THE OLD and THE NEW COVENANTS

So, which one is relevant today?

Old covenant with Noah, Abraham, King David, ancient Israel, New Covenant with believers

God made promises to people in ancient times. He made a covenant with Noah; He established an old covenant with ancient Israel and an unconditional covenant with Abraham; He promised David that his family line would reign over Israel forever and with that, God included a peace covenant; and, He prophesied a new covenant that would benefit all of mankind. How relevant are any of these covenants into the 21st century, and which ones are in force today?

THE COVENANT WITH NOAH

God said that He will never destroy the earth again with a flood. God has kept this covenant to this day. The covenant is still in force as long as there exists physical life on this planet. The covenant is being fulfilled. It remains in progress; it is not yet obsolete.

“And God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant I am making between Me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set My rainbow in the clouds, and it will be a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. Whenever I form clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember My covenant between Me and you and every living creature of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life’” (Genesis 9:11-15).

The great flood cleansed the earth of sinners who refused to repent. It was one of the great stepping stones that mirrored the magnitude that will be accomplished when all of mankind are washed and cleansed from sin. As the waters during the flood rose for forty days and forty nights, lifting the ark higher and higher closer to God, so is the washing and cleansing of repentant people; they will be drawn closer and closer to God. The imagery and symbolism in numbers is intentional by God as He unveils details in significant events.

Everything was foreknown to God and He has woven His foreknowledge of every event in the creation of heaven and earth into the series of stepping stones that would bring repentant mankind back to Him.

While God promised that He would not destroy life on earth by a flood again, He has said that He will destroy the earth with fire because fire purifies completely. Again, this language is a mirror of God taking the next big step to refine repentant people through fiery trials, persecution, suffering and great tribulation.

Not everyone will survive this next big step. “‘And in all the land’, declares the LORD, ‘two-thirds will be cut off and perish, but a third will be left in it. This third I will bring through the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are My people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God’” (Zechariah 13:8-9).

At the end of mankind’s 7,000-year history, God will destroy both heaven and earth by fire. The unrepentant, those set on doing evil, will be destroyed.

The Apostle Peter warned believers, “Most importantly, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. ‘Where is the promise of His coming?’ they will ask. Ever since our fathers fell asleep, everything continues as it has from the beginning of creation. But they deliberately overlook the fact that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time perished, having been deluged with water. And by that same word, the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men” (II Peter 3:3-7).

The great flood was the great washing and cleansing, the first stepping stone towards spiritual maturity. The last stone is purification by fire, persecution and suffering. The saints will come out it made perfect, as Christ was made perfect through suffering.

THE COVENANT WITH KING DAVID AND THE COVENANT OF PEACE

Let’s take a look at the covenant God made with King David. Is it still active? What has happened?  The Jews don’t have a king ruling over them. God promised David that his line of descendants will be the royal heirs to the throne of Israel forever. The kingship of the house of David has fallen, but God has promised to re-establish it. This covenant remains in force even though, King David and his descendants are not ruling over at minimal, the Jews today. This covenant is not yet fulfilled. It is a covenant that has not been completely fulfilled and so, not obsolete.

In ancient times, David ruled over the kingdom of Israel and he pleased God; he was the apple of God’s eye. David loved God’s law and never forgot whose throne he sat on.

“Oh, how I love Your law! All day long it is my meditation” (Psalm 119:97).

King David obeyed God and applied God’s law over ancient Israel throughout his reign. After he died, his son, Solomon reigned and ushered in a golden era. But, Solomon failed to follow God completely and God vowed to take most of the kingdom of Israel from him. In keeping with respect for King David, God wait for Solomon to die and during the early reign of Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, the kingdom of Israel was split. Rehoboam’s descendants ruled over only two tribes until their house went into captivity. After their 70-year captivity, some returned to rebuild the temple and later many followed to secure their homeland. From that time onwards, they have experienced battles with successes and failures leading up to 70 A.D. when the Romans put an end to their uprisings and many fled.

When Jesus was born, an Edomite king, King Herod ruled over Judea. The house of Judah has undergone stormy tides of commitment and disobedience towards God. Watching from heaven, God never rejected the house of Judah or the house of Israel despite their ungodliness.

A time on our near future, a restoration will take place. God said, “In that day I will restore David’s fallen shelter— I will repair its broken walls and restore its ruins— and will rebuild it as it used to be, that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations that bear My name,” declares the LORD, who will do this” (Amos 9:11-12).

Ezekiel recorded the most rousing event when the two houses of Israel: Judah and the once-divorced house of Israel, are re-united into one kingdom. Almighty God, Himself, will forge them together into one, eternal kingdom.

“Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am about to take the stick of Joseph (that is in the hand of Ephraim) and the tribes of Israel associated with him. And I will join with it the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, that they may be one in my hand… Behold, I will take the people of Israel from the nations among which they have gone, and will gather them from all around, and bring them to their own land. I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and one king will rule over all of them. Then they will no longer be two nations and will never again be divided into two kingdoms. They will no longer defile themselves with their idols or detestable images, or with any of their transgressions. I will save them from all their apostasies by which they sinned, and I will cleanse them. Then they will be My people, and I will be their God. My servant David will be king over them, and there will be one shepherd for all of them. They will follow My ordinances and keep and observe My statutes. They will live in the land that I gave to My servant Jacob, where your fathers lived. They will live there forever with their children and grandchildren, and My servant David will be their prince forever. And I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary among them forever. My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be My people. Then the nations will know that I the LORD sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary is among them forever.” (Ezekiel 37:19b, 21b-28).

Isaiah recorded the Millennial event when King David will be resurrected and his throne is re-established in the kingdom of Israel. “Let my fugitives stay with you; be a refuge for Moab from the destroyer. When the oppressor has gone, destruction has ceased, and the oppressors have vanished from the land, in loving devotion a throne will be established in the tent of David. A judge seeking justice and hastening righteousness will sit on it in faithfulness” (Isaiah 16:4-5).

Jesus Christ, King over all kings, and Lord over all lords will take his throne. He is the Son of David through whom the royal line will rest on his shoulders forever. Jesus Christ will rule supreme and King David will once again rule over the whole kingdom of Israel.

God’s covenant with David remains in progress to be completely fulfilled at the beginning of the millennial reign of Jesus Christ.

THE CONDITIONAL, OLD COVENANT MADE WITH ANCIENT ISRAEL—THE MOSAIC COVENANT

At Mount Sinai God Almighty, King over all Israel, made a conditional covenant with His subjects. He gave them His Law and also His sacrificial system. He introduced them to the concept of consequences of their choices and actions and the intense sadness when an innocent, young animal pays the price for sins. Previously, the people understood consequences, after all, they had made many mistakes before and felt the consequences. God’s sacrificial system is a teaching mechanism to introduce to them the spiritual world. Mistakes are deadly in God’s eternal world. A mere payment of a penalty does not cover sins. When the angels and sons of God in heaven choose to rebel and turn away from God’s law and His way, they are judged and will be destroyed. “They will die like mere men; they will fall like every other rebel ruler” (Psalm 82:6).

Moses presented God’s Law to the people of ancient Israel and they agreed to obey God.  “All that the Lord has spoken we will do!” (Exodus 19:8). However, it wasn’t long when ancient Israel broke their covenant with their King, Almighty God. 

GOD’S LAW IS LOVE AND LIFE, IT INCLUDES BLESSINGS AND CURSES

Then ten commandments given at Mount Sinai are the structure upon which detailed regulations hang providing a comprehensive set of how-tos for their king to follow as well as the civic leaders and individuals. Blessings accompanied those who kept the Law and curses followed those who did not it. Ancient Israel was destined by God Almighty to become a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:6). God’s intent was that His people would be an example to the nations on how-to live-in love and peace. Keeping the Law of God is fundamental to righteous living that brings peace. God’s Law will never become obsolete. His Law defines righteous behaviour; His Law is eternal as His love for all of His creation.

The importance of God’s people being the model nation to all nations on earth was vital then and remains vital. The heavenly rulers given rulership over the nations at the time of Babel, have all rebelled against God and they gave their nations laws to follow including the mandate of the people to worship them as their king and creator and live under Satan’s Law of Sin and Death, which is best described as the Law of Self-knows-best. These rebel rulers took the people of the nations on earth back into darkness and the only light shining was God’s people, His subjects where light often flickered and at times, went out completely.

Jesus Christ is working to restore all things the way it was before lawlessness and disorder was found. God’s Law will be kept during the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ. God’s people will enjoy an abundance of blessings. They will not need a healthcare system, God Almighty will be their military, they will not be taxed and they will enjoy the wealth of their own labour. Their riches will be noticed by the nations on earth watching them.

God has prophesied about the abundance His people will enjoy because they are keeping His Law. “Never again will there be in it an infant that lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; he who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere youth; he who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed. They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat. For the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the works of their hands. They will not toil in vain or bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the LORD, they and their descendants with them. Before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear. The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy in all my holy mountain” (Isaiah 65:20-25).

God said, “For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity [lawlessness and disorder].”

Nobody likes to be robbed. Into the 21st century, nations have laws against stealing. God has always said, “Do not steal.” Who wants to abolish that law?

“In my faithfulness,” God said, “I will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them. Their descendants will be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the LORD has blessed” (Isaiah 61:8-9).

Laws bring order, safety and peace. “Therefore, anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:19).

It appears that people who teach against God’s Law will likely repent, but they will be the least in God’s kingdom. Without God’s Law, chaos and destruction reign. God’s Law is comprised of two great parts: Love Almighty God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and love your neighbour as yourself. God is love and His law is the compendium of the being of love.

While teaching the reckless and lawless, but repenting, ten tribes of Israel, the Apostle Paul provided a teaching session on law. There is a difference between God’s Law and Satan’s Law. There really is no such thing as no law. In heaven and on earth, laws apply. It is important to know which law is enforced within your nation, your community and in your home. On earth, there are three types of laws: land, air and water, hence the acronym L.A.W..

God’s Law is all about love, while Satan’s law is about applying the principle of Self-knows-best. Almighty God said that when you keep God’s Law, you will live. Satan rejected God’s Law a long time ago. He believes in the principle of Self-knows-best and whatever natural consequences occur, they are inevitable and should not matter to mankind because they are mortal and dying anyway. The serpent convinced Adam and Eve to follow his advice; they listened and their actions brought them to sin. They came under his Law of Sin and Death. God told them that they now will die because they are no longer under His Law.

The Apostle Paul said, “What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet” (Romans 7:7).

“Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness” (I John 3:4).

Laws are everywhere. There are many physical laws in science holding this planet together. The Apostle Paul realized many laws in force. He recognized the back-and-forth as the human mind weighs up options that at times, become an internal battle where different forces work against each other. “But I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?” (Romans 7:23-24)

It is any wonder that Christians remain confused all the way into the 21st century about law and which ones were nailed to the cross. Paul refers to: different laws, law of my mind, law of sin, law of the Spirit of life, the law of sin and death. “For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2).

Confusion and chaos are exactly the work of the serpent. Satan accomplished what he set out to do—take eternal life away from all creation on earth and ensure there would be no survivors. Satan is delighted with mankind’s choice to live under his Law of sin and death—his principle of Self-knows-best. God foreknew this from before creation. In molding a planet of royal priests and a holy kingdom, God was forging from a broken people eternal humility and gratitude. His kingdom of royal priests would be reborn and awaken to feel the horror of their sins and race to embrace God’s righteousness, pleading to be rescued from Satan’s grip, his whip, his law.

Understanding the Apostle Paul’s teaching on law can be simplified.

God’s Law of Life

Love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength by keeping the first four commandments:

1. Do not worship any other God (the rebel gods will want to lure you to worship them).
2. Do not worship idols (the rebel gods introduced the practice of making objects and use to them as shrines and false protectors).
3.  Do not use God’s name in vain (fear God and respect Him, do not blame him for your frustrations, do not follow the crowd adopting mindlessly expressions of frustration that blame God for the problem). 
4. Keep the Sabbath (rest with God, do not rebel against God).
5.  Honour your father and mother (listen to them, respect them, work with them not against them).
6. Do not kill or character assassinate, do not spread hatred towards anyone.
7. Do not commit adultery, do not lust or image relationships with anyone outside of your spouse, do not display the human body inappropriately.
8. Do not steal or cause inflation, do not charge your brothers interest, do not steal through taxation, do not manipulate stock exchanges.
9. Do not lie, do not deceive, do not allow yourself to become a puppet for evil people reporting lies, misinformation and disinformation.
10. Do not covet, do not get into debt by competing with the Jones’, live within your means.

Satan’s Law of Sin and Sin and Death

The choice of obeying the law of Self-knows-best has consequences, but that is normal and inevitable.

• You are like God, knowing good and evil.
• Use the Self-knows-best principles to guide your life.
• Break free from worrying or caring about others.
• Always remember, survival of the fittest.
• Did I say, “You will not die?”
• “Look at you, you’re mortal, what do you expect?”
• Live, like you will die tomorrow.
• Stretch out your dying years by taking adrenochrome.
• Remember, to love yourself first and foremost.
• Under the fine print:

No thought to eternal life will exist as their surroundings filled with excitement of chaos and destruction will consume their attention.

All of mankind have broken God’s Law so they are no longer under His Law of Love and Life. Satan has all of mankind under his jurisdiction of Law of Sin and Sin and Death. The serpent wasn’t briefed, however, on God’s salvation plan for mankind and their destiny to become royal priests in His God-family and holy nations. Law and grace will be joined and to the serpent’s bitter disappointment, the righteous angels and sons of God will unite with the royal priests and holy nations on earth, after all of the wicked are destroyed. How does fallen mankind escape the rule of Satan and return to the rule of God Almighty back under His Law?

OUR LOVING SAVIOUR

A Saviour was fore-planned. A perfect Sacrifice was foreknown. This humble Son of God agreed to die and pay the price for the sins of all of mankind. Jesus Christ was successful over two thousand years ago. He has rescued mankind from Satan’s Law of Sin and Sin and Death to return to God’s Law of Love. He nailed Satan’s law to the cross and it no longer has the power of death over repentant mankind. God has extended grace to repentant mankind and once again, eternal life is available to them. His is giving repentant mankind His Holy Spirit so that they can see and understand the spiritual word of God and want to keep His Law willingly.

A NEW HEART AND A NEW SPIRIT

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of

stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow My

decrees and be careful to keep My laws” (Ezekiel 36:26-27).

A new spirit that supersedes the spirit of man is key to overcoming because the spirit of man constantly pushes faulty decisions. “The heart of man is desperately wicked, who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

When mankind is honest with themselves, they know their carnal mind is very selfish.

AFTER THOSE DAYS

“But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD [YHWH]: I will put My law (Torah) in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people” (Jeremiah 31:33).

Uh! “after those days,” which days? The days when God’s people were disobedient because they did not have access to God’s Holy Spirit that awakens them to the horror of living in darkness under Satan’s rule in his spiritual jurisdiction where the Law of Sin and Death is enforced. In those days, salvation was not an option, all of mankind was doomed to die. Freedom from death was impossible.

NAIL THE TRADITIONS OF MEN TO THE CROSS

Let’s see what else we need to nail to the cross. Jesus said, “You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men. You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say that if a man says to his father or mother: ‘Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is Corban’ (that is, a gift devoted to God), then you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. Thus, you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that” (Mark 7:8-13).

Traditions, the Judeo-Christians need to self-reflect on their traditions. The Pharisees had found ways around keeping God’s Law of love by exercising the principle of Self-knows-best in how to love and honour their parents.

The Apostle John said, “He who says ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (I John 2:4).

A wise One once said, “Keep My commandments and live; keep My teaching as the apple of your eye; bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart” (Proverbs 7:2-3).

While a wise One taught to keep God’s commandments and cherish them, the Apostle Paul unveiled how believers are justified before God. “For not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified” (Romans 2:13).

So many scriptures speak of keeping God’s commandments and warn against sinning that pulls people into the dark prison of Satan’s Law of Sin and Death expressed in the principles of Self-knows-best.

The Self-knows-best principle has weaseled its way into making people believe that it is part of God’s Law, like the traditions of the Jewish elders defining the length of a Sabbath’s day walk before it is deemed too far for that day and into the 21st century, Sunday or any day worship among Christians, the Christianization of pagan holidays and rulings by the Council of Nicaea and Laodicean bishops that have mandated obedience to their interpretation of scripture and disfellowshipping anyone who opposed them.

It is understandable why the Apostle Paul would address this specific issue. He said, “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the

dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances,

that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, and so making peace, might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility” (Ephesians 2:14-16).

Clearly, 21st century Christians will stumble over these verses. The Apostle Paul had an immense amount of Biblical knowledge. He was highly trained under Gamaliel. He was corrected by Jesus on his way to Damascus and taught by him in a vision in the third heaven.

To understand what Paul is saying, these verses needed to be reviewed carefully. Most of the understanding of these verses has been either lost or forgotten over time.

Key points to understand in Ephesians 2:

• Who has made US both ONE
• Broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility
• By abolishing the law of commandments EXPRESSED IN ORDINANCES
• Create in himself a new man in place of two
• Making peace, reconcile US BOTH to God in one body through the cross
• Killing the hostility

Who has made US both ONE: US refers to both houses: Judah [the Jews] and Israel [the Gentiles, the returning repentant ten tribes of Israel] will become ONE body of people with God’s Holy Spirit—a single body of believers, which will also include repentant people from the nations.

Broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility: The dividing wall was the barrier caused by the many man-made rules and regulations. Issues on when to fast and how long, should we wash our hands or not, how to honour your father and mother, to circumcise or not, what can be eaten and what should be avoided, can meat offered to idols be eaten or not, who you can and cannot associate with, who is and who isn’t part of the covenant family. The love written in God’s ten commandments was invisible by the grand man-made rules that reinforced the teachings of man over the teaching of God.

By abolishing the law of commandments [dogma] expressed in ordinances: The law of commandments in Greek is “dogma” meaning man-made laws which are expressed in ordinances. They are all of the additional rules and regulations added by the Jewish elders who imposed ritual practices on the repenting Gentiles to convert them into “Jews” before they could re-enter the covenant family. Jesus tried to correct the Jewish priesthood but they would not listen. Life in the first century is long forgotten. Two thousand years later, Judeo-Christians have accepted each other as both have waned from their religious fervor.

Create in himself a new man in place of two: Through the Messiah, God’s Holy Spirit births a new being with Christ in them. Jesus said, “On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him” (John 14:19-21). Total unity will be achieved.

Making peace, reconcile US BOTH to God in one body through the cross: Jesus brought the repentant tribes back into the covenant family. Under his redemptive sacrifice, both houses are a cleansed people where God is offering them grace, along with the whole world.

Killing the hostility: The barrier between the Jews and Gentiles has dissolved over the past two thousand years. The Christian Gentiles were given the baton to take the gospel to the whole world; the Jews rejected the offer. While they accept each other, their re-union has not taken place yet. A complete healing will bring them together and they both will come to God, weeping. “In those days and in that time, declares the LORD, the people of Israel and the people of Judah shall come together, weeping as they come, and they shall seek the LORD their God” (Jeremiah 50:4 and Jeremiah 3:18).

In summary, what is nailed to the cross are all of the man-made rules and regulation imposed by the Jewish priesthood at Jesus’ time. The divorced house of the ten tribes have been cleansed and regrafted back into the covenant family. Through Christ’s sacrifice, both houses have access to God’s Holy Spirit and eternal life through God’s grace. Previous barriers and disagreements have all now been dissolved.

LIMITATIONS OF THE OLD COVENANT

• There was no hope of eternal life (II Corinthians 3:6).
• There was no Saviour for mankind only a foreshadow of a Saviour.
• The Law of Sin and Death was final trapping mankind under Satan’s rule.

However, the penalty is now paid. There will be no second death (since all die a first death) for repentant people. The Old Covenant is fast becoming obsolete. When ALL people repent, receive God’s Holy Spirit and keep the Law of God meticulously, the New Covenant with its better promises will be enforced. Now, not everyone has repented or received God’s Holy Spirit, so today, the New Covenant is in-progress. Bit-by-bit, people are waking up.

THE NEW COVENANT WAS PLANNED FROM THE BEGINNING

“For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus” (II Timothy 1:9).

When God speaks of a ‘new’ covenant, it means he has deemed the first one to become obsolete—soon to disappear because a better covenant has already been promised. “In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away” (Hebrews 8:13).

God is excited about the better promises in His new offer to His people and for mankind. The New Covenant is not yet fully in force, not everyone has repented. It will take the great tribulation before God’s people are purged or strengthened.

“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day” (II Peter 3:8).

While God is excited about the New Covenant, His time frame is very different to ours.

As a reminder, the New Covenant does not remove God’s law, statutes or judgements.

“For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land… I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God” (Ezekiel 36:24, 27-28).

Don’t make the mistake of the many. “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’  Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’” (Matthew 7:23).

The receiving of God’s Holy Spirit has added more laws as part of God’s Law. The Apostle Paul identified the Law of the Spirit of Life, the Law of Faith, the Law of Righteousness and the Law of Christ.

Allow Jesus in to ignite the LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE

“We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do. But what I hate, I do” (Romans 7:14-15).

Every person who has received God’s Holy Spirit, battles to live righteously still as the spirit of man wrestling to push the Self-knows-best principle over the God-knows-best principle.

Develop the LAW OF FAITH

“Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin.  But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets. And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. God presented Him as the atoning sacrifice through faith in His blood, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand. He did this to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and to justify the one who has faith in Jesus. Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of works? No, but on that of faith. Is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith” (Romans 3:20-30).

God is very clear. No one will boast of their own righteousness or perfection in keeping God’s law. No one will enter into His kingdom through their own works.

Nurture in the LAW OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

“What then shall we say? That the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith, but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it is by works” (Romans 9:30-32a).

The Law of Righteousness begins with a deep repentance, which leads to eternal sincerity for the gift of grace. Like the woman, who sinned much, washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and anointed his feet with expensive oil. Her deep repentance led to eternal gratitude for the forgiveness of her many sins. Unlike the Pharisee present, who feverishly keep the law, discipling himself to carve out the path into eternal life through his own works, led to him to feel justified to criticize the woman and sinners in general; he became the emblem of cold, tyrannical self-righteousness.

God is working to mold a whole planet of humble and sensitive, deeply repentant people who recognize the generosity of God’s grace and His love despite the ugliness of sinners on earth.

On a side note, the Gentiles referred to in Romans 9:30-32a are the divorced house of Israel, the ten tribes. What bothered the Jews the most was not the Gentiles from the nations whose gods taught them worship them and live lawlessly. The Jews understood the words of Apostle Paul when he said, “That the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith, but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it.” The Jews knew their brothers of the ten tribes had been cast out of the covenant family and yet, why is it that they could be brought back those who did not pursue righteousness taught by the God of Israel all through their ancient times now obtain it [righteousness before God].

All this was a difficult teaching for the Jews. It was a complete reversal in their minds of what God wants from His people. God wants obedience to His law. Their brothers, they knew were not pursuing righteousness. They were divorced! While they, the obedient older brother, have not obtained it [righteousness before God]. The divorced house of Israel was the lawless rebels in the family. That was the big reason for their divorce and the Jews knew it. Their frustration was, how was it that the lawless obtain righteousness by faith? The Apostle Paul’s teaching was clear. This once-divorced house fell under the many curses of disobedience because they didn’t obey God’s Law; they suffered. Like the prodigal son, when they reached their limit, they fell to their knees and decided to return to God. They were once the powerful ten tribes of Israel while the house of Judah was the vulnerable house of two tribes. The ten tribes were sentenced seven times their original punishment of their captivity because they were not remorseful after they were released. They still craved to be like the nations around them striving for superpower status, self-reliance, self-direction and self-glory. When they returned to God, Jesus made them wait to test their sincerity.

These details are in the story of Jesus feeding the multitudes of 5,000 and 4,000. What the fallen house of the ten tribes had eventually, was shame and sorrow because of their barbarous behaviour. They bent their knee before God grateful for nothing more than His covering while alive on earth. What God is molding is a people obedient to His Law of love and a humble people, deeply grateful for His gift of grace. The fallen angelic sons of God in heaven had God’s law; they ruled as kings and princes; they had God’s Holy Spirit and rose to heights unseen and yet, they fell soaked in pride and arrogance, challenging God and battling to overpower Him. They had it all and soon all creation on earth will witness their trials, their sentencing and their destruction. God is molding a royal kingdom of humble, forever grateful priests who have accepted His gift of grace. When they will feel His deep love for them, they will marvel.

A beautiful story is worth the time to tell recorded by Ezekiel. Almighty God will give resurrected Ezekiel power to resurrect ancient Israel. These people were rebels; they opposed God at every turn. Ezekiel commands the words of God and the bones rattle, come together with flesh and stand up. This event is still to happen and it will be a glorious day when Ezekiel is resurrected and finishes the job given to him. Returning to the key point, an army of bodies are given breath by the God of Israel and stand before them, God said to Ezekiel, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off’” (Ezekiel 37:11).

These people have no hope of life eternal; they believe they are cut off from God Almighty. They are an army that lost the war against their God. They were defeated. Alive again, they believe they are as good as dead. But they are wrong. They are not aware that God modified the Old Covenant, and it became New. It is a covenant of great blessings. It includes eternal life to those who humbly accept the redemptive sacrifice of Jesus Christ and believe that Almighty God will be true and honour His New Covenant.

People have proven multiple times over that they need a perfect leader, one exactly like our flawless Saviour, Jesus Christ. Follow him, God said and you will not fall.

“So, this is what the Lord GOD says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will never be shaken” (Isaiah 28:16).

So, follow Jesus wherever he goes.

God announced His love for ancient Israel. “O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them. I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it,’ declares the LORD” (Ezekiel 37:12-14).

I sense these people are mainly from the ten tribes of Israel because they are not in their homeland. They died fighting against their God of Israel while wandering among the nations. They were lawless rebels, following the principal of Self-knows-best.

Discern the LAW OF CHRIST

The Apostle Paul in teaching the Gentiles and Jews about the intricacies of God’s Law, declared himself to be a slave to everyone, while he was a free man. He was declaring his love for all of his brothers and sisters in all twelve tribes. He was there to serve them day and night, in times of peace and distress, in jail or free, he no longer worked for his own gain but to nurture God’s people into maturing spiritual children of God.

“Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings” (I Corinthians 9:19-23).

It is not wise to push truth when people cannot hear it for what it is. It is best the develop them from where they are spiritually and move forward from that point.

The Law of Christ is the wisdom of living under God’s law while loving and nurturing babes in Christ who cannot distinguish between right and wrong. Caring for people does not require anyone to denounce their faith or break God’s law. It is the gentle walk of love that recognizes the fallen and dark world on earth that has imprisoned mankind into sin. People on the brink of starvation cannot eat a large, rich meal immediately. Their food intake is carefully measured and prepared to save them from death and rebuild their health so that they will be strengthened and stable. Nurturing babes in Christ is the exact same process. It takes gentle teaching and simple terms and concepts until they mature spiritually when the deep things of God can be taught opening their mind to the eternal plan of God that never ends.

Love the LAW OF GOD

The Law of God is the total package of every law of love. It is not God’s Law that has ever restrained mankind so that it is burdensome. The heavy weights on the congregation came from the Jewish priesthood and the misunderstanding of Paul’s writing by the Christian ministry. Jesus said, “So practice and observe everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger” (Matthew 23:3-4). Nail to the cross the traditions of men. Nail to the cross every practice that is not exactly how Jesus lived. Follow Jesus wherever he goes.

Paul said, “For in my inner being I delight in God’s law” (Romans 7:21).

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

•  Jesus, the Messiah has paid the price for the sins of mankind

•  God is outpouring His Holy Spirit

•  Additional laws are described by the Apostle Paul to show love, as we all grow into righteousness: 

•  The Law of the Spirit of Life

•  The Law of Faith

•  The Law of Righteousness

•  The Law of Christ

•  Mankind now has an Intercessor

GRACE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

Grace is not new. God gave grace to Noah, Moses and the ancient Israelites. Jonah recognized God’s grace.

“But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD [YHWH]” (Genesis 6:8).

“Then Moses said to the LORD [YHWH], “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people.’ But You

have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight’” (Exodus 33:12).

“For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us?” (Exodus 33:16).

Jonah knew in his heart that the Ninevites would repent and receive God’s grace; this angered him. “I knew you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity” (Jonah 4:2).

SOON THE NEW COVENANT WILL BE FULLY ACTIVE

The day is coming soon when God can sit back and admire the fruits of his labor and proudly say, “No longer shall each one teach his neighbour and each his brothers and sisters, saying ‘Know the LORD’ for they shall ALL know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more’” (Jeremiah 31:34).