The world is covenantal. This is because the God who Himself is eternally covenanted, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is the Creator of this world. He could not fashion a world in which He was not the God of it, and the heavens declare His glory. In other words, the universe must display the characteristics of the one who made it.
And this is why we are not a covenant church, over against non-covenantal churches. All churches are covenanted with God, and therefore, all are covenanted together with us. Even non-believers are covenanted with their idols. The priests of the Old Testament were partakers of the sacrifices on the altar.
Partaking is the essential covenantal action, the central verb. Idolaters partake of their idols. Old Testament priests partake of the sacrifices. Husband and wife partake of one another. Worshipers of God in a New Covenant service partake of Jesus Christ, and all His body, which is to say, they partake of one another.
Your partaking of one another is not a secret thing—it is open and apparent to all. You put the bread in your mouth, and you raise the glass publicly. What is secret is whether this partaking is for blessing or not.
You are objectively partaking of all the brothers and sisters here, just as You partake of Christ. He is one with them, just as He is one with you. This means that in the partaking, you are surrendering all the defensive walls you have built up against your brother, or against your sister. As far as it is possible with you, be at peace. As far as you are concerned, have a heart that is brim full of forgiveness. As far as it concerns you, partake of your brother or sister as though you are partaking of Christ, for that is exactly what you are doing.
So come, and welcome, to Jesus Christ.
Dear Pastor Wilson, I hope you will excuse my pointing out that when “partake” has as its object something to eat or drink, it is followed by the preposition “of” and not “in.”
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