Why I am a member of the church of Christ
Lesson # 5
The New
Covenant - # 1
Introduction
This lesson will focus on the New Covenant Jesus made with mankind. This covenant is distinctively different from the Old Covenant God made with the nation of Israel usually referred to as the Law of Moses. Some people believe & are heard to say – keep the 10 commandments & you will be saved & go to heaven. This statement is not true because, the 10 commandments are the foundation of the Old Covenant that God made with Israel exclusively. Ps.147:19,20 says – “He gave His word to Jacob, His statutes & His judgments unto Israel. He has not dealt so with any other nation; & as for His judgments they have not known them.” Scripture limits the Law of Moses & it’s 10 commandments to the Israelite people alone. This covenant was not meant for Christians; in fact one of the old prophets said that God would give His people a new covenant.
1. Jer.31:31-34 – the New Covenant prophesied
a. The
Old Covenant was not meant to be permanent
1) God made the Old Covenant with Israel alone, yet God’s final intention
was to bless the
whole world through Jesus – Gen.12:1-4
2) God was preparing a people through whom He would bring the Messiah
into the world.
3) The New Covenant was not intended to be like the Old Covenant nor to
just incorporate the Old Covenant into it.
4) Israel broke that covenant with God & in fact was unable to keep it
perfectly because of the sin in their lives. Heb.7:11, 18,19; 8:7,8
5) 2 Cor.3:1-16
a) It was a ministry that brought death because no one could keep
it perfectly.
b) The Old Covenant began to fade away into insignificance from
the day Moses gave it to Israel.
b. The
New Covenant was to be written on the hearts of men not on tablets of
stone.
1) God has always looked at the heart of man & desired sincerity in man
in his approach to God.
2) By dealing with man’s heart, fellowship could be restored between men
& God that had previously been broken because of man’s sin.
3) Under the New Covenant man would first be taught of God before he
came to God. Under the Old Covenant after 8 days, one was
considered to be under the covenant with God.
a) The Jew became a Jew shortly after birth, but was not schooled
in the Hebrew religion until the age of 12. Thus, under the
Old Covenant one came to know God “after the fact”.
b) Under the New Covenant one becomes a Christian only after
first being taught about God & making a decision to accept
Jesus Christ as their Lord.
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c. Those under the New Covenant would have their sins forgiven.
1) The Old Covenant never fully dealt with man’s problem with sin.
a) The blood of bulls & goats was never intended to remove sin.
Heb.10:1-4
b) God forgave man his sin based not on the blood of animals but
the blood that
Jesus would shed on the cross. Rom.3:21-26
2) It is only in Jesus that man can have his sins forgiven. – Acts 4:12
2. The Old Covenant examined
a. God called the nation of Israel out of Egypt to make them a holy nation
dedicated to Him. They were to obey His voice & keep His
commandments – Ex.19:3-6
b. This group was given the 10 commandments at Sinai – Ex.20:1-17
c. Statues & ordinances were added to this covenant telling the people how to live
a holy life before God.- Exodus chapters 21-23
d. The people agreed to keep all the commandments & ordinances that Moses had
given them from God – Ex.24:3-8
1) Sacrifices were made & part of that blood was saved in bowls.
2) The book containing the 10 commandments & the ordinances were read
to the people & all agreed to keep them.
3) Blood was sprinkled upon this book to ratify the covenant
e. The Law
of Moses & the Old Covenant are one & the same – Heb.9:1,8-20
The Law of Moses & the ordinances are the Old Covenant that is to be
replaced in Jeremiah’s prophesy – Jer.31:31-34
f.
Christians are dead to The Law – Rom.7:1-7
(though shall not covet is the 10th commandment)
1) Law existed before the Law of Moses because man has always been
held accountable for his actions. (see Cain & Able)
2) God has held man accountable to moral laws & principles from the
beginning of time.
3) Christians are not held accountable to the 10 commandments or any
other part of the Law of Moses.
a) However, Christians are held accountable to the eternal
principles that are contained in those 10 commandments.
b) Those principles existed & were binding upon all mankind
before God gave the 10 commandments to Israel.
g. The Law
pointed all men unto Jesus – Gal.3:24,25
1) The Law is referred to as a schoolmaster or guardian - tutor
2) The word means “a boy leader” – one who taught boys morals & ethics
& prepared them for manhood.
3) The Law was to prepare Israel for the Messiah (spiritual manhood)
4) When a boy reached manhood “a boy leader” was no longer needed.
5) Now that Jesus has come we live by faith in Jesus, not faith in the Law
h. The Old
Law has been replaced – 1 Cor.9:21
1) We are not without Law but are under Christ’s Law
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2) Under Christ we have peace with
God – Eph.2:14
a) We are no longer enemies
b) Our sin & shortcomings have been taken away
3) The old Law has been cancelled – Col.2:14
a) Stood opposed to us = like an IOU
b) The Law demanded that a debt be paid for our sin = death
c) Jesus cancelled that debt against us at the cross
4) Christians are not held accountable to the ordinances contained in the
Law – Col.2:16,17
5) The priesthood under the Old Law has been abolished
a) Heb.7:11,12 – under them perfection could never be attained
b) Because the priesthood was changed the Law had to be changed
(Old Covenant priests had to be Levites, Jesus was of Judah)
The Old Law was perfect as a legal system, but man was imperfect & could never keep it perfectly. The Old Covenant & the New Covenant could never run concurrently – Heb.7:12. The Old Covenant brought death & condemnation. The New covenant brings life & peace between man & God.