Transactional vs. Relational
I know there are no coincidences, just “god-incidences”. Another one happened on Sunday with Pastor Lance Stockton‘s message on having a Relationship with God…. a topic I started writing about earlier last week..
(From the desk of “Jewish Roots, Christian Faith)
Moving from a Transactional to a Relational God
My fifteen-year journey to Christianity has profoundly transformed my understanding of God. Initially, I saw God’s relationship with us as transactional, as depicted in the Old Testament. Over time, my perspective has shifted to embrace the deeply relational connection showcased in the New Testament. The Bible beautifully illustrates these two dimensions of God’s interaction with His children.
The Transactional God of the Old Testament
In the Old Testament, God’s relationship with us often appears transactional, based on agreements, laws, and rituals. The 613 Jewish commandments, or mitzvot, are straightforward: obedience results in blessings, while disobedience brings curses or punishment.
For instance, in Genesis 17:1-2 (NIV), God tells Abraham, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.” Here, Abraham’s faithfulness and obedience were required for receiving God’s blessings.
Similarly, Deuteronomy 28:1-2 (NIV) says, “If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God.” The relationship was conditional; the Israelites’ prosperity was directly linked to their adherence to God’s commands.
The Relational God of the New Testament
The New Testament, as Pastor Lance recently highlighted, reveals God as seeking a more intimate and personal relationship with His children, characterized by grace, love, and internal transformation rather than strict adherence to laws.
During the Last Supper, we read in Luke 22:20 (NIV): “In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.’” This new covenant through Jesus’ sacrifice emphasizes a personal relationship with God, grounded in grace rather than only obedience.
Jesus encapsulates this relational shift in Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV): “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Jesus moves the focus from external compliance to internal devotion and relational love.
New Testament believers are not just followers of laws but are adopted into a familial relationship with God, addressing Him intimately as “Father.” Romans 8:15-16 (NIV) explains: “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”
It is important I point out that while the Old Testament often presents a God who primarily interacts transactionally, these transactions are not devoid of relational elements. God’s original covenants, though conditional, were based on His desire to create a people set apart for Himself. His steadfast love shows His enduring commitment to Israel despite their failures.
One of the most important bridges in my journey with the Savior is the fact that the New Testament doesn’t discard the Old but fulfills it. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection bring the ultimate expression of God’s relational desire. The laws and rituals of the Old Testament find their completion in the relational grace offered through Christ. One of the verses that resonated with me early in my learning is Matthew 5:17 (NIV): “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Jesus fulfills the transactional requirements, paving the way for a deeper, more personal relationship with God.
As we learned, through the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, we get to experience God not only as a sovereign lawgiver but as a loving Father, desiring an intimate relationship with His children.
Thank God. Thanks, God!