CHAPTER FOUR
THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE NEW COVENANT AND TESTAMENT
What are the requirements necessary to become an heir? What do we
have to do? Mark 1:14-15: "Now after that John was put in prison,
Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of
God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is
at hand: repent you, and believe the gospel." So we find that the
first thing we have to do is REPENT of our sins and BELIEVE the
gospel concerning Christ.
John 6:53: "Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say into
you, Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his
blood, you have no life in you." This verse shows that we must go
through Jesus Christ to receive eternal life at the resurrection.
Acts 2:38 tells us to REPENT and be BAPTIZED for the forgiveness
of sins and then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
So, you must
(1) Believe in Christ, (2) Repent, (3) Be baptized - and then you
can receive the Holy Spirit.
We know that when we receive the Holy Spirit we become a son of
God, and it (the Spirit) is the power that will resurrect us. So
it is this Spirit from God that makes you an heir so you can
receive your inheritance at the resurrection of the just (Romans
8:1114).
THE TESTAMENT
Since the New Covenant has conditions that the people must meet
before they can inherit the promises, it could also be called a
testament or agreement.
Now the reason for a will or testament is to make sure the heirs
get what the testor (the one making the will) wants them to
receive. This is why a will or testament is made.
The requirements of a will or testament are as follows:
(a) The person making the will should have something to leave the
heirs and he must have heirs to inherit whatever is left.
(b) There should be an administrator of the will or the testament
or the estate.
(c) Sometimes there are conditions to a will or testament that
the heir must meet before he can inherit his part of the will.
This is the case in the New Testament or will.
(d) Then there must be the death of the one making the will.
(e) When the death occurs, the will begins to take effect.
WHAT IS THE INHERITANCE?
The first question is: "What did Christ have to give his heirs?"
In Galatians 3:39 it says that if you are Christ's, then are you
Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. Now what
promises was Paul talking about?
Genesis 26:4 says: "And in your seed (singular, meaning Christ)
shall all the nations of the earth be blessed" - blessed with the
salvation God had to offer through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
It is interesting to note one of the reasons Abraham received
these promises was because he kept God's commandments, statutes
and laws (Genesis 26:7). In Romans 4:13 we find that Abraham was
to be heir of the whole world, not just a few countries.
Romans 8:14-15: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God,
they are the sons of God. For you have not received the spirit of
bondage again to fear; but you have received the Spirit of
adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." Notice verse 15: we can
now call God our father because we have received the Spirit which
comes through Abraham's seed - Christ.
Romans 8:16-17: "The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit,
that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs;
heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we
suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." These
verses tell us that we are heirs and joint heirs with Christ, who
has already received His inheritance as the firstborn son.
ETERNAL LIFE!
So we see that the gift of eternal life is what Christ has to
offer. Who can be the heirs of Christ's will or testament? That
is the important question. Who are the ones that can inherit
eternal life at the resurrection? Can all people be His heirs at
this time? No!
Hebrews 9:15 says: "They which are called might receive the
promise of eternal inheritance." This shows that our inheritance
will be for eternity because it is an eternal inheritance. Romans
8:28-29 says: "To them who are called according to his promise."
John 10:27 says: "My sheep hear my voice." At this time God is
opening the minds of the ones He is calling to receive His truth.
God has opened the minds of only a few and is giving them a
chance to receive His inheritance. So the heirs or the called-out
ones are the ones who have answered the call, because "many are
called, but few are chosen." Many who are called will not humble
themselves and repent of their sins, even though God has called
them to inherit this great gift of eternal life.
THE ADMINISTRATORS OF THE WILL
Now the question is, "Who will administer the estate of Jesus
Christ?" We, the called-out ones, are the ones He has chosen to
execute His will. We are the administrators of the will of
Christ! Christ's Will.
How is this done? Matthew 28:19-20 tells us that the follower of
Christ is commanded or charged to execute His will. "Go you,
therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Teaching them
to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I
am with you always, even unto the end of the age." Every time a
Christian preaches Christ and Him crucified, he is relaying the
offer of eternal life to those who hear and believe and answer
the call. He is, in essence, saying: "Did you know Christ died
for you?" The Christian is administering God's will.
Yes, it's true: if you will believe in Christ (belief in His
blood to take away sins), repent from breaking God's law, and are
baptized and live an overcoming life, then you, too, can become
an heir of Christ and receive eternal life.
This then is the most important job God has ever given to
mankind, far greater than any ruler who ever lived. If we
overcome we will also be the administrators of His will in the
Kingdom when every one living in the world will be offered the
opportunity to inherit eternity.
DEATH OF THE TESTOR
2 Corinthians 3:6 tells us who the administrators of the New
Testament are: "Who has made us able ministers of the New
Testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter
kills, but the spirit gives life." Christ as the testor had to
die for us (1 Corinthians 15:3). At Christ's death, the will or
testament began to go into effect.
AFTER REPENTANCE AND BAPTISM, WHAT DOES GOD EXPECT?
The vast majority of today's professing Christians believe that
all or at least most of the laws of God were cancelled by the
sacrifice of Jesus Christ even though He said: "Think not that I
am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am come not to
destroy but to fulfil" (Matthew 5:17). Christ, through the Bible,
says to these professing Christians of today the same thing He
said to the professing righteous of His day: "... You do err, not
knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God" (Matthew 22:29).
People do not understand the truth of God because they refuse to
obey the laws which God has created for humanity's benefit. To
obey them will bring understanding. "0 how love I your law! it is
my meditation all the day. You through your commandments have
made me wiser than my enemies: for they are ever with me. I have
more understanding than all my teachers: for your testimonies are
my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I
keep your precepts" (Psalm 119:97-100).
A careful study of the scriptures will reveal that all of the
terms and conditions that were in the Old Covenant are a part of
the New Covenant, with the only exception being those items
specifically deleted or changed by Christ (among these are the
Passover, temple worship, and sacrifices). Many other items (such
as the commandments, holy days, health laws, etc.) are still a
part of the New Covenant and are binding upon Christians of
today.
"For finding fault with them, he said, 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?" (Hebrews 8:8-10). Since God
has only one set of laws He created for the benefit of all
mankind, logic should tell us that these laws being spoken of
here are the same set of laws that He gave to the Israelites as a
part of the original covenant. Notice God is going to write His
laws in the hearts and minds of people. In other words He will
write them in their very being, thereby making these laws a part
of the thinking process of those individuals God is calling in
this age.
CHAPTER FIVE
MAJOR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE OLD AND THE NEW CONTRACTS
1. FORGIVENESS OF SIN
BY A PERFECT SACRIFICE
"And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall
come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness
from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take
away their sins" (Romans 11:26-27).
"And every priest stands daily ministering and offering
oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for
ever, sat down on the right hand of God" (Hebrews 10:11-12).
"If the plan that leads to doom was glorious, much more glorious
is the plan that makes men right with God" (2 Corinthians 3:9,
Living Bible).
The reason that it led to doom and death was because of the fault
of the people, that fault now being corrected under the new
agreement. The Ten Commandments showed them their sins. But the
flesh was weak and they couldn't keep them. Since they knew what
sin was, but were not able to keep the Ten Commandments, they
were doomed to death because the penalty for breaking the Ten
Commandments was death. So much more glorious is the plan or
covenant that makes men right with God. (Man is made right with
God through the perfect sacrifice of Christ).
Deuteronomy 6:25 says: "And it shall be our righteousness, if we
observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as
he has commanded us." That old system failed because the people
were weak and there was not a heart in them to want to obey God's
laws. The New Covenant offers Jesus Christ, the Righteous, as its
atoning power. If we believe in Jesus Christ to take away our
sins, then we are justified (declared righteous) in the eyes of
God and our sins are forgiven forever. So we are justified and
put in contact with God by the death of His Son, Jesus Christ,
the Righteous (Romans 5), as opposed to the system of
justification under the Old Covenant.
(There really was only justification under the Old Covenant for
those called and given God's Spirit. As we have seen MOST did not
have the heart, hence they were never justified - Keith Hunt).
"This is the covenant that I will make with them after those
days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their hearts, and
in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities
will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there
is no more offering for sin" (Hebrews 10:16-18).
The perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ not only takes away the
sins of those under the New Covenant, but because of Christ's
sacrifice, God the Father forgets our sins forever and the
Christian stands before Him as a righteous individual.....
2. A PERFECT HIGH PRIEST
"If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for
under it the people received the law,) what further need was
there that another priest should rise after the order of
Melchizedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the
priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change
also of the law. For he of whom these things are spoken pertains
to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah; of which
tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. And it is yet
far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchizedek
there arises another priest, Who is made, not after the law of a
carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life"
(Hebrews 7:11-16).
"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest
by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he has
consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
And having a high priest over the house of God" (Hebrews
10:1921).
These verses show a change in the conditions of the covenant and
this change allows a Christian to go directly before God the
Father without going to a physical man, and having him go to God
for us as the priest did for the Israelites.
3. THE HOLY SPIRIT
2 Corinthians 3:6-10 talks about God's new agreement or covenant
to save man. Paul says we do not tell them that they must obey
every law of God or die, which was the case under the Old
Covenant laws. James also says that if your break one of the Ten
Commandments you are guilty of breaking them all. But we tell
them that there is life for them from the Holy Spirit (Romans
8:11). The old way of trying to be saved (justified) by keeping
the Ten Commandments ends in death, because all have fallen short
of the mark and sinned (Romans 3:23; Galatians 3:22). But in the
new way, the Holy Spirit gives them life, because the Holy Spirit
gives man the desire to want to obey God, and also helps his
infirmities.
Verse 7 states that the old system (covenant) of law, which
included the Ten Commandments, that led to death, began with such
glory that the people could not bear to look at Moses' face as he
gave them God's law to obey. His face shone with the very glory
of God.
Now when did Moses' face shine, and what laws did he have in his
hand when it was shining? Read Exodus 34:27-35. Verse 27 says:
"And the Lord said unto Moses, write these words; for after the
tenor of these words I have made a covenant with you and with
Israel." Verse 28: "And he was there with the Lord forty days and
forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he
wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the Ten Command-
ments. Verse 29: "And it came to pass, when Moses came down from
Mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when
he came down from the mount, that Moses knew not that the skin of
his face shone while he talked with him."
There is no doubt that the law being spoken of included the Ten
Commandments. In 2 Corinthians 3:8-18 (Living Bible), verse 8
says: "Shall we not expect far greater glory in these days when
the Holy Spirit is giving life?" Because when we have the Holy
Spirit we have the seed that will resurrect us. It is this seed
or Holy Spirit that makes us a part of the God Family, a son of
God. Therefore the glory which is made possible under the New
Covenant is much greater than Moses' glory - his face shining.
Our glory will be manifested when we are resurrected and receive
the very glory that God has as a spiritual being. The reason the
New Covenant will end in this type of glory is because under the
New Covenant God is giving us the necessary tools to do His will.
Verse 9 says: "If the plan that leads to doom was glorious, much
more glorious is the plan that makes men right with God." The
reason it led to doom and death was because of the fault of the
people, that fault is now being corrected under the new
agreement. The Ten Commandments showed them their sins. But the
flesh was weak and they couldn't keep them. Since they knew what
sin was but were not able to keep the Ten Commandments, they were
doomed to death because the penalty for breaking the law was
death. So, much more glorious is the plan or covenant that makes
men right with God (man is made right with God through the
perfect sacrifice of Christ).
The New Testament has Jesus Christ, the Righteous, to offer as
its atoning power. If we believe in Jesus Christ's atoning blood
to cover our sins, then we are justified or declared righteous in
the eyes of God and our sins are forgiven forever. We are
justified and put in contact with God by the death of His Son
Jesus Christ (Romans 5) as opposed to the system of justification
under the Old Covenant. Deuteronomy 6:25 says: "And it shall be
our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments
before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us." That system
failed because the people were weak and there was not a heart in
them that wanted to obey God's laws. So all under the Old
Covenant were doomed to death because of their refusal to keep
God's laws, commandments, statutes, judgments and sacrificial
system. (All except those called and given the heart and given
god's spirit - Keith Hunt).
2 Corinthians 3:10 (Living New Testament) says: "In fact that
first glory as it shone from Moses' face is worth nothing at all
in comparison with the overwhelming glory of the new agreement."
Why was the first glory worth nothing when compared to the New
Covenant or Testament? Because it only showed them what sin was
and there was no way found, under the first covenant, to take
away sins (the sacrifice of animals could not take away sin).
Also the fact that they had a stony heart and didn't have the
desire to keep God's Commandments....
When you compare the two covenants, the old and the new side by
side, the new one has an overwhelming glory because it contains
the tools necessary for success which the Old Covenant did not.
These tools are (1) the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ, (2) a
High Priest able to understand man's imperfections (Hebrews 2),
and (3) the Holy Spirit available to be placed within man,
creating in him the desire to obey God's commandments, statutes
and judgments. (As we have seen, the Holy spirit was given to
SOME under the Old covenant - Keith Hunt).
2 Corinthians 3:11 says: "So if the old system that faded into
nothing was full of heavenly glory, the glory of God's new plan
for salvation is certainly far greater, for it is eternal." The
New Covenant will never fade away, but wilt culminate in eternal
life and the glory of becoming a son of God, born into the Family
of God, having the same kind of glory and power of God himself.
So it is apparent that the Holy Spirit is a vital tool in
overcoming.
4. A NEW TEMPLE
"Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit
of God dwells in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him
shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple
you are" (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).
"What! know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy
Spirit which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not
your own?" (1 Corinthians 6:19).
Why was the apostle Paul so strong in this admonition to the
Corinthians? Acts 2:1-4 gives the answer: "And when the day of
Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one
place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a
rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were
sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of
fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with
the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the
Spirit gave them utterance."
Each time God moved his dwelling place within the nation of
Israel, He did so with the sign of fire. As proof of His placing
of His Holy Spirit within Christians, He used the same sign He
had used before, that of fire. Paul was telling the Corinthian
Christians to straighten out their lives because the Holy Spirit
of God dwelled in each of them.
This will also be true after the return of Jesus Christ. Everyone
in Israel will have an opportunity to receive the Spirit of God
and the strength needed to obey His laws as well as the desire to
want to obey them. Jeremiah 50:19-20: "And I will bring Israel
again to his habitation, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan,
and his soul shall be satisfied upon Mount Ephraim and Gilead. In
those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of
Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none, and the sins
of Judah, and they shall not be found; for I will pardon them
whom I reserve."
THE NEW COVENANT EXTENDED TO GENTILES
"For you are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on
Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor
free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in
Christ Jesus. And if you be Christ's, then are you Abraham's
seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Galatians 3:26-29).
All who are baptized and have truly accepted Christ as their
savior are now God's children.
"Wherefore remember, that you being in time past Gentiles in the
flesh, who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the
circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time you
were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of
Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no
hope, and without God in the world: But now, in Christ Jesus, you
who sometime were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ"
(Ephesians 2:11-13).
"For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the
Father. Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners,
but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God"
(Ephesians 2:18-19).
Here again we see it is possible for Gentiles to have access to
God the Father and to have the opportunity to acquire the
blessings from this association because all who are called to
repentance and baptism, and respond, become spiritual Israelites.
Just as Gentiles have an opportunity to become heirs in this age,
so will the Gentile nations have the opportunity for eternal life
during the millennial reign of Jesus Christ: "At that time they
shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord, and all the nations
shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem;
neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their
evil heart" (Jeremiah 3:17).
NEW COVENANT TO BE MADE WITH REGATHERED ISRAEL
As we see in Hebrews 8, the New Covenant we are under now is
similar to the covenant that the nation of Israel will be under
in the millennial reign of Christ. They will be given the Spirit
of God, one of the tools of the New Covenant (Ezekiel 36:2428).
They will have the King-Priest, Jesus Christ, dwelling there in
Jerusalem. They, too, will repent after the return of Christ as
King. When they repent, they will then be given the Spirit of the
Father. Romans 8:11 tells us this is the power that will make us
a son of God.
Since it is similar to the covenant we have now, then it follows
they, too, will then have the Spirit of begettal as a son of God.
And after overcoming, they will also be born into the Family of
God. So the conditions of the covenant are similar for those
living today and those who will be living in the Kingdom. They,
too, will have the necessary tools to be overcomers. (Please see
my studies on my Website called "Overcoming" - for the truth on
that subject - Keith Hunt).
Now let's take a look at Romans 11 where we find the entire
nation of Israel will be saved. Please read the entire chapter.
Note in verse 15 of Romans 11 the fate of the nation of Israel
will be complete restitution. Verse 26: "And so all Israel shall
be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the
Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob (Israel)."
The question is - when does He do this? There are many scriptures
in the Old Testament that tell us God is going to make a New
Covenant with regathered Israel in the last days. So this
scripture is no doubt talking about the regathering of Israel.
Note what he says in verse 27: "For this is my covenant unto them
(regathered Israel) when I shall take away their sins." God is
going to call Israel to repentance at the time He regathers them.
..............
TO BE CONTINUED
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