The Jesus Covenant – Jim Fowler

Many teachers refer to the “new covenant,” but many of them are at a loss to explain what the new covenant really means. They know that the “new testament” means “new covenant,” and that this portion of our bibles is the Christian portion of the biblical scriptures. When asked what is new about the “new covenant,” some will answer that this is the good news of the gospel, i.e., “the gospel covenant.” Not inaccurate, but it needs more explanation that explicates the meaning of “gospel.” What is the “good news” of the gospel? Is it redemption? Is it salvation? Is it grace? Is it freedom: Is it a new ethical paradigm? Or is the “good news” the presence and function of the living Lord JESUS?

For some teachers, the emphasis on “new covenant” is a contrast with the “old covenant” of Law for the Jewish peoples. The “new covenant” is conceived of as “the freedom covenant” which releases people from the performance strictures of Law and religion. Freedom and liberty from Law can, and are often, pushed to the extremism of liberalism, i.e., the freedom to do whatever we want to do, even the freedom of worldliness, the freedom to practice “the deeds of the flesh” (Gal. 5:19-21).

In contrast to the Law strictures of the old covenant, many have emphasized that the “new covenant” is the “Grace covenant.” Here we have another ambiguous, much trafficked term that has become imprecise in Christian teaching. Grace is much more than “undeserved favor.” Grace is the ontological dynamic of God in action by means of Jesus Christ (cf. Jn. 1:17). Thus defined, the “new covenant” is the “JESUS covenant.” God’s new covenant arrangement is God the Son incarnated in the person of Jesus who lived, died, was crucified, and rose from the dead, continuing His activity in the “live-giving Spirit” (I Cor. 15;45), the Spirit of Christ (cf. Rom. 8:9). When the Spirit of the triune God is received into our human spirit by faith, we become Christ-ones living in “the JESUS covenant.”

Jim Fowler is a cherished and respected friend of Plain Truth Ministries, a wonderful brother in Christ, having served in a variety of capacities, on our Board of Directors, as a theological consultant and as an author and editor.  He continues to write, with his latest being “Manifesting the Life of Jesus” available on Amazon.  Jim is a treasure to the body of Christ, a Christ follower who faithfully reflects God’s grace in Jesus, as our risen Lord lives his life within him.