Promise of Life: The New Covenant ...Part 1

But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. {15} See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil… {19} I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life,
that both thou and thy seed may live: (Deuteronomy 30:14,15,19 KJV)

I am not a big proponent of cut and paste theology, but the relevance of this grouping of passages makes more sense than most. Cut and Paste theology is the religious art of removing scripture from context and building doctrines (or sermons) around the dislocated scriptures to re-enforce an unscriptural position. Cut and Paste is the backbone of much of what is called biblical teaching within the modern church today.

A large portion of C&P theology is derived from taking the promises given unto natural Israel and saying that they now belong to the post-crucifixion church; this is an erroneous and fallacious position. God speaking through the prophet Jeremiah stated:

Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: {32} 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: (Jeremiah 31:31-32 KJV)

The phrase 'not according to' means not after the manner of. This is explained in Hebrews chapter 8, where the difference between the promises made to natural Israel under the Law and the promise of grace through Christ and the New Covenant are examined.

But now hath he (Christ Jesus) obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. {7} For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. {8} For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: {9} Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. (Hebrews 8:6-9 KJV)

Understanding that the C&P theologians will utilize this passage out of context to establish a link to lead NT believers back under the Law, further examination of its present truth context is necessary.

What is the New Covenant?

What are its promises?

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: {11} And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying,
Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. {12} For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. (Hebrews 8:10-12 KJV)

I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts.

The first promise of the New Covenant was a major shift away from the written Law. Under the Old Covenant, the written Law was an actual document carved in stone. It was intended to be unbreakable, but when Moses, in anger, broke the first set of tablets that God had provided for him, God commanded him to personally hew out the stones for the replacement set. This is a very symbolic event.

And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there:
and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them. (Exodus 24:12 KJV)

Notice that God gave Moses the stones and they were already inscribed with the Law and he was commanded to teach the Law to Israel. But after the stones were broken, God told Moses to provide prepared stones for which He (God) would write the Law upon.

And the LORD said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest. (Exodus 34:1 KJV)

In the first covenant God provided the stones prepared; under the second He demands that we provide our heart for Him to write upon. This is the prophetic picture that God reveals when He demands of Moses to provide the hewn stones that He would write upon.

Paul explains:

Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart. (2 Corinthians 3:3 KJV)

The picture of Moses coming down the mount with the first tablets of the Law and seeing the people already moved into idolatry, thereby angering him to break the tablets can also be a prophetic picture of the church today.

While Moses was up on the Mount receiving the Law; the people became anxious and desired a god that they could see and touch. Aaron moved with possibly fear (?) gave them what they wanted; the golden calf. The picture that emerges of us today is one of prosperity for our worship. If we worship God, He will prosper us with our own idols or golden calves. This is not what the Father desires nor offers us in the New Covenant.

One of the most significant differences between the First and the Second Covenants was the issue of external observances. The First Covenant appeared to be founded upon external displays of obedience. Internal change was not required. All of the Law was observable and based upon manifest behavior. And it was ordained to be that way.

Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. (Hebrews 9:1 KJV)

Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. {7} But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people: {8} The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: {9} Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; {10} Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. (Hebrews 9:6-10 KJV)

All of the services rendered under the Law did nothing to cleanse the conscience of the one offering the sacrifice; this was due to the fact that the offerings were all external and did not require an internal reconfiguration of the heart. It is much like what we see today in religious high church. Many attend each week, pay their tithes, sing a few songs, shake a few hands and leave; thinking they have supplied all that is required. There is really no difference between their worship service and the Temple Service of the ancients. Mode operation may have changed, but the result is still the same; there is not an internal alignment unto God and His purpose. Come Monday (or later Sunday afternoon!) things return to the same patterns.

And it was ordained to be this way… Until the time of reformation.

The worldly sanctuary with its divine ordinances was ordained to be in place until the time of reformation. Many view the time of reformation, as beginning with Christ on the cross and this is true; but what also needs to be seen, in the kairos (or season) of diorthosis (a right arrangement, ordering, restoration, amendment, bringing right again), is the personal application of reformation. Each one of us has been called to reform, but we may not all be called at the same time or to the same level of change; But we are all called to change and that change is to be first internal; with external manifestation as the by-product and not the focus.

The issue with much of the “holiness” movement today (and this includes Pentecostals and Charismatic’s as well), is that the requirement for external manifestation is being viewed as the most important objective. If it looks good, it is good and thereby accepted of God. As it was with the Pharisees, external was not what God was looking for and is not looking for in the New Covenant. External manifestation without divine inward reconfiguration is unacceptable to the Father. You can dance until you drop, Give until you starve, Sing until the cows come home and not impress the Father one iota. Never has…never will. But a heart broken and desiring the Masters touch to repair it, will cause the Father to move all heaven and earth.

He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. {7} Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. {8} For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. (Mark 7:6-8 KJV)

We may not see modern day worshipers fulfilling “divine service” by washing pots and pans, but the doctrines and traditions of man that pervade the church today have rendered the Word of God to non effect; hearts are not changed when the Word is delivered. When Jesus stated “many other such like things ye do”, He was addressing most, if not all, of the current church practices.

Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; {2} A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. {3} For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. {4} For if he (Jesus) were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: {5} Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount.
(Hebrews 8:1-5 KJV)

The writer of Hebrews (not proven to be Paul, but assumed) tells us here that the sum or totality of his writing thus far is this: We have a high priest on a throne serving in a tabernacle not made by man, but of God. Also stated is the fact that the earthly priests were just an example of what was to come and that they were to operate according to the pattern laid down within the Law, But that pattern was not to be forever.

But now hath he (Jesus) obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. {7} For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place
have been sought for the second. (Hebrews 8:6-7 KJV)

Jesus, through his crucifixion, death and resurrection obtained a ministerial priesthood far above that which the pattern could ever provide and in doing so fulfilled the Law and originated a new and better covenant with much better promises than the first. What are some of the promises that were gained in the divine release from the debt of the First Covenant?

Justification:
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. (Galatians 2:16 KJV)

But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. (Galatians 3:11 KJV)

Righteousness:
I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. (Galatians 2:21 KJV)

The Spirit:
This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? {3} Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? (Galatians 3:2-3 KJV)

That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
(Galatians 3:14 KJV)

Miracles:
He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
(Galatians 3:5 KJV)

Life:
Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. (Galatians 3:21 KJV)

Search the scriptures (The Law); for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. {40} And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. (John 5:39-40 KJV)

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. (Galatians 5:1 KJV)

One of our foundational mindsets as end-time reformers has been the fact that God has ordained all of our days. This is based upon an understanding of Psalm 139:15,16 (NIV); that all the days ordained for me were written in His book before one of them came to pass. We also understand that it was that way for ancient Israel also. Nothing that happened to Israel was by happenstance or chance. This included their turning away from God unto idols shortly after being delivered from Egypt.

Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
(1 Corinthians 10:11 KJV)

In this passage, Paul tells us that everything that happened unto ancient Israel, happened for a specific purpose: for our admonition. This is key to understanding the pre-ordination of Gods purpose. In simplest of terms, God ran Israel through the ringer in order for us to have specific guidelines of what not to do as we approach the end of the age. For us to attempt to fulfill any of the Law is contrary to His Purpose for us as end-time reformers.

...to be continued...