A covenant is an agreement. God made an agreement with the descendants of Jacob. The Law given through Moses, including the Ten Commandments, is the written record of that agreement. “The LORD our God made a covenant with us at Horeb. The LORD did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, those who are here today, all of us who are alive.” (Deuteronomy 5:2-3). The “us” in the passage is the Israelites. The Law was given only to the Israelites. We are not under the Law and it’s commandments today because it was a covenant between the Israelites and God.
Temporary
This covenant was temporary in nature. God revealed through the prophet Jeremiah, “... I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel ...” (Jeremiah 31:31). The apostle Paul explained that the Law of Moses was intended as a teacher to bring those under the Law to Christ. But after Christ came, those under the Law were no longer under it. “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.” (Galatians 3:24-25).
Follow Christ
One can not follow the Law of Moses and at the same time follow Christ. “For Christ is the end of the law of righteousness to everyone who believes” (Romans 10:6).
A Better Covenant
Christ is the Mediator of a new and better covenant. “... He is also a Mediator of a better covenant, which has been established on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second” (Hebrews 8:6-7). Two covenants cannot be in effect at the same time. See Hebrews 9:15-10:4.
Priesthood Of Christ
Christ is High Priest and all Christians are priests under the new covenant (Hebrews 4:4; 1 Peter 2:9). If the first covenant were still in effect Christ could not be a high priest and Christians could not be priests. See Hebrews 7:11-19.
Law Fulfilled
The Law was fulfilled in Christ. He said, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17).
Law Removed
Jesus fulfilled the Law and provided for forgiveness of sins through His own sacrifice. In so doing He removed the Law. “... having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross” (Colossians 2:14).
Covenants Contrasted
The apostles of Jesus were ministers of a new covenant. The former passed away; the new covenant remains and is more glorious (2 Corinthians 3:5-11).
What Principles?
Since we are not under the Ten Commandments, someone may ask, “Is it all right to kill, to steal, to commit adultery, or to do the other things which the Ten Commandments prohibit?” No! Those things are forbidden in the New Testament also. The apostle Peter wrote of the knowledge God revealed in Christ, “... His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness ...” (2 Peter 1:3).
Why Study The Law?
The Law reveals much about the nature of God, the importance of obedience, the certainty of punishment for disobedience, and the importance of faith. These and other lessons are learned from a study of the Old Testament. “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4).
Handle Correctly
If we are to correctly apply the Scriptures, we must handle them correctly. It is incorrect to lift out the parts we want and overlook other parts. This is the practice of those who lift the Ten Commandments from the Old Testament and apply them for today. For example, the commandments require Sabbath observance. The Sabbath is the seventh day --- Saturday. Some have sought to make an adjustment by use of the phrase “Christian Sabbath.” But the Scriptures do not speak of a “Christian Sabbath.” Christians assembled for worship on the Lord’s Day --- Sunday. See Acts 20:7. As Christians, we should follow the pattern found in the New Testament.
Salvation In Christ
The Israelites did not receive forgiveness for sins under the Law. See Hebrews 10:4. A remembrance of sins was made once each year. But under the new covenant there is forgiveness as Jeremiah prophesied, “... I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more” (Jeremiah 31:34).
Jesus Is Lord
To accept Jesus as Lord is to submit to His authority. If we lift portions of the Law and apply them today, we do not accept Jesus as Lord. If we accept Him as Lord and Savior, we will accept His authority as expressed in these words, “... All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world” (Matthew 28:18-20).
What Can You Do?
You can accept the authority of Christ by doing what He commanded (Matthew 7:21; John 14:15; 15:10-14; Luke 6:46). Notice the pattern for becoming a Christian as revealed in the Scriptures. The Gospel was heard, resulting in faith (Romans 10:17). Repentance of (turning away from sin, and following Jesus Word) (Acts 17:30) and confession of Jesus as the Son of God followed (Romans 10:10). Believers were baptized INTO Christ for the remission (forgiveness) of sins (See Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:12; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Mark 16:16; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Peter 3:20-21), and added to His church (Acts 2:47). Christians were taught to be faithful even to the point of death (Revelation 2:10).
We Welcome You
Following the instructions of the Scriptures, members of Christ’s body assemble as congregations for worship, encouragement, and Bible study. The congregation in your community [which are collectively known as the “churches of Christ” Romans 16:16] welcomes you to investigate the Bible with us. With a spirit of brotherly love we would seek to reconcile any differences by following the Bible ONLY. We recognize the Bible as God’s inspired word, the ONLY reliable standard of faith and practice. We desire the unity for which Christ prayed and which the Bible emphasizes in the expression, “one Lord, one faith, one baptism.” Together we seek to maintain “the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
We would be happy to assist you in finding the location of the Lord's church near you. A friendly welcome awaits you. We do not wish to embarrass you in any way. You will not be asked for contributions. We assemble for Bible study and worship each Sunday morning and we welcome you to meet with us. We would be happy to talk to you about your questions and we want to be of encouragement.
Dennis Crawford
253-396-0290
e-mail: BibleTruthsToU@gmail.com
www.cocpw.com www.NewTestamentChurch.org
www.LettheBibleSpeak.com
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