The Law vs The New Covenant
The New Testament Covenant we have is so incredibly better than the Old Testament.
Hebrews Chapter 9 and 10 cover this:
Under the Old Covenant people lived by the law. They were under God’s wrath, and sacrifices had to be made for their sin by a priest (a mediator). People related to God through their works, which is to say, by how well they kept the law(s).
Under the New Covenant we live by faith. We are made righteous by God’s Grace and our faith back to Him is our way of relationship with Him. The sacrifice for our sins, was made by Jesus. We have been forgiven of all sins for all time. Sin is not an issue any more with God. We keep God’s laws today through our love of Him, not in order to win a reward. Our works count as nothing, except that the result of our Faith is good works.
Once we have a revelation of God’s Love to us… good works is the result of walking in harmony with God… not out of fear of His wrath.
If you start to live by the law again (seeking reward for works) you nullify the work Christ did on the cross. This is why He was crucified! - so that we would be redeemed from the curse of the law. But traditional religion teaches works. Scripture says, if you live by the law, then you must serve all the law… each and every lawful commandment is as large and important as any other. Break the least, is the same as breaking the most! There is no way you can ever fulfill the law; which is to say, never sin. There has only been one man who ever did so. That was Jesus.
Ephesians:
3:9: So then, those who are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham.
3:10: For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. For it is written, "Cursed is everyone who doesn't continue in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them."
3:11: Now that no man is justified by the law before God is evident, for, "The righteous will live by faith."
3:12: The law is not of faith, but, "The man who does them will live by them."
3:13: Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. For it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree,"
James:
2:10 2:10: For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he has become guilty of all.
When we fully understand this – when we fully understand the Grace of God that was given to us through the sacrifice of Jesus – which is to say, our righteousness - then we will give ourselves fully to Him. This is pure Christianity… when we can ‘die’ to ourselves and let Christ live through us!
Rick Mortimer
Feb 22, 2010
