Coffee and The New Covenant Part 2 Definite Redemption

Hi there. Welcome to Reformed Ex Mormon. I am Pastor Brayden and I hope you're having a wonderful and blessed day today. Today we're just going to continue on in our series. This is part two of Coffee and the New Covenant.

Today I am drinking a latte that I made myself earlier. Absolutely delicious. I did a, for latte art, I did a monk's head or maybe rather we should call it a Luther's dome on top. I won't show it to you because I've already drinking some of it so it's kind of messed up the look of it.

But absolutely delicious coffee today. It's come from a local coffee shop that I live nearby. Very, very delicious beans. Just made a really good cup of coffee right here. Something that is fun and good to drink while we study Jeremiah chapter 31, 31 through 34 as that is what we are discussing in this series.

Part two today is going to be discussing, as last week when we opened this up, we were looking at the newness of this new covenant. How it's not like the covenant that God has made with their fathers and that this new covenant has been made because it's a better covenant made on better promises made by a better mediator according to Hebrews chapter 8 verses 6 through verse 13 there.

We looked at how it is different so it shouldn't be thought of that it is the same covenant made with the fathers in different administrations but it's a new covenant not like the one made with their forefathers.

This covenant is one that is not dependent upon one's obedience but rather it makes it so everybody included in this new covenant is one of knowing God, loving Him and also having that law written upon their hearts which we are going to discuss a little bit today.

Part two for this is we are going to be looking at a term called definite redemption. This would be also known as limited atonement, part of the doctrines of grace or tulip or that sometimes known as Calvinism.

The issue that we are going to be discussing today is that of the L of tulip, limited atonement, definite redemption. The reality of this whenever we talk about the atonement of Jesus Christ unless you are a universalist and if you are, if you believe that everybody goes to heaven regardless of what they believe when they die and that the blood of Christ covers all sins truly and that there is no one that will be suffering the wrath of God you need to repent because you are denying the majority of scripture.

Christ speaks clearly about this in John chapter 15 that anybody that doesn't abide in Him will be cast from Him and thrown in everlasting fire. There is weeping and gnashing of the teeth here in this place.

So when we open up this we need to understand that Arminianists and that of Calvinists both limit the atonement in one way or another. The Calvinist limits it numerically while the Arminianist limits it effectually.

Meaning that the Arminianist says that Christ died for all people throughout all time. The issue with that truly is that if there is somebody in hell right now that Christ died for, that He spilt His blood for, it means that their sin, them not coming to Christ, those things are more powerful than the blood that was shed for them.

So it is limiting the effect, the power of the blood of Christ in that way which I think is more problematic when we look at a majority of the scripture and we look at what the context of it is saying and what it is teaching.

As far as Calvinism goes it limits the numerical effect of that. So meaning that the blood of Christ was powerful to save those that it was intended for. Though many would say that it is sufficient for all sins they would say that it is immediate, powerful, effectual for the elect and the people of heaven and hell today or in a place of judgment, suffering wrath from God today or tomorrow.

That being said, that is what we are going to be examining today. Again this is coming from a lot of this type of thinking that I have enjoyed reading as being a Reformed Baptist. It comes from this book, A Reformed Baptist Manifesto, The New Covenant Constitution of the Church.

I absolutely suggest, highly suggest reading this book. I absolutely love it. It has been a joy of mine to read. Let's go ahead and examine Jeremiah chapter 31 verses 31 -34 right here and then we are going to discuss some things that have to deal with that.

So please open up your Bible, get a good cup of coffee with me and let's go ahead and drink and study and do this for God's glory. So Jeremiah 31 -34 says this, Behold days are coming declares the Lord when I make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.

Not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant which they broke. Although I was a husband to them declares the Lord, but this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel.

After those days declares the Lord, I will put my law within them and on their hearts I will write it. And I will be their God and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach again each man his neighbor and each man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them declares the Lord.

For I will forgive their iniquity and their sin I will remember no more. When we come to the book of Hebrews as we looked at last week it's clear that the author of Hebrews is applying this new covenant rightfully so to today.

That it has been enacted, it has been accomplished, it has started, this new covenant has been made through the better mediator Jesus Christ and it is applied today. And so when we look here at Jeremiah chapter 31 verses 31 -34 we won't make mention of right now what it means to have the house of Israel and the house of Judah but instead we're going to look at what it means to be a member of that.

As there's a difference between this new covenant that is not like the one that was made with their fathers back in those days there's something that's different and unique in this new covenant that we must discuss that I think that if you were to do a study of this you would come to the conclusion of that of definite redemption.

Calvinism, limited atonement, you would walk away with that. It says in here that the new covenant that God will make with them according to verse 33 is that they will have the law written on their hearts and that it will make these type of people God's people.

That God will be in possession of them. That inheritance, that holding on to that God will have these individuals. They will be His people truly. It's not like the covenant that was made prior but this covenant will make it so these people will truly be God's.

And when we come to verse 34 it says that not ever again will somebody be able to go inside as covenant members, those that are a part of this new covenant. No one in this covenant can go to another covenant member and say no God because something has already taken place.

Because if you were a new covenant member it says that you already know who God is. They all know me from the least to the greatest of them. So when we look at this what is the reality of this? What is the very final saying that says in here?

The fact of somebody knowing God because they are His people. It says I will forgive their iniquity and their sin. I will remember no more. Now in the stark contrast of these things from that of Arminianism and that of Calvinism, especially when we look at the Old Testament covenants compared to this new covenant that's found there in the New Testament and the Gospel and the substance of all those shadows.

We see that the new covenant there is a lack of ifs or maybes in there. There is no required obedience or required act that is upon this new covenant member. Rather it is that God is the one that places His law in their hearts.

The result of this is that they are His people and as a new covenant member there is a lacking of anybody being in it that doesn't truly know God. Just as in those days many many years ago being an ethnic Israelite, an ethnic Jew, there would be many around you, your neighbors that were in this covenant, this Old Testament covenant that wouldn't truly know God.

Well in this new covenant, if you are members of it, you absolutely know God and there are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. You know Him. From the least to the greatest of them, which I think I would be far on that list of the least of this new covenant, but the result is the same as that of the greatest, is that my sins have been forgiven and my iniquity is remembered no more.

So let's turn to Hebrews chapter 9 here shortly and look also at Hebrews chapter 13 for these things. Hebrews chapter 9 says here in verse 15, it says this, and for this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant.

Again according to Hebrews chapter 8 verses 8 -12, it is applying Jeremiah 31, 31 -34 to today. And not only this, but it's also continuing on with that language here in chapter 9 as we see that Christ is the mediator of this new covenant.

And it says in order that since death has taken place for the redemption. So again, the forgiveness of sins, the no longer remembering iniquity that we see there in verse 34 of Jeremiah 31, this is the redemption that comes about in this new covenant.

In order that in place for the redemption can take place, it says of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant. Again, the betterness of this new covenant is spoken of in here. Those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

This is absolutely salvation that is being spoken of in here. And it's also important to notice in here that the eternal inheritance that one receives is not dependent upon how one is born into this world, but rather if one is called, then they receive this internal inheritance.

Again, as a Reformed Baptist and as a person that holds to the doctrines of grace, I would say that part of being called is that God is going to finish His good work in you and you're going to be born again.

And now when you are born again, you have received redemption. You have received the eternal inheritance as that is spoken of here in verse 15. Now let's go ahead and open up to Hebrews chapter 13 and look here in verses 20 -21 as this is continuing this language of this new covenant that has been made by our better mediator Jesus Christ on behalf of those that are members of this new covenant.

Hebrews chapter 13 verse 20 -21 says this, now the God of peace who has brought up from the dead the great shepherd, we're through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord. I want you to pay close attention to that again.

We're going to read it again. The great shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord. How are you a sheep? Why are you a sheep? It's because you have been covered by the blood of the shepherd and this blood is the blood of the eternal covenant.

This is the new covenant that has been spoken of in chapter 8 already. And when we continue on in verse 21 it says, equip you in every good thing to do His will working in us that which is pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ whom be the glory forever and ever.

Amen. Remember that, shepherd and sheep as we're going to look at somewhere else here in just a moment. But before we do that, let's go back to Jeremiah chapter 33 this time and read verses 14 -16 as it's very important that we read this as there are some implications that get made in here.

So Jeremiah chapter 33 verses 14 -16. Again it starts us off by saying, Behold days are coming declares the Lord when I fulfill the good word which I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and the house of Judah.

What is this speaking about? This is exactly how Jeremiah 31 -31 starts us off with, Behold days are coming and it speaks about when He's going to make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.

So 33 verses 14 -16 is absolutely connecting and talking about the same event. So when we see this it says concerning the house of Israel and the house of Judah. Verse 15 says, In those days at that time I will cause a righteous branch of David to spring forth and he shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth.

So this righteous branch of David is absolutely without a doubt the Messiah, Jesus the Christ, our King, our Priest, our Prophet. This is who it is speaking of is Jesus Christ and His first coming here.

And it says in those days, again it's connecting these words together, in those days Judah shall be saved and Jerusalem shall dwell in safety. And this is the name by which she shall be called. And this is so important.

The Lord is our righteousness. Jesus Christ when He shed His blood it is what covers the believer. That's our plea to God. That is what makes us so we can stand before Him justified. And so when we look at here it says that the Lord is our righteousness.

That is the banner that is above all Christians' heads today. The Lord, Jesus the Christ, the one that said unless you believe I am you shall die in your sins. That same Egoemi, that same Yahweh, that same Lord is our righteousness because He lived the perfect life for me.

He died in my steed for me. He was buried and rose again on the third day for me and for all other members of the new covenant. Now when we look at these things and we compare that with chapter 31 verses 31 through 34 it's important to note that these people that have God's law within them that's put upon their heart, they're called God's people.

They have a forgiveness of sins. God remembers their sins no more. He does not charge them with that which they have committed against Him any longer. Now I want to read here and especially in correlation with Hebrew chapter 13 when we talked about the shepherd and sheep.

Let's turn to John chapter 10 and let's just see some similar language that is spoken by Jesus Christ just as what the author of Hebrews has said here. John chapter 10 and we will read verses 11, 15, 26 through 29.

So please read the entirety of this chapter. We're just going to be looking at these specific verses though right now. Again verse 11 says, I am the good shepherd. Who is this? Jesus Christ. That's who Hebrews 13 verse 20 has applied this to, the great shepherd Jesus our Lord.

That's the one that is speaking in here. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. Verse 15, even as the father knows me, I know the father and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Now verse 26 through 29 says this, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. Jesus is speaking before the Jews in this text. He says, you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me.

Who is the great shepherd? Who are the sheep? Who are the members of this new covenant and what is the effect of the members of this new covenant? We would say Jesus Christ is the mediator of this better covenant.

Those that are partakers of this new covenant are the sheep that are able to hear the shepherd's voice and believe because they are sheep. They are made God's people because they are members of this new covenant.

This new covenant is better than the old covenant because there are members of this new covenant all know God from the least to the greatest of them. And since they all know God, their sins are forgiven.

God remembers these things no more. They are held in Jesus Christ and the father's hand and no one is able to snatch them from him. Again, this is the stance of those that believe in limited atonement or the definite redemption of the elect.

The blood of Jesus Christ is so powerful that it is effectually going to save sovereignly the members of the new covenant because God has intended it for his sheep. So this is the stance of those that would believe in definite redemption.

I hope that this has been helpful for you as you consider and study things that have to do with Jeremiah 31, 31 through 34. This to me is very, very clear that God has saved his people. He has not lost one of his sheep and that he has enacted a better covenant that is not like the old.

I hope that this helps you. Please go get some coffee, study these things out. God bless and go in peace.