Kingdom Coming Part 4

At Keys Vineyard Church, we are presenting a series called ‘Kingdom Coming,’ which we post here on Online Bible Institute.

Last week, in our series ‘Kingdom Coming,’ we looked at Jeremiah and discussed the consequences of trusting in ourselves rather than the Lord. This week, we are going to look again at Jeremiah Chapter 31 and discuss who God is and why He is trustworthy.

Jeremiah 31:31–34 (NIV)
31 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord. 33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

Jeremiah 31:31-34 presents a profound prophecy of a “new covenant” where God’s law is no longer written on stone tablets but on the hearts of His people. This passage captures the shift from an external adherence to the law toward an internal, transformative relationship with God. Jesus reconciles the seemingly opposing demands of law and love through the cross, fulfilling Jeremiah’s vision and establishing this new covenant.

As given in the Old Testament, the law outlines God’s holy standards, revealing His righteousness and the moral compass for humanity. However, the law also exposes human frailty and sinfulness. No one can perfectly keep the law; its demands reveal the gap between humanity and God’s holiness. The law, though good, brings condemnation when humanity fails to meet its requirements. Jesus, however, does not dismiss the law. In Matthew 5:17, He emphasizes that He came not to abolish it but to fulfill it. This fulfillment reaches its pinnacle on the cross, where He upholds God’s justice while expressing His boundless love.

Love, on the other hand, reflects God’s heart toward humanity. God’s love is unconditional, and His desire is to restore broken relationships. Yet, without justice, love would compromise righteousness; without love, justice would become rigid and condemning. In His sacrificial act on the cross, Jesus embodies both perfect justice and perfect love, providing us with reassurance and security. He takes upon Himself the penalty of sin, satisfying the law’s demands while extending forgiveness and grace. This sacrifice is not merely a legal transaction but the ultimate expression of God’s love—a love that is willing to endure suffering to bring us back to Him.

Jeremiah 31:34 highlights this reconciliation: “For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” In the new covenant, God’s forgiveness is no longer conditional upon sacrifices or ritual obedience but upon the singular sacrifice of Jesus. This personal aspect of the covenant makes us feel valued and loved. Through His death, Jesus creates a pathway where we can experience God’s love without compromising His righteousness. The law is now written on our hearts, and our obedience springs from a relationship with God, not fear of punishment.

In Jesus, law and love are not opposites but complementary expressions of God’s character. The cross stands as a testimony that justice and mercy have met, offering us a new covenant where we are transformed from within, empowered by His Spirit to live out God’s law through a life of love.

This weekend at Keys Vineyard Church, we will discuss all this and more, so be sure to join us in person or online.

Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.