“The spirit of bondage is engendered by seeking to live in accordance with legal religion, through striving to fulfill the claims of the law in our own strength. There is hope for us only as we come under the Abrahamic covenant, which is the covenant of grace by faith in Christ Jesus. The gospel preached to Abraham, through which he had hope, was the same gospel that is preached to us today, through which we have hope. Abraham looked unto Jesus, who is also the Author and the Finisher of our faith.” — Ellen G. White Comments, The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1077.

 “Before the foundations of the earth were laid, the Father and the Son had united in a covenant to redeem man if he should be overcome by Satan. They had clasped Their hands in a solemn pledge that Christ should become the surety for the human race. This pledge Christ has fulfilled. When upon the cross He cried out, ‘It is finished,’ He addressed the Father. The compact had been fully carried out. Now He declares: Father, it is finished. I have done Thy will, O My God. I have completed the work of redemption. If Thy justice is satisfied, ‘I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am.’ John 19:30; 17:24.” — Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 834.

 1. Dwell on the idea that even before the foundations of the world, the Father and Son had “united in a covenant” to redeem us if the race had fallen. Why should that be so encouraging to us? What should this teach us about how much God wants us to be saved into His kingdom?
 2. As the Seventh-day Adventist church, what ways should we fill the role that ancient Israel should have fulfilled in its time? How can we learn to avoid the mistakes that they made?
 3. Why are the gospel and the promises of the gospel so central to the whole idea of the New Covenant? What texts can you find in the New Testament that show how the law and obedience to the law were not abolished under the New Covenant, as commonly taught by other Christians? Why do you think so many Christians say that the gospel nullifies the need to keep the Ten Commandments?