The New Covenant

The Mosaic Covenant has now been replaced with the “New Covenant,” and the dispensation of law has ended. We now live in the dispensation of grace and the New Covenant has been given to The Church. After the Church is raptured, the New Covenant will be given to the Jews and Gentiles during the millennial dispensation.

The Apostle Paul wrote these words in the Book of Romans: “For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.’ ^‘This is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins’” (Rom. 11:25-27, NASB1995).

In Jeremiah chapter thirty-one, God promised Israel a New Covenant.

“’Behold, days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,’ declares the Lord. ‘But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,’ declares the Lord, ‘I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people’” (Jer. 31:31-33, NASB1995).

Although the New Covenant was promised to Israel, it has been temporarily given to a new group called “The Church.” Since Israel refused the kingdom of Christ presented to them, the kingdom was taken from them and given to another group.

The blood of Jesus purchased the New Covenant. Previously, during the Passover meal in the upper room, Jesus passed the communion cup to His disciples and declared it to be part of the New Covenant.

“Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins‘“ (Matt. 26:27-28, NKJV).

The Mosaic Law was fulfilled on the cross. We recall that Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount: “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished” (Matt. 5:17-18, NASB1995).

The apostle Paul tells us in Galatians that Jesus fulfilled every letter of the law. “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons” (Gal 4:4-5, NASB1995). “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, ‘CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE’” (Gal. 3:13, NASB1995).

The Levitical Law has now been fulfilled and superseded by a new order. The writer of the Book of Hebrews provides much information about the completed work of Christ.

“For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins? But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Heb. 10:1-4, NASB1995).

However, “all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Heb 9:22, NASB1995).

All sacrifices, before Jesus’ death, looked forward to His final sacrifice.

“But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified” (Heb. 10:12-14, NKJV).

“But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us;

for after He had said before,

this is the covenant that I will make with them
after those days, says the Lord:

I will put My laws into their hearts,

and in their minds I will write them”

(Heb. 10:15-17, NKJV).

Many today say that Christians are narrow-minded concerning the way of salvation. They claim that there are many ways to reach God and that Christians should not be dogmatic about their beliefs. However, looking closely at the Bible, we find its unique message. Other religions do not have the prophetic systems: statements, types, and shadows foretelling the coming of a savior. Other world religions begin with the founder of that religion.

But there are over sixty direct prophecies in the Old Testament that Jesus fulfilled during His first advent. Many of these prophecies give great details such as: “Born at Bethlehem,”; “Rejected by His own People,”; “Cast Lots for His Garment,”; “Not a Bone was Broken,”: “His Side was Pierced,”; and “Darkness over the Land.”

Now we must ask the question: how do world religions deal with the sin problem? A study of most systems of religion will show that man designed his own plan for salvation. However, the Bible says we have all sinned, and the sin debt must be paid. We quickly and accurately see that Christianity is unique in answering this question.

Jesus said: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16, NASB1995).

“He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18, NASB1995).

“But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God” (John 3:21, NASB1995).

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6b, NASB1995).

Perhaps, the apostle Paul said it best when he wrote, “if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins” (1 Cor. 15:17, NASB1995).

Upon this historical fact rests the validity of God’s word and our hope for everlasting life in Heaven. Our response to this good news will determine where we spend eternity.

Scripture quotations marked NASB1995 are taken from the New American Standard Bible, copyright © 1960, 1971,1977, 1995, by The Lockman Foundation, LA Habra, California. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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