The Covenant of Death & Old Testament Law Today

by Tammy
(Sandy, OR)

The deal you are lifting up--do right and be blessed, do wrong and be cursed--is indeed the old covenant that God offered the Israelites. Jesus turned up the flame under it by teaching that if you even harbor a thought that you'd "like" to do wrong, you are guilty. And not just guilty of one piece, the deal was all or nothing: break one part of it, and it is shattered.

It was a set up. We needed to break it so we could realize our hopelessness without God. The law is designed to lead us to desperation for a savior, a need for a new deal.

Our new deal is completely different from the old deal. We are accepted completely apart from our actions--rescued when helpless. Instead of the doomed flesh-powered efforts to be good and earn blessing, we are now given the Spirit who both directs and empowers us. No longer are we directed by a piece of paper, but God guides us directly.

This God who guides us remains the God of love, so the action he guides will be marked with righteousness and love. These actions may resemble the law, but they are decidedly not "following the law." They represent following the author of the law.

Faith contrasts fleshly effort, spirit contrasts self-effort. The law can only kill us--the new covenant of faith brings life. They are not to be mixed.

We are not going to succeed in voting in more godly laws and leaders in order to "get blessed." We ARE blessed--we have the promise of resurrection and life on a redeemed earth! We will see justice under the rule of Christ alone--meanwhile we are promised trouble and persecution.

It is super important to keep our eyes on the real prize: resurrection. It is way better than a strong economy.