Study 7 – A Totally New Deal

Legalistic Christians are trying to live a New Testament life in an Old Testament way. This is impossible because the two Covenants are entirely different and affect people in totally different ways.

The Old Covenant was given to Moses on Mount Sinai. When he came down the mountain he found that the Israelites were worshipping a golden calf. In anger, he smashed the tablets on which the Ten Commandments had been written and ordered the Levites to execute judgement. They killed about 3,000 people in a single day.

The New Covenant was given to the disciples through the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. When Peter came from the upper room he accused the people of an infinitely worse crime than their Jewish forefathers. They had crucified the Lord of glory. Surely God would inflict a dreadful punishment on the murderers of His only Son. But what happened? God poured out His grace and about 3,000 people were saved in a single day. That's glorious revenge from heaven!

The two Covenants are totally different. The Old Covenant was written on stone (Exod. 31:18). It emphasised obedience to the law and brought judgement and condemnation. The New Covenant is inscribed on hearts (Heb. 8:10). It focuses on the free gift of grace and brings mercy and release. For Christians, the Old Covenant is obsolete (Heb. 8:13) because it has been superseded by a better, more glorious alternative (2 Cor. 3:9). The Old Covenant emphasised performance and it judged us. Then Christ came and His performance completely satisfied the Father. When we trusted Jesus to save us, we were relying on Him to fulfil the demands of the law for us. The New Covenant emphasises position. Through the cross, Jesus has lifted us into a reigning position. God has seated us with Him in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6) and has accepted us in the One He loves.

This is a new deal. God wants us to know this since it will affect not only our relationship with Him but also our relationships with others. The Pharisees had an attitude which said, 'Are you keeping the rules as well as I am?' This bred competition and robbed them of fellowship. The early church refused legalism, 'much grace was upon them all' (Acts 4:33). Stop striving to impress God and live in the good of what Christ has done for you.

To Meditate On

Jesus longs for your friendship.

'The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend' (Exod. 33:11).

'… "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend' (James 2:23).

'You are my friends if you do what I command' (John 15:14).

To Consider

Jesus said, 'I no longer call you servants … Instead, I have called you friends' (John 15:15).

List some of the differences between servants and friends.

Food For Thought

READ GALATIANS 4:21-31.

WRITE DOWN the differences between the Covenants as illustrated by Abraham's sons:

• Ishmael – a slave.
• Isaac – free.

Be Inspired

'This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after that time,' declares the Lord. 'I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people … I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.' (Jer. 31:33, 34).

'Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules?' (Col. 2:20).

'… through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set (us) free from the law of sin and death' (Rom. 8:2).