The New Covenant is Better

"But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises."

Hebrews 8:6

When Jesus established a new covenant in His own blood, it was a covenant far superior to the covenant of the Law of Moses.  In our Friday night Bible study, we discussed Peter's introduction to the Jewish believers scattered from the land God promised to give them in 1 Peter 1:1-2:  "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, ² elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: grace to you and peace be multiplied."  God's chosen people received the commands of God, and their entry into the land and future prosperity depended largely upon their obedience.

Moses took the blood of an animal sacrifice and sprinkled it upon the altar and the people.  The basic conditions of God's covenant was to obey His Law, offer sacrifices for the atonement of sin, and they would dwell in the land He promised to give them.  The new covenant, rather than depending upon the obedience of men, was dependent on the obedience of Jesus Christ.  He obeyed God in offering Himself as a sacrifice on Calvary to atone for lost sinners and provided entry into the kingdom of God, a heavenly kingdom where we will dwell in the glorious presence of God forever.  The Gospel is not a command to do but all about what Jesus has done, and by faith in Jesus we enter into the new covenant God has made for our salvation.  His resurrection from the dead shows Jesus is able to forgive sins and provide eternal life for all who trust Him.

The establishment of a new covenant makes the first obsolete as a basis for establishing man's righteousness as it says in Colossians 2:13-14:  "And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, ¹⁴ having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross."  Some are concerned that if the Law is nailed to the cross it will promote lawlessness.  This is hardly the case for people born again and sanctified by faith in Jesus.  By the Law is the knowledge of sin that leads the guilty to Jesus for cleansing and salvation.  In providing the Holy Spirit Jesus established a higher moral standard than what is written in the Law, for He said "It has been written...but I say unto you..."  Knowing we are chosen, sprinkled with the precious blood of Jesus, sanctified unto God for obedience, and by grace we are credited with righteousness and enabled to walk righteously.

The book of Hebrews goes into great detail in how the new covenant is superior to the old because of Jesus and all He has accomplished and continues to do.  He has not left us alone but has given the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, Who teaches, guides and helps us to do God's will.  Praise the LORD for His grace and peace we can experience today because of our awesome Saviour, Jesus Christ.  Instead of having our external behaviour governed by the letter of the law that kills, our lives are being transformed from within by the divine power that raised Jesus from the dead.

The Will and Unbelief

A key element required to place faith in God is the submission of our will.  After being told by a parent what to do, a little boy might say, "I can't!" when the reality is he is unwilling to obey.  He could do simple tasks like putting a toy away, washing his hands, brushing teeth and going to bed, but his will remains in opposition to the command and will of his parents.  It is in this position many a grown, educated and intelligent person finds themselves.  It is not that there is not sufficient evidence of God's existence, but they have their own excuses why what can be plainly seen and known is irrelevant.  They do not agree with the concept of a sovereign, almighty God they will be held accountable to, and such prefer to sit in His seat of judgment to condemn Him as unjust, unloving and unfair.

Paul wrote in Romans 1:18-21:  "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, ¹⁹ because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. ²⁰ For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, ²¹ because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened."  Whilst there is an abundance of scientific evidence that supports God's creation of the world, pitting facts against a heart hardened to God avails little.  There are certainly genuine seekers in the world who desire to know the truth, and there are others who obstinately refuse the truth because they do not agree with it or submit to it.  Dallas Willard puts the mentality of who Jesus called "lost" very well:

"They will find their place in the "outer darkness" of what Jesus spoke (Matthew 8:12).  but the fundamental fact about them will not be that they are there, but that they have become people so locked into their own self-worship and denial of God that they cannot want God...The ultimately lost person is the person who cannot want God.  Who cannot want God to be God.  Multitudes of such people pass by every day, and pass into eternity.  The reason they do not find God is that they do not want him or, at least, do not want him to be God.  Wanting God to be God is very different from wanting God to help me..."

We should be very sure that the ruined soul is not one who has missed a few more or less important theological points and will flunk a theological examination at the end of life.  Hell is not an "Oops!" or a slip.  One does not miss heaven by a hair, but by constant effort to avoid and escape God.  "Outer darkness" is for one who, everything said, wants it, whose entire orientation has slowly and firmly set itself against God and therefore against how the universe actually is.  It is for those who are disastrously in error about their own lives and their place before God and humanity." (Willard, Dallas. Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ. Form, 2021. Pages 55-56)

As we seek to lead others to saving faith in Jesus, we cannot overlook the power of the Holy Spirit to soften hearts, open eyes and the willingness of people to submit to Him.  Paul dealt with this issue of hardened hearts when he spent an entire day sharing scriptures concerning the kingdom of God and provided evidence Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah to Jews who willingly gathered for that purpose.  Some were convinced but others would not believe:  it was a matter of the will.  The NIV rendering of Paul's response is very insightful concerning their responsibility to choose to listen and receive the truth in Acts 28:25-27:  "They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: "The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your forefathers when he said through Isaiah the prophet: ²⁶ "'Go to this people and say, "You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving." ²⁷ For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.'"

Without faith in God as revealed in scripture, facts are regarded by the unbelieving as foolishness.  We, like Jesus and Paul, are called to speak the truth as led by the Holy Spirit.  Jesus came as the Light of the World into a world of darkness to seek and save the lost, and He has given His own life's blood so people might be redeemed.  Faith in Jesus is the only way to heaven and eternal life, and God does not prevent anyone from entering in His Way.  Only God can raise the spiritually dead to life eternal and bring those who are willing to submit to Him in faith out of darkness and into His marvelous light.  From Adam and Eve onward humanity is chronically bent into blaming God rather than accepting we are in the wrong and He is always right.  It isn't that God has obscured the truth, but people are unwilling and thus unable to receive it.

New Perspective and Power

A sermon which impacted me greatly concerning the scourge of humanism and the believer's joyful duty to live for the glory of God is Ten Shekels and a Shirt by Paris Reidhead.  In the message he related an incident when a preacher came to him seeking the baptism with the Holy Spirit.  It seemed to Mr. Reidhead this man, who had been successful in Christian ministry without the aid of the Holy Spirit, desired God to be a means to his own end.  He identified with this fellow who came to him looking for God to empower his programs.  Paris related in the sermon:

"I looked at the fellow, and you know what he looked like? ME. Just looked like me. I just saw in him everything that was in me. You thought I was going to say me before. No, listen dear heart, if you've ever seen yourself you'll know you're never going to be anything else than you were. "For in me and my flesh there's no good thing" (Rom 7:18)."

Having adopted a humble posture before the LORD after being convicted of sin, Reidhead received insight about himself and others.  Though he had been filled with the Holy Spirit, he did not think of himself higher than he ought to think.  Paris did not look upon his inquirer as how he "used to be" with a sense of pride but who he was in his flesh currently.  The only thing good about the missionary and teacher Paris Reidhead was really a Who:  Jesus Christ who redeemed, cleansed and spiritually regenerated him by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Paul explained that when we stand in judgment of others for sin it provides insight into our own sinfulness.  Romans 2:1 says, "Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things."  Notice how Paul does not put our wrongdoing in the past tense but the present.  For instance, if we are irked by the proud boasting of others, it sends a clear message to us we also are a proud boaster.  When we take umbrage at someone for complaining, know we complain as well.  Being able to point out the faults of others does not exonerate us from God's judgment as Paul continued in Romans 2:2-3:  "But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. ³ And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?"

This principle applies beyond obvious sins.  Should we be offended or annoyed by things others do that are not necessarily sinful but seem insensitive, clueless and rude--like dominating a conversation, avoiding responsibility to deal with conflict, interrupting or finishing the sentences of others--know you too are guilty of the same.  I list these because I have been guilty of all of them.  Often it wasn't until I noticed someone else doing it and it bothered me that I realised I needed to change; it was more my problem than theirs.  I needed to admit I had been wrong in judging others whilst hypocritically doing the same thing myself, repent and show love for one another in my manner of conversing.

The things that trouble us can be the thing God uses to change us for the better by the power of the Holy Spirit Who convicts of sin, guides us into truth and helps us.  Knowing I am doing wrong or what is right does not in itself have the power to change me, but Jesus Christ can.  Attempts to self-help are a snare, but the indwelling Helper sets us free from the shackles of sin and enlightens our path through God's word.  Instead of being conformed to this world, Jesus transforms us as we walk with Him by faith in light of the Gospel.

Know What is Good

A person does not need to be a dairy farmer with decades of experience or have a master's degree in microbiology to know milk has gone bad.  Children who have been drinking milk from infancy would be able to realise milk is sour by tasting it, and curdled milk looks and smells different as well.  A similar dynamic applies when we hear teaching from God's word.  Even a child who is born again and has been taught the scripture can know when doctrine is off.  A Christian does not need a degree in theology to realise a doctrine is suspicious or strange, even though we might not be initially able to put our finger on it.

Elihu exhorted his hearers in Job 34:2-4, "Hear my words, you wise men; give ear to me, you who have knowledge. ³ For the ear tests words as the palate tastes food. ⁴ Let us choose justice for ourselves; let us know among ourselves what is good."  Elihu spoke to men who had knowledge of God, and he bid them to wisely listen to his words and test what he said--even as our palates taste food.  From a child we are able to distinguish the difference between sweet, savoury, spicy and sour.  God is the source of wisdom and has given us His word to teach us what is good.  God has established the objective standard for what is true and does not change.  While the tastes of the world change concerning fashion, morality, philosophy and religion, God's word remains internally consistent and eternally relevant.

When I suspect food or drink is "off," I am not always convinced because I could be wrong:  maybe the milk tastes funny because I just brushed my teeth or used mouthwash.  So after confirming the milk is in date, passes a visual examination and sniff test, I might ask someone else for their opinion given the facts because they also know what good milk tastes like.  This is a wise thing to do when we hear Bible teaching or read a book that seems off:  ask a fellow follower of Jesus who loves God's word.  The danger of drinking sour milk is relatively minor, perhaps resulting in feeling ill for a short time.  The danger of drinking in false or heretical doctrine is most destructive, for when it is assimilated into our framework of interpreting scripture it can undermine and distort God's truth and have permanent consequences for ourselves and others we lead astray.

If you find an author or preacher who majors in doubtful doctrines and speculations, I recommend not making their teaching a primary source of your spiritual input.  When I buy a dairy product that habitually goes bad before the "Use By" date, I stop buying that brand.  I do this because I want to avoid wasting money and risking the health of my family, and far greater is at stake spiritually when we heed false doctrine or are so caught up in obscure theological wranglings we miss out on the plain truth.  The Bible is what is good and has no "Use By" date because it remains the words of life forever.  1 Peter 2:1-3 is a fitting exhortation for all Christians regardless of your depth of doctrinal knowledge:  "Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, ² as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, ³ if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious."  Good doctrine goes to work on making us more Christlike and gives us a greater appetite for God's word.