God’s Promise
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A covenant is a solemn agreement to do something that may have serious consequences. For example Melchizedek made a covenant with Abraham that if Abraham believed in God his progeny would be guided and helped. He was promised they would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. The Jewish nation evolved from this covenant and it was in effect until the Jewish Sanhedrin rejected Jesus.[1]
The new covenant
We now seek a new covenant for today; one that is meaningful for our times. It is vital to remember this is a serious agreement between an individual and God; it definitely must not become a mindless ceremony or ritual. This new covenant is an agreement with God for anyone who is serious about their faith and spreading truth to those with whom they come in contact. This new covenant can bring a greater awareness of spiritual reality for our sisters and brothers.
I accept God’s covenant
That His favor is based on faith alone,
I pledge to follow His guidance
And share the message of truth
With my sisters and brothers.[2]
This covenant is now offered to each one of us. God offers to do everything for us; all we need is to believe, to follow His guidance. Our personal relationship with our Heavenly Father need not be complicated. We believe in His presence and He promises to guide us and provide our needs. God sincerely wishes to help us but first we must believe.
The core of this covenant is faith. If we have faith, we absolutely know our Father is with us. When we have that certain faith, then He will bestow His favor on us, He will assist us in our daily lives. But for this to happen we must have faith.
Applying the new covenant
Unlike the Abrahamic covenant, this one is solely for the individual. Abraham was concerned about his lack of progeny[3] while we are concerned with spreading the teachings; our focus is upon spreading truth to our sisters and brothers. Accepting this covenant is serious business. When the Jewish leaders broke their covenant the destruction of Jerusalem and Israel followed soon thereafter.[4]
Implicit in this covenant is the fact that our Father will protect us. Archbishop Desmond Tutu said that if he was doing God’s work fighting against the discrimination of apartheid then God had “better jolly well protect me.”[5] And God did protect him as He also protected Nelson Mandela and other fighters against spiritual injustice around the world. Considering the depth of hatred these fighters for personal dignity were up against, it is remarkable how well they were protected.
In our own country we had Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. I have stood next to the kitchen table in the parsonage in Montgomery, Alabama where Dr. King despaired about the hatred and violence against him and his young family. In that very kitchen late at night after receiving another hate filled phone call in January of 1956, Dr. King prayed to God for the strength to carry on. He wanted to stand up for what is right but was afraid. At that point he experienced a powerful feeling of the presence of the Divine giving him assurance that God would be with him forever. After that he “was ready to face anything.”[6] God was able to protect him long enough for the message to get out to disadvantaged people everywhere. Each of us should have such a dream!
All who sincerely accept and follow their sacred covenant will be protected and guided as long as they remain faithful to their covenant. A covenant with God will guide, protect, and grant wisdom as needed. As long as we remain faithful to the covenant, this revelation of truth will be protected.
Accepting the new covenant[7] means that The Urantia Book and its teachings become the modern torchbearer bringing truth to our planet. This covenant takes these truths to a higher level; it gives us increased power, protection, validity, and energy.
Further reading
“Light of Truth: Anticipating the Triumph of Righteousness”
Chapter 8 – Covenant
Urantia Book
Paper 93 Machiventa Melchizedek
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All references are to The Urantia Book unless stated otherwise. The number refers to the single column version in the format page.paragraph, 1910.1 ↑
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Based on 1017.4-6 ↑
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1020.4 ↑
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1910.1 ↑
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“The Book of Joy – Lasting Happiness in a Changing World,” His Holiness the Dali Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu with Douglas Abrams, Avery, New York, 2016, p 93 ↑
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“Why divine immanence mattered for the Civil Rights struggle” by Vanessa Cook, ed by Sam Haselby, https://aeon.co/ideas/why-divine-immanence-mattered-for-the-civil-rights-struggle, retrieved 12/25/18 ↑
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1630.1 ↑