God is a Relational God.
Salvation is relation based not rule keeping based.
God keeps mercy to thousands Exodus 34:7. We have seen that “keeping mercy” refers to maintaining a covenant.
Modern society, in its contract-focused age, does not understand covenants very well. What is the difference between a covenant and a contract?
Covenant vs Contract
Contracts are transaction-based agreements, while covenants are relationship-based commitments. A contract is based on trust, while a covenant is based on distrust.
In the contract, you make commitments and threats. If you do this, I will do this. If you do not do what you have committed to do, I will do the following.
That is much the reason we do not understand God and how He relates to us. He is a covenant God. The relationship between God and man is covenant.
Contracts focus on mutual benefits and exchange as long as both parties fulfill their agreement. Covenants are much more comprehensive and endure beyond specific actions. Contracts stipulate a conditional exchange: if you do x, I will do y; covenants, however, emphasize loyalty and faithfulness.
Contracts become legally binding when people sign them, while covenants are sealed with symbolic ceremonies, signs, gifts, or all of the above. Fulfillment or breach of obligations terminates contracts, while covenants never end.
God doesn’t love you because you do or don’t do certain things. I AM loves you because He is love and promised to love, stating that He loved John 3:16. God’s love is not a transactional exchange, but a gracious gift.
Marriage
The closest thing we have to a covenant in our modern society is marriage between a man and his wife. My wife and I have been married for over 51 years. We are committed to each other. It is a relationship, not rules. We exchanged vows or promises, and the covenant was till death do us part.
Consider that God makes a covenant with those who trust Him, and it is a forever covenant.
Implications for You
With God, it is a relationship, not rules. You accept a gift. No payment is required or expected before or after the gift. It is not about trying to earn your gift or pay it back, meaning it wasn’t a gift.
You can do nothing to make God love you more or less. He loves you based on grace. Salvation is a God thing. God starts and finishes it. He is the author and finisher of our faith. We simply trust Him and accept the gift.
We respond to His gift by believing Him. He changes us, and we are grateful.
The fact that we are part of a covenant or promise made by God to us gives us incredible intimacy. We find security in His character and His love because He never changes, and He is love. Thank God, it is not about my worthiness but His extraordinary grace and love.