The United Church of God wants to share with the world the good news of God’s New Covenant. This is an offer of better promises related to eternal life. God did not make promises of forgiveness of sin through Christ’s sacrifice and the gift of the Holy Spirit available to the masses until after Jesus was crucified. One of the main intents of better promises in this New Covenant is to initiate the process of transforming the hearts and minds of individuals who respond to God’s call to repent and accept Christ as their Redeemer.
Covenants can rightly be thought of as contracts or agreements. In this case, the agreements describe the relationship God desires to have with each and every human being. Not only that, but they also reveal God’s promises. The conditions that we must meet in order to receive the blessings of those promises are also explained. In essence, God’s covenants are the true foundation of His plan for guiding the way that all people should think and behave.
Though some feel the New Covenant is in opposition to the Ten Commandments, the truth is the New Covenant is built on an even deeper commitment to God’s laws. God said, “I will put My laws in their minds and write them in their hearts” (Hebrews 8:10).
The Ten Commandments are our basic guide for living. They show us how to have a proper relationship with God and with our fellow man. The Fourth Commandment says, “…remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8). The problem is that many people think they fulfill this commandment of remembering the Sabbath day by simply attending a church service, then going back to business as usual. Still others believe that whatever day of the week we choose to worship is suitable.
The Bible tells us the seventh day (Saturday) is the Sabbath day. It is hard to argue then that Sunday should be our day of rest. The only day recognized in the Scriptures is Saturday.
The change from Saturday to Sunday was made long after the writing of the New Testament. Jesus Christ, the apostles, and Jewish and gentile members of the early Church continued to observe the seventh day of rest.
Whether one is attempting to learn about the Ten Commandments, the New Covenant or any other areas of interest in the Bible, the truth is that without a plan, Bible reading can be challenging. The key is to plan time for your reading – just as you would for any other worthwhile activity. It’s a good idea to begin with a prayer, asking God for guidance and understanding of what you read. With that in mind, you should be willing to let go of any long-held beliefs that may contradict what you read. And be willing to seek out relevant scriptures or other resources for better understanding. The United Church of God offers numerous publications and other helpful resources.