The Vanishing of the Old Covenant – Hebrews 8:13

Acceptance with God lies at the foundation of all religion, for there must be an accepted worshipper before there can be acceptable worship. Religion is, with many, merely the means of averting God’s displeasure and securing His favor. It is often irksome, but they do not feel easy in neglecting it; and they hope that by it they may obtain forgiveness before they die. This, however, is the inversion of God’s order, and is in reality the worship of an unknown God. It terminates in forgiveness; whereas God’s religion begins with it. All false religion, though outwardly differing very widely, are made up of earnest efforts to secure for the religionists the divine favor now, and eternal life at last. The one true religion is seen in the holy life of those who, having found for themselves forgiveness and favor in believing the record that God has given in His Son, are walking with Him from day to day in the calm but sure consciousness of being entirely accepted, and working for Him with the happy earnestness of those whose reward is His constant smile of love. These having been much forgiven, love much and show, by daily sacrifice and service, how much they feel themselves debtors to a redeeming God, debtors to His church, and debtors to the world in which they live. – Horatius Bonar