We just read 2 Corinthians 3:18 in which God describes His relationship with us. A relationship with God reflects this process of change and progression from one expression of His glory to the next as each issuance of grace opens the door for this communion. Having an intimate relationship with God means that a divine exchange is taking place and this divine exchange takes place by His mercy expressed in Jesus Christ who is our peace.

Have you ever wondered why the word covenant is found 280 times in the Bible, but the word relationship is not found at all? Not even once! This is because God uses the word “covenant” to describe the terms of His engagement with us. And when we engage God on His terms, our life is a mirror image of the One who called us and embraces us.

The problem in the church today is that believers desire a relationship with God without covenant. This is like love without commitment or rules. God uses the analogy of sports to convey to us the importance of “playing by the rules”.

2 Timothy 2:5
“And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.” 

God uses sports as an analogy to the covenant in that sports speaks of playing on a team, working towards common goals, listening to the coach, winning the game. It’s like field goals in a sport, like when you play soccer or foot ball… when you make a field goal, that’s a point that advances the position of your team. And then you make another point, which means, now you’re progressing to the next level of winning the game—there’s a progression within the game.

And so we, all with open face are changed from glory to glory, we’re continually making these goals, but God is providing us the substance to make the goal. He’s providing us this grace. The same thing when the coach gives the ball to the team, the team now knows what to do with the ball, which means, in order to advance their profession, they have to play according to the rules.

And we play according to the rules, we labor at the altar in the priesthood of Jesus Christ. And at the altar we see His face. And it’s at the altar that we’re also partaking of the enrichment of this grace, the treasures which are from above, the gifts, the callings, the graces of God. All these things we’re receiving from him for the purpose of taking on that image for returning to him.

If you don’t know what ministers are saying half the time, you are not alone. This is the reason for the season of transition back to the covenant of Jesus Christ. For years ministers have claimed to be God’s voice, teaching and explaining what it means to be saved and how to know Jesus.

And then when people complain that there seems to be missing pieces to their faith a minister will say that this is normal, you’re not supposed to know truth, that faith is supposed to be this never ending journey towards the very things God intended for you to have, but you don’t have… so you need to “claim it” – as if you have to squeeze God for it – shout it from God—and legally claim it from God as if He is deaf, crippled, indifferent, or senile.

God fixed this problem by restoring to the church apostles through whom He restored the original foundation of truth—to reconnect you to the new covenant. God also called out ministers to stop their destructive practices. Ministers responded to God’s challenge by taking out their glue gun. As they had done in the past (a misguided, long-held tradition) so they’re repeating today– to glue the word “relationship” on everything.

For example, if you’re feeling out of sorts because you can’t fit true holiness into your current faith model and that lack of experience has left a troublesome void, a minister will sooth that hurt by saying, “Holiness isn’t about rules! It’s about relationship” as if the word “relationship” will somehow magically connect you to what you need from God.

Another example, if it seems like you’ve made the declaration over and over again that “Jesus is the Lord of my life” yet you’re still doubtful about how to live that out and there seems so much disconnection, a minister will sooth that hurt by saying the same thing, “The Lordship of Jesus is lived out in a relationship with Him.” Again, gluing the word relationship onto a very troubled path as if that will make everything alright.

The word relationship has become the noncommittal answer for all the woes in the current Christian culture. The word “relationship” is a doctrinal apothecary used as a balm that has an ugly side effect: it is causing a very itchy rash. Every teaching is as self medications that worsens your spiritual condition.

The concept of having a relationship with God makes one feel better about themselves, but the minister is dealing falsely with God’s people, even as we read in the book of Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 6:13-14
¹³ For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.

¹⁴ They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

The prophets and priests spoke deceptively to the people, promising them the goodness of God, helping them feel better about themselves, apart from covenant. As history repeats itself, false ministers do the same today, to promise a relationship with God apart from covenant.

We want to get you to the point of understanding that a relationship with God is about divine reciprocation. We reciprocate the virtue of Christ by faith because we are the praise of the glory of His grace, which shows that that which is the substance of faith is what honors Him; it gives volume to the soul, and the soul increases, or is enlarged.

To focus on your covenant relationship with God means that you have to build from the foundation of truth. When we learn how God designed the 12 elements of the gospel with this reciprocation in mind, we can understand true holiness is in reciprocation to God’s sanctification.

We can observe the design of our relationship with God in this verse, “We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)

God first loved us by sprinkling the blood of Jesus upon the terms, knowledge, tools, stewardship and priesthood of the new covenant. God loved us by sanctifying our vessel with the things of Christ. In turn, we respond in kind. We love God in the same way, in the same manner. Meaning, God intended for us to separate ourselves from the world unto Him by using the very things He sanctified for our contact with Him. This is true holiness.