GOD'S COVENANT PEOPLE

GOD’S COVENANT PEOPLE
Exodus 4:21-23; 1Chr 17:21,22
“I am your God and you are My people”

INTRODUCTION
God created man with an eternal purpose in view. This eternal purpose involves God dwelling with man in a special intimate relationship called a Covenant. It is only by the terms of God’s Covenant that man can be counted righteous before God so that his walk, his worship and his service can be pleasing and acceptable in His sight. For man to approach God in any other way that is not within God’s Covenant terms is to establish his own righteousness instead of submitting himself to the righteousness of God. Such an attempt is not only vanity; it is zeal not according to the knowledge of God - Rom 10:1-3.

SERVICE OF GOD IS GIVEN TO GOD’S ELECT NATION, ISRAEL (Exo 4:21-23; 6:1-8; 19:4-6)
In the 3rd month after Israel left Egypt and arrived at Sinai, was the beginning of the historical event of God making a covenant with Israel. Moses was sent to accomplish this covenant (as mediator) between YHWH and Israel, the children of Abraham (Deu 34:10,11). The whole book of Exodus pertains to the Covenant of the Kingdom given to Israel and the teachings of the coming kingdom.
The Covenant expectations are in Exo 19:5,6. If ….. then ….
Conditions must be met before promises are fulfilled. Israel was admonished to keep the covenant through a living faith relationship – to be faithful to God within the bounds of the covenant relationship. Such obedience made them special – Exo 19:5b. They were God’s “prized possession” (Deu 7:6; 14:2,21; 26:17; Mal 3:17.
Based upon their faith covenant relationship with God, Israel became the nation elected by God to serve Him as “a kingdom of priests” (“kingly priests” unto the Lord) – Exo 19:6. The function of a holy priesthood speaks of a king on the throne with priests who are subject to His orders. Through every covenant Jew, all the nations of the earth were to be blessed – Gen 12:1-3; Isa 60:1-3.
The sealing of the covenant was made upon Israel’s unanimous commitment acceptance of the covenant expectations – Exo 19:8; 24:4-8.

SERVICE OF GOD STILL BELONGS TO ISRAEL (Rom 9:1-5)
During the ministry of Jesus Christ, only a remnant of the stock of Israel was still faithful and kept their covenant with God. The rest (majority) were cut off because of unbelief (no continuing faith) - Rom 11:1-10. Believing Gentiles obedient to the faith were grafted into the remnant stock of covenant Israel (Rom 11:11-20).

ISRAEL AT THE BEGINNING OF THEIR COVENANT WALK WITH GOD
God describes His elected Covenant nation Israel at the beginning as:
1. “The choicest vine” - Isaiah 5:2
2. “A noble vine, wholly a right seed” - Jer 2:21a
3. “The sheep nation – Psa 78:51,52; 79:13 (80:1); 100:1-3; Isa 53:6; 63:17-19.

A BROKEN COVENANT
Because of the sin and rebellion of His covenant people, God gave them the law, so that they might recognize their sin of disobedience, turn back to God in repentance, seek forgiveness and thereafter walk by faith again in covenant relationship. The law was for the good of the people as long as they responded in the way it was intended – Gal 3:19,24. Sadly though, most of them did not respond in the right way! They transgressed the law and sinned, breaking covenant with God through wilful disobedience and rebellion. The curse of sin (breaking covenant with God) results in condemnation by the law, the verdict of which is spiritual death (Gen 2:17; Rom 6:23). Through constant disobedience and sin, God’s covenant nation broke the covenant they had made with Him at the foot of Mount Sinai. It grieved the heart of God to see his people walk away in pride and self-sufficiency, not continuing in His covenant – Isa 1; Jer 3:6-14. Thus God disregarded them no longer as His people because they had forsaken Him – Hebrews 8:9.

ISRAEL AND THE RESULT OF BREAKING COVENANT WITH GOD
This is how God describes the disobedient nation:
1. Jer 2:21b – “a degenerate and strange vine”
2. Hosea 10:1,2 – “an empty vine, producing fruit only for themselves”
(similar to Rom 10:1-3.
3. Jer 50:6 – “lost sheep”

GOD DENOUNCES/CONDEMNS ISRAEL WITH CHASTISEMENT
Heb 12:5-13
1. Lev 26:33-38 – a scattering
2. Num 14:11,12 – sickness and disease
3. Deu 9:6 – inheritance taken away
4. Deu 28:25,48; 32:28 – overwhelmed by their enemies
5. 2Kin 17:13,14,19, 21 – stiff-neck and sinful people
6. 2Chr 36:14 – defiling God Tabernacle
7. Isa 42:18,19 – deaf and blind
8. Jer 2:7 – defiled God’s land
9. Jer 5:11 – treacherous people
10. Jer 32:20 – provoked God to anger
11. Eze 7:25 – destruction, no peace
12. Micah 7:13 – land to be desolate
13. Captivity foretold – 2 Kin 21:11-15; Isa 39:6; Jer 4:7; 9:16; 12:7; 13:19-21; 15:2-5, 14; 17:4; 24:8-10; 25:8,9; 32:4,5; 34:1-3, 21; 38:1-3; Eze 5:12,14-16; 12:10-12,15.

GOD PROMISED A NEW AND BETTER COVENANT
All the condemnation and chastisement of God’s dearly loved and specially chosen nation was because they had broken the covenant they had made with YHWH. “All that the Lord hath said we will do and be obedient,” they had professed and God did declare, “I will be your God and ye shall be my people.” But oh, how quickly had they gone back on their word and had broken covenant! They were desolate, barren, wasted and left without a God to lead them for a long time. The Psalmist seeing the hand of God, laments over God’s chastisement and pleads for God to return and visit the vine (Psa 80:7-19).
In spite of their unfaithfulness, God in His great mercy (Heb 8:12), promised to make a New Covenant with His people Israel - Jer 31:31-34 (cf. Heb 8:6-13; 10:9-25).

GOD ANSWERS AND VISITS ISRAEL AFTER 400 YEARS OF SILENCE
After the last OT prophet was gone, God remained silent and spoke not a word to Israel for 400 years. Had God forgotten them? NO! God is faithful; He will keep His promise – He cannot lie! God remembers the Psalmist’s cry (Psa 80 7-19)! Israel’s long-awaited visitation from God finally comes - Lk 1:67-73; 19:41-44. God indeed comes to visit them - in the person of Jesus the Messiah to fulfil His promise of the New Covenant relationship with them (Jer 31:31-34). God is faithful and will not fail to keep His Word. However, in spite of all that God had done for His covenant nation, Israel (1Chr 17:21,22), only a small number remained in covenant when Jesus came. These were considered the true Israel. The rest of the nation remained outside of the Covenant through unbelief (Rom 9:6-8 à Gal 4:28).

JESUS CAME TO FULFILL GOD’S PROMISE OF THE NEW COVENANT WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL – Jeremiah 31:33
By the grace of God, Christ came to destroy the curse of the Law upon sin – Acts 3:25,26; Gal 3:13.
1. Christ is the mediator of the New Covenant - Heb 8:6-9,13; 9:15.
2. Christ, the seed of Abraham came to redeem/liberate the covenant nation from the bondage and curse of the law and to offer them a New Covenant relationship. God desired that Israel might be restored in covenant relationship with Him through His Son, and that they might once again be His witnesses in the world, drawing all the (Gentile) nations to the saving knowledge of the one True God and Savior and to partake of the covenant relationship and blessings in Messiah - Gal 4:4,5.

WHO DID CHRIST, THE SENT ONE, COME TO LOOK FOR?
Mat 15:21-24; Mat 10:1-7; Luke 19:10 - the lost sheep of the house of Israel, His estranged covenant bride-people that He might save them. Before Jesus began His ministry, John the Baptist, Christ’s forerunner already came, calling the covenant nation to repentance - Mat 3:1. After Jesus was baptised by John, He began His ministry, also calling the covenant nation to do exactly the same thing - Mat 4:17. Notice the mention of the coming kingdom!
What were they to repent for? It was for their sins of disobedience and unfaithfulness toward the Covenant God of Israel. Both John the Baptist and Jesus Christ came calling Israel to repentance and to return to covenant relationship and fellowship with their God; to be restored in the covenant they had broken. How greatly He desired them to repent and return to Him – Acts 3:25,26; Rom 1:16; Mat 18:11-14.
Before the ministry of John the Baptist and Jesus, there were not many godly Old Covenant Jews that were still faithfully looking for the Messiah (eg. Zechariah, Simeon, Ananias, Anna, Joseph of Arimathaea). However, Jesus came looking for the fruit of faith from the whole nation - Luke 13:7. Did He find it? Most of them rejected Jesus as the Messiah - Jn 1:11. Only a small portion of the nation (a remnant) responded to the call to repentance and to faithfulness). Some of these were those who responded to John the Baptist’s preaching (Mat 4:17-22; John 1:35-45) before Jesus began His ministry. John was preparing these people for the Messiah – Luke 1:13-17.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE REST OF ISRAEL? The majority of the nation refused to believe. They remained disobedient and separated from their Covenant God! Some followed Messiah with ulterior motives or selfish reasons, but these did not last - John 6:26. Others fell away due to their lack of persevering faith in the face of hardship, mounting opposition and persecution from the unbelieving Jewish leaders – Jn 6:66-69; 9:22; 12:42,43; 16:1-6. The fruitless and disobedient ones were eventually cast away – Mat 8:5-13; John 15:1-11; Rom 11:20 – cut off (from covenant relationship - not UNSAVED)!
Can God graft them back in again? YES, but on condition that they repent of their unbelief (apistia, unfaitfulness) - Rom 11:23. This was the very message John the Baptist and Jesus came to preach to the nation of Israel – repentance! (Mat 3:1; 4:17,23).
In the Old Covenant days, the leaders and dishonest prophets of Israel led the people astray from God to become “lost” sheep - Jer 10:21; 23:11-15; 50:6; Isa 56:10-12; Eze 34:7-12. When Jesus the Good Shepherd of Israel came, He sought to bring His “lost (strayed away – not unsaved)” sheep back to Himself – Mat 18:12,13; Rom 9:5; Lk 19:10; 1Pet 2:25; Jn 10:11-13. However, the company of religious leaders called Pharisees, Saducees, chief priests and scribes that existed during that time also deceived the people by turning them away from Jesus in unbelief through their man-made laws and traditions – Mat 15:1-3,7-9,12-14; 23:1,2,13-39 (Rom 10:1-4).
With the exception of those few, faithful remnant that followed Jesus as their Messiah, the bulk of the nation of Israel remained the same – disobedient, unfaithful, and unfruitful! Remember Isa 5:1,2; Jer 2:21,22? God in the person of the Messiah Jesus came, visiting His choice vine, His covenant bride people, His sheep nation, but they outwardly rejected Him - John 1:11; 10:25-27. Eventually, national Israel was no longer considered as God’s covenanted sheep nation.

THE REMNANT
Let’s look closer at those few who followed Jesus as their Messiah. These were the faithful few of the nation, the true covenant sheep, the remnant of Israel, the ISRAEL of Israel, those that submitted themselves to Jesus Christ the Great Shepherd, believing and following Him in faith, entering into a new covenant relationship with God and Christ, receiving scriptural baptism (Rom 11:1-5). These were the believing “branches” of the entire nation of Israel that abided in God’s vine while the unbelieving branches were cut off (Jn 1:12; 15:1-5). These became the New Covenant people of God.

THE NEW COVENANT PEOPLE PREPARED BY JOHN THE BAPTIST
Before Messiah Jesus began His ministry, John the Baptist was sent by God to prepare A People for Jesus Christ (Mal 3:1-3; 4:5,6; Mat 17:10-13. His ministry was declared by an angel of God - Luk 1:13-17; Mk 1:1-4. He was preparing the nation of Israel for Messiah Jesus, announcing the Messianic kingdom as “at hand” (near to arrive) and that Christ is King over His everlasting kingdom. He preached the message and baptism of repentance (Mat 3:2, Mk 1:4; Lk 3:3), baptizing only those who truly repented (Mat 3:7-10).
à John’s divine authority was strongly defended: Jn 1:6,33; Mat 3:13-17; 21:23-27; Lk 7:28-30.

THE ORGANIZATION OF THE FIRST NEW COVENANT ASSEMBLY - CHRIST’S EKKLESIA
Jesus organized the first New Covenant Ekklesia out of the Jewish disciples that John the Baptist had prepared. This happened early in His ministry not long after He came to Galilee to be baptized by John. These disciples who were the remnant of Israel that believed Jesus as their Messiah were organized into the first New Covenant church (EKKLESIA). (The first church was never the Roman Catholic church!)

Let’s look at the events that led to the beginning of the first church:
· John 1:37-39 (v.29-36) - Here, beginning at Bethany, they accepted Jesus as their Master or Teacher. Note the names of those of John’s disciples that followed Jesus (Jn 1:40-47 - Andrew, Peter, Philip, Nathanael, John). These disciples now become Christ’s disciples – Jn 1:41-2:2 (the first mention of “his disciples” recorded here!). This infers that as early as at this time, Christ had already organized these disciples into His New Covenant EKKLESIA. The next mention of “his disciples” is in Jn 2:11.
· Jn 2:13-17 - Christ’s disciples still following, being taught by Him.
· Jn 4:1,2 - Christ’s disciples serving Him (making and baptizing other disciples). Only a church has this authority!
John recognized those disciples that had left him to follow Messiah as “the bride” that belongs to Messiah (John 3:27-30; Mk 2:18-20; 2 Cor 11:2; Eph 5:21-33; Rev 19:6-9).
· Mat 4:18-23 (Mk 1:16-20) - At Galilee, Jesus calls His disciples to a surrendered life of service.
· Luke 6:12,13 - Christ appoints apostles in His church and authorized them to preach and demonstrate the powers of the coming age (the age of the kingdom of God).

THE MARKS OF A NEW COVENANT CHURCH ON EARTH
1. Christ is the founder and foundation/corner stone of His church (Mat 16:18 - divine preservation promised; 1Cor 3:11; Eph 1:22,23; 2:20).
2. Christ is the Head and High Priest of His New Covenant Church (Col 1:18; Heb 10:19-27).
3. The New Covenant church is established upon the Biblical principle and pattern of proper authority, and distinguishes itself from all other groups or denominations founded upon man’s authority. Therefore no New Covenant church can be established without the invested authority of an existing New Covenant church (Mat 28:18-20; Acts 13:1-4).

THE PERPETUITY OF THE LORD’S CHURCH ON EARTH
Perpetuity speaks of continuity. Before Jesus left this earth to return to the Father, He gave His first Ekklesia the authority & commission to continue His work on earth – Mat 28:18-20. The faithfulness of His New Covenant congregations in keeping this commission ensures the perpetuity of New Covenant assemblies in the world through the work of church planting. Moreover, God gives each New Covenant assembly, whose Head is Christ, ‘shepherds’ or ‘overseers’ to lead, to feed and to protect each flock (Acts 20:28; John 21:15-17; 1Cor 12:28; 1Pet 5:2-4; Eph 4:11-16).

ENTRANCE INTO THE NEW COVENANT RELATIONSHIP IS THROUGH THE NEW COVENANT EKKLESIA
God did not forget the New Covenant promise He made with the House of Israel - Jeremiah 31:31-34. Those who fail to understand that Christ was sent by God to be the mediator of that Better (New) Covenant, fail utterly to see the faithfulness of the covenant-keeping God who has a continuing purpose to fulfil in His elect covenant people, Israel. In spite of the unfaithful covenant nation, breaking the covenant, God ever keeps His part of the promise. Messiah Jesus came to fulfil that promise in Jer 31:31-34 (cf. Heb 8:6-13).
Before Christ’s death, He partook of the last Supper with His disciples (Mat 26:26-29). In this memorable occasion, Jesus was picturing the New Covenant relationship with God through the death of His body and the blood that was to be shed on the cross (the unleavened bread symbolizing His body, and the fruit of the grape vine symbolizing His blood, the blood of the New Covenant). The New Covenant relationship they had entered into was ratified at Christ’s death. His shed blood, the blood of the New Covenant provided remission for their sins. With His own blood, Christ purchased His church from the bondage of sin – Acts 20:28 (Heb 9:15-26 – Jesus mentioned remission - Mat 26:28).
It should be very clear, that entrance into the sphere of the New Covenant relationship with God involves entering into Christ’s scriptural EKKLESIA. And entering into Christ’s EKKLESIA requires Scriptural baptism, one that is administered by right authority (already mentioned). The recipients of scriptural baptism are “baptized INTO CHRIST” (***Gal 3:26-29; Rom 6:3,4). This is synonymous with being baptized into a scriptural New Testament assembly, the body of Christ, the EKKLESIA.

A DIVINE ENABLEMENT IS PROMISED TO THE LORD’S CHURCHES ON EARTH
(John 14:15-18,26; 15:26; 16:7-14; Lk 24:36-53; Acts 1:1-9,15 à fulfilled in Acts 2:1-5 - read also v.14, 22, 29-41).
As long as God’s people willingly walk in the Spirit, they will have the Spirit’s leadership and power to abide in the covenant relationship “in Christ” and to live an overcoming life (Gal 5:16,25; Rom 8:14). Jesus promised His indwelling Holy Spirit to the Lord’s churches (not to all the saved) to guide, to teach, to empower and to unite the members of each assembly together for the continuing work of preaching the Gospel of the kingdom to the whole world, making and baptizing disciples; thereby establishing New Covenant churches with the heavenly authority given by Christ to His churches until He comes again (Mat 28:18-20; Acts 1:8).

TERMS DESCRIBING THE NEW COVENANT RELATIONSHIP
à This New Covenant relationship with Christ is a positional relationship described all over in the New Covenant scriptures as “IN CHRIST,” “IN HIM,” “IN THE BELOVED,” “YOU IN ME AND I IN YOU” (Gal 3:28; 1Cor 1:2; Eph 1:1,3,4,6,7,10; Gal 1:22; 1The 2:14; Jn 15:1-5, etc.).
à The New Covenant ministry (service) given to the Lord’s true churches is a ministry of the Spirit and a ministry of righteousness – 2Cor 3:5. It is also a ministry of reconciliation (to bring back into the covenant relationship).

The New Covenant WAS PROMISED TO ISRAEL, BUT WAS NOT LIMITED TO ISRAEL ONLY
In the Old Covenant era, Gentiles and strangers outside the covenant nation Israel could come into covenant with the God of Israel only through being assimilated into the nation of Israel. Firstly, they needed to forsake their old Gentilic religious beliefs and practices; embrace Jehovah as their God; be subject to the laws of Israel’s God; then be circumcised and live with the community of God’s people. This, some did!
God promised a New Covenant with ‘Israel’ (Jer 31:31-34), but it is critical for us to understand that this New Covenant relationship, entered into through scriptural baptism is not limited to the Jews only. Through genuine faith (Gal 3:7-9), Jews and Gentiles alike who after having trusted Jesus as Messiah and received scriptural baptism from Christ’s authorized Congregation, enter into the New Covenant relationship with God (Gal 3:26-29; 6:15,16; Col 3:10,11; Rom 1:16; 3:30).

PROPHESIES OF GENTILES COMING INTO COVENANT WITH GOD
Gen 12:1-3; Deu 32:21 (Rom 11:11,12); Psa 117:1,2; Isa 11:1,10; 42:1,6,7; 49:6,22; 55:35; 56:3-8; 60:1-5; 66:15-21; Hos 1:10; 2:23; Acts 13:47; 26:23; Rom 9:23-26; 15:8-21; Eph 3:1-6; Rom 4:13-16.
Jesus said, “Other sheep have I” (Jn 10:16).
In the parable of the vineyard (Mat 21:33-46), the vine was NOT destroyed, but given over to the authority of others who proved to be faithful to the householder. Remember Mat 8:5-13; Rom 15:8-12?

GENTILES GRAFTED INTO THE NATURAL OLIVE TREE
The Biblical evidence of the first Gentiles coming into Covenant with God is the record of the baptism of the Roman centurion, Cornelius and his household (Acts 10:1-11:1-18) who as a result were grafted into the New Covenant relationship. This was a landmark event in the history of the Lord’s first Jewish New Testament church in admitting Gentiles into the covenant fellowship.
The grafting in of Gentiles into the tame olive tree described in Rom 11 pictures what happens when believing Gentiles enter into the New Covenant relationship ‘IN CHRIST’ through baptism into Christ’s EKKLESIA (which had its beginning with the remnant of Jews that trusted in Jesus as their Messiah and were organized into an EKKLESIA by Christ Himself). The wild (Gentile) branches were grafted in among the remnant of believing Israel, and together with them (members of the first Jewish church), the Gentiles were able to “partake of the root and fatness of the olive tree. This was a kingdom mystery (secret) embedded within the Gospel of the Kingdom – Rom 11:25.
For what purpose was this grafting in? Not for salvation from hell! That those Gentiles who are grafted in might no longer serve sin but by the New Covenant of grace, be able to serve the living God now in this present age and also in the kingdom age (Rom 6:1-6; Eph 2:6-10).
Through scriptural baptism from Christ’s authorized Congregation, Jews and Gentiles therefore, could all become members in the same assembly and partake of the covenant blessings God has promised originally to the Old Covenant people – Rom 3:1,2; Rom 9:4,5; Gal 3:7-9,14,28,29.
Formerly aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, now the Gentiles are incorporated into the commonwealth of Israel - Eph 2:11-22; Rom 9:22-33; 1Pet 2:9-12. The middle wall of partition between Jews and Gentiles is broken down (Eph 2:13-18) – there is no more distinction of nation, race or historical lineage “in Christ,” “neither Jews nor Gentiles …” (Gal 3:28 {5:6; 6:15,16}; Col 3:1-14).
This is the Mystery (secret) revealed in this age beginning with the teachings of Christ – Mat 13:10-17 (Mat 16:18,19; 18:18-20); and later revealed further to the Lord’s churches through Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles - Rom 11:7-10,25; 16:25,26; Eph 1:9,10; 3:1-6; Eph 5:32; Col 1:24-27.

A REDEFINITION OF TERMS
In the New Covenant relationship “IN CHRIST,” there is a redefinition as to who are the true Israel of God, the true Jew, or the true circumcision (Rom 9:1-8 cf. Gal 3:29; 4:22-31{v.28}). The faithful saints in the Lord’s New Covenant EKKLESIA are now described as:
a. The circumcised in the heart à Rom 2:17-29.
b. The circumcision which worship God in the spirit à Phil 3:3;
c. Able ministers of the new covenant à 2Cor 3:6-11;
d. The Israel of God à Gal 6:15,16.
(Notice these passages were addressed to churches in Gentile lands. Members of the Lord’s churches that are IN CHRIST, are no longer the Gentiles of old, but have become the true Israel of God - 1Cor 12:1,2; Eph 2:11; 4:17-19; 1The 4:5; 1 Pet 4:3,4). (Dispensationalists who separate Israel and the church cannot see this!)

THE IMPORTANCE OF SCRIPTURAL AUTHORITY FOR BAPTISM
The Principle of Institutional Authority (Deu 12:5-14,32; 14:22-26; 16:6,11,15,16; 26:1,2; Josh 22:1-34; 1 Kin 8:12-30)
God is not pleased with those who rebel against this – Josh 22:10-34 (breeching such a command warrants severe consequences - v.19,29). Without scriptural authority, there is no scriptural baptism. Without scriptural baptism, there is no indwelling Holy Spirit – therefore, no scriptural church. An unscriptural church cannot baptise scripturally! Those rejecting Scriptural baptism are warned: (Mat 21:23-27; Lk 7:29,30).

What Makes Baptism “Unscriptural”?
1. When the subject (person) being baptized is unrepentant – Mat 3:7-9 (therefore a infant/young child cannot and should not be baptized!).
2. When the mode is other than immersion (baptizo) – Mat 3:16; Acts 8:36-39. [NOTE: Anglican (English Catholic) scholars translated the Greek New Testament into the English KJV. The Greek word “baptizo” should be literally translated into the English language as “immerse” instead of being transliterated as “baptize” as in many other Bible versions. To properly and honestly translate the word “baptizo” into “immerse” would contradict the practice of sprinkling for baptism.
3. When the authority is not from God - Acts 18:24-19:7.

The Biblical Precedence of Re-baptism
Aquila & Priscilla were Grecian Jews. They were driven out from Rome by the decree of Claudius Caesar. While at Corinth doing tent-making business, they met Paul, also a tent-maker, who probably led them to Christ - Acts 18:1-3. From here, they accompanied Paul to Ephesus (Acts 18:18,19) where they later established a church in their house - 1Cor 16:19; 2 Tim 4:19. This faithful and godly couple was well known and often commended by Paul. They later went back to Rome and started another church assembly in their own house – Rom 16:3-5.

Apollos was a Jew born in Alexandria, Egypt and well taught in the way of the Lord. He taught carefully the things of the Lord, but knew only the water baptism of John the Baptist. He did not yet know that what John had foretold in Mat 3:11, “I indeed baptize you in water unto repentance, but He [Messiah] shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost and with fire,” had actually been fulfilled according to Christ’s promise to His church when the first church at Jerusalem was baptized and indwelt with the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost. Apollos probably left Palestine before the public ministry of Jesus Christ and therefore was ignorant of Christ’s baptism of His church in the Holy Ghost. When Apollos came to Ephesus, Aquila and Priscilla who had been there since Paul’s second journey (Acts 18:19) found him preaching boldly in the synagogue, and they taught him more perfectly “the way of God” (Acts 18:25,26). It appears that Apollos had received proper water baptism from John the Baptist (no need for re-baptism), but thereafter, without proper authority, he on his own accord, made and baptized 12 disciples at Ephesus. After being properly taught the scriptures by Aquila and Priscilla, he left for the province of Achaia having received a recommendation letter from the Ephesian brethren (church in Aquila and Priscilla’s house? - 18:27; 1Cor 16:12. At a later time, Apollos became the bishop of the Corinthian church.
Paul the apostle to the Gentiles was sent out by the church at Antioch to plant churches - Acts 13:1-4; 14:26; 15:40. His first visit to Ephesus was during the final leg of his second missionary journey enroute to Jerusalem (18:18-21). In a hurry to return to Jerusalem for a feast, he reasoned with the Jews in the synagogue for a relatively short time. Paul who had earlier met Aquila and Priscilla at Corinth left them at Ephesus while he departed for Jerusalem (18:1-13). During Paul’s absence, Apollos came to Ephesus where he made and baptized 12 Jewish disciples on his own accord. Later, when Paul arrived at Ephesus during his third missionary journey, Apollos had already left Ephesus for Corinth (19:1). There, Paul found the 12 disciples that Apollos had HereHH baptized without scriptural authority. Having instructed these 12 disciples more perfectly, Paul then properly baptized them (Acts 19:3-7). Because they were earlier immersed without scriptural authority, Paul ‘reimmersed’ them by the scriptural authority invested upon him by the church at Antioch that authorized him for the work of the Gospel (the Antioch church was started by the Jerusalem church). Thus, Paul became the first “Anabaptist” in the history of the Lord’s church.
The twelve disciples at Ephesus When Paul found the 12 “disciples” at Ephesus, they were already saved. Paul asked them if they had received the Holy Ghost since they had believed, but to his surprise, these 12 disciples had never heard of the Holy Ghost. It is evident here that they were ignorant about the baptism in the Holy Spirit that both John the Baptist and Jesus had testified (19:4; Mat 3:11,12; Acts 1:4-5). It is therefore reasonable to believe that likewise, Apollos knowing only John’s baptism (in water) but had never heard of Jesus’ baptism (in the Holy Spirit – Acts 2:1-4), baptized these 12 disciples on his own accord (19:2,3 cf. 18:24,25). Although Apollos had received proper baptism, he nevertheless had not received scriptural authority to baptize others. Without scriptural baptism, these 12 disciples did not receive the indwelling Holy Spirit. The Lord’s church is the dwelling place/temple of the Holy Spirit (1Cor 3:16; 2Cor 6:16). Only upon scriptural baptism by the authority of a scriptural church, does one partake of the indwelling of the New Covenant Spirit – Acts 19:5-7; 2:38,39. It is assumed that these 12 disciples eventually became members of the church at Aquila and Priscilla’s house after Paul ‘rebaptized’ them.
John the Baptist was given heavenly authority to make and baptize disciples, but he could not confer this authority to anyone else to baptize. Therefore, Apollos, on his own accord, did not have scriptural authority to baptize even though he himself had been properly baptized.
Messiah Jesus had all authority in heaven and in earth and He did rightfully confer upon His scriptural ekklesias beginning with the first church at Jerusalem with the authority to engage in the Covenant commission (John 4:1,2; Mat 28:18,19).


CRITERIA FOR A CONTINUING COVENANT RELATIONSHIP
God’s expectation from His New Covenant people (His Church) is no different from the expectation He had from His Old Covenant people (Israel). It is the same and has never changed! To disregard these terms of the covenant relationship is to breach the covenant with God; hence, a departure from the covenant relationship. God expects of His people:
1. An abiding or continuing faith – This faith is demonstrated by a life of holiness and righteousness, and of obedience and submission to the will of God. Every sin or disobedience is a breaking or breech of the Covenant. Just as Israel through unfaithfulness broke their covenant with God, members of the Lord’s New Covenant Congregations who are unfaithful also break their covenant with God and stand to lose all the covenant promises and blessings of inheritance.
Mat 24:13; Jam 5:5-11; Jn 15:1-5; Acts 13:43; 14:21,22; 1Cor 9:24-27; 10:1-12 (2Cor 13:5); 15:1,2; Col 1:21-23; 2:4-7; Phil 3:7-14; Heb 3:1-19; 10:21-39; 12:1-4,15-17; 1Pet 1:1-16; 2Pet 1:5-11; 3:1-18; 5:10-13.
2. A constant putting off of the old nature and a putting on of Christ – Eph 4:20-32; Col 3; Rom 13:14.
3. A life of purity and separation - 2Cor 6:14-18 (*v.14); 1Jn 2:15-17; Jn 8:23; 15:18,19; 17:6,14,16; Jn 18:36; (Lk 12:22-40); Rom 12:1,2; 14:17.
4. A walk in the Spirit – Gal 5:16-26; 6:7-9; Rom 8.6,7,12-14.
5. An overcoming life – Rev 21:7; 2:7,10,11,17,25-29; 3:5,12,13,21,22 (Lk 9:23-27); 1Jn 5:4,5 (some will fall – Mat 13:18-21 – seed on stony ground).

PROMISED BLESSINGS & REWARD OF A CONTINUING COVENANT RELATIONSHIP
1. RESURRECTION/AIONIOS-ZOE/REDEMPTION/GLORIFICATION – Jn 1:4; 8:12; 11:23-27; 20:31; 1Tim 4:8; 2Tim 1:1; 2:11,12; Rom 2:6,7; 8:14-25; 2Cor 4:14-18; 2The 2:13-17; Heb 9:15; 1Jn 2:25; 1Pet 4:12-14; 2Pet 1:1-11; Rev 2:10,11.
2. RULERSHIP - Mat 19:27-30; Luk 22:28-30; 2Tim 2:12; Rev 2:26,27; 20:1-6; 22:5.
3. LIBERTY - Jn 8:31,32,51 (Rom 6:18; 8:2; Gal 4:1-7; 5:1; 2Cor 3:17).
4. A HEAVENLY INHERITANCE - Heb 6:12; 10:36 (9:15); 11:11-16; 12:10.

THE KINGDOM IS PROMISED TO THE NEW COVENANT EKKLESIA
An abundant entrance into kingdom of God is the ultimate hope of the true saints of God (Luk 12:31,32; 2Pet 1:11); to be clothed in the full righteousness of God – Rom 14:17; 2Pet 3:13. This kingdom is yet future - Luk 21:25-31; 22:16-18; 28-30; 23:50,51; 2Tim 4:1,18; 2Pet 1:1-11. However, a foretaste of the kingdom age (the powers of the age to come) can now be experienced as a Covenant blessing to members of the Lord’s EKKLESIA - Luke 12:32; 22:28-30; 1The 2:12; 1Tim 4:8.
[Note: Those not abiding in the faith will fall away from this experience – Jn 15:1,2; Heb 5:10-6:12]. The unfaithful (those not reckoned as righteous) shall not inherit the Kingdom – Mat 7:21-27; 25:1-46; Lk 13:23-30; 1Cor 6:9,10 (5:11-13); Gal 5:16-21; Eph 5:1-6.

CUSTODIANSHIP OF THE WORD OF GOD
The New Covenant people, the Lord’s churches today have been solely appointed the custodian and upholder of the Word of truth, the Gospel of the Kingdom – 1Tim 3:15. By a life of abiding faith and obedience to the Word of God (Mat 24:14; 28:20), members of the Lord’s churches are kept pure (sanctified) and holy for the service of God – Jn 15:1-3; 17:14-19; Eph 5:25-27. A life sanctified by the Word and led by the Spirit of God is one that has the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

THE ORDER OF THE LORD’S CHURCH ON EARTH
Jesus taught order and discipline to His first church (Mat 18:15-22; 1Cor 5:1-13; 1Tim 1:20). He also took the Lord’s Supper with them – Mat 26:26-30; 1Cor 11.23-34. Christ also promised to the faithful covenant ones in His New Covenant assemblies that He has appointed them a Kingdom, that one day, they will eat and drink at His table in His Kingdom, and rule with Him – Mat 26:29; Lk 22:28-30.

CONCLUSION
In spite of all that God had done for His covenant people Israel, only a small number of them were faithful (Rom 9:6-8 à Gal 4:28). This remnant of Israel was grafted into the New Covenant relationship “IN CHRIST” through scriptural baptism and became the first New Testament (Covenant) church. To them were added other believers through baptism and from this first church that Jesus established with divine authority, other churches were established in the world. This is the continuing commission of church planting given to the Lord’s churches until Jesus comes again (Mat 28:18-20).
A Charge to the Lord’s People - 1Cor 16:13***

Personal Questions:

Not all churches are true assemblies of Jesus Christ, though they may preach from the Bible, have church services and activities. For this reason, it is important that an assembly is one where the Lord has put His name (authority) one established by the authority of a scriptural assembly otherwise it is not the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, not the Temple of God, and one can only partake of the indwelling Holy Spirit as one is scripturally baptized and added into a scriptural, local body of Christ .... Acts 2:38; 1Corinthians 3:16,17

“Are you in the New Covenant relationship in Jesus Christ?”
"Are you a member of an assembly that was established upon a scriptural, heavenly authoritory - not one traced back to the Roman Catholic religion or Protestantism or a group historically started by a human leader?"