The
Epistle of St. Barnabas —“The Ancient Voices of the Church”
Scripture:
Jeremiah 31:33 — “I will put my law
within them, and I will write it on their hearts.”
Ancient Text:
“We have been made new, created again
as from the beginning.” (St. Barnabas)
Introduction:
A Letter for a Church Learning to Discern
Church, today we listen to The
Epistle of Barnabas, written near the end of the first century or early
second. It is not written by St. Paul’s companion. St. Barnabas, but by an
early Christian teacher who loved Scripture deeply and wanted believers to
understand the new covenant in Christ.
St. Barnabas writes with passion,
clarity, and urgency. His message is simple:
Christ has made us new — and the
covenant is now written on our hearts.
He wants believers to understand that
Christianity is not an external religion of rituals, but an internal
transformation of the heart.
I.
The New Covenant Is Internal, Not External
St. Barnabas teaches that the old
covenant was written on stone, but the new covenant is written on hearts.
He echoes Jeremiah 31:
“I will write My law on their hearts.”
Barnabas says:
- The law is now internal
- The Spirit is now within us
- The covenant is now personal
- The transformation is now spiritual
Christianity is not about external
conformity. It is about internal renewal.
St. Barnabas wants believers to
understand that Christ changes us from the inside out.
II.
Christ Makes Us New — Truly New
St. Barnabas writes:
“We have been made new, created again
as from the beginning.”
This is not poetic exaggeration. It is
theological truth.
In Christ:
- we are new creations
- we have new hearts
- we have new desires
- we have new identities
- we have new lives
St. Barnabas teaches that salvation is
not merely forgiveness — it is re-creation.
Christ does not patch the old life. He
gives a new one.
III.
The Cross Is the Center of the New Covenant
St. Barnabas emphasizes the cross as
the turning point of history.
He writes that Christ’s sacrifice:
- fulfills the law
- ends the old covenant
- inaugurates the new covenant
- cleanses the conscience
- opens the way to God
- brings forgiveness and freedom
St. Barnabas sees the cross as the
moment when God rewrites the human heart.
The blood of Christ does not merely
cover sin — it transforms the sinner.
IV.
The New Covenant Calls Us to Holiness
St. Barnabas is deeply concerned with
holiness. He believes that the new covenant produces a new way of life.
He urges believers to:
- flee sin
- pursue purity
- walk in righteousness
- love sacrificially
- obey Christ wholeheartedly
Holiness is not legalism. Holiness is
covenant life.
St. Barnabas teaches that holiness is
the natural fruit of a heart written by God.
V.
The New Covenant Calls Us to Discernment
St. Barnabas warns believers not to be
deceived by:
- false teaching
- spiritual compromise
- moral confusion
- cultural pressure
He believes that discernment is
essential for covenant living.
He writes that believers must learn to
distinguish:
- light from darkness
- truth from error
- righteousness from sin
- the way of Christ from the way of the world
Discernment is not suspicion.
Discernment is wisdom.
VI.
The New Covenant Calls Us to Hope
St. Barnabas ends with hope — the hope
of resurrection, renewal, and eternal life.
He writes:
“We shall be perfected in the kingdom
of the Lord.”
The new covenant is not only about
present transformation. It is about future glory.
Christ writes His law on our hearts
now — and will write His name on our foreheads then.
Conclusion:
Let Christ Write on Our Hearts
Church, St. Barnabas calls us to a
simple, powerful truth:
The new covenant is not written on
stone — it is written on hearts.
Let Christ write His holiness on your
heart. Let Christ write His love on your heart. Let Christ write His truth on
your heart. Let Christ write His grace on your heart.
We are new creations. We are covenant
people. We are Christ’s own.
Closing
Prayer
Lord Jesus, write Your covenant on our
hearts. Make us new, holy, discerning, and full of hope. Transform us from the
inside out and lead us in the life of Your Spirit, today, tomorrow, and
forevermore. Amen.
Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor
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