The Law and the Old Covenant
On the cross of Jesus, for both Jews and Gentiles 1, the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law was abolished, 2 disannulled, 3 rendered obsolete, 4 taken away and replaced, 5 by the better hope, 6 the better covenant, 7 the 2nd covenant, 8 of Jesus’ New Covenant law, 9 so that the law was changed. 10
All believers, both Jews and Gentiles, of all times, are delivered from the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law and shouldn’t keep it, 11 or have any desire to keep it. 12 Believers keep the spirit of the Old Covenant Mosaic law, 13 by loving others, 14 and by doing to others as they would have others do to them. 15
The New Covenant is a new law, 16 consisting of Jesus’ New Testament commandments, 17 such as those he gave in the Sermon on the Mount, 18 and in the epistles of Paul the apostle. 19 These commandments exceed in righteousness the abolished letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law. 20 So there’s no reason why any believer should ever want to go back under the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law. 21 It was just a temporary schoolmaster, 22 a temporary shadow, 23 which God set up because of sins long after he had set up the original promise of the Abrahamic Covenant, and long before he brought that promise to fulfilment in Jesus’ New Covenant. 24
The letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law has been made obsolete by the New Covenant. 25 For example, the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law required an Aaronic priesthood, 26 whereas the New Covenant replaced the Aaronic priesthood with the Melchisedechian priesthood. 27 Also, the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law required animal sacrifices, 28 whereas the New Covenant replaced those with the one-time sacrifice of Jesus. 29
The letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law is the Hagar to the New Covenant’s Sarah, 30 so that those people, whether Jews or Gentiles, who try to keep the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law are like Ishmael, while those people, whether Jews or Gentiles, who keep the New Covenant are like Isaac. 31
The letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law (including the letter of the 10 commandments), written and engraved in stones, 32 was the ministration of death and condemnation. 33 For example, 34 and contrast these with the New Covenant. 35 The letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law has been done away, 36 and abolished. 37 But it’s still able to spiritually blind some people as with a veil from beholding Jesus, 38 whereas the New Covenant is the ministration of the spirit and righteousness, 39 which remains, 40 and which permits believers to remove the veil and to behold Jesus. 41
But a mistaken spirit of Pharisaism can still sometimes deceive even Christians into thinking that they must keep the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law in order to be saved, 42 or in order to become perfect. 43 This is a false, cursed gospel. 44 For if any believers are keeping any part of the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law, thinking that they must do so in order to be saved, or in order to become perfect, then Jesus will profit them nothing; they have fallen from grace. 45
1/ John 11:51-52…Caiphas prophesied that Jesus would die for all the children of God.
2/ Ephesians 2:15-16 for He annulled the Law, creating a single new humanity in Himself.
2/ Colossians 2:14 He cancelled the Law with its legal demands, nailing it to the Cross.
3/ Hebrews 7:18 The earlier rules are repealed as ineffective and useless.
4/ Galatians 3:13 Christ bought us freedom from the curse of the Law, for all mankind.
4/ Hebrews 8:13 The New Covenant makes the Old obsolete.
5/ Hebrews 10:9 Jesus abolished the former to establish the latter.
6/ Hebrews 7:19 The Law brought nothing to perfection, now we have a better hope…
7/ Hebrews 7:22 God’s oath shows how superior is the Covenant that Jesus guarantees.
7/ Hebrews 8:10 In the latter days, I shall set My Laws in their hearts…
8/ Hebrews 8:7 The second Covenant is superior to, and replaces the first Covenant.
9/ John 1:17 The Law was given through Moses, but grace and truth come from Jesus.
9/ Matthew 26:28 This is My blood of the Covenant, shed for many to forgive sins.
10/ Hebrews 7:12 A change of the priesthood must mean a change of Law.
11/ Romans 7:6… we are released from the old Law, to serve God in the spirit.
11/ 2 Cor. 3:6 The written Law condemns to death, but Spirit gives life.
12/ Galatians 5:4 When you seek to be justified by Law, you are cut off from Grace.
12/ Galatians 3:4 No one is justified by the old Law, only by faith can anyone gain life.
13/ Romans 7:6 We serve God in a new way, the way of the spirit.
14/ Romans 13:7-10 The Commandments are summed up in one rule: Love your neighbour.
15/ Matthew 7:12 Treat others as you would have them treat you, that is all the Law.
16/ Hebrews 10:1 The old Law is but a shadow of a better one to come.
17/ John 14:15 If you love Me, you will obey My commands.
18/ Matthew 5:21-48…there must be no limit to your goodness…
19/ 1 Cor. 13:13 Three things last forever: Faith, hope and love, the greatest is love.
20/ Matthew 5:20 Unless you do better than the Pharisees, you will not enter the Kingdom.
21/ Galatians 3:2 Did you receive the spirit by the Law or by the Gospel message?
22/ Galatians 3:24 The Law was enforced until Christ, now we are justified through faith.
23/ Col. 2:17 It was but a shadow of greater things, the reality is Christ.
24/ Galatians 3:19 The Law was an interim measure, pending the arrival of the promised One.
24/ Isaiah 59:21… My Covenant which I will make with My people: My spirit will rest on them.
24/ Jeremiah 31:31-34 The days are coming; I shall set My Laws within My people’s hearts.
25/ Hebrews 8:13 He has pronounced the first one obsolete, it must be replaced.
26/ Exodus 30:30 Consecrate Aaron and his sons to be My priests.
27/ Hebrews 7:11-28 Perfection was not attained by the Aaronic priesthood, because death removes them. By God’s oath, Jesus is high priest forever.
28/ Leviticus 23:19 You are to prepare a he-goat and two sheep as an offering.
29/ Hebrews 10:5-7 Jesus came and offered His body as the final sacrifice.
30/ Galatians 4:23-31…the old Covenant is like Hagar; born onto slavery, now you my friends, are like Isaac, the children of God’s promise.
31/ Galatians 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ set us free, stand firm in your faith and refuse to submit again to the yoke of slavery.
32/ Deut. 27:8 Inscribe onto stones all the words of the Law…
33/ 2 Cor. 3:7 The Covenant that brought death, came in a glory that soon faded.
34/ Numbers 15:32-36 A man gathered sticks on the Sabbath, he was stoned to death.
35/ Matthew 12:6-8…Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath. It is mercy I require, not sacrifice.
36/ 2 Cor. 3:11 The old Law fades away, greater is the glory of what endures!
37/ 2 Cor. 3:14b… only in Christ is the old Covenant lifted.
38/ 2 Cor. 3:15 To this day, a veil lies over the mind of those who follow the old Law.
39/ 2 Cor. 3:9 If glory accompanied the ministry that brought death, how much greater must be the glory of the Covenant the brings acquittal!
40/ 2 Cor. 5:1 We know that when we die, we will possess eternal life.
41/ 2 Cor. 3:16-17 Whoever turns to the Spirit of the Lord, the veil is removed.
41/ Ephesians 2:18 For through Jesus, we have access to the Father in the one Spirit.
41/ Col. 3:17 Let your every word and action be to the glory of Jesus…
42/ Acts 15:5…these Gentiles must keep the Law of Moses.
43/ Galatians 3:3-9 Can you be so stupid? You now have the Gospel and its promised blessings, keep your faith, as Abraham did.
44/ Galatians 1:9 I warn you: do not preach any other Gospel, cursed be anything else.
45/ Galatians 5:2-4 If you get circumcised in the Law, Christ will benefit you no more. When you seek to be justified by way of the Law, you have put yourself outside God’s grace. Ref: REB, NIV. Some verses abridged. u
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