Something Better:

            We have a better hope:

Hebrews 7:19
19 (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

Hebrews 11:39-40
39 And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised,
40 because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.

            There were many promises in the Law for the children of Israel. They had a hope in the present and in the future through their relationship with God in the covenant they had with Him. However, they could not draw near to God. He was always far off. They could only hope that they had done whatever was necessary for them to be heard by Him when they cried for help. They did, though, have a hope in this covenant. In the second Scripture associated with this concept, the great men and women of old gained approval with God through their faith; and yet, they didn’t receive the Great Promise that God had made to them.

            We have a greater hope based on better promises made to us. Through the New Covenant, we can draw near to God. He is not far away from us like He was with them. We can know Him personally through His Son, Jesus. We can experience His promises in this life and the next.

If you could hear God speak, I believe this is what He would say:

            "My people of old had a hope in Me. It was a hope that they did not see and had no idea of exactly what it would be like. You have a hope fixed on Me that will bring you into a better life on earth, not just in Heaven. You have a freedom they did not have. You have insight that they did not have. They could not see, yet they believed in Me. You can see because you believed in Me. As you walk in Me, you will see the hope realized in your life. There is more to come, but there is a revelation of that future hope in Me as you allow My Spirit to reveal it to you. You cannot find it apart from Him. In Me you have hope. In the world you have no future. You  only have failure in the world.”

            62. I have an even greater hope than the people of God in the Old Testament. That’s because there is something better for me than they had.

Freedom:

            Called us to freedom:  

Galatians 5:13
13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

            We weren’t called to slavery, but rather to freedom. We are free in Him. However, we don’t use this freedom to do any sinful thing we wish. We use it to do His will; to walk in the manner that He wishes us to walk. We use this freedom to serve one another through His love indwelling us. We don’t do it because we have to, but because we love one another and want the best for our brothers and sisters in Christ.

If you could hear God speak, I believe this is what He would say:

            "I did not call into slavery, but into freedom … not the freedom that the world desires. That kind of freedom only wants the freedom to do the desires of the flesh. I called you into the freedom that desires to do the will of the Spirit. You will walk in true freedom when you walk in My Spirit. Then you will not carry out the desires of the flesh, but will carry out the desires of My Spirit. That is true freedom. You are not a slave unto the desires of the flesh, but rather free to obey Me and walk in newness of life.”

            61. He has not called me to bondage but to freedom in Him.

All Things New:

            Walk in newness of life:  

Romans 6:3-8
3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?
4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,
6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;
7 for he who has died is freed from sin.
8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,

            Some people believe that baptism is just an outward sign of an inward change. Others believe it’s more than that. Some believe you must be baptized in a certain manner; others using a certain word formula. We’re not going to get into that. We’re assuming that each of us has been properly baptized (whatever that means).

            The old man is dead and buried. We shouldn’t keep digging him up to see if he’s come back to life. In other words, we shouldn’t still be acting like we did before we made Jesus Lord of our lives. We should be walking in this newness of life, not death. Our old man was crucified when He was crucified. We shouldn’t keep doing the same things we did before. We are no longer slaves to sin. That doesn’t mean we never sin once becoming Christians. It means that sin is no longer the boss.

            In verse 5 it says that we shall also be united with Him in the likeness of His resurrection. What was accomplished in Him through His death and resurrection is and will be accomplished in us.

If you could hear God speak, I believe this is what He would say:

            "My children, I did not save you so that you could continue to walk in the same way that you have all your life. I saved you that you might be an example to others around you … that they might want what you have. I saved you that you should walk like I walked when I was on the earth. I do not want you to be like the people of the world. I want them to be like you. You are to be an example unto them so that they will know that I care about My people and I care about them. I want you to become salt in the earth that others may thirst for Me. You are to be like I am, not like they are. So commit yourself to Me that you walk even as I walked. Then others will want to become like you and to know Me.”

            60. Because of all that He has done for me, I am able to walk in newness of life and not in the former way of death.

Peace:

            Life and peace with God:  

Ephesians 2:14-15
14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,
15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace,

Romans 5:1
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Romans 8:6
6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,

            These verses talk about peace. The first one talks about peace with our Jewish brethren. We were on the outside looking in. The Gentiles didn’t really want what the Jews had. This “Law” business just put a big bite in their humanistic, “you only have one life to live, so who cares about your neighbor” philosophy. We could do what we wanted with no consequences; or so we thought. That was o.k. with the Jews. They didn’t want us either. There was a wall greater than the Great Wall of China between us. Then Jesus came along and fulfilled the Law for all of us … Jew and Gentile. Now we are both one in Him. There is no more enmity.

            Because of what Jesus did, we also have peace with God. We deserved His wrath, but we get His blessings. This is all because of Jesus.

            Then of course, there is the peace of God. Peace with God means we’re no longer at odds with Him. The peace of God means that in any situation no matter how horrible it may look, we can have peace that passes all understanding. People will be amazed that we’re not running around like a chicken with our heads cut off. We have peace, because even though we don’t know what the future holds, we do know who holds our future and are confident that He will keep what we’ve entrusted to Him till that Day.

            How do we obtain that peace of God? The third verse tells us that we have to set our minds on the Holy Spirit. He will guide and direct us into the path we should take. As a result, we have life and peace in all circumstances. Praise God!

If you could hear God speak, I believe this is what He would say:

            "There is nothing that stands between us. You have been made righteous in My sight through the death of My Son. You have been made perfect in Him. It is through Him that you can come boldly into My presence without fear. I will show you the way to accomplish all that I have planned for you. You do not have to fear Me, for you are My special child. My children can come boldly into My presence without fear. You may talk with Me or you may simply bask in My presence. I have only good planned for you, not ill. You may rest in My presence; for I am your Father and you are My child. There is nothing to fear in Me.”

            59. He is my peace and I have life and peace with God.