To my mind, nothing better illustrates that sin breaks the covenant between God and mankind than the occasion of Moses breaking the tables of stone on which Jehovah had newly inscribed the Ten Commandments (Exodus 32:1-19). “When Moses saw what they were doing, in total disgust, he cast down the two tables of stone and shattered them. Violation of God’s law breaks his covenant” (Dobbs 2 emphasis added). Not only had the newly formed, newly liberated Israelite nation violated its covenant with God through sin, but Moses breaking the tablets of stone provided the most visual and graphic corresponding physical demonstration of that consequence of sin. Then and now, as well as from the dawn of mankind’s presence on planet earth, sin has always broken the respective covenant between God and man. In every case, man rather than God has been responsible for breaking whatever covenant between humanity and Deity that has been in place at the time (i.e., Patriarchy, Judaism or Christianity).
The inspired apostle John described this same consequence of sin this way: “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4). Isaiah described the sin-fractured covenant circumstance of his day this way: “Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear” (Isaiah 59:1-2). Violation of God’s law breaks His covenant!
Humanly devised, alternate plans of salvation, foreign to what the New Testament teaches (Mark 16:16), are not genuine covenants with God, and certainly not plans of salvation that God will honor in eternity (Matthew 7:21-23). Corrupted forms of worship, mutilated with the commandments of men (Matthew 15:9) and orchestrated after human will (Colossians 2:23) instead of the divinely revealed will of God, represent a broken covenant with God. Doctrine, Christian living and Christian service all provide additional opportunities either for conformity to the revealed will of God respecting each, or represent cases of a broken covenant with God. Violation of God’s law in any area where God has instructed mankind through (today) the New Testament, breaks the covenant with God.
Apparently, the Israelites at the foot of Mt. Sinai in Moses’ day had no comprehension and gave no thought to the fact that the invisible, omnipresent God observed their behavior. Perhaps they thought that God was not watching or unaware of their conduct. Likewise, do we not also sometimes forget that God is watching and aware of our behavior—even aware of our very thoughts? Violation of God’s law, whether we think He is watching or not, irrespective of the public nature or secrecy with which we do something contrary to God’s revealed will for us, breaks the covenant we have with God.
Works Cited
Dobbs, H.A. “Truth.” Firm Foundation. August 2007: 2-5.
