Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Monday is Memorial Day, when we remember those who’ve gone on leaving precious memories. We erect tombstones and statues to remember the great people in our lives and history, and since there’s little, if any new knowledge about history, we should respect history for what it is, learn from it and thereby move on to a brighter future.
God is big on memorials for us to remember the good and the bad, and that bad can and will be overcome, so those who turn to the good will have the brightest of futures (Jeremiah 29:13-14, I love this passage as God’s promise for all people, no matter how far we’ve moved away from him; Hebrews 6:13-20; Acts 17:24-31).
Since God led the Israelites out of Egypt, he began using memorials for them and all his people to come to commemorate his love and consideration toward them. Some memorials in the Old Testament were continuing reminders to God that they were his people, namely, the Passover and various items used in the temple worship (Exodus 12:1-20; 29:9-12, 15-21, 29; 30:11-16).
When Jesus arose from the grave, the memorials under the Old Covenant (Mosaic Law, the Old Testament) were set aside and the New Covenant (Testament) was instituted with new and some continuing memorials. Specifically, physical circumcision was replaced with the circumcision of the heart to remove the uncleanness of past sin by forgiveness, which takes place at baptism, and the Lord’s Supper (communion) replaced the Passover celebration as a continuing memorial to Jesus’ sacrifice to save us from death and a reminder of God’s promises of a bright future (Romans 3:23; 6:23; Acts 2:38-39; Hebrews 9:11-14, 27-28; 10:1-4, 19-29; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; Acts 20:7).
Now, when God looks at Christians, he sees us clothed in Jesus, who’s the atonement for our very lives, and covered by his blood (Galatians 3:26-29; 4:6-7; Romans 4:7-8; 6:3-5; Colossians 3:1-4).
When we’re forgiven through Jesus’ blood under the New Covenant, God forgets our past sins and keeps us forgiven if we continue to obey him, and he wants us to forget our sins as well, but he doesn’t want us to forget that we’ve been forgiven (1 John 1:5-9; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Philippians 3:10-16; 2 Peter 1:3-15). So, as Abraham’s children through Jacob (Israel), which makes us the Israel of God, under the New Covenant, he’s given us the Lord’s Supper and his word, another continuing memorial, for our encouragement (Galatians 6:14-16; Romans 11:25-26).
Interestingly, God wants us to remember that even the very memory of evil people will be blotted out (Exodus 17:8-16; Deuteronomy 25:19; 1 Samuel 15:1-33). As happened to Saul, this includes removing his Holy Spirit, who God now gives at baptism, and blotting their name from the book of life to be separated from his presence (and ours) for eternity (Exodus 32:30-35; Revelation 3:4-6; 20:11-15; 2 Thessalonians 1:3-10).
God keeps his promises regarding his plans for us (1 Corinthians 1:4-9). Are you keeping the New Covenant terms and memorials for a bright future in God’s presence?
Leonard Lauriault is a member of the Church of Christ in Logan who writes about faith for the Quay County Sun. Contact him at [email protected].