Hello Chowmah,
HEBREWS 8 [10] For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MIND, AND WRITE THEM IN THEIR HEARTS: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: [11] And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. [12] For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. [13] In that he saith, A NEW COVENANT, HE HATH MADE THE FIRST OLD. NOW THAT WHICH DECAYETH AND WAXETH OLD IS READY TO VANISH AWAY.
Has the above scripture come to the full or even in part?
This is a great question, and one I feel will have an even greater impact on your walk with the Lord.
To answer the question in short...absolutely this is in effect today.
While the quotation is given to Israel specifically, I would remind you that Gentile inclusion in the salvation of God was until the beginning of the Body of Christ, the Church, unknown.
To answer the question at length, and to show scriptural support for my belief, this is something from another post...
Many in Christendom hold to the position that salvation is a race to be run, the prize for a race well run being eternal life.
I hold to the position that scriptures teaches clearly that man is separated from God from the transgression of one man, Adam, and that reconciliation of that separation comes from one man, Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh, Who took the sins of the world upon Himself, making atonement for that sin.
The major thrust of that being, it is something that God did.
When we look at the when and where of salvation in the life of the believer, we must either conclude that either we are saved at some point in time, and that would carry with it all that is associated with salvation, or, we are "put in reserve," until our works are judged, and we are found faithful enough to enter the presence of God.
Now the latter, I believe, will raise red flags to the Spirit led believer, because as I believe that all men know there is a God, I believe that all Christians know that they are saved by God alone, though some would add works to the mix in order to satisfy the natural, religious nature of man.
Where to start (and you may be sorry you asked):
I will assume you are familiar with the Covenants between God and man, and will direct your attention to the two that are prominent concerning salvation for man today.
The Covenant of Law, or, the Mosaic Covenant;
The New Covenant.
These two are contrasted in the book of Hebrews, the Covenant of Law being the "old," and the New Covenant being the "better."
I will jump to a passage that gives the promise of the New Covenant, and in particular, the description of what is contained in that promise:
Ezekiel 36:22-27 (King James Version)
22Therefore say unto the house of Israel, thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went.
23And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.
24For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.
25Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
26A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
27And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
Found here is, I believe, a description of the new birth.
I trust you read through them, but lets look at it again contrasted with New Testament teaching, starting here:
John 3
1There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
8The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
9Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
10Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
One thing I am sure of, the Lord does not expect us to know something He has not revealed to us, so His description of the new birth is something He has previously revealed to this "teacher," who should have understood the terminology, or, at the very least, the beginning principles of what He was saying.
Now look at this again, and keep in mind, though the promise is given to Israel, it was a mystery that it would also be given to Gentiles...something unthinkable in the mind of the Jew (which is why such a big deal about salvation being granted to gentiles is made in the book of Acts):
Ezekiel 36:22-27 (King James Version)
22Therefore say unto the house of Israel, thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went.
This concerns Israel, and I believe this began in 1948. If you look at a generation being seventy years, we are coming to the close of this age.
23And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.
Though Gentiles (as well as a remnant of Jews) experience blessings of the New Covenant, there is yet a fulfillment on this earth for an earthly Kingdom which will be ruled by Christ...the Millennial Kingdom.
24For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.
Again, I believe this is happening, and setting the stage for the tribulation.
25Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
Though there is a future fulfillment for National Israel (all Israelites who enter the Millennial Kingdom will be saved, fulfilling that which is said, "All Israel will be saved) concerning the New Covenant, but for the Church, we see these very blessings described and attributed to those who are saved...born again.
Post too long, will repost second half.
God bless.
