We Live Under A New Covenant

It's important to remember as you read your Bible that what is written in the Old Testament was written under the OLD covenant. A lot of what Jesus taught before He went to the cross was also under the old covenant. In fact, most of what He taught before the cross was to make the law blaringly clear and to remind everyone just how unattainable perfection under the old covenant truly was. That's why he said things like cut off your hand or gouge out your eye if it offends (sins). That's why he said if you commit a sin in your thoughts, it's as though you've followed the thought through to completion- you have already sinned. The problem is that these things get taught as New covenant from pulpits in modern day churches. Of course no preacher will tell you (I hope) to cut your hand off or gouge out your eye, but they say it is metaphorical- that Jesus is telling us to continually war against our sinful selves. Jesus was a jew under the law when He came 2000 years ago. It was the cross that changed things. I'm not saying to throw out the teachings of Jesus in the gospels, but I am hoping to remind you that He was speaking to Jews who were under the law. 

We now live under a NEW covenant- a covenant of Grace. The apostle Paul teaches in his letters about GRACE. If you want to learn about the New Covenant, you should look to the teachings of Paul. Some people will get really uncomfortable with this and argue that the words of Jesus are more important in the New Testament. (Isn't that why they're in red?) But I would argue: aren't the words of Paul also the teachings of Jesus? Paul was chosen by Jesus and called on the road to Damascus to be Jesus' ambassador of the new covenant. So, couldn't you argue that the teachings of Paul are the teachings of Jesus? If you read the letters of Paul and hear his words in the book of Acts, you hear a message of Grace, and how awesome the new covenant really is. Don't confuse yourself on the grace issue by trying to apply Christ's pre-cross teachings to Paul's post-cross revelations. Galatians 2:20 tells us that we have been crucified with Christ. We were nailed to the cross along with Christ. Jesus was defeating sin on the cross, so being co-crucified means we are set free from sin. We are now free from the old covenant- the law. Period. There is nothing more we need to do to be free from our 'sinful nature' than to realize that we are already free in Christ, and that we are new creations in Him. New creations with the nature of Christ- set apart, redeemed, made the righteousness of God! Now that's good news!! It should be the end of striving to be better- no more metaphorical mutilations in the name of setting ourselves free from sin. If we were able to do it ourselves, there would have been no need for Christ's sacrifice. It is so wonderfully freeing to realize that the only thing required of me is to sink back into the glorious revelation that Jesus has done it all for me, and when he cried out on the cross "It is finished!", that He really meant it.

But I am getting away from what I really wanted to talk about in this post. The Old Testament. I feel a frustration sometimes over this issue. Some Christians read the OT- especially the prophets- with the paradigm that these words are for us. They pray the promises in the Prophets as though they are promises to us. It turns into sort of a mournful begging- imploring God to fulfill what He spoke through OT prophets 'for us.' I have really good news for you: unless the prophesies are about the return of Christ, they have been fulfilled! You are living in the glorious fullness of what the prophets cried out for! No more begging God to 'rend the heavens and come down' (Isaiah 64), because He's already done  it! Don't you think Jesus was the fulfillment of God coming down? (Unless, like I said, it will be fulfilled in His triumphant return) Don't pray for 'more of Jesus', because you're asking for something He can't do. He already gave you all of Himself and filled you with His Spirit. If you believe you have received Holy Spirit, how can you ask for 'more of Him'? You are full. You are in Christ (Ephesians 2:6), so how can you get closer? You can be more aware of His presence, but asking for more of Him is silly! The fullness of the gospel should be the end of striving for you. Just enjoy the finished work of the cross! It's the end of striving, the end of the law. Now your 'good works' become an overflow of joy in your union with Him, not an obligation to 'keep your salvation' or to make you more righteous. That's the mentality of the law- the thought that something you do makes you more acceptable to God. He takes you as you are- warts and all. You are His, and He's madly in love with you- just the way you are. And don't forget, Jesus said the scriptures (the Old Testament) all point to Him. Make sure that when you read the Old Testament, you are looking through the lens of Grace, not Law. It makes a huge difference, and you will begin to see fulfillment and the Love of God so much more abundantly! Instead of being a bunch of do's and don'ts, you will see the love story woven through the entire Bible. The gospel really is about Love. "For God so LOVED the world..." John 3:16. Just some random thoughts on this beautiful day. You don't have to agree with me, but give it some thought. Or to use an OT term: 

Selah. :o)