Before we continue looking at the comparison between the two Covenants, look at what Paul said in 2 Tim 2:1, “strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” We are encouraged to be STRONG in the grace of Jesus. And in being so, he instructs us in v.14, “not to argue about words (‘messages’) to no profit that ruin the hearers.” This is what religious and philosophers people do; always arguing about words to no profit. Then making his point in the next verse, “(Instead) be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” The key words of the verse are the words, “rightly dividing”. These are the words that keep us from becoming sidetracked by words of no profit, and keep us strong in the grace of Jesus. They refer to us distinguishing between the two Covenants, to see the word of truth, the gospel of Jesus Christ. The death and resurrection of Jesus is the ‘dividing line’ between the two Covenants; for that changed everything, making the Old obsolete and of no profit! So, let’s continue to highlight the primary reasons the New Covenant is ‘NEW’, and why it is a “more excellent and better Covenant” (Heb 8:6). I encourage you to let these points bring to you the ‘newness’ of the New Covenant. * Keep this in mind * with each of my points, the “Old” refers specifically to Old Covenant law, known as the OLD WAY things were done, as the “New” refers specifically to New Covenant grace, known as the NEW WAY.
* The Old was a temporary agreement between God and Israel, but the New is an everlasting agreement between God and Jesus.
Paul wrote the letter to the Galatians to explain that the Old Covenant, which began with Abraham, was a temporary agreement that continued until the promised seed of Abraham, Jesus, arrived to fulfill that covenant and establish a new one with His blood. The Hebrew writer also wrote his letter to the Jews in Jerusalem, explaining how the New Covenant is an everlasting agreement. He emphasized that the work Jesus did was perfect—a perfect sacrifice—and that it is finished (he uses the words, “once for all” and “put sin away”, in Hebrews 7:27; 9:26). He says in Hebrews 13:20-21, “Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead… through the blood of the EVERLASTING COVENANT, make you complete… working in you what is well pleasing in His sight”. God has an EVERLASTING AGREEMENT with us through Christ, and He’ll never stop, but continue, to work in us by His grace! This is something so radically different (that is, God working in us by His grace) that it was unheard of in the old agreement with Israel, and moreover, sadly, it’s unheard of by many today. It’s impossible for the natural mind to grasp the reality of this (1 Cor 2:14). Even for believers in Christ, without the renewing of the mind by the Spirit of the Lord, they will not be able to comprehend its majestic scope (2 Cor 3:18)!
* Repentance under the Old involved people ‘turning from sin’, but repentance under the New involves people ‘turning to God’.
The word “repentance” may mean different things to different people, especially when one doesn’t see it by the Spirit’s revelation, but the word literally and simply means, “changing one’s mind”. When one really changes his mind about something, it reflects in his attitudes and actions. Right? However, from the Old Testament, “repentance” is always connected to someone turning from sin. But as we flip over to the New Testament, especially in the four Gospels, repentance, as used by Jesus and John the Baptist, involved one turning to God, or the kingdom, by what someone believes. Seen from the NT, repentance is not the focus; the kingdom is, and so is his faith (belief). Looking into Acts and the N.T. letters, you see that the word is not frequently used, unless making reference to people who aren’t saved. Paul uses the word in 2 Cor 7:9-10, in talking to the church at Corinth. But even in that passage, he’s clearly talking about a mind change. I firmly believe that for us, believers in Christ, mind renewal takes the place of “repentance”, as it is seen from the OT. Because true mind renewal, that comes from God’s Spirit, changes our way of thinking, and it dramatically affects our attitudes and actions.
* The Old was not based on faith but works, as the New is based on faith in Jesus.
Old Covenant law demanded one’s ‘unfinished’ works, but New Covenant grace causes us to look to Jesus, and rest in His finished work. Paul clearly teaches that it’s one or the other, either grace or works; there cannot be a balance (Rom 11:6). He tells us in Gal 3:12, “But the law is not based on faith; instead, the one who does these things (of the law) will live by them.” Our faith in Jesus results in us resting in Him, relying on His finished work. We have confused what New Covenant obedience is. Our new way of obedience to the Lord is looking to Jesus, and relying on the guidance of the indwelling Spirit. It’s not looking to the Bible, trying to work and carry out its demands; for there are, literally, 1000s of demands in both Testaments. See, any time we start including our efforts to do something, we start to get off base with God’s message of grace, as Paul stated in Gal 2:21 and 5:4. It’s just that simple. Please don’t misunderstand me, our obedience to God is CRUCIAL for our spiritual growth and maturity, but it’s how we approach it that matters. Look at what Paul said about our obedience to God in Col 2:6-7, and the key role that it plays in our spiritual growth (With my definition of “obedience”, which is resting in Christ, see if you can see it in this verse), “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him”. This is our obedience to God: It’s continuing to walk by faith in Jesus Christ, just like we did when we first received Him to become saved. Paul, then, gives us the results of this: “being rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been (inwardly) taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.” We continue to walk by faith in Jesus, obedience, and the Spirit continues to teach us from within and causes us to spiritually grow up and mature in Christ. Can you see the simplicity in this new way of obedience? This is Paul’s point about walking in the Spirit from Gal 5, resulting in us standing firm in our freedom. Standing firm in our freedom is never about the degree of our devotion, loyalty or faithfulness to doing what the Bible says, but about His grace working in us as we believe (It’s the result of the “fruit of the Spirit”, Gal 5:16-25). The fruit of the Spirit is actually our obedience of resting in Him.
* The Old commanded one to change by his works, but the New gives transformation by the renewing of the mind.
The renewal of the mind is the real change we crave after, as believers in Christ. Our true obedience, which results in us walking in the Spirit, happens from mind renewal; for our unrenewed thinking is contrary to this grace-method of obedience. So, delving a bit deeper into this inward process, look at what Paul said in 2 Cor 3:18, “we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” This transformation happens within us, with or without a Bible. Paul is clear, this transformation occurs within us, “by the Spirit of the Lord”, not from something that we did (We don’t “make it happen”). Paul says that this grace transformation happens in our thinking as we behold the glory of Jesus; that is, His finished work. By beholding and looking to Him, the Spirit transforms our thinking. This is mind renewal.
* Under the Old, man was to earn righteousness by what man did in the law, but under the New, true righteousness is bestowed on the one who believes.
Deut 6:25 tells us, “Then it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to observe all these commandments before the LORD our God, as He has commanded us.” Talk about walking on spiritual eggshells before God! They had to perfectly obey 613 laws, and, on top of that, they had a sin nature within them, making it impossible (See what Paul and James said about this in Gal 2:16 and James 2:10). Let’s compare Deut 6:25 above, with what Paul said in Rom 10:4 about the New, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” Do you see the big swing in one’s actions? The old law for righteousness ended, because Jesus bestows God’s righteousness on everyone who believes.
* The Old ‘blessing’, and the New ‘blessing’.
The Old blessing came from perfectly obeying 613 laws, as we clearly see in Deut 28:1-2. But, in contrast, Paul tells us in Eph 1:3 that everyone in Christ is blessed, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ”. In the second reference of the word “blessed”, it’s past tense. See, in Christ, we are already blessed as soon as our spiritual location changed; no further actions for it are required. We’re not required to beg God for His blessings, or, earn them. In Christ, we are blessed with everything!
* Man was the promise-keeper under the Old, but under the New, God is the Promise-keeper.
Since the law depended on man's ability to keep the rules, it made him the promise-keeper to the Lord. His security was, at best, temporary. Every time he broke his promise to God, his security failed, and blood had to be spilled for him (In some cases, it was his own). However, under grace, God is the Promise-keeper to us! The new covenant consists of promises made by God the Father that rest on the finished work of Jesus. Therefore, our security is permanent, because it rests on His faithfulness to us, as stated in the New Testament, 1 Thess 5:24, Heb 13:20-21, and Jude 1:24! Over the years, we have thought that our sin was stronger than God’s faithfulness, and that, somehow, we could become separated from God and even lose our salvation. Although, I’ll never validate sin and the sinful things believers do, we need to know that our sin cannot break the Spirit’s seal, as Paul laid out in Eph 4:30. Also, if I have a child who spends their time as far away from me as they possibly could, they are still my child and bear my name; for my DNA is in them. How much more with God! His life DNA runs in our spiritual veins! What I have found is that, with this true knowledge of our security in Christ because of God’s faithfulness, believers are ‘grace-inspired’ to walk free from sin.
Here are the points again in comparing the two Covenants:
The Old had a physical circumcision, while the New has a spiritual circumcision.
The Old was based on works, while the New is based on grace.
The Old pointed to one’s sin, while the New points to one’s righteousness.
The Old administration created condemnation and death, while the New administration produces the life and freedom.
The Old made people slaves, while the New makes people free.
The Old had a frail priesthood, while the New has a flawless Priesthood.
The Old was outwardly-based, while the New is inwardly-based.
The Old provided a momentary atonement, while the New provided remission.
The Old gave the awareness of sin, giving it strength, while the New gives the awareness of righteousness, providing empowerment over sin.
Under the Old, the enemy dominated through fear, while under the New, the enemy’s eternally defeated.
The Old was an agreement between God and Israel, while the New is an everlasting agreement between God and Jesus.
Repentance under the Old: ‘turning from sin’, while repentance under the New: ‘turning to God’.
The Old was not based on faith, while the New is based on faith in Jesus.
The Old commanded one to change by his efforts, but the New gives transformation by the renewing of the mind.
Under the Old, man had to earn righteousness, while the New bestows righteousness.
The blessing of the Old resulted from keeping the law, while the blessing of the New is given to all in Christ.
Under the Old, man was the promise-keeper to God, while under the New, God is the Promise-keeper to man.