THE NEW COVENANT
12/16/2014
The
primary Old Testament covenants have a sign which is an
outward indication that signifies the person was in a covenant.
Dictionary Definition: something that
indicates or expresses the existence of something else not immediately apparent.
The
new covenant also has signs that are not only different from those of the old
covenant but replaces them as well. The sign of the old Abrahamic
covenant was circumcision but the new is Baptism. This sign of the New
Covenant does not in itself confer righteousness and salvation, but it is performed
after the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to symbolize one’s death to the old
life, burial with Christ, and resurrection to the new life of the Kingdom of
God (or Heaven). Jesus places much significance and importance on this
symbolic sign of a new life in His instructions related to the Great Commission.
The apostles were to teach all nations to observe all things that Jesus had
commanded them. Not only the laws of God, but the sayings and actions of
the Messiah. The essence of discipleship is becoming like the King and
Lord.
Matthew
28:19-20 KJV
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all
things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto
the end of the world. Amen.
In
the book of Colossians, Paul differentiates circumcision and baptism. He
states that the righteous are buried with Christ in Baptism as He was buried;
then raised from the water through faith to a new life as He was raised from
the dead by the Father. This is a circumcision without hands; a spiritual
circumcision of the heart; it is taking the sins of the flesh off the body
through the spiritual circumcision of Christ.
Colossians
2:11-12 KJV
In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in
putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the
faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
Baptism
is an answer to circumcision as a sign of righteousness but it doesn’t actually
illustrate it. Yet baptism does illustrate our identification with the death
and resurrection to life of Jesus. We were buried with Jesus by being
buried under the water. We are also raised with Him by being
raised up out of the water.
Peter
has a similar statement. He comments that the lives of eight people
aboard the ark of Noah were delivered through water which is a pre-figure of
baptism; not taking a bath but a pledge (or sign) of righteousness, that is –
facing God with a good conscience. This is all made possible through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ
.
1 Peter 3:21
NET And
this prefigured baptism, which now saves you -- not the washing off of physical
dirt but the pledge of a good conscience to God -- through the resurrection of
Jesus Christ,….
Baptism
is not necessary for salvation, but according to Peter, it pledges our moral
conscience to God. It is the same as circumcision for Abraham; it did not
give him righteousness but was a sign to God that he was righteous.
Romans 4:9-13
KJV Cometh
this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision
also? for we say that faith was reckoned
to Abraham for righteousness. How was it then reckoned? when he was in
circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the
faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all
them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be
imputed unto them also: And the father of circumcision to them who are not of
the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our
father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. For the promise, that he
should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through
the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
The
above Romans 4 scripture indicates that Abraham’s faith was reckoned for
righteousness when he was not circumcised. He received the sign of
circumcision which was a seal (a sign of guarantee)
of the righteousness of his faith that he had achieved before being circumcised.
Abraham was promised to be the heir of the world (Christ) through the
righteousness of his faith and not by the law.
THE LORD’S SUPPER
The
second sign of the new covenant is also called a remembrance sign as the Old
Testament Sabbath was a sign for the remembrance that God rested on the seventh
day of creation (Ex 31:17, 20:11). The Lord’s Supper is a sign for the
remembrance of the Lord’s death; the Lord’s body broken with whips and nails;
the blood of Jesus poured out for the remission of sin. All sins of all
people were placed upon Jesus and He was punished for our sins that we may be
viewed as spotless by faith in the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians
11:24-26 KJV
And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my
body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same
manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new
testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's
death till he come.
The
Mosaic covenant put laws on tablets of stone; the New Covenant, through the
Holy Spirit, will put the laws on our hearts and minds.
Jeremiah
31:32-33 KJV Not
according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took
them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they
brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be
the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith
the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their
hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Today
with the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit performs the task that the law did in
the Old Covenant. The law reminded people of sin, righteousness, and
judgment; the conviction and remembrance of these things is now performed by
the Holy Spirit.
John 16:7-8
KJV Nevertheless
I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not
away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him
unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness,
and of judgment:
Where
is God’s law today? It is within us as the Holy Spirit convicts us to do
what is right and causes us to be saddened, depressed, or upset when we fail or
sin which is referred to as the grieving of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit
does not leave us when we sin therefore initiating re-salvation as some groups
teach but rather we continue to be “sealed until the day of redemption.”
Ephesians 4:30
KJV And
grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of
redemption.
If
we allow the Holy Spirit to effectively work within us we will produce good
works or fruits which are called the fruit of the Spirit. As Galatians
5:23 proclaims: against the fruit of the Spirit there is no law.
Galatians
5:22-23 NET
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no
law.
The
Lord instituted the New Covenant at the Last Supper, but it was not fully Inaugurated
until His death and resurrection.
COMPARING
THE MOSAIC COVENANT AND THE LORD’S SUPPER
MC: Moses reads the
covenant law to the children of Israel.
Exodus 24:7a KJV And he took the book
of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All
that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient.
LS: Jesus gives his
commandments to the disciples.
John 13:34-35 KJV A new commandment I
give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love
one another. (35) By this shall all men know that ye are my
disciples, if ye have love one to another.
John 14:11 KJV Believe me that I am in the Father,
and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.
John 14:15 KJV If ye love me, keep my commandments.
MC:
The people
unanimously agree to accept the covenant.
Exodus 24:7b KJV and they said,
All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient.
LS: The disciples agreed
to accept the commandment although there is no contextual scripture stating
that they agreed.
1 John 4:21 KJV And this commandment
have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
MC: Moses takes the blood
in the bowls and sprinkles the Israelites saying, “this is the blood of the covenant.”
Exodus 24:8 KJV And Moses took the
blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the
covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words.
LS:
Jesus takes
a cup of wine, shares it with the disciples and said, “this is my blood of the
new covenant.”
Mark 14:23-24 KJV (23) And he took the cup, and
when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it.
(24) And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which
is shed for many.
MC:
God told
Moses to take a select group of 73 followers up to the mountain and they had a
meal with God.
Exodus 24:9-11 KJV Then went up Moses,
and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: (10)
And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved
work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.
(11) And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand:
also they saw God, and did eat and drink.
LS:
Jesus
shares a meal of bread and wine with the disciples.
Mark 14:22-24 KJV And as they did eat,
Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take,
eat: this is my body.
Each
time scripture indicates that one must keep the commandments of Jesus, just
keep reading: It will eventually tell you exactly what that commandment
is – “love one another, as I have loved you.”
John 15:10 KJV If ye keep my commandments,
ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and
abide in his love.
John 15:12 KJV This is my commandment,
That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
