God’s relationship with His people is known as a “covenant.” The word first occurs from the Old Testament in Genesis verse eighteen of chapter six. God addresses Noah and plans for his family and extends into a new covenant with humankind with Jesus Christ. God wants us to live in a covenantal relationship with him with the understanding of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
God’s promise to Abraham is “to be a God unto thee” is the great promise in scripture. It is the first and fundamental promise on which all other commitments rest. God unreservedly binds Himself to His faithful people to be their Lord, shield, and reward. God’s grace, protection, guidance, goodness, help, and blessing are given to them in love. All believers inherit the same promise through faith in Christ.
The ultimate goal of God’s covenant with humankind was to bring salvation to the whole human race. Throughout various covenantal arrangements that God made with humans, two principles are operative: God alone initiated the promises and obligations of the covenant, while the other is human beings are to accept them in obedient faith. On some occasions, God outlined the commitment and responsibilities for both parties; at no time were people in a situation where they could bargain with God about the covenant.
Initially, faith is necessary for believers to receive the covenant. However, God required some believers for covenant blessings were to continue, they would have to make a sincere effort to Him through an obedient life. Faith accompanied by obedience would enable people of God to participate in God’s eternal purposes. Sometimes believers in certain positions who refuse to obey God would lead to the removal of covenant blessings.
A covenant with God is a significant relationship. A believer’s approach should be similar or greater than the others.