Three New Covenant Dramas

After Mrs. Williams’ example had caused me to seriously consider that God may well have given us three “dramas” to symbolize three important truths relative to our relationship with Him, my attention was drawn to Israel just prior to the giving of the Old Covenant at Mt. Sinai. God had given them 3 physical practices which would distinguish them from all other peoples on earth. They were to be distinguished by:
(1) Circumcision of all their male children on the 8th day after birth. (This was a once for all action done shortly after birth.)
(2) Observance of the Passover,a memorial of their deliverance out of Egypt. (This was a meal that was eaten annually as a memorial of deliverance.)
(3) The 7th day sabbath was to be observed by them forever. (This was a continual practice to remind them of their unique relationship to their God.)

In a similar way, I began to wonder if the three “dramas" we have been considering have been designed by God to distinguish God’s New Covenant people, the ekklesia, from all other peoples on earth.
(1) Baptism is a one time event to be done immediately after new birth.
(2) The Lord’s Supper is the eating of a meal in memory of the One who delivered us from sin and this is to be done as often as we eat bread and drink the cup.
(3) Acknowledgment of headship by what we do with our heads while praying and prophesying is a continual testimony to the fact of our submission to God’s established order of headship.

Notice that these three dramas have a number of similarities:
(1) Each has two components which are meaningless if they stand alone and thus each requires two actions of obedience:
- Baptism is what is done with the dead and the living (burial by immersion and raising by emergence).
- The Lord’s Supper is what is done with the bread and the cup. (eating and drinking).
-The acknowledgment of headship is what is done with the head and the hair. (covering or uncovering the head while praying or prophesying and keeping men’s hair from getting long and allowing women’s hair to grow long.)

(2) Each dramatizes two aspects of the believer’s relationship to Christ:
-The first is the acknowledgment of relationship, i.e. our union with Christ in death and resurrection. Rom.6:3-11
-The second is the enjoyment of fellowship, i.e. our communion in the body and blood of Christ. I Cor.10:16-22
-The third is the acknowledgment of headship, i.e. our submission for the honour and glory of Christ. I Cor.11:3-15

(3)Each drama has a primary audience for whom it is intended:
-The intended audience of a believer’s baptism is God. “Baptism…the answer of a good conscience towards God.” I Pet.3:21 Some baptisms had no human audience but all were seen of God. Acts 8:38; 16:25-33
-The intended audience of the Lord’s Supper is people. “Ye do shew the Lord’s death until He come” I Cor.11:26. “Shew” is the word “proclaim” which is always used in scripture of addresses to people.
-The intended audience of what believers do with their heads and their hair is the angels.
“…because of the angels.” I Cor.11:10. Angels cannot read our minds but do observe our actions and our speech.

(4)The “players” in each of these dramas are to be a particular kind of people:
-Those who are baptized are to be disciples of the Lord Jesus, i.e. they that gladly receive His Word. Matt.28:19 and Acts 2:41
-Those who remember the Lord Jesus in breaking of bread are saints who call on the name of the Lord. I Cor.1:2
-Those who to acknowledge God’s order of headship are also saints who call on the name of the Lord. I Cor.1:2

(5)Each of these dramas are to be "played out" at particular times:
-Folks are not to be baptized as unbelievers but only after they have been baptized in the Spirit into the Body of Christ. Rom.6:3; I Cor.12:13
-Believers are to remember the Lord as often as they eat the bread and drink the cup. I Cor.11:24-26. The scriptural pattern for doing this is daily. Acts 2:42,46 Just as steadfast
continuance in the apostles' doctrine and in prayer means daily attention to those practices, so too steadfast continuance in fellowship in breaking of bread also means that this will be a daily priority.
-Believing men and women are to uncover/cover their heads whenever they, themselves, pray or prophesy; and believing men are to keep their hair from growing long and believing women are to allow their hair to grow long continuously. I Cor.11:4-15

(6) "Players” in each of these dramas have a common reason for doing so:
-Baptism is commanded by the Lord Jesus. Matt.28:19
-Breaking bread in remembrance of the Lord Jesus is also commanded by Him. Luke 22:19
-The written instructions relative to what men and women are to do with their heads and their hair, I Cor.11:1-16 are also the commandments of the Lord. I Cor.14:37

I have often thanked the Lord for Mrs. Mabel Williams, her quiet and godly example, and how He used her to challenge my thinking and cause me to consider these matters much more fully after I observed her obedience to Him in the privacy of her own home!