Some cultures in this world have a caste system. It is the belief that your occupation and social status in a particular culture are inherited. People are born with a certain name and lineage, and this determines their lot in life, economically, socially, and in many other aspects that cannot be changed. India banned the caste system years ago, but it persists in many parts of the country to this day.
If I were sent to India by the Lord to preach the Gospel, I might appeal to their history under the caste system to explain God’s purpose in the cross of His Son Jesus. The truth of the matter is that we were all born into this world under the covenant of the law. There was no way to change it, and it determined our standing with God. That standing, in case you are wondering, is that we were condemned to death and eternal separation from God. Yes, we were born on death-row, so to speak. The law was our covenant with God—the covenant of all those under the control of a sinful nature and therefore God’s enemies (Rom 5:10). Like inmates sentenced to life in a labor -camp, the law was—and is—ruthless. It is oppressive, demanding perfection from those who have none. No matter how hard we tried to rise above our spiritual lot in life, our efforts were pointless, because the sinful nature had roots deep within our souls. Every “good deed” was just window dressing on a condemned house.
But God made a Way for us to escape the covenant we were born into. His solution: Crucify us, and give us new birth! If our first birth was the problem, then death was the answer. In death, God could set us free from the sinful nature and raise us up to live a new life, through His Son Jesus Christ. Being raised up without a sinful nature meant we no longer belonged under the covenant of the law. That is the covenant for sinners. Our covenant is called grace; it is the covenant of the sinless, the righteous, those who are heirs of the kingdom of God. Ours is the covenant of sons. We are sons of the King, the apple of His eye (Psalm 17:8). We are not paupers, beggars, needy, or sick. We are considered royalty by our God, because we dwell in His kingdom, and we reign in this life because of His righteousness, which He has given to us, along with His Spirit.
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to Giod, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Once, you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:9-10
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