The Unquenchable Lamp of the Covenant. Abraham Park

so much to this world and letting him die so wretchedly on the cross is a demonstration of His love toward us (1 Jn 4:9; Rom 5:8).

      (6) “whoever believes in Him”

      The word believe is , the verb form of pi,stij (pistis), which means “faith.” Faith is the means of salvation. To have faith is to believe in God, and to believe in God is to receive Him. John 1:12 states, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.” The word receive in this verse does not mean to receive as to welcome a customer or visitor at a reception counter, but to accept the only begotten Son Jesus Christ perpetually and continue to serve Him as the Savior of life. It is by God’s perfect grace and gift that we can believe in Jesus as our personal Lord of salvation (Eph 2:8).

      The Greek word for whoever is , meaning “all or every.” This is to say that all, including Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, men and women, and old and young, can receive salvation from sin and death.

      (7) “should not perish, but have eternal life”

      Granting eternal life is the sole reason of His love. It is the liberation from sin that we find in Jesus Christ and the promise of eternal life through Him (Rom 8:1; 1 Jn 2:25). This is the ultimate purpose of Jesus’ coming onto this earth (Heb 9:28; 1 Jn 3:5). Having “eternal life” is not simply having a life that lasts forever. Eternal life begins by starting a new relationship with God (John 17:3; Rom 5:21) and then receiving new life (John 5:24). Furthermore, it is entering into an eternal fellowship with God in the kingdom of heaven through resurrection and transfiguration at the end of the world and being liberated from death (John 6:40; 1 Cor 15:51–52; 1 Thes 4:16–17). This is the promise of a blessed life that entails eternal continuation and heavenly quality of life.

      Therefore, Jesus Christ is the greatest gospel and the good news of great joy (Luke 2:10). He is the only mediator for sinners (1 Tim 2:5; Gal 3:19–20; Heb 8:6; 9:15) and the grace upon grace that is desperately needed by all sinners (John 1:16). Thus, anyone who does not believe in Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son and Lord of salvation, will perish. To perish is to be cast away from God and receive the punishment of hell. Hell is the place where fire burns endlessly, the smoke of torment goes up forever, and even worms do not die (Mark 9:43, 48; Rev 14:11).

      According to a recent discovery, there are shrimp, clams, bacteria, and other living things found in scalding-hot water at a temperature of about 407˚C (764.6˚F) in the ocean bed near a volcanic crater. Imagining how it would be for these creatures to live in this high-temperature environment helps one picture those in hell suffering in burning fire without being able to die. However, those who believe in Jesus will not perish, but will receive eternal life and enjoy everlasting blessings in the kingdom of heaven.

      It is a great honor just to have God, who is greater than all, come down to our lowly and obscure human history and become the Immanuel for us. Moreover, He who is without sin humbled Himself as a worm and allowed His holy body to be torn on the cross, and every drop of His blood poured out for us (Rom 8:3; 2 Cor 5:21; Heb 4:15; 7:26; 9:14; 1 Pet 2:22–24; 1 Jn 3:5; Ps 22:6). By the blood He shed on the cross, we are forgiven of our sins and are redeemed (Matt 20:28; Eph 1:7; 1 Pet 1:18–19). Jesus Christ, who died on the cross and rose again the third day, still intercedes for us on the right hand of God’s throne so that we can overcome sin and receive final salvation (Rom 1:4; 1 Cor 15:3–4). Can we ever sufficiently express His great love with our limited words?

      We have received the greatest treasure called “eternal life,” which cannot be compared in value to any worldly treasure (Ps 49:7–8; Matt 13:44–46; John 10:28; 17:2; 1 Jn 2:25; 5:11). This eternal life is Jesus Christ Himself (1 Jn 5:20). Thus, the fact that God, who is greater than all, came down to save people, who are sinners as lowly as worms, is truly a great gospel. He gave all of this as a free gift. This is something we cannot repay even with all of our lives; we are indebted to this gospel and His love (Rom 1:14). Debt inevitably entails the responsibility to repay. Though He gave to us freely, it is our duty as mature children of God to reciprocate His love as much as possible.

      The only appropriate way for us to respond to this debt is to share this gospel (Matt 28:18–20). This is also the Great Commission that the Lord gave to us (Mark 16:15; Titus 1:3). The first proclamation of Jesus Christ and John the Baptist was “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt 3:1–3; 4:17; Mark 1:14–15). The Apostle Paul confessed that he was called as an apostle for the gospel (Rom 1:1) and that he had nothing to boast of in preaching the gospel, for woe to him if he does not preach the gospel (1 Cor 9:16). Likewise, it is our task to live the rest of our lives with the resolution that we will die daily like the Apostle Paul (1 Cor 15:31), testify to this gospel (Acts 20:24; Rom 1:14–15; 2 Tim 4:1–2), and be faithful until our very last breath (Rev 2:10).

      CHAPTER 2

      The History of Redemption and the Covenant

      The Bible testifies of the greatness of God’s absolute sovereignty for He is greater than all, and of His work of saving mankind through the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ. Covenants are the links and the means of fulfilling this work in actual history. The Bible is a record of the redemptive history that is connected by covenants; therefore, it can be called a covenantal book that promises salvation. God took Israel out of Egypt, “from the midst of the iron furnace,” to make them His people and become their God under the covenant (Deut 4:20; 1 Kgs 8:51; Jer 11:4).

      A covenant is a promise that God made especially with mankind because of His love for them (Lev 26:9). Accordingly, mankind can become united with God and have a personal relationship with God through His covenant. The key point and purpose of the covenant that God established with mankind is for Him to make them His own people. Mankind can become His people through the covenant just as God declares in Jeremiah 31:33 and Ezekiel 36:28, “I will be their God, and they shall be My people” (Gen 17:7; Exod 6:7; 19:5–6; Lev 26:11–12; Deut 29:13; 2 Kgs 11:17; 2 Chr 23:16; Ezek 37:27; 2 Cor 6:16).

      The word covenant is defined as “an agreement or promise usually under seal between two or more parties especially for the performance of some action.” A covenant is usually ratified when it is beneficial to both parties. However, God’s covenant is a pronouncement of God’s unilateral grace. This promise of God is unchangeable (Heb 6:17) and faithful (Rom 3:3; 1 Cor 1:9; 10:13; 2 Cor 1:18; 1 Thes 5:24; 2 Thes 3:3; 2 Tim 2:13; Titus 1:9; 3:8; Heb 11:11; 1 Pet 4:19; 1 Jn 1:9). When His people keep the covenant, God will surely fulfill that covenant and respond with lovingkindness and truth (Ps 103:17–18).

      Psalm 25:10 All the paths of the LORD are lovingkindness and truth to those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.

      What are the most distinctive features in the covenant that God made with mankind?

      First, it is unilateral and sovereign.

      Fallen mankind absolutely does not qualify to have a covenantal relationship with God (Ps 14:3; Jer 17:9; Rom 3:10). Nevertheless, God who is greater than all came and unilaterally established the covenant to achieve the great administration, that is salvation for His elect. Through God’s unconditional grace, this covenant was given to Adam when Adam was in a state of total depravity because of his fall. This is the reason that the Bible describes as “covenant” that which God “commanded” (Josh 7:11), “confirm[ed]” (Lev 26:9; Deut 5:2), and “gave” (Acts 7:8). Since God’s covenant is sovereignly administered, it is an eternally unchangeable and utterly unbreakable promise.

      Second, it is eternal.

      It is stated in Deuteronomy 7:9 that God “keeps His covenant…to a thousandth generation” (see also 1 Chr 16:15). The psalmist in Psalm 105:8 also confesses, “He has remembered His covenant forever, the word which He commanded to a thousand generations.” The expression thousand generations mentioned in these verses is not a literal number of generations, but a symbol of “eternity.” Thus, it conveys the perpetuity of God’s covenant. The covenant