Laws of the Old Covenant
Mosaic Covenant
Ratified by the blood of an animal at Sinai
Entered by obedience – Material promises
National greatness, land of Canaan, health and prosperity.
When Christ died on the cross of Calvary, the Mosaic Covenant ceased. Obviously the basis of the covenant -- the Ten Commandments -- did not cease, but under the Covenant of Redemption (now known as the New Covenant), the righteous principles of this law are written on the heart of the believer.
“Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.” 2 Corinthians 3:3.
But what about the other 603 laws? Are they all obsolete?
Introduction
Once it is realised that the Covenant of Redemption is centred in Jesus Christ, and that He has fulfilled the means for our salvation, we need to progress in understanding our responsibility as Christians.
God does not reveal everything at once or we would become confused. Light is progressive, and for the Christian, the pathway is “as a shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” Proverbs 4:18.
Let us praise God there is more to learn.
It is absolutely vital we understand that the Old Testament and the Mosaic Covenant are not relics to be stored away and never considered. They are no longer the “schoolmaster”, but they are the holy Textbook. Indeed, the whole of the Bible is the textbook of the Christian.
We must begin “at Moses, and all the prophets” and allow them to “testify of” Christ. Luke 24:27.44. John 5:39. Speaking of these same Scriptures, Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4.
When the apostles evangelised the world, they took with them the Old Testament. It was the Word of God. The gospels and epistles were written many years later, and not until the end of the century, did John write the book of Revelation.
When Paul went to study in Arabia, Christ was his Teacher, but the Old Testament Scriptures were his textbook.
When he preached in the synagogue, it was from the Jews own Bible that he proved Jesus to be the Son of God. “… they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down. And after the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them saying, ‘Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.’…” Acts 13:14.15.
Then Paul preached a sermon entirely from the Old Testament. It was the history of the Jewish people climaxing in Yeshua ha Mashiach. “Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins, and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.” Acts 13:38.39.
When the Jews had left the synagogue, the Gentiles asked if Paul would preach to them the following Sabbath. “And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole city to gather to hear the Word of God.” Acts 13:44.
“And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks…. And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.” Acts 18:4.11.
After commending Timothy for having “known the holy Scriptures” from his childhood, Paul wrote, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:15.16.17.
Christians who dismiss the Hebrew Scriptures do not realise they are eliminating the foundation of the New Testament. Every doctrine has its origin in the first books of the Bible, and no doctrine can be established without its basis being made clear.
The doctrine of the covenant of redemption must be seen in the light of the Old Testament, as its first promise was given in the Garden of Eden. “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:15.
This is God’s pledge to redeem man, albeit spoken in judgment to the devil. As John says, “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” 1 John 3:8.
Unless the entrance of sin is established from the book of Genesis, John’s words ‘from the beginning’ make no sense. The creation, the Sabbath and the fall of man are all recorded in the first book of the Bible.
In Eden the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman is made clear, allowing for no deviant union. Even the wearing of clothes is revealed in the paradise garden, for God did not leave them wearing scanty fig leaves, but dressed them in “coats of skins”. Genesis 3:21.
Certainly the type of dress is symbolic of the righteousness of Christ through sacrifice, but the fact that God clothed them “from the beginning”, is the reason we wear clothes today. Few will enter the public arena naked, as most people understand that this is not acceptable behaviour. When Israel rebelled at Sinai they took off their clothes and danced naked “unto their shame”. Exodus 32:25.
If the Old Testament was completely discarded, the New Testament would not be understood, except as the reader remembered what had been written in the Old. If all the quoted verses and references to the Hebrew Scriptures were taken out, the ‘Christian’ Bible would only be a few pages. Today we are privileged to have both the Old and the New Testaments as the holy Word of God.
When the Bereans heard the apostle Paul, they “received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” Acts 17:11. In other words, they checked the word of the apostle against the Old Testament, to see if he was in harmony with the Word of God.
Let us be willing to study the whole Word, to show ourselves approved unto God.
Liberty in Christ
The Covenant of Redemption is a covenant of faith, but it is not without law. Paul asked, “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the law.” Romans 3:31. By our obedience we ‘confirm and uphold’ the law.
God the Father also upheld the law when He sent His only begotten Son. In allowing Him to be nailed to the cross, “the wrath of God (was) revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men…” Romans 1:18.
By this act of love, the Father ‘established and confirmed’ the Law by which heaven is ruled. He proved it was too important to change. In the same act, the righteousness of God was revealed -- wrath because of sin and righteousness because of justice.
If the divine precepts had never been broken, there would be no sin. Likewise, if the law had never been given, either by word of mouth or written on stone, there could be no sin, for “by the law is the knowledge of sin”. Romans 3:20. 1 John 3:4.
The fact that Christians desire cleansing is an acknowledgment that the law has been broken, and it is because God has dealt with the penalty that cleansing is possible. Thus God can “be just, and the justifier” of him who believes in Jesus. Romans 3:26.
But we must ask the question again – Is it necessary to obey?
So many Christians believe we just do the best we can because it is impossible for us to do anything else. They believe Christ’s obedience was simply because we could not do it, and now it substitutes for our obedience.
Some Christians believe Christ has released them entirely from obedience. They think nothing of adultery, fornication, lies, theft, and other sinful practises. But this is false.
Paul asks the same question. It is an obvious one. “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace (or faith) may abound?” Romans 6:1. His reply is clear. “God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Romans 6:2.
There are only two choices -- either we live in sin, which is disobedience to the Ten Commandments, or we live in obedience to this holy law.
The apostle concludes, “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” Romans 6:16.
John agrees with this concept, for he says, “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil; whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother…. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer; and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.” 1 John 3:10.15.
In his apocalypse, the apostle writes, “And there shall no wise enter into it (the New Jerusalem) any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie; but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Revelation 21:27.
“For without (the holy city) are dogs (evil men), and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.” Revelation 22:15.
James says, “For he that said, ‘Do not commit adultery’, said also, ‘Do not kill’. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.” James 2:11.
So it is very clear that Christians, even though they have received the righteousness of Christ by faith, must obey the Law of God. After all, which sin would be appropriate for them to commit -- idolatry, blasphemy, stealing, adultery, murder?
Christ Jesus died that we might be able to keep the Law, not in our own strength, but by the power of His Spirit. The promise is that we can be overcomers. Jesus said, “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” Revelation 2:7.
There is much to overcome – sin, self, the world. In the future, the beast and his image will try the patience of the saints. 1 John 2:15.16. Revelation 13:14.15. 14:12.
We are not saved by works, “lest any man should boast”, but we were “created in Christ Jesus unto (or for) good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10. Hebrews 13:20.21.
This is our liberty – to walk the path of righteousness.
The moment we surrender our lives to Christ, there is “no condemnation”, but notice the text says “to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:1. Living is of great consequence.
At the time of conversion, the sinner has nothing to present before God, for “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags”. Isaiah 64:6. But in spite of having no good deeds to offer, Christ gives His righteousness as a gift. This is “the righteousness of God without the law”. Romans 3:21.
But, after we have surrendered, we must walk “after the Spirit”, or in and through the Spirit’s power as Jesus did. Romans 8:1. If we live “after the flesh”, we do not have the righteousness of Christ, for God will not impute His precious gift to practising sinners. “He that saith I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in Him.” 1 John 2:4.
Null and Void
According to the book of Hebrews, when the New Covenant was ratified, it “made the first old”. Hebrews 8:13. Thus the Mosaic Covenant became obsolete, and “that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.” Hebrews 8:13.
It is important to remember that the blood of Calvary ratified (or made legal) the agreement between the Father and the Son. However, from the entrance of sin, it has been available for salvation through faith.
This means that during the time of the Mosaic Covenant, which was from Sinai to Calvary, two covenants were in operation, one by faith and one by works. The first would provide salvation, the latter a physical land of promise. The majority in Israel did not enter the covenant of faith, but they claimed the privileges of both.
Covenant of Redemption
Ratified at the cross of Christ -- Entered by faith in Christ Righteousness given as a gift
Obedience through love and gratitude for God’s mercy
Eternal life the gift of God.