John says, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid his life down for us.” 1John 3:16 In the days prior to the escalating divorce rate and prenuptial agreements, the marriage vow held a place of priority within our society. A man asked a woman to marry him and she would respond accordingly. If she said yes then the two of them set a wedding date and the only thing discussed was wedding plans and where they were to travel for the honeymoon. Life was simple; the man knew that he loved his fiancée and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. By accepting his proposal, she showed the same intent. There were no negotiations, no contracts, no prenuptials, only vows and a license. In the introduction to his book, The Power of the Covenant Heart, David Huskins illuminates the differences between the covenant and the contract:
“There is a major difference between a contract and a covenant. By nature, contracts are legal and binding. Covenants are spiritual and liberating. Contracts are sealed on paper. Covenants are sealed in the heart. Covenants are more binding than contracts. The essential difference is that a contract is enforced by the law, and a covenant is enforced by the spirit.”
Over the years and in these last few perilous days, we have forgotten the liberating power of a faithful committed heart. Spouses are more insecure of their love and the love of their beloved. Hollywood marriage proposals begin with, “Well, if it doesn’t work out… we should partial out the estate now.” I would never enter into a relationship with that much insecurity. Where is the love? Where is the faithfulness? Where is the commitment? With the divorce rate in the Church equaling that of the divorce rate in the world, we should come to realize two important things. First, that same insecurity is now in the hearts of Christians and secondly, it is only a matter of time before we start thinking of our relationship with God as contractual rather than covenantal. But thanks be to God, Jesus lifted the cup on the night He was to be betrayed and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” God never intended that His Salvation would be contractual. The Bible says that He is faithful and even if we become faithless, He will still be faithful. He has said in His heart that He would love mankind; this is the Covenant! He did not say that He would only love us if we loved Him; that would be contractual. Jesus sealed this covenant with His own life’s blood –that should be good enough for anybody! If God so loved us in this Holy Covenant, then we should rest in the liberating assurance that there isn’t any contract to be broken.