New Covenant Freedom Real and Practical

by Pastor Walt Scott, January 2014

What is New Covenant freedom, and how is it experienced in our life today? I think the following will answer that, but first let me explain the differences between the old and New Covenants.

To begin, we as Christians do not worship, fellowship or in any way function or relate under old covenant written law. The old Mosaic covenant was written only for the Jewish nation. It required conformity and adherence to 613 written laws and required animal blood sacrifices as a covering for sin when a sin was committed. Under old covenant law God responded in faith when Jews remained obedient by atoning for any sins committed. God was faithful after Jews responded in faith. Now, not functioning under old covenant principles does not mean we don't respect old covenant law. We just accept and receive it under different conditions. The Old Testament is filled with God's teaching and wisdom for us, and should never be ignored. Our creation story and history is explained there. There also were nine covenants, and most are in the Old Testament. We all should be aware of these. Man couldn't remain faithful and conform to the Mosaic covenant law because man is not perfect. The sinful flesh nature of man gravitated toward breaking God's law. God saw this and realized a need for a better hope for all people.

Hebrews 7:18-19

The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.

Hebrews 8:6-13

But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is a superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises. For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. But God found fault with the people and said: “The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.

Jeremiah 31:31-34 (reference only)

The New Covenant is this better hope. It fulfilled the promises of the Abrahamic covenant and made obsolete the Mosaic covenant.

2 Corinthians 3:7-18

The Greater Glory of the New Covenant

Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!

Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

The New Covenant came through and was established with the twelve Apostles by Jesus Christ; this through His life, death, sacrifice and shed blood on the cross, then His resurrection three days after being laid in the tomb, and the subsequent outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles at Pentecost. Through Jesus Christ's death and resurrection came our salvation and redemption, which is a part of the New Covenant. Under the New Covenant God is the first to faithfully act for all people through the sacrificial death of His Son Jesus Christ. All this because of His unconditional love for us. Now it is our turn to accept and receive. We all have equal opportunity for access to Triune God.

Colossians 1:13-14

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 2:13-14

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away,nailing it to the cross.

The New Covenant gives all people of the world opportunity to come to the Father through acknowledgment of who Jesus Christ is and what He did for us. Then we can be forgiven of our sins and have hope for eternal life in heaven. We are now under New Covenant principles of behavior—right and wrong-- which are written in our minds and on our hearts instead of on paper or stone. All this without Jesus Christ changing one letter of the written law.

Matthew 5:17-19

The Fulfillment of the Law

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus' life and death ushered in and demonstrated the principles of the New Covenant of grace and truth. This grace is the unearned, unwarranted favor and provision of God. Truth is His Word (the Bible). That is why we attempt to emulate Him. We are reminded of it through our conscience, as dictated by the Holy Spirit, who resides in all Christians. The Holy Spirit leads and counsels us in fulfilling our purpose in our walk with Jesus.

Romans 9:1

I speak the truth in Christ-- I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy
Spirit--

Hebrews 10:15-18

The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:

“This is the covenant I will make with them
    after that time, says the Lord.
I will put my laws in their hearts,
    and I will write them on their minds.”

Then he adds:

“Their sins and lawless acts
    I will remember no more.”

And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.

Jesus' blood erased forever all our sins once and for all; past, present and future. All we need to do is accept and receive Him, and God is faithful and just to forgive us. We are also required to forgive any offense committed against us.

Hebrews 10:12

And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Romans 6:10

The death he died, he died to sin once for all;but the life he lives, he lives to God.

1 John 1:9

 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

This is how we received the freedom of the New Covenant. The secular definition of freedom is, “The absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action.” I believe we can define this as our God-given gift of free will through the New Covenant. We are allowed to make a choice, which requires us to make a voluntary decision FOR Triune God, or not. He wants us to come willingly, as true believers, confident in our hope and displaying our faith through words and action in carrying out His plan and purpose; this in the Body of Jesus Christ (Church) and the Great Commission.

Galatians 5:1

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

James 1:22-25

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

Matthew 28:16-20

The Great Commission

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus has told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. The Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

The other freedoms associated with the New Covenant are numerous. First, and most important, is having no worry or anxiety or fear about anything this life can bring, including and especially death.

Matthew 6:25-27

Do Not Worry

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

Matthew 6:32-34

For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Philippians 4:6-9

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

We are aliens and foreigners here; our real home is waiting for us in heaven with Triune God for eternity.

Ephesians 2:11-20

Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)-- remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.

John 14:1-4

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.  My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”

So there we have it. Accept and receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and you will receive salvation, redemption, reconciliation, sanctification and justification. It's permanent. We must, because of the love of Christ within us, walk in faith, trust, belief and obedience. We always have hope and His eternal love.

Romans 8:18-21

Present Suffering and Future Glory

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

Peace. Amen.