A lot of us, based on rhetoric, claim that the Abrahamic covenant was conditional, but it absolutely was not, at least not in the sense, as we understand conditions.
I might tell a child, “If you do all your chores, I will give you a biscuit (cookie).” The reward is conditional-based on reciprocal actions. And if the child does his chores, he gets the biscuit (cookie), and if he doesn’t do them, he doesn’t get the biscuit (cookie). This is what we understand to be fair, just, and a “conditional covenant”.
But with God, it isn’t that way. If God says, “I will make you great so that my glory will be made known; you just have to walk in my precepts”, even if you don’t, he will still use you according to His purpose. That doesn’t sound like our style of justice or our idea of fairness does it? But His word is based on his sovereignty, glory, purpose, and grace. Condition comes in when you talk about the different consequences He will allow you to face depending on your willingness to submit to His will as you learn to trust Him. If you don’t agree, which many will not, just look at the life of Jacob. There are other examples but his life provides a very clear one.
When God reaffirms his covenant with Abraham just before the birth of Isaac in chapter 17 of Genesis, he tells him that he must walk before him blamelessly, and in verse nine explicitly adds that not only HE must walk blamelessly but also his descendants, which includes JACOB. Now, you should re-read chapters 25 to 35 in Genesis and if you thoroughly examine Jacob’s life, as recorded, you will see that he did more things contrary to God’s standard than according to it, however, despite Jacob taking advantage of his brother, deceiving his father, hating his first wife, running away from his father-in-law, again deceiving his brother, and playing favourites with his children, God keeps his end of the bargain to bless him, to make him great, to protect him and to increase him in everything. In other words, the age of grace and the “blessings” we receive due to that grace, did NOT begin with the Christ event, it began with God in the beginning.
So for those of us who cling to the slogan, “obedience brings blessing” we might need to reevaluate. The blessing obedience ACTUALLY brings isn’t worldly success or even the guarantee that your problems will go away or that you won’t fail from time to time, especially if those things don’t have anything to do with fulfilling the purpose for which God created you; but what obedience IS responsible for is cultivating a closer relationship with the Father, and no matter what career, ministry, destiny, etc. God has in mind for you, having a close relationship with him is ALWAYS his purpose for you. In fact, the things you think are a blessing will really be a curse if you don’t have an intimate relationship with Him. For example, think about the life of Samson, he was the man in charge, incredibly strong, the “it” guy, yet because he didn’t have an intimate relationship with God his blessings ended up cursing him and ending his life.
An intimate relationship with Him THAT is the blessing, which honestly, should be motivation enough if we are in fact growing into mature Christians no longer depending on “spiritual milk” as Paul describes. Because once we understand the love of the Father (or at least start to get an idea of it) that is what inspires obedience; we cling to the Father, and as we understand Him and His love, we are
inspired to quit our selfish habits and live for Him, including even when we fail it is that understanding and love which inspires us to return to the Father.
Please, let us stop “doing what is right”, because of what we can get. God is NOT a slot machine. If we are going to do what is right, do it because of the realization that nothing you have, nothing you could gain, nothing you could offer will ever come close to a relationship with Him. The blessings and success we think we have earned because of obedience is not for you alone, it is first for HIS glory to fulfill HIS purpose. For Paul writes in Romans 4, that it wasn’t Abraham’s good works-or anybody else’s-that merited favour with God; it was his trust in and his relationship with God. If God had waited on Jacob (and those who followed him, including you and ME) to get it right, we could still be waiting for Christ’s first coming. His sovereignty, grace, and purpose far surpass our level of obedience, that’s why Paul writes in Romans 5 (and Jesus also repeatedly pointed out all though his ministry) that we were enemies of God when He sent His son reminding us that it was not because we were worthy, but because we couldn’t do it for ourselves. God’s ultimate desire for us to be reconciled back to Him was more important than even the stipulations of the Ten Commandments. Abstaining from sin makes an intimate relationship possible and it is easier for God to bless you. But the reason it is “easier” is still not based on your own merit; it’s based on knowing Him and His will, knowing how to responsibly employ what God gives you so that those blessings promote you instead of destroy you as you move in line with his purpose for your life, as well, you have fewer hurdles and negative consequences to face due to sinful behaviour.
But why should this be a surprise to any of us, for Paul reminds us that we have nothing to boast in except the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is our reconciliation to God (our relationship!).
IMPORTANT TO NOTE: this is not an excuse to behave however you want. Just because God will fulfill His purposes despite our imperfections does NOT justify reveling in sin. If we revel in our sin so that “grace will abound more”, you are still an enemy of God, taking wrongful advantage of His grace, thereby completely missing it; and I would beg, if we continue to enjoy sinning, we have yet to encounter His love, because it is that love which inspires us to walk in His ways.
The one thing that is clear, if you want an intimate relationship with Him, which is your ultimate blessing, cling to Him, receive His love and grace, walk in his precepts, let your light shine, be a city on a hill that cannot be hidden, be the salt of the earth, and allow your life to be a reflection of Him for His glory, reveling in the gift of His love and grace, which he freely gives to you and me.
Yum...but might be hard to swallow.
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