What Covenant is Your Faith Yoked to?

Jesus’ words in Matthew 11:28-30 teaches us that everything of Christ (His knowledge and His tools) are His yoke. His yoke is different than the yoke of Moses. Just as God gave Moses the pattern of knowledge and tools to give to the people, Jesus gave the pattern of His knowledge and tools to His APOSTLES to give to the church. Apostles, as Jesus’ stewards, teach the church doctrine, which is the true traditions of faith, being the traditions of our Lord.


Christians are now to yoke themselves (to labor with) the knowledge, tools, and commandments of Jesus to show faith in God.

The yoke of Moses was a heavy burden to bear as Peter testified to saying, “Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?” (Acts 15:10).

In contrast, Jesus said that His YOKE is easy, and His burden is light. The problem is that most Christians do not know what the yoke of Jesus is and continue to yoke themselves to Moses.

It is quite common to hear Christians cast off the yoke of Christ by saying, “God accepts me the way I am,” and “My salvation is free”, and, “I cannot give God anything and therefore salvation is free of works.”

Isn’t it wonderful that redemption through Jesus Christ is freely offered by God to all who believe? But the idea that salvation is freely given somehow got translated into meaning that “God accepts you the way you are.” And while it is true that we come to Jesus without the need to first “clean up our lives,” note that God is not accepting us as we are—without His grace. God is accepting our faith, which is drawn by His grace. So here are a few things I would like you to consider:

First: God does not accept you that way you are—He accepts you on the terms of His covenant for which Jesus shed His blood (Eph.2:8).

Second: Salvation is free—but it is not free of responsibility. God holds each of us responsible to the terms of His covenant because He is in expectation of our increase in His kingdom (Mt.25:15-30).

Third: There are 2 kinds of works we need to review in this course: (1) The works of debt, which are connected to the covenant of Moses, (2) the works of life, which are connected to the covenant of Christ (Jas. 2:17,26)

1. The works of Moses (works of debt)
The Apostle Paul admonished that our faith in Jesus Christ should not be demonstrated through things we can touch, taste, or handle. Col.2:21-23, “(Touch not; taste not; handle not; [22] Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? [23] Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.”

Neglecting the tools of the covenant, the Church has focused on forming traditions with things they can touch, taste, and handle. The wisdom of man is seen in how the Old Covenant commandments can be used to bring the flesh within the restrictions of Moses. As the expectations of Moses are set upon the flesh and the will exercises itself with these restrictions, man again views himself through the beastly nature and is humbled and the body neglected. However, guilt and shame remain in the remembrance of sin (Heb.10:3).

In contrast, when we behold Christ in the tools of the covenant the will exercises itself under the inspiration of grace and is thus humbled to God. The works of the covenant speak of the restrictions of faith, not the restrictions of the flesh. The expectations of Christ are set within faith and is carried by the Spirit, which witness has a greater power than that of Moses (Heb.3:1-5). Temperance is born in the heart, the conscience is purged, and the soul increases in the likeness of God.

Those who follow the law of Moses for faith remain in debt to God; for the forgiveness of sins and the freedom from sin is found only in Jesus Christ.

2. The works of life, which are connected to the covenant of Christ.
The concept of works in relation to faith has been misunderstood. Christians feel as if the word “works” implies that we can earn our redemption. Yes, salvation is freely given, but it is not free of responsibility. It is God’s will to bring spiritual transformation (regeneration) to the soul through our contact with His grace daily. We co-operate with God by yielding the will to His Spirit when using the tools that contain His power. Therefore, grace must embody the tools of the covenant that represent Jesus Christ.

It is helpful to think of the word work as an activity of faith that is sanctified by God for the purpose of contact. This activity of faith is called “the works of the covenant” because the activity is restricted within the terms of the covenant. God honors the terms He set for our contact with Him. Therefore, He sprinkled the blood of Jesus upon these tools (Heb.9), and the Spirit of God enters into them to make our faith living.

The works of the covenant are connected with our faith and go hand in hand with our faith because the Spirit uses this activity to effect a change within us. Christians desire spiritual transformation yet do not know which tools God has sanctified for contact. Therefore their faith continues to shift from one model to another as they look for a meaningful experience with God. The Apostle Peter speaks about God giving the Church the things necessary to experience Him, 2Pet.1:3, "According as His divine power has given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness." The divine change for the divine nature.

The Spirit is the one who effects salvation in us, so the apostles called that work the effectual working of the Holy Ghost (1Thes.2:13). Our part, our responsibility with God is called, “working out our own salvation with fear and trembling," (Phil.2:12).

The lesson entitled “The Tools of the Covenant” will provide a background study for us to understand the point of contact God designed for our experience with Him. The tools of the covenant provide the activity of faith, which are the works of the covenant. Faith must have a point of contact, faith must have an activity, grace must have an avenue within the heart. If there are no works of the covenant then grace has no avenue for entrance within the heart and faith is based on worthless things and becomes reprobate (Titus 1:16).

God designed the soul to increase in the likeness of Christ through contact with Himself. Christians anticipate fellowship with God through contact, but have followed the traditions of man rather than the works of the covenant for contact and increase. The works of tradition are based on projecting one’s imagination into the will of God and follow the design of reciprocation according to aspiration.

In contrast, the works of the covenant are based on the reflection of Christ within the tools and follow the design of reciprocation according to grace. God set the law of grace and truth within the tools of the covenant so that our activity with them would bring us in contact with His grace.

God designed the tools of the covenant to continue to reconcile us to Him and bring us into agreement with His work within the soul. This is what the grace of God does. He issues grace and we respond in faith and God brings the soul into His care. Thus grace binds us to God. Through His grace, God gives strength to the will, reveals Christ, awakens the soul, and brings the soul and spirit into equity under His law of truth. The works of the covenant are profitable for these things.

What is your faith yoked to, the works of Moses or the works of Jesus Christ? The works of debt or the works of life?

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