At the heart of the New Covenant is a radical act of surrender: relinquishing self-governance and yielding control to Christ, the true Nomos-Giver (Law-Giver). Autonomy—the idea of self-rule—must be cast aside so that we can live under the divine order established by God. This is not just about following rules; it is about trusting the One who writes those rules on our hearts and submitting to His perfect wisdom.

“My Beloved, I desire that in every way you may prosper and enjoy good health, even as your soul also prospers.” (3 John 1:2)

This surrender is not passive—it is an act of courage, akin to the archetypal tale of a knight slaying a dragon. In myth, the dragon often symbolises chaos, danger, and the untamed forces of destruction. Left unchecked, it devours everything in its path, sowing disorder and fear. In the New Covenant, we find a similar battle raging—not against an external beast, but against the chaos within us, the sin nature that resists God’s order and seeks to reign in autonomy.

THE DRAGON OF CHAOS: SIN AS FEMININE ENERGY UNCONSTRAINED

In mythology, the dragon often embodies the feminine energy of chaos—wild, unrestrained, and threatening to overturn stability and order. This concept resonates with the biblical portrayal of sin nature: a force that rebels against God’s law and resists submission to His authority.

• Sin as Chaos: Sin thrives on disorder, disrupting relationships, corrupting intentions, and leading to destruction. It is a force that must be confronted and constrained.
• Autonomy as Rebellion: The sin nature whispers, “You don’t need God; you can govern yourself.” This self-rule, however, leads not to freedom but to chaos, as humanity’s history demonstrates.

In Genesis, we see this chaos unleashed when Adam and Eve reject God’s authority in favour of their own autonomy. Their decision plunges creation into disorder, breaking the harmony of the world and birthing the struggle between humanity and sin.

THE KNIGHT AND THE DRAGON: BRINGING CHAOS UNDER DIVINE ORDER

In the New Covenant, Christ is the ultimate Knight, slaying the dragon of sin and bringing us back under the loving rule of God. His death and resurrection conquered the chaos of sin and death, establishing a new order where we are no longer slaves to sin but servants of righteousness (Romans 6:18).

But this victory also requires our participation. Like the knight, we must confront the chaos within ourselves—the sin nature that resists God’s authority—and willingly bring it to Christ (Romans 12:1). This is the essence of surrender: not passivity, but an intentional act of trust and submission to the Nomos-Giver.

• Relinquishing Control: To live under the New Covenant is to acknowledge that we are not fit to govern ourselves. True freedom comes not from self-rule but from living under God’s perfect law of love.
• Reordering Chaos: When we surrender to Christ, the Spirit begins to reorder the chaos within us, transforming our desires, healing our relationships, and aligning our lives with God’s purpose. By positioning ourselves through the spiritual practice of abiding, by doing our part. God is able to do His (Romans 12:1).

FROM CHAOS TO ORDER: THE NEW LIFE IN CHRIST

The New Covenant calls us to surrender self-rule and entrust ourselves to the King who brings order out of chaos (Genesis 1). This is not merely a moral adjustment but a transformation of identity:

• From rebels to sons and daughters.
• From slaves to servants of righteousness.
• From chaos to harmony under God’s rule.

When we surrender to Christ, we find what autonomy can never offer: peace, purpose, and the power to live a life that glorifies God. The sin nature—like the dragon—is conquered, and the Spirit of Christ establishes His order within us.

THE DRAGON IS DEAD. NOW, WHO WILL YOU SERVE?

The dragon of chaos, the sin nature, cannot be tamed by human effort. It must be slain by the power of Christ and brought under the rule of the Nomos-Giver. This is the invitation of the New Covenant: to surrender autonomy, to relinquish control, and to trust the One who alone can bring order to our lives.

Will you continue to fight for self-rule, feeding the chaos within? Or will you let Christ slay the dragon and take His rightful place as Lord of your life?

True freedom begins with surrender. True peace begins with submission. And true life begins when the chaos within us is brought under the perfect rule of the Nomos-Giver.

Choose this day whom you will serve. The dragon is already defeated—will you live in its shadow, or will you step into the light of Christ’s victory?

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

• What areas of your life are you still holding onto in self-rule, and how can you surrender them to Christ?
• How can you confront the chaos of sin within yourself and align your life more closely with God’s order?
• What does true freedom in Christ look like, and how does it differ from the freedom promised by autonomy?