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THE NEW COVENANT:DOES IT ABOLISH GOD'S LAW? |
Nearly everyone has been taught that the old covenant was the ten commandment law--that the new covenant contains only grace and promises, but no law. Hence it is argued that since the old covenant has been abolished, God's law has also been abolished.
This teaching would lead you to believe that the law of God was harsh, cruel, and enslaving--that the FAULT of the old covenant was with the law, and since God gave the law the FAULT must have been His!
Later, according to this commonly taught concept, Jesus came with a new covenant which had no law, only promises and liberty to do as you please.
There is something wrong with this concept.
Why the New Covenant?
The need for a new covenant was overwhelming. But why? "For IF that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For FINDING FAULT..." (Heb. 8:7-8). The first covenant had a real tangible fault, for "finding fault..." with what, the law? NO!
"For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah." The fault was not with the law, but "with them," THE PEOPLE, the children of Israel "because they continued not in my covenant" -- because they disobeyed (Heb. 8:9). If the fault were with the law, then the law would not have been perfect; but David said, "The law of the Lord is PERFECT, converting the soul" (Ps. 1 9:7).
It was to correct the fault with the people that God said He will make another covenant. Now let's find out what the old covenant really was so we can know HOW the new covenant will correct that fault. Remember, the fault was with the people.
What Is A Covenant?
The reason most people don't understand about the covenants is that they don't KNOW WHAT A COVENANT IS. Webster's dictionary defines a covenant as a "mutual AGREEMENT, a legal undertaking to do or to refrain from some act, A DOCUMENT CONTAINING THE TERMS OF AGREEMENT." A covenant is an agreement between parties.
God proposed the old covenant with Israel in Exodus 19:5-6. Here were both parties to the covenant or agreement, God and Israel. "If ye (Israel) will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant"--that was Israel's part of the agreement, "then" --and this was God's part of the agreement, what He promised to do --"ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation."
Did Israel accept this proposal? "And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken WE WILL DO" (Ex. I 9:8).
The Old Covenant:
A Marriage Agreement!
Very few know it, but the old covenant proposed by God was a marriage agreement between Him and Israel. Israel was organized as both church and state. Ezekiel wrote, "I entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine" (Ezek. 16:8).