THE NEW COVENANT

The Old Covenant was the Ten Commandment Covenant. Deut 4:13; Ex 34:28. The New Covenant is the Old Covenant engraved in our hearts and minds. Jer 31:31-34; Heb 8:10;10:16 - AN INTERNAL COVENANT. (We are called the seed of Abraham in Ga 3:7,29)

"Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men. 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 TABLETS OF THE HEART. 2 Cor 3:2,3.

#1 "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me."

#2 "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God AM a jealous God, visiting the iniquity (lawlessness) of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me: AND SHOWING MERCY UNTO THOUSANDS OF THEM THAT LOVE ME AND KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS."

"Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry." 1 Cor 10:14; Ga 5:20; Col 3:5; 1 Thess 1:9; 1 John 5:21; Rev 9:20.

#3 "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain." (It, also means to take His name lightly.)

"And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give Him glory." Rev 16:9; 1 Pe 4:14; Ro 2:24; Acts 4:12; Phil 2:9,10; Rev 13:6.

#4 "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man servant, nor thy maid servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: WHEREFORE THE LORD BLESSED THE SABBATH DAY AND HALLOWED IT."

Jesus referred to Himself as "The Lord of the Sabbath." Mt 12:8; Mk 2:28; Lu 6:5. Jesus prophesied, that, the Sabbath would be kept during The Great Tribulation, and we are not there, yet. Mt 24:20. The children of Israel, Jesus, His disciples and the New Testament Christians kept the Sabbath holy. Mt 12:1,2,5,8,10,11,12;24:20;28:1;Mk 1:21;2:23,24,27,28...Acts 1:12;13:14,27,42,44;15:21;16:13;17:2;18:4.

Isaiah prophesied, that, God's people will keep the Sabbath in His kingdom. Isa 66:22,23.

#5 "Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee."

"For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy." 2 Tim 3:2; Mt 10:21; Rom 1:30; Eph 6:1; Col 3:20...

#6 "Thou shalt not kill."

Jesus said, "...Thou shalt do no murder..." Mt 19:18; Mk 10:19; Lu 18:20; Rom 13:9; Ja 2:11...

#7 "Thou shalt not commit adultery."

Jesus said, "...Thou shalt not commit adultery..." Mt 19:18; Mk 10:19; Lu 18:20; Rom 13:9; Ja 2:11...

#8 "Thou shalt not steal."

Jesus said, "Thou knowest the commandments...Do not steal..." Mt 19:18; Mk 10:19; Lu 18:20...

#9 "Thou shalt not bear false witness."

Jesus said, "...Thou shalt not bear false witness..." Mt 19:18; Mk 10:19; Lu 18:20...

#10 "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his man servant, nor his maid servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's."

"...Thou shalt not covet..." Ro 13:9;7:7;1 Cor 5:10,11; 6:10; Eph 5:5; 1 Tim 3:3; 2 Tim 3:2;2 Pe 2:14...

"As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions ("of the law" 1 John 3:4) from us...TO SUCH AS KEEP HIS COVENANT AND TO THOSE THAT REMEMBER HIS COMMANDMENTS TO DO THEM." Ps 103.

"Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have RIGHT to the tree of life, AND MAY ENTER IN through the gates into the city." Rev 22:14.

Covenants have conditions.

Even in heaven, the Lord makes quite a statement about His Covenant:

"And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in His temple THE ARK OF HIS TESTAMENT: and there were LIGHTNINGS, and VOICES, and THUNDERINGS, and AN EARTHQUAKE, and GREAT HAIL." Rev 11:19.

There was, only, One Covenant in The Ark - THE TEN COMMANDMENT COVENANT.

There was, only, One Covenant in The Ark - THE TEN COMMANDMENT COVENANT.

I think that the New Covenant is designed to bring many sons unto glory. This means that God has set out to resume the objective of making man in His image and likeness. This also means that the regenerate are born of God and that by nature they fulfill the Law.

The Jews codified the Law into 613 commandments. But, the Law cannot take us to where God wants us to be. We need to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit and walk in the Spirit.

When Moses disobeyed the Lord and struck the rock, God charged him with unbelief. Num 20:12. When the children of Israel disobeyed the Lord, they were not able to enter The Promised Land, because of unbelief. Heb 3:19. Unbelief comes out of an evil heart. Heb 3:12.

Disobedience = Unbelief
Obedience = Faith

Rom 16:26 refers to "the obedience of faith."

"By faith Abraham...obeyed." Heb 11:8.

We are called the "seed of Abraham," in Ga 3:29, and those who are of faith in Ga 3:7.

God spoke to Abraham: "And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.

BECAUSE that Abraham obeyed My Voice (HIS WORD), and kept My charge, MY COMMANDMENTS, and MY LAWS." Gen 26:4,5.

"Even so faith, if it hath not works is dead, being alone.

Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe and tremble.

But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

Was not Abraham our father JUSTIFIED BY WORKS when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
(In response to God's command)

SEEST THOU HOW FAITH WROUGHT WITH HIS WORKS AND BY WORKS WAS FAITH MADE PERFECT?

And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD (faith & obedience) and it was imputed to him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

YE SEE THEN HOW THAT BY WORKS A MAN IS JUSTIFIED AND NOT BY FAITH ONLY...

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." James 2.

True faith obeys His Word.

"But be ye DOERS of the Word, and not hearers, only DECEIVING your own selves." Ja 1:22.

"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: FOR SIN IS THE TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW.

And ye know that He was manifested to TAKE AWAY OUR SINS; and in HIm is no sin.

Whosoever abideth in Him (walks in His Spirit) sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, NEITHER KNOWN HIM.

Jesus said, "Not every one that SAITH Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, BUT HE THAT DOETH THE WILL OF MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN.

MANY will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works?

And then will I profess unto them, I NEVER KNEW YOU: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity." (lawlessness) Mt 7:21-23.

"And hereby we do know that we know Him IF WE KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. He that SAITH, I KNOW HIM and keepeth not His commandments is a LIAR and the Truth is not in him: BUT WHOSO KEEPETH HIS WORD, IN HIM VERILY IS THE LOVE OF GOD PERFECTED: hereby we do know that we are in Him." 1 John 2:3-5. (Again, His Commandments = His Word)

"Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous.

He that committeth sin is of the Devil; for the Devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose was the Son of God manifested, to destroy the works of the Devil.

Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin: for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the Devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother." 1 John 3.

When we walk in His Spirit, we walk in newness of life, and do not sin. It is when we fall back on the ways of the old man that we sin.

I think that the New Covenant is designed to bring many sons unto glory. This means that God has set out to resume the objective of making man in His image and likeness. This also means that the regenerate are born of God and that by nature they fulfill the Law. The Jews codified the Law into 613 commandments. But, the Law cannot take us to where God wants us to be. We need to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit and walk in the Spirit.

Amen, well said brother.

The main emphasis in the New Testament is about the inner life, it's about a Spirit-filled life. That's not to say that we should not obey, it just means that the obedience must come from the inner life. If it doesn't come from an inner life then it is legalism to the core. Therefore let the inner life always be our main emphasis.

We don’t need chains to keep us holy, we now have the Holy Spirit to do that. The Spirit filled life should be our emphasis, not rules. God has made provision for every believer to walk just as Jesus walked, completely submitted to God’s will and the leading of the Holy Spirit. Jesus lived by the Spirit and although the Pharisees accused Him of breaking the Law He was purer than all those religious men.

In Christ,

Ron

True faith obeys His Word.

This is true. But I think we need to make a distinction here. Just because a person obeys the law does not mean they are born again. Obedience and faith do walk hand in hand. However, I am constantly on alert to make sure that we are all talking about the same New Covenant. The New Covenant is exceedingly better than the Old because it provides man with a new heart and Spirit.

A person cannot be 'trained' to be regenerate, they have to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit. God has to deal with man's sinful nature, etc. A Christian that is regenerated will fulfill the law that says love works no ill to his/her neighbor. Galatians is a strong rebuke to those that tried to finish with the law after they had begun in the Spirit.

Disobedience = Unbelief
Obedience = Faith

This is a very dangerous order you are giving to these essential issues of Christianity. By reading this I would be led to think that if I obey then I will have faith. Surely this is not your understanding of the issue, is it? Might I suggest our obedience is the evidence of our faith and not its means.

In Psalm 119, the word, "Word," is used interchangeably with "law," "commandments," "precepts," "judgments," "statutes," "testimonies."

His Word = His law.

"A NEW HEART also will I give you, and A NEW SPIRIT will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

AND I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT WITHIN YOU and CAUSE YOU to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments and do them." Ezek 36:26,27.

When He puts His Spirit within us, we are empowered by His Spirit to obey His Word/His law.
Not by our might or power, but, by His Spirit being released through us.

"So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." Rom 10:17.

2 Tim 3:16 in the Greek reads, "Every Scripture is God breathed..."

His Word generates faith in us. We are justified by faith unto good works.

The Apostle Paul wrote, "Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas (Peter); and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

The Lord speaks of the Catholic/Protestant denominational system as "The Mother of harlots." Rev 17.

"And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, COME OUT OF HER, MY PEOPLE that ye be not partakers of her sins ("the transgression of the law" 1 John 3:4) and that ye receive not of HER PLAGUES. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities." (LAWLESSNESS) Rev 18:4,5.

Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice, (His Word) and I KNOW THEM (Mt 7:21-23) and they follow Me." John 10:27

The denominational system is going down to defeat, because she has replaced much of the Word of God with her traditions.

"I AM CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST..." Ga 2:20

Jesus died to set us free from sin - "FOR SIN IS THE TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW." 1 John 3:4

"What shall we say then? SHALL WE CONTINUE IN SIN that grace may abound? God forbid. HOW SHALL WE THAT ARE DEAD TO SIN live any longer therein?" Rom 6:1.

Our allegiance must be to the Word of God, alone.

When we are full of the Word of God, we are empowered by the Spirit of Grace (Heb 10:29) to walk in His Spirit and not to fulfill the lusts of the flesh. The Holy Spirit will never lead us into sin, or, "the transgression of the law." 1 John 3:4.

The Apostle Paul told Timothy: "I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with PURE CONSCIENCE.." 2 Tim 1:3.

I serve the Lord with a pure conscience and trust the Holy Spirit to reveal anything to me that is contrary to His Word. Then, I will repent and be changed into His image...that is what sanctification is all about.

This is a very dangerous order you are giving to these essential issues of Christianity. By reading this I would be led to think that if I obey then I will have faith. Surely this is not your understanding of the issue, is it? Might I suggest our obedience is the evidence of our faith and not its means.

I believe Scripture says otherwise....

............................................................................................
Proverbs 1:

23 \tTurn at my rebuke;
\tSurely I will pour out my spirit on you;
\tI will make my words known to you.

.............................................................................

Then

...............................................................................

Rom. 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

.................................................................................

God's Spirit is crying out to the ungodly, turn to Me....and then He will pour out His Spirit on those in order to make known His word. Faith finds it's source in hearing the word of God...

Then one will begin to understand the parable of the Sower of the seed....

In Christ
Jeff

No one said, that, works cause faith. We are justified by faith unto good works. Our works give evidence to our obedience to the Word of God.

We purify our hearts by faith. Acts 15:9

"Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." 2 Pe 1:4.

"...he that believeth not God, hath made Him a liar..." 1 John 5:10.

"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." 1 John 5:4,5.

Jesus said, "If ye love Me, keep My commandments." John 14:15

Jesus said, "He that hath My commandments and keepeth them, HE IT IS THAT LOVETH ME, and he that loveth Me,SHALL BE LOVED OF MY FATHER, AND I WILL LOVE HIM, and will manifest Myself to him." John 14:21.

"And this is love that we walk after His commandments." 2 John 6

His church keeps His commandments: "And the Dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Rev 12:17.

His saints keep His commandments: "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the FAITH of Jesus." Rev 14:12.

James 2:10,11 tells us, that if we break any of His commandments, we become transgressors of His law and are guilty of breaking all of them.

If you do not keep His commandments, you do not love Him and are lawless, according to Jesus in Mt 7:21-23.

I have a passion to get Christians back to the Word of God. Many Christians think, they can sin, sin, sin because of grace and still enter into His kingdom. But Jesus refutes this in Mt 7:21-23.

There is no true faith without obedience to the Word of God. Not by our might or power, but by His Spirit. When we walk in His Spirit, we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.

At the very end of the Book of all books, the Apostle John makes it very clear, do His commandments and you will have "right" to the tree of life, and will enter in through the gates into the city." Rev 22:14.

Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

We, certainly, cannot trust in the emotions of our own hearts to determine what loving God and others is:

"LET NOT THINE HEART DECLINE TO HER WAYS, GO NOT ASTRAY IN HER PATHS. For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.

HER HOUSE IS THE WAY TO HELL, going down to the chambers of death." Pro 7:25-27

Even in the second commandment, He says, "and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My commandments."

Jesus said, "If ye love Me, keep My commandments." John 14:15

When you keep the first four, you demonstrate love for God. When you keep the last six, you demonstrate love for others.

When Jesus gave us the "Two Greatest Commandments," He was quoting THE LAW. Deut 6:5; Lev 19:18

"Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked Him a question, tempting Him, and saying.

Master, which is the great commandment IN THE LAW?

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. Deut 6:5

And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these TWO COMMANDMENTS hang all the law and the prophets." Mt 22:35-40.

Commandments and not requests.

sscr01,

The new covenant does NOT do away with all the Scriptures you have listed! It seems as if you think they did??

no one in the Old Testament had the "inner" ability to keep the commandments. Christ said that I have to go that the Comforter may come (paraphrased by me).

[i]Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.[/i]
John 13.17

Finally, the ability to change from the inside out!! This is the New Covenant!! Many downplay the role of the Holy Spirit in the church today but the Holy Spirit is NOT the pentecostal church!! Fear not!! None of us, no not one, will be able to keep any commandment without the power of the Holy Spirit. None of us will ever be able to overcome temptation with the power of the Holy Spirit!! To me, this is the New Covenant!!

The most thorough explanation and down to earth understanding that I've heard is by Zac Poonen's [url=http://www.cfcindia.com/web/mainpages/topical_bible_study.php]Topical Bible Studies[/url]. Look for ANYTHING with New Covenant or covenant in the title.

It may not be what you think at all and it may bless you!
[edited for grammar check!]

Are you saying, that, we don't have to obey His commandments? You can bow down and worship other gods, take His name in vain, profane His holy day, dishonor your parents, murder, commit adultery, steal bear false witness, covet and walk with a holy God? That would be blasphemous!

In Psalm 119, the word, "Word," is used interchangeably with, "law," "commandments," "precepts," "statutes," "judgments," "testimonies."

HIS WORD = HIS LAW

"A NEW HEART also will I give you, and A NEW SPIRIT will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

AND I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT WITHIN YOU, and CAUSE YOU to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments and do them." Ezek 36:26,27.

When His Spirit is within us, we are empowered by His Spirit to obey His Word/His law.

The preincarnate Jesus visited the children of Israel and they had the Holy Spirit, too!

They were empowered to keep the commandments, just like we are.

"But be ye DOERS of the Word, and not hearers, only, DECEIVING your own selves." Ja 1:22

I was born again and baptized in the Holy Spirit forty years ago.

James 2:10,11 tells us, that, if we break any of His commandments, we are transgressors of the law and are guilty of breaking all of them.

If you do not obey His Word/His law you are lawless and according to Jesus will not enter into His kingdom. Mt 7:21-23.

The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy,"I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with PURE CONSCIENCE..." 2 Tim 1:3

I serve Him with a pure conscience and trust the Holy Spirit to reveal anything to me that is contrary. Then, I will repent and be changed into His image.

Jesus said, "He that hath My commandments and keepeth them, HE IT IS THAT LOVETH ME: and he that loveth Me SHALL BE LOVED OF MY FATHER, and I WILL LOVE HIM, and will manifest Myself to him." John 14:21.

If you love Him, you will obey His commandments.

At the very end of the Book of all books, the Apostle John wrote, "Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have RIGHT to the tree of life, AND MAY ENTER IN through the gates into the city." Rev 22:14.

Seems, pretty simple to me.

New Covenant - "He that has the Son, has life..."

It is interesting to me how the true Character of Christ manifests in a person. When Steven was full of the Holy Ghost he was able to love with compassion even in the face of extreme brutality. It was not a hypocritical love, but a genuine love that sought to speak the truth but at the same time loved to the very end.

The great evidence that he was full of the Spirit was in how he responded in the clutch. Here is a man that was utterly on fire for God. His response was the same as Christ- "Lord lay not the sin to their charge." What a powerful testimony! Where are the repentance preachers today begging God not to lay sin to the persecutors charge? Where are those that show a tender love even to the death? That is the difference, I think between the Old and the New Testament. The Old Covenant cannot take a person to where Steven was.

Do you obey His COMMANDMENTS?

Do not bow down and worship other gods, take His name in vain, profane His holy day, dishonor your parents, murder, commit adultery, steal, bear false witness, covet?

Jesus said, "If ye love Me, keep My commandments."

THEY ARE COMMANDMENTS - NOT REQUESTS.

"But be ye DOERS of the Word, and not hearers, only, DECEIVING your own selves." Ja 1:22

sscr01 wrote:
Are you saying, that, we don't have to obey His commandments? You can bow down and worship other gods, take His name in vain, profane His holy day, dishonor your parents, murder, commit adultery, steal bear false witness, covet and walk with a holy God? That would be blasphemous!

Forgive me but it seems that you are trying to argue with people who don't want to argue with you. You never made one comment about what part the Holy Spirit plays in the New Covenant or don't you even believe in the New Covenant?

Let me rephrase my first statement and question: [i]The new covenant does NOT do away with all the Scriptures you have listed! It seems as if you think they did??[/i]

Rephrased: Do you think that the New Covenant has done away with keeping God's commandments? If so, who told you this and why do you think this?

sscr01 wrote:
Do you obey His COMMANDMENTS?

Do not bow down and worship other gods, take His name in vain, profane His holy day, dishonor your parents, murder, commit adultery, steal, bear false witness, covet?

Jesus said, "If ye love Me, keep My commandments."

THEY ARE COMMANDMENTS - NOT REQUESTS.

"But be ye DOERS of the Word, and not hearers, only, DECEIVING your own selves." Ja 1:22

Jesus said, "You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' [i][outward obedience][/i] But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." [i][inward change and obedience][/i]
Matthew 5.27-28

To quote you: [i]This is a commandment - not a request.[/i] How are you at keeping THIS particular commandment? If you have ever failed to obey this, are you doomed for hell?

[edit] [i]Let me add a new question. How does the strict adhesion to the commandments (as you are putting forth), how does this help you if and when you fail at keeping the commandments?[/i]

It doesn't. The New Covenant doesn't take away us needing to keep the commandments but NOW we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous!! The Old Covenant never had an advocate. With the power of the Holy Spirit indwelling in us and our Advocate sitting at the right hand of the Father.... this is the New Covenant.

[edited church question out]