THE NEW COVENANT BELIEVERS (Part 1)

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“When God speaks of a new [covenant or agreement], He makes the first one obsolete (out of use). And what is obsolete (out of use and annulled because of age) is ripe for disappearance and to be dispensed with altogether.” (Hebrews 8:13 AMP)

 

God does not deal with people arbitrarily or haphazardly, but He deals with people per His covenant with them. You will know what to expect from God if you know and understand His covenant.

God has been the same throughout the ages; however, God’s covenants and dealings with men have never been the same. The Bible teaches that there have been different dispensations or divinely ordered ways of God’s dealings with humankind throughout the ages.

A dispensation is simply a period in which God deals with humankind in a certain way. Each dispensation is based upon a specific covenant.

There was a period when God dealt with men based upon the Law, which He gave the children of Israel on Mount Sinai through Moses.

This period spanned about 1500 years, from Exodus until the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This period is called “the dispensation of the Law,” and it was based upon what is called “the Mosaic Covenant” or “the Old Covenant.”

Under the dispensation of the Law or the Old Covenant, God dealt or related with the children of Israel based on their performance, good works, or obedience to the Law of Moses.

Whenever the people of Israel obeyed the written code of the covenant, they prospered and enjoyed the blessings of the covenant.

But when they transgressed the written regulations, they came under the curse of the l received condign punishment stipulated in the book of the Law (Exo. 19, 20, 24:1-8, Lev. 26, Deut. 28).

The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ marked the end, completion, or fulfillment of the dispensation of the Law or the Old Covenant. It ushered in a new dispensation, covenant, or ways of God dealing with humankind.

This is called “the dispensation of Grace” or “the New Covenant.” This new dispensation will continue until the rapture of the Church.

The writer of the Book of Hebrew states, “[Christ, the Messiah] is therefore the Negotiator and Mediator of a [entirely] new agreement (testament, covenant), so that those who are called and offered it may receive the fulfillment of the promised everlasting inheritance – since a death has taken place which rescues and delivers and redeems them from the transgressions committed under the [old] first agreement.” (Heb. 9:15 AMP).

He further explains, “When God speaks of a new [covenant or agreement], He makes the first one obsolete (out of use). And what is obsolete (out of use and annulled because of age) is ripe for disappearance and to be dispensed with altogether.” (Heb. 8:13 AMP).

Despite the Bible’s clear presentation and ample explanation of the truth that God has made the first or the Old Covenant obsolete, many believers today still strive to serve God according to the old written code (the Mosaic Law). Consequently, they miss out on the unique benefits and blessings of the New Covenant in the blood of Jesus Christ.

God is no longer dealing with humankind based on the written code or regulations of the Old Covenant. God has made the Old Covenant obsolete (put it out of use) and has established a New and Better Covenant with humankind through His Son, Jesus Christ.

The New Covenant is not an extension, elongation, or modification of the Old Covenant but an entirely new and different Covenant. Sadly, some believers and ministers of God today confuse or seek to merge these two incompatible covenants (Heb. 8:6-13).

God does not demand or expect the born-again believers to serve Him, walk with Him, relate with Him, or respond to Him according to the old written regulations or requirements of the Old Covenant He made with the Jews on Mount Sinai.

The Mosaic Law is not made for the New Testament saints. Sadly, many New Testament believers still strive to live by the Law today.

What sheer ignorance and foolishness!

Apostle Paul presents this truth in his letter to Timothy.

1 Timothy 1:9-11 – NKJV

 9 Knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

 10 for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine,

 11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust.

As a born-again believer in Christ, you have been delivered from the law, having become dead to the law through the body of Christ. Therefore, you are no longer under the law or expected to serve God in the oldness of the letter as the Old Testament saints did.

The New Covenant believers have been discharged from the Law (released from the old code of written regulations). As a believer in Christ, you are no longer a slave to the Law. You have been discharged, delivered, or released to serve God in the newness of the Spirit (Rom. 3:19, 6:14).

Therefore, Apostle Paul admonishes the believers in Rome to serve God in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

Romans 7:4-6 – AMP

4 Likewise, my brethren, you have undergone death as to the Law through the [crucified] body of Christ, so that now you may belong to Another, to Him Who was raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God.

6 But now we are discharged from the Law and have terminated all intercourse with it, having died to what once restrained and held us captive. So now we serve not under [obedience to] the old code of written regulations, but [under obedience to the promptings] of the Spirit in newness [of life].

Beloved, you are no longer under the Law as a slave if you are in Christ. Christ has freed you from the old written code and curse of the Law. Therefore, you must ensure that you stand fast in the liberty Christ has given you and allow no man to put a yoke of slavery on you again.

Paul warns the church in Galatia about the danger of becoming entangled again with the yoke of bondage (the Law).

Galatians 5:1-4 – NKJV

 1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

 2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.

 3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law.

 4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.

If Christians are not to give to God, serve God, or walk with God according to the Law, how should they give to God, serve God, or walk with God?

Find out in the second part of this piece!

Prayer:

My Dear Holy Spirit, teach and help me daily to understand better and walk deeper in the blessings and benefits of the New Covenant, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Our mandates to preserve the faith of the Apostolic Generation.

Eniyekpemi Fidelis Oyinpreyebi.

AWH, Blogs.

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