn 6:35 The Bread of Life;  Jn 8:12 the Light of the World ; Jn 10:7 the Gate for the Sheep ; Jn 10:11 the Good Shepherd ; Jn 11:25 the Resurrection and the Life ; Jn 14:6 the Way and the Truth and the Life ; Jn 15:1 the True Vine. To crown it all He makes these pronouncements using the secret name I AM! I call these the Seven Greatest Metaphors. Anyone seeking a deeper knowledge of Jesus should carefully and closely study these I AM metaphors. We can only study the first one today – Jesus the Bread of Life.

Bread: A Basic Component of Diet

Our Daily Bread  (Mat.6:11)

Joseph Sent Bread Gifts To His Father (Gen.45:23)

Jesus Multiplied Bread To Feed The Multitude (Mat.14: 13-21)

Bread is a product of wheat or barley flour. It is a component of daily food. There is hardly any part of the world where bread is unknown. It is eaten by every race, every culture and every religion. Germans are said to consume more bread than any other nation in the world, followed only by Chile.

In (Mat.6:11) Jesus taught in the Lord’s Prayer, “ Give us this day our daily bread”. Daily bread implies our daily necessities or daily needs. Jesus use of bread here amplifies the importance of the substance, bread.

In the process of trying to reintroduce himself to his family, Joseph sent his father quantities of Egyptian bread (Gen.45:23).

The only components of food that Jesus multiplied during His ministry were bread and fish. Multitudes were fed bread and fish (Mat.14:13-21). There is no doubt that Jesus understood the importance of bread as necessary food. Secondly the miracle of bread multiplication is very significant given the fact that a similar miracle took place during Israel’s wonderings in the wilderness. When Israel murmured in the wilderness for food while journeying to the Promised Land, God send them special bread called manna.

Bread: The Manna From Heaven

Manna, What Is It?(Exo.16:4-8;14-16)

Manna, the Gift From God (John 6:32-33; Neh.9:15)

Manna given To Teach Israel Dependence on God (Deut.8:3, 16)

Manna Given in Omer Full Measure (Exo.16-19)

Manna, A Symbol Of Christ’s Provision (John 6:31-35)

There are many lessons we can learn about God’s provision of manna for His people Israel.

Manna was the food Israel ate for 40 years in the wilderness. It was a divine provision, a product of heaven, not earth. It was rained down from heaven. Though they did not farm or have any store of food, God made sure they were adequately provided for and should have been satisfied. It literally “rain from heaven” as God promised. The Manna came with the dew of the morning and God commanded Israel to go out and gather. Manna was kneaded and baked into bread and eaten. This plus the meat of quail was the food the children of Israel ate manna for 40 years in the wilderness.
Manna ceased to fall for them after they entered the Promised Land and ate the produce of Canaan (Joshua 5:12). It was a stopgap provision for Israel while they journeyed to the Promised Land. It wasn’t a permanent solution. God’s ultimate goal for them was settlement in the Promised Land, where they must practically till the land and produce their own food grow their families and serve the Lord. Manna was given to teach Israel total dependendence on God for their needs (Deut.8:3, 16; Exo.16:31-35).

How did manna teach Israel that man does not live by bread alone… (Deut.8:3)? First, manna fell daily and was not allowed to be stored. It lasted only for one day after collection. No one could accumulate and horde it. Those who tried to store it found that it decayed, grew bred worms and stank. This taught Israel to depend on God daily for the provision of manna.
Manna was allowed to fall consistently for forty years, illustrating the power of God to sustain His people for as long as it was necessary.
Manna fell even though they were journeying through the wilderness a dry place, having no farms nor any businesses. That was a great lesson to them and to us today to depend on God and not on our ability to accumulate things. The world in which we live today is a world full of greed, of corruption and cheating. In the world today we have a lot of people who are hailed as billionaires, having access to billions of pounds – money they could not spend just on themselves if they lived their lives three times over. In the same world we have billions of people who are trapped in poverty and cannot take care of themselves, they suffer all forms of deprivation, are controlled and used by the rich. The world did not learn the lesson, “man shall not live by bread alone…”

We can link this to Christ’s teaching that the life of a man does not consist in the abundance of his possessions (Luke 12:15), and His teaching on depending on God for our daily bread (Mat.6:11). This teaching of Christ goes against business practice or even daily life activities of people. But it is a lesson yearning to be learned by humans today.

God specified how much manna each man should gather – an Omer for every man. Approximately 2 litres, the Omer was a grain measure which was used only for measuring manna. It does not appear to be a regular, day to day grain measure in Israel. Every Israelite was allowed one Omer a day. It is worth noting that after gathering, some had gathered more probably because they are faster and stronger. Others gathered less. But when they measure what they gathered, he that gathered much had no excess and he that gathered little had no lack (Exo.16-19)! This is the miracle of the Omer - the miracle of the provision of God.

Jesus declared Himself to be the True Bread from Heaven – the Bread of Life.

Bread: Jesus The Bread Of Life

Jesus is That True Manna From Heaven (Exo.16:4; John 6:31-35)

The Omer Represents The Truth Christ Brings To Us (Exo. 16:14-16; Deut.12:32; Prov.30:5-6; John 6:48-51

Christ Is Sufficient For Old And Young (Exo.16:16-18; John 6:35, 51-58)

The Manna Is Christ’s Word That Feeds the Soul (John 4:34)

The manna in Hebrew meant "What is this", as well as who? The WHO in the manna is Jesus Christ! The WHAT in the manna is His life-giving power. Christ supplies the who and the what of manna. Jesus is the True Manna from heaven. As manna came down from heaven, even so Christ came as the true life giving Bread. Just as manna was free, the Bread of Life is free. His blood cleanses us for  free. His word feeds our souls for free (John 3:16; 2Cor.9:15).

The Omer as we have seen represents the truth Christ brings to us. An Omer was allowed for every person. An Omer was enough for every person. No one could have more or less. The Truth Jesus brought to us, is sufficient for every man’s salvation. Eternal life is given out in the same measure. You cannot have more eternal life than another believer. Remember the story of the hired labourers who what for different times and were paid the same day wage (Matthew 20:1-16).

Jesus compared Himself to the manna from Heaven (John 6:32-35)
Manna was gathered everyday (Exo.6:4) - our fellowship and feeding on Jesus must be daily. Our nourishment from Him must be a daily activity (Exo.16:19-20). Manna lasted for only one day
As they gathered manna in the morning (Exo.16:21), we must seek Christ early for our nourishment
Manna provided sufficient nourishment. It does not matter what our personal deficiency may be, God's word is sufficient for us all. Christ is sufficient for us all!

THE NEW COVENANT IN JESUS CHRIST

The New Covenant In Jesus Christ

Jeremiah 31:31-36

There are two testaments or covenants. The first is called the Old Covenant designed chiefly for the Jews by Moses the lawgiver. Out of this came the Gospels, prophecies and promises. The second is called the New testament or New Covenant of which Jesus is the Lawgiver and is designed for the whole world. The fulfillment of God’s purposes of salvation are expressed in these covenants, The New Covenant is mediated by Jesus Christ and sealed in his blood. It is a covenant of grace, the benefits of which include forgiveness, a renewed relationship with God and, through the Holy Spirit, an inward transformation that enables obedience to its demands and so ensures that it will not again be broken.

(A) The New Covenant Fulfills The OT Covenants

(1) God’s covenant with Noah (The Noahic Covenant)

(Gen.8:20-22; Isaiah 54:9-10; Hosea 2:18
Here the Lord made a covenant with mankind, promising that seed time and harvest will continue as long as the earth abides. He promised not destroy the world with flood anymore. This covenant is unconditional. there are no ifs, no conditions to fulfil. God would fulfil this covenant Himself. He would keep the earth fruitful as long as the earth shall last. God has faithfully kept this covenant (Psalm 65:9-13).

(2) God’s Covenant With Abraham (the Abrahamic Covenant)

(Gen.12:1-3; 15:18-21; Lk.1:72-73; Ac 3:25-26; Gal.3:14-16)
This was an unconditional covenant. Abraham would not have to do anything to fulfill this covenant. God Himself would fulfill the whole covenant. Abraham’s part was to receive the blessing. There are three things God promised in the Abrahamic covenant: (1) The promise of Land (Gen.12:1), (2) The Promise of Descendants (Gen.12:2) and (3) the promise of Blessing and Redemption (Gen.12:3)

(3) God’s Covenant At Sinai (Sinitic or Mosaic Covenant)

(Exo.19:5; 2Cor.3:14; Heb.8:6, 13; Eze.16:60, 62; 20:37)
This was God's covenant with the people of Israel in Sinai. This is a conditional covenant, dependent on Israel keeping their part of the covenant – obeying the commandments giving to them on Mount Sinai. God delivered Israel with a strong hand. God promised that Israel would a kingdom of priests, a peculiar treasure to Him. This covenant now known as the old covenant was broken because people had no power to fulfill its demands.

(4) God’s Covenant With David (The Davidic Covenant)

(2Sam.7:10-13; Eze 34:24-26; 37:25-27; Lk.1:69; 2Chronicles 7:12-14; Isaiah 55:3 
In this covenant, God confirms the promise of the land He made in the first two covenants. God also promises that David’s descendants will succeed him on the throne. His kingdom would last forever. This is also an unconditional covenant. No ifs or buts. God will fulfill this covenant to David and His descendants. This covenant was fulfilled in Christ.

(B) The New Covenant Fulfilled In Jesus Christ, The Mediator

The new covenant fulfilled in the Messiah

Jeremiah 31:31-36; Malachi 3:1; Isaiah 42:6 ; Isa.49:8; Hebrews 12:18-24
Let us review some of the provisions of the new Covenant.

(i) God will write the law in the minds and on the hearts of those in the new covenant.

(ii) God will be the God of those in the new covenant and they will be his people.

(iii) Those in the new covenant will know God.

(iv) God will forgive the iniquities and the sins of those in the new covenant

The new covenant effected through Jesus Christ’s death.

In the New Covenant, God is represented By Jesus Christ. Man is represented by Jesus Christ. We were in Jesus Christ when He fulfilled the new covenant (1Cor.1:30; Eph.1:3; 2:6; Heb.9:15-17).

"It implies our own fallen and helpless state. Christ would not become our wisdom if we were wise enough of ourselves. He never would become our righteousness if we could be righteous before God without him. Nor would he be our sanctification if we were not so wholly polluted as to need divine cleansing; so hopelessly unclean that no efforts of our own either would be made, or could if made avail to transform us from utter pollution to intrinsic purity of heart. He would not have given himself for our redemption if we had not been fearfully enslaved, past the power of self-effected emancipation. Thus all just views of Christ's work serve to abase man, for they show that Christ becomes all in all to us because we are nothing and meaner than nothing in ourselves." C.G.Finny

The new covenant sealed in Jesus Christ’s blood

(Lk.22:20; Ex.24:8; Jn.6:54; 1Cor.10:16; 11:25; Heb.10:29; 2Cor.3:6)

The Bible describes the blood of Jesus as speaking better things from the blood of Abel. The Blood of bulls and goats could not wash away sin. God had permitted their use as a temporary measure looking forward to the perfect offering of the blood of Jesus (mat.26:28; Mark 14:14; Luke 22:20).

(C) The New Covenant Filled With Superior Blessings

(i) New Grace and Mercy

(Heb.12:14; Gen.4:10-11)

The blood of Abel speaking from the ground meant a curse unto Cain. But the blood of Jesus which was also spilt and received in the ground does not result in a curse but a blessing. Through that blood we receive God’s grace and mercy.

(ii) New And Complete Forgiveness

Heb.8:12; Jer.31:34; Rom.4:8; 2Cor.5:17

In the new Covenant God completely forgives the sins of His people. He promised not remember their iniquity anymore. This a great blessing for any one who would repent and be saved. Regardless of what they had done in the past, what life they had lived; no matter how bad or how unholy or unrighteous, God will wipe away their sin.

(iii) New Release From The Law’s Condemnation

2Cor.3:9; Gal.3:13-14; Romans 8:1-3)

Christ hung on the tree, thereby carrying our curse upon himself. This meant the all believers are freed from the curse of the curse of the Law; they are not condemned but redeemed. They are living under a new Law, The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus. They are freed from the Law of sin and death. All you have to do is be in Christ Jesus!

 

(iv) A New Inward Enabling To Obey God’s Laws

(Jer.31:32-33; Jer.32:38-40 ; Eze.11:19-20; 2Cor.3:3; Heb.8:9-10 ; 9:14 ; 10:16)

The old covenant was broken because its demands were not met. Under the new covenant the requirements of obedience are not abolished, but in writing his laws on human hearts, God gives the ability to meet the covenant demands. In the New Covenant participants will be enabled to keep God's commandments 

(v) A New Knowledge Of God

(Heb.8:11; Jer.31:34; Jeremiah 32:37-41; 2Cor.3:15-16)

In the New Covenant we do not look for prophets and seers to guide us to God! We shall know Him, says the Lord, from the smallest to the greatest. God's spirit indwells every believer. All believers have the great privilege of communicating with God regularly on a personal basis with through the agency of the Holy Spirit.

(vi) A renewed Relationship With God

(Eze.37:26-27; Jer.24:7; 31:1; Eze.34:31, 32; Hos.2:19-23)

"Peace" refers to spiritual and material well-being; real peace is possible only for those in a right relationship with God. The formula "I will be their God, and they will be my people" is associated also with the Abrahamic and especially the Sinitic covenants.

 

A New Superior Priesthood

Heb.8:6; 7:22; 9:24-25; 1Peter 2:9

Jesus is the high priest of if the New covenant, a Priest forever after the order of Melchisedek. He makes intercession for us in the presence of God, as well as does the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26-27, 34). All believers form a kingdom of priests unto God in the New covenant.

A New and Superior Sacrifice

 Heb.9:24, 20-23, 26-28; 10:4, 8-14

This one single sacrifice of Christ was the ultimate sacrifice. It covers every sin of every person who has been or ever will be born in this present world. What is the implication of this? If all the < 6billion people in the world today will believe in Jesus, is He able to save them all? Yes!

A New and Lasting Covenant

Isa.61:8; 2Cor.3:11; Jer.50:5 Heb.8:7, 13 ;13:20

The New Covenant is an everlasting covenant. It will not be broken or repealed. Its provisions are perfect and eternal because the mediator is perfect and eternal. To be part of this New covenant you need to be in Christ (Rom.8:1...)...You need there to come to Jesus today to enjoy the benefits of this covenant.