So what's so new about the new Covenant, and is it better, really?

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Brakelite

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I'll answer the last question first. Is the new Covenant better than the old? Absolutely. And here's why.
Covenants and testaments are based on promises and agreements between two or more parties, and the covenant is predicated on the faithfulness and relational integrity of each party. Should one party to the covenant fail his/her responsibilities, the covenant is broken, and the aggrieved party within his/her rights to annul the agreement. This is common law.
Our Creator God is a God of infinite, unfailing, unwavering, uncompromising love. It always has been and always will be that He would have His erring sinful proud and unbelieving creatures to know this love, and therefore, to know Him.

KJV Ephesians 3
Paul’s Prayer
14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.


It has always been His heartfelt yearning that God and man should be on the most intimate of terms and that both may know the joy and peace that would come from a loving relationship with one another.

KJV Exodus 25
8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.


The entire Government of God, the Kingdom of Heaven, and the laws by which it is governed, is built upon this love. And everything God purposes to do, promises, accomplishes, says and does, has as its motivating principle God’s perfect love.

KJV Deuteronomy 7
7 The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:
8 But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
9 Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;


See also Isa. 63:7-9; 1 John 4:7-21; 1 John 5:1-4)

That is why, when Adam sinned, God still sought him out. (Gen. 3:9) Love was the motivating factor behind God’s promise (Genesis 3:15; Nahum 1:9) that the damage to the relationship caused by sin (Isa 59:2) would ultimately be undone ; that the power of Satan over our lives (John 8:34; Romans 6:16,20; 2 Peter 2:19) would be reversed and the power of death(Ezek. 18:4,20; Romans 5:12; Romans 6:23) would be overcome . How was God to accomplish all this while at the same time honoring justice, love and mercy? Through Jesus Christ.

The plan of redemption was not an afterthought, an emergency crisis plan developed after the fall of Adam. It was a “revelation of the mystery kept secret through times eternal” (Romans 16:25 RV) and the book of Revelation says…
KJV Revelation 13
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

And also....
KJV 1 Peter 1
20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you…



Foreseeing the apostasy of Satan and his deception of Adam and Eve causing their fall, God had already prepared to meet the crisis. So great was His love for man that He covenanted to give “His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

This covenant was to be shown in types and symbols. The entire law, moral, ritual, civil, and even health, were a “lesson book” for the people of Israel (Gal. 3:24,25) and beginning from the very first sacrifice slain by God Himself to clothe Adam and Eve (Gen 3:21) the people of God, in the form of our ancient fathers, and later Israel were to learn (or should have learned) three vital lessons.
1. That sin results in death. (Genesis 2:19; 3:19; Ezekiel 18:20; 1 Cor. 6:9,10; Romans 5:12; Romans 6:23; James 1:15; ) for remission is only possible through the shedding of blood (Hebrews 9:22)
2. That the constant shedding of innocent blood was to teach man an abhorrence and hatred for sin and thus encourage the people to repent and turn away from not just sin, (Isa 1:11-20; Ezek. 18:21-23) but the incessant sacrifices that were necessitated because of sin. God had no pleasure in the rivers of blood that flowed from the altars in the temple every Passover when the whole nation gathered together in Jerusalem.
3. The symbols, sacrifices, and services of the sanctuary were a prophetic picture of a coming savior; they were a depiction of the gospel of grace. (Gen. 22:8; Isa 53:6,7)

And how were these promises, this covenant, to be appropriated by the individual personally? By faith. (Hebrews 11:6) Was Israel at any time justified or saved by works of the law? No. Not at all. A big error Israel did make however was to attempt to do just that. Making a promise that was…
a. Impossible, and
b. not required of them…
KJV Exodus 19
8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD….


They began to rely on their obedience and in their participation in these services and sacrifices etc rather than in the grace and mercy of God. (Rom. 10:3-9;). This is what the apostle Paul’s letter to the Galatians was all about.

What then, does all this mean for us living as we know in the “New Testament” times? What is this New Testament, or covenant? God’s love has not changed (Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17), nor His purpose in undoing all the works of Satan. (1 John 3:8) Therefore the new covenant must involve a new method by which He is to be able to fulfil His promises. Why? Because the old covenant was based on faulty promises. Were God’s promises faulty? Surely not, no, but rather the peoples promises. (Heb. 8:6,7) The people had misjudged the part they were to play in the covenant. In Exod. 19:5,6 God promised (again) that He would make of them a mighty nation and a holy people, and their response was in the form of a faulty promise. They answered, “all that the Lord hath spoken we will do”. (Exod. 19:8) Unfortunately they had little idea of what they promised. God said that He would perform and establish His covenant; rather than thanking Him and surrendering themselves in faith and acceptance to His promise, they said they would perform His promise. Just like Abram and Sarai when introducing Hagar into the transaction between God and Abram. In a sense they were introducing a mediator, much as has Rome done which is the spirit of Antichrist. This was not Abraham’s covenant to alter or amend. This was God’s covenant, and like all covenants or testaments, once blood is spilt that testament can never be changed. History reveals of course the abject failure of Israel’s promise, failure to such an extent that Israel didn’t even recognize the very God of the covenant when He visited…we are all well aware of what they did to their own Messiah.

Therefore God had to make a new covenant with the house of Israel, based on better promises (Heb. 8:9,10) Today, God’s promises remain. He still would bring us power and victory over Satan and sin, but the method by which He would accomplish this has changed. The just however must still live by faith.

The old covenant, the old method by which God was to save His people and establish righteousness and obedience to His commandments was through the Mosaic law. The terms were for Israel, "obey and live" Circumcision, sacrifices and burnt offerings, the annual sabbaths and feast days and the accompanying services of the sanctuary etc (Hebrews 9:1-7), comprised God’s method to teach His people, the nation of Israel, the ways of righteousness. They were His lesson book. Israel was to look upon these as the gospel of mercy and in faith look ahead to their Savior, their Messiah. The new covenant is still by faith, not in a coming Savior, but in a risen Savior, Who writes His holy moral law in our hearts and minds. (2 Cor. 3:3) Thus, through Jesus, Satan is conquered, and his power over us is broken. Justice is satisfied, and God looks upon us as if we had never sinned. God gives us the new birth experience and the power to overcome sin. (1 John 3:9; 2 Peter 1:3,4). He dies to satisfy the law, and we, by faith die with Him, and therefore satisfy the law (Romans 6:1-7). And the result is what Adam and Eve had before the fall: a loving personal relationship with our Creator. Only today, by God’s grace and mercy, we are closer to Him than Adam and Eve could have ever imagined, for we have His Spirit abiding within. (Col. 1:27) Thus instead of a false, weak, ineffective promise to "obey and live", all we are required to do unto the new covenant is "believe and live". Believe in what? Better promises. God's promises. The promises of forgiveness of sins and of the grace of God to renew the heart and bring it into harmony with the principles of God's laws, "written not on stone, but on fleshy tables of the heart". 2 Corinthians 3:3
The new covenant is a one way promise to write His law in our hearts, and to give us everlasting salvation as a free gift. That is righteousness by faith. Imputed and imparted.
 

Brakelite

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Even the Ten Commandments are promises. They must necessarily be so, because God knows we have no power.
In the words of one author:
All that God requires is what He gives. When He says, 'Thou shalt not', we may take it as His assurance that if we believe Him He will preserve us from the sin against which He warns us".
Another author puts it this way:
"It is not you who are to do that, which He (the Lord) pleases; but 'it (the word) shall accomplish that which I please'. (Isaiah 55:11). You are not to read or hear the word of God and say, I must do that, or I will do that. You are to open the heart to the word, that it may accomplish the will of God in you. The word of God itself is to do it, and you are to let it. 'Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom'".
Again, righteousness by faith.
 

justbyfaith

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Yes, the ten commandments can be defined as the ten promises.

As it is written in the Psalms,

Psa 119:66, Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments.
 
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Philip James

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all we are required to do unto the new covenant is "believe and live". Believe in what?


"This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you.



Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.


Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.


For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.


Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.


Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me
.


Do you believe?

Peace be with you!
 

justbyfaith

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"This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you.



Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.


Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.


For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.


Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.


Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me
.


Do you believe?

Peace be with you!
Unfortunately, the doctrine of trans-substantiation will, if believed, make a person dependent on the Catholic Church.

So, what is to be done in those instances where the Catholic Church has departed from sound doctrine (such as in the view of some Catholics that Mary is co-redemptrix)?
 

Philip James

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make a person dependent on the Catholic Church.

Dear justbyfaith,

Can the foot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you' ?

If Rome is your stumbling block, then come to the Feast with Alexandria, come with Constantinople, but come!!

You too! Are welcome to come to the wedding feast of the Lamb of God!

Peace be with you!
 

justbyfaith

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Dear justbyfaith,

Can the foot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you' ?

If Rome is your stumbling block, then come to the Feast with Alexandria, come with Constantinople, but come!!

You too! Are welcome to come to the wedding feast of the Lamb of God!

Peace be with you!
Sorry, I don't believe in denominationalism.

I go to a Calvary Chapel; and in my church we believe that communion is symbolic.

And I don't think that we are missing out on everlasting life because of that.

For salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

I don't believe that the "Jesus cookie" will bring me salvation in the slightest.

And, I will say, that Jesus is the way to salvation; and that attending a church where they believe in trans-substantiation is not an essential to my salvation.

Believing in Him is enough.
 

BloodBought 1953

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Sorry, I don't believe in denominationalism.

I go to a Calvary Chapel; and in my church we believe that communion is symbolic.

And I don't think that we are missing out on everlasting life because of that.

For salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

I don't believe that the "Jesus cookie" will bring me salvation in the slightest.

And, I will say, that Jesus is the way to salvation; and that attending a church where they believe in trans-substantiation is not an essential to my salvation.

Believing in Him is enough.



Don’t forget “Lucky Repentance!”
 

justbyfaith

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Don’t forget “Lucky Repentance!”
Of course...for Ezekiel 33:11-20 definitely teaches repentance...and 1 Corinthians 15:37 w/ Matthew 13:30 teaches us that it is "Lucky"...

That Jesus is the only way is not excluded from such a doctrine...for in it Jesus is not only the Saviour of the believer in Christ but also his Lord.
 

DNB

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Was Israel at any time justified or saved by works of the law? No. Not at all.
They began to rely on their obedience and in their participation in these services and sacrifices etc rather than in the grace and mercy of God.

Israel was saved by their obedience to the Law, which is why they so fastidiously and scrupulously maintained them, and why death threatened anyone who didn't (20+- capital crimes).
'..those who follow them, shall live by them..'. The underlying principle, eventually, was revealed to be that of faith, but by no means was that the over-arching principle of their righteousness at the time, it was obedience to the Law. David extolled the virtues of God's precepts, and how the words brought him life. No Old Testament saint regarded the Messiah as a redeemer, or an oblation for their sins, but as a righteous monarch. The Law was a task master to eventually make us realize of its inefficacy to remove sin, and how badly we needed a final absolution. But, in the mean time, it was a Covenant based on strict precepts and ordinances, that were consequential to not adhere to.

Yes, faith is a better Covenant, but it superseded the Law, it did not continue from it. The Law became abrogated, and faith was a revelation.
 

justbyfaith

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Israel was saved by their obedience to the Law,

Simply not true.

Rom 3:20, Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Gal 2:16, Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
 

DNB

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Simply not true.

Rom 3:20, Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Gal 2:16, Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
You quoted New Law precepts.
 

Brakelite

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Israel was saved by their obedience to the Law, which is why they so fastidiously and scrupulously maintained them, and why death threatened anyone who didn't (20+- capital crimes).
'..those who follow them, shall live by them..'. The underlying principle, eventually, was revealed to be that of faith, but by no means was that the over-arching principle of their righteousness at the time, it was obedience to the Law. David extolled the virtues of God's precepts, and how the words brought him life. No Old Testament saint regarded the Messiah as a redeemer, or an oblation for their sins, but as a righteous monarch. The Law was a task master to eventually make us realize of its inefficacy to remove sin, and how badly we needed a final absolution. But, in the mean time, it was a Covenant based on strict precepts and ordinances, that were consequential to not adhere to.

Yes, faith is a better Covenant, but it superseded the Law, it did not continue from it. The Law became abrogated, and faith was a revelation.
Faith was and always will be the foundation of salvation. The first generation were kept out of Canaan not because they failed in the law, but because of unbelief. The principle of righteousness by faith exemplified by Abraham was lost by his descendants who mistakenly trusted in their law keeping... Which was powered by their own strength and determination rather than by faith which was why they constantly failed. It was a legalistic religion, whereas the religion of both covenants said the just shall live by faith.
But faith in what, or who? In God's promises! Today is no different. Unbelief in God's word... His promises... Is a far greater sin than disobeying a law which God Himself knows we cannot possibly do without Him changing hearts and minds. No, the law was never abrogated: the laws obligations were never annulled or reduced to meet man's weaknesses, but to the contrary, man's weakness... His flesh carnal nature... Was nailed to the cross... Put to death.... Buried in baptism with Christ that the righteousness of the law could be fulfilled.
 
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DNB

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Faith was and always will be the foundation of salvation. The first generation were kept out of Canaan not because they failed in the law, but because of unbelief. The principle of righteousness by faith exemplified by Abraham was lost by his descendants who mistakenly trusted in their law keeping... Which was powered by their own strength and determination rather than by faith which was why they constantly failed. It was a legalistic religion, whereas the religion of both covenants said the just shall live by faith.
But faith in what, or who? In God's promises! Today is no different. Unbelief in God's word... His promises... Is a far greater sin than disobeying a law which God Himself knows we cannot possibly do without Him changing hearts and minds. No, the law was never abrogated: the laws obligations were never annulled or reduced to meet man's weaknesses, but to the contrary, man's weakness... His flesh carnal nature... Was nailed to the cross... Put to death.... Buried in baptism with Christ that the righteousness of the law could be fulfilled.
Again, the emphasis on the Law, by all who obeyed it, was the minutiae of its ordinances and precepts. The priests emphasized the letter of the Law in all their daily activities, and Christ himself stipulated this as he decreed that not a word will fail - he fulfilled the Law in deed and action, not displayed by an intangible faith.

God established a Covenant that was not going to fall by the way-side, no man fulfilled its completion but Christ. And, in doing so, it allowed God to revoke its implementation. This, without question, was the dominant theme of all Paul's exhortations on the matter. He, himself stated how his previously life was excrement prior to knowing Christ, or the meaning of faith - he was unaware of the principle according to the Law, prior. Your thesis is incorrect. Paul creates the dichotomy between the two ordinances, one he followed in the past which is now rubbish to him, the latter is the higher principle which he abides by now. So even Paul (Benjamite), or any other Levite, was aware of what you are professing as being the Old Covenant - faith.
 

justbyfaith

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'...those that abide, will live by them..' was my quote
The context of that verse will bear out that Paul actually uses that verse, in Galatians 3:10-13, to promote the idea that we cannot be justified by law-keeping.
 

DNB

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The context of that verse will bear out that Paul actually uses that verse, in Galatians 3:10-13, to promote the idea that we cannot be justified by law-keeping.
It means that salvation was available through the Law, ...but Paul is stating, in short, who was able to bear under such a yoke.