God’s promise of salvation is covenant-based. I’m thankful for that. Covenant with God is cause for our greatest assurance of salvation, bar none. I thought tonight before going to Church that my greatest assurance that Jan is with Christ is the covenant He made with us. Jan was a great person, and Christian, and wife, and mother, etc., etc., etc. But the only guarantee we have from the Word of God, rightly interpreted, that she is with Christ is the covenant that He instituted. She accepted the terms of Christ’s covenant, kept it, lived it, and loved it. And God is good and faithful to keep His end of the covenant, which promises everlasting life with Him (1John 2:25).
Jesus referred to His blood as the blood of the covenant, which was shed for the remission of sins (Matthew 26:28). That means the application of His blood is according to covenantal terms. The New Covenant was established on the Day of Pentecost and remission of sins was expressly designated to occur through baptism in Jesus’ name (Acts 2:38-39). See corroboration of this fact in Paul’s conversion experience (Acts 22:16).
It’s important to understand that the application of Christ’s blood is according to covenantal terms. And, nothing is clearer in the book of Acts, which chronicles salvation under the New Covenant, than that baptism in Jesus’ name is for the remission of sins. Even under John the Baptist’s ministry, baptism was emphasized to be for remission of sins (Mark 1:4). And, the Day of Pentecost, which showcased Christian salvation, revealed it explicitly and powerfully, putting it in the form of an imperative for everyone to obey.
People say the three most important things in real estate are location, location, location. In gaining heavenly real estate, they are covenant, covenant, covenant. The terms of the New Covenant were stated prominently by Peter on the day of Pentecost. They involve repentance, water baptism in Jesus’ name for the remission of sins, and reception of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues (Acts 2:38-39). Thankfully, Jan fulfilled these vital tenets of salvation many years ago. And, more importantly, she kept them and finished her course faithfully. Consequently, the hope of the Gospel prevails for her (2Timothy 4:6-8).