THEOLOGY - continued

The Covenant is not lengthy and perhaps what is not said in the Covenant says as much regarding what the church believes as what it does say. The Covenant consists of only three paragraphs, each paragraph a sentence unto itself. Whether it was written that way deliberately or not, it does tend to emphasize that everything in the Covenant is of equal importance.

The concept of covenant is Biblical. In the Hebrew Scriptures God made covenants with his “chosen people.” A covenant was made with Noah, its sign being the rainbow. It was a sign and reminder of God’s eternal love. A second covenant was made with Abraham, its sign being circumcision. It was a covenant that bonded God and the Hebrew people. A third covenant was made with Moses, its sign being the law tablets. It prescribed how God’s people were to live.

A fourth and ultimate covenant is that in the person and work of Jesus Christ. It is not coincidental that a synonym for New Testament is New Covenant. The title page of the New Revised Standard Bible simply says, “The New Covenant commonly called The New Testament.” In Jesus, God established a new and lasting relationship with humanity. When we receive the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper we quote Jesus’ words, “This cup is the new covenant, sealed in my blood.”