Menkato V Awomi
Dimapur
“The old has gone, behold the new has come”, a phrase often spoken over those who have been born again, celebrating the transformation that takes place when one encounters the life-giving power of Jesus Christ. While the phrase is widely associated with personal salvation and new beginnings, it also carries deep theological weight. It is a reflection not only of a new identity in Christ but of a greater spiritual transition: from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant, from law to grace, from striving to resting, from man’s effort to God’s mercy and Grace.
This powerful shift echoes the words of Jesus in the Gospels, where He spoke about the incompatibility of new wine with old wineskins (Luke 5:37-38). The new covenant marked by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus could not be contained within the old religious systems rooted in performance and self-righteousness. This is not just a change in practice but a radical change in relationship, where the weight of salvation is no longer on man’s shoulders, but carried by the mercy and grace of God.
Though the covenant has changed, God’s nature has not. His love is steadfast. His mercies endure forever. His grace is not a new development; it was always His heart. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is the unfolding story of a God who constantly reaches toward humanity, not because of their worthiness but because of His mercy. This is the heartbeat of the Gospel.
Mercy: The Thread Through the Covenant
Noah wasn’t worthy. Neither was Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Rahab, or the Israelites. And neither are we. Not one of us deserves God's favor, yet God extended His mercy to them, and still extends it to us today. It was never about man's worthiness, it was always about God's gracious heart. He chose to partner with weak, flawed people and love them through covenant.
This is the mercy of God, not giving us what we deserve, but giving us Himself.
The birth of Jesus Christ marked the dawn of this new covenant. When the angels proclaimed to the shepherds, “Peace on earth and goodwill toward men” (Luke 2:14), they weren’t announcing man’s reconciliation with God based on merit; they were declaring God’s initiative, God making peace with man. Jesus was God's peace offering. The covenant began with His birth but came into full effect when Jesus willingly offered Himself on the Cross.
God’s mercy didn't begin with the cross — the cross was the proof of the mercy that had always been.
Religious Zeal without Revelation
Despite the truth of God’s mercy being revealed through Christ, many in His day rejected Him. The Pharisees and Sadducees, experts in the Law clung to their traditions and performance. When Grace itself stood before them in the person of Jesus, they despised Him. Why? Because grace dismantles self-righteousness. Mercy removes the need for man’s prideful effort. Jesus didn’t come to patch up the old system , He came to fulfill it and introduce something entirely new: rest in His finished work.
Even today, this same tragedy is repeated in many churches, including in places like Nagaland. We speak of grace. We sing of mercy. Yet in practice, we often revert to the old pattern: trying to earn what God has already freely given. Leaders teach burdens instead of rest. The church is busy with activity but often void of true revelation. Many believers live in silent frustration, trying to earn their way into God's favor, a path that leads only to burnout, guilt, and eventual disillusionment.
This isn’t new. God has spoken repeatedly throughout history:
• Hosea 6:6 – “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.”
• Matthew 9:13 – “But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice."
• Matthew 12:7 – “If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.”
God does not delight in our offerings, rituals, or laborious striving. What He wants is our trust, our acknowledgment that He is our source. Yet humans continue to turn back to the law, trying to prove themselves instead of resting in God's love.
When Tradition Replaces Truth
In the Old Covenant, sacrifices were endless, daily rituals to remind people of their sin. It was exhausting, a constant cycle of guilt. But even then, God was saying, “I desire mercy.” He wasn’t asking for more offerings, He was offering Himself.
But the people refused to listen. When Jesus the embodiment of God's mercy walked among them, they shouted, “Crucify Him!”
And today, how many churches are shouting the same? Maybe not with those words, but with actions by rejecting grace and returning to religious performance. People are taught to work for God’s favor, to earn rest, to impress God with their efforts. But what God commands is to rest in what Jesus has done.
Even in Nagaland, many are trapped in this cycle. Leaders may not demand burnt offerings, but they impose expectations God never asked for. They place burdens where God has offered freedom. And as a result, many walk away from the church, not because of God, but because of a false representation of Him.
The tragedy is that people are trying to climb a mountain Jesus told us to speak to.
Faith Speaks, Not Strives
Jesus said, If you have faith, speak to this mountain, and it shall be moved. (Mark 11:23)
This isn’t about human effort. It’s about divine rest. Speaking as Jesus taught is an act of authority from a place of rest, not striving. Yet many are trying to climb what God told them to command. No wonder people are weary.
Rest is not inactivity. It is a posture of trust, trusting God’s ability, God’s power, and God’s promise. When we truly believe, we stop striving. We start resting. Faith and rest walk hand in hand.
Even God rested. On the seventh day, He looked at all He had done and rested. Not because He was tired, but because He was finished. Likewise, Jesus, upon completing the work of salvation, declared: “It is finished.” (John 19:30)
Now He invites us to enter that same rest, not based on our efforts but based on His finished work.
Conclusion: Enter the New
The invitation today remains the same as it did in the days of Jesus:
Leave the old. Enter the new.
The Old Covenant based on man's effort is gone. The New Covenant based on God's mercy and grace is here. Jesus is the mediator of that better covenant, founded on better promises (Hebrews 8:6). It’s not that God changed, it’s that He always intended for us to receive, not strive; to rest, not toil.
The cry of the Gospel is simple yet powerful:
Stop climbing. Start speaking.
Stop toiling. Start trusting.
The old has gone. Behold, the new has come.
God’s mercy is still shouting from the pages of Scripture, from the empty tomb, and from the heart of the Father:
“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
Will we listen?
