Welcome back to our discussion about living the Christian life under the New Covenant. We're so glad you've chosen to join in with us again as we explore this subject together. It's important to do it because God wants us to enjoy the freedom that Jesus won for us at Calvary so that LOVE can abound. And that enjoyment doesn't come to us naturally. Before we were born again and became reconciled to God, we were under the impression along with the rest of the world that the only way to please a particular god was by the performance of "good" deeds. So we have to LEARN how to live under a new system that requires NO deeds at all to please the one TRUE CREATOR God of the universe. Jesus has already been judged on our behalf and has already DONE the works that had to be done leaving us the opportunity to live FREELY under a NEW system that requires only our FAITH. Indeed, the Bible says that under our New Covenant it's IMPOSSIBLE to please God except through FAITH (Hebrews 11:6) which by definition as we discussed last week isn't a work.

 

Now we know from previous studies on this subject that many Christians have difficulty leaving behind the influence of the previous covenant that Scripture calls the LAW. We continue thinking that we have to DO things to cause God's FAVOR to be released into our lives. Indeed, the LAW REQUIRES that people obey the commandments of God in order to qualify for His BLESSINGS and it promises curses to those who disobey them (Deuteronomy 28:1-2, 15). Therefore, the definition of living under the LAW is: the practice of trying to attract God's FAVOR through obedience to His rules and commandments. The New Covenant says that God's FAVOR is ALREADY available in Christ without us having to DO anything except live in FAITH and that BELIEVERS have been redeemed (rescued) from the curse of the LAW (Galatians 3:13-14).

 

With this in mind, I would like for us to take a closer look this week at how Christian believers ought to relate to that part of Scripture we call the Old Testament. To start with, here are some disclaimers: I am NOT saying to disregard the Old Testament and only focus on the New Testament. Likewise, I am NOT saying that it's okay to ignore the Ten Commandments or any of the commandments in the Old Testament. Also, I am NOT saying that the Old Testament has nothing there for us to live by or to study or to learn about or to memorize or to treasure. I am simply saying that Christian believers should stop trying to be RELIGIOUS by trying to impress God and other people with how holy they think they are. Every time we try doing that we disrespect what Jesus has done for us and demonstrate our fleshy reluctance to live by FAITH.

 

As we already know the LAW is only a part of the section of the Bible we call the Old Testament and it's the covenant that God made with Moses for the Israelites when they came out of Egypt to begin what turned out to be a 40-year trip to the Promised Land. Previous to that God had made covenants with Adam, Noah and Abraham for the people who eventually came to be known as Hebrews or Jews. None of those four covenants were kept according to the conditions God had set forth and the fact is the only covenant God has ever made that hasn't been broken by the "Party of the Second Part" is the one He made with Jesus of Nazareth. And so, believers now "live under" this last Covenant by GRACE through FAITH relieved of the requirement of meeting God's standards of holiness because Jesus has ALREADY done that for us.

 

Once we come to that understanding, the question then is how to relate as Christian believers to the Old Testament, and especially to the LAW, and following are my answers:

 

> The Old Testament serves to explain how and why we're physically born with a sinful flesh nature that already needs a Messiah. Knowing that story reinforces an awareness of how dependent we are on Christ.

 

> There are hundreds of prophecies in the Old Testament of a coming Messiah spread across all the various covenants. Who are they there for? God? He already knew about the problem. No friend, the prophesies are there in the Word in part to help convince us that not only do we need a Messiah but that Jesus is the One whom God sent to be that Messiah.

 

> The Old Testament represents a history of the people that the Messiah was descended from to establish a solid basis for credibility and increased FAITH. The more I read the Old Testament the more I'm convinced that Jesus is the Messiah even though I've never actually seen Him. The events of His coming are laboriously and consistently detailed.

 

> The Old Testament reveals principles of life and wisdom that make our lives richer, more successful, more peaceful, more rewarding and happier. I want to do those things for my own good and just because I love God, not because I'm trying to impress Him with how holy I am.

 

> The Old Standard establishes a base level for the PROSPERITY of the Kingdom in all areas of life that is only INCREASED in the New Covenant. If we see that God's standard in the Old Testament was overflowing ABUNDANCE, why would we not conclude that under a BETTER Covenant with BETTER promises (Hebrews 7:22, 8:6) the bar for God's abundance would be even higher.

 

> Correctly discerning the Old Covenant shows us that we've been created with the ability to choose between life and death, right and wrong, prosperity and adversity (Deuteronomy 30:15-20) instead of as robots where everything has already been decided for us. Does God know what we're going to do before we do it? Yes! Did He predetermine our choices for us to achieve His outcome? No the weight of the entire Scripture is AGAINST predetermination. Accurately discerning the Word of Truth (2 Timothy 2:15) establishes the truth of our humanity in relationship with our Creator God.

 

> The Old Testament correctly discerned also reveals the tremendous LOVE that God has for human beings so that the lengths He's gone to on our behalf can be fully appreciated. The more we understand what God has done for us the greater will be our love for Him and our desire to live our lives in a way that glorifies Him and the One who lives through us.

 

> One of the most valuable things that studying the LAW does for us is to demonstrate how frustrating it would have been trying repeatedly to be holy and guilt free only to sin again and again and never know for sure where we stood in relation to eternity, never being able to REMOVE the sin. Seeing that makes us grateful, and the sacrifice of THANKSGIVING by FAITH (Psalm 50:23) honors God.

 

> Finally, regarding commandments in the Old Testament (like for example the Ten Commandments), we have to once again rightly divide and discern the Word in the governing of our conduct and to not view their keeping as works of holiness. Moreover, we need to keep in mind that the commandments and preferences and teachings and instructions of God that comprise the LAW have been written on the hearts of believers, and the Holy Spirit helps us fulfill what needs to be fulfilled (Jeremiah 31:33b-34 with 2 Corinthians 3:3) under the New Covenant by FAITH.

Sometimes well-meaning believers who haven't fully embraced yet the revelation that all sins for all time for all people have already been forgiven (Hebrews 9:12, 10:12), that the Christian believer has been instructed to STOP living under the LAW (Romans 7:6), that God is NOT holding believers accountable for their sins (2 Corinthians 5:19), that God's FAVOR is fully available to us by FAITH (Galatians 3:25) and not by works, sometimes those people say that by teaching these things believers will suddenly go out and become full blown sinners again. Indeed, that's the same reaction the Apostle Paul was getting when he wrote Romans 6:15 even though that idea is absolutely counter-opposite to the concept of becoming a new creature when we're born again (2 Corinthians 5:17).

 

But I am telling you tonight that the exact opposite is what's been happening for the last two thousand years. As people come into the revelation of freedom in the Holy Ghost by FAITH under the New Covenant, they try harder not to sin because they love God and increasingly want to do things His way. Friend, just read the Word for yourself: WHEN PEOPLE LIVE UNDER THE LAW SIN INCREASES (Romans 5:20) but under GRACE and FAITH it decreases. Which way do we believe tonight: the way of manmade traditions or the way of the Word? By FAITH I believe you know the right answer!

 

Thanks for joining our discussion tonight. We'll be looking for you again NEXT Sunday night on January 17. In the meantime may the Lord bless you with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3), pushing you to VICTORY in every area of life!

Donations

 

 

http://www.creditcounseling.net/shop/item.aspx?itemid=1 

 

Sinners' Prayer

 

 

Jesus, I declare today with all my heart that I believe in you and I believe that God raised you from the dead. I acknowledge that my sins have been forgiven for all time and I ask you to come into my life today and be my Lord and Savior. Thank you for salvation and eternal life.

 

When you get a moment have someone help you look up the following scriptures because they confirm what you've done by saying this prayer and believing what you said:

 

Romans 10:9

2 Corinthians 5:17

Ephesians 2:8

 

Prayer Requests

 

 

http://www.creditcounseling.net/prayer-request.aspx 

 

About Prosperous Life Newsletter

 

 

© Make a Way Ministries, Inc.

P.O. Box 1164

Granbury, Texas 76048