The church is the new covenant community – “This cup is the new covenant in my blood” (Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25) – we say when we take communion. The new covenant is the spiritual work of God to put His Spirit within us, write the law on our hearts, and cause us to walk in His statutes. It is a spiritually authentic community. Unlike the old covenant community it is defined by true spiritual life and faith. Having these things is what it means to belong to the Church. Therefore to give the sign of the covenant, baptism, to those who are merely children of the flesh and who give no evidence of new birth or the presence of the Spirit or the law written on their heart or of vital faith in Christ is to contradict the meaning of the new covenant community and to go backwards in redemptive history.
John Piper

Reading Room

The Reading Room

Bereavement

Bereavement TOPICAL STUDY BEREAVEMENT GEN 23:2 And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep…

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Debtor

Debtor TOPICAL STUDY DEBTOR EXO 21:2 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. EXO 21:3…

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Faith in God

Faith in God TOPICAL STUDY FAITH IN GOD 2SA 22:31 As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all…

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Glorifying

Glorifying TOPICAL STUDY GLORIFYING GOD 1CH 16:28 Give unto the LORD, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength. 1CH 16:29 Give unto the LORD the…

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Hell

Hell TOPICAL STUDY HELL PSA 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. PSA 139:8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art…

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Inspiration

Inspiration TOPICAL STUDY INSPIRATION EXO 19:6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the…

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Names of Jesus

Names of Jesus TOPICAL STUDY NAMES OF JESUS GEN 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise…

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Perfection

Perfection TOPICAL STUDY PERFECTION GEN 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. GEN 6:9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and…

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Prudence

Prudence TOPICAL STUDY PRUDENCE GEN 32:3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom. GEN 32:4 And he commanded…

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