The New Covenant

“Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, ‘Sacrifices and offerings thou hast not desired, but a body hast thou prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings thou hast taken no pleasure. Then I said, Lo, I have come to do thy will, O God, as it is written of me in the roll of the book.” When he said above, ‘Thou hast neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings,’ (these are offered according to the law), then he added, ‘Lo, I have come to do thy will,’ He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Hebrews 10:5-10.

The first covenant was but a shadow of the new. Verse 1. “A former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing perfect); on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.” Hebrews 7:18-19.

The first covenant was unable to accomplish anything within the body; neither had those under this covenant given their bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which was Jesus’ spiritual worship. Romans 12:1. Just what was this “spiritual worship”? It was to obey the light that God gave Him, as God condemned sin in the flesh. This, in turn, liberated His body from the sin that had always had dominion over everyone and had made it necessary to offer “sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings.” But god took no pleasure in all this; what pleased Him was a body that did His will.

The fact that sin was now being condemned in the flesh made these sacrifices unnecessary. Jesus did the will of God, and this was what God desired. “He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Hebrews 10:9-10. “So therefore, whoever of you does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:33. The one who becomes a disciple of Jesus has also given his body to God as a sacrifice, just as Jesus did; and by this same will our bodies also are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus once for all.

This was the life of sacrifice that Paul had embarked upon when he wrote, “. . . that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.” Philippians 3:10. Then what took place in Jesus’ body also took place in Paul’s body. Having been set free from sin, he had become a slave of God and had his fruit unto sanctification. Romans 6:22. Paul had entered into the new covenant that Jesus had established. He no longer had use for the sacrifices that Jesus had abolished, which God had instituted under the first covenant. Paul had entered into the second sacrifice, which Jesus established in the new covenant. This is the gospel for every one who loves God and hates sin.

The first covenant “made nothing perfect; on the other hand, a better hope is introduced through which we draw near to God.” This makes Jesus the surety of a better covenant . . . Consequently he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” Read Hebrews 7:18-18.

“Those who draw near to God through him” are the ones who become Jesus’ disciples. “I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2.

That which took place in Jesus’ body now takes place in ours. This is the new covenant that He established—the covenant into which we, by His finished work and by the Spirit of truth, have entered. This is the gospel that we, as disciples, are to preach; the gospel that everyone can enter into by the obedience of faith. We read previously, “Indeed, the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect for ever.” Hebrews 7:28. “Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and being made perfect he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him.” Hebrews 5:8-9.

This is the gospel. Just as He was a sacrifice and learned obedience, so His disciples also have entered into the same development. Peter writes, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that you may proclaim the virtues of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9.

This certainly sounds attractive, and most people consider this to be God’s description of us merely because we believe in Jesus. But that is a terrible religious deception. How could we ever proclaim His virtues without possessing them ourselves? And how could we ever obtain them unless the death of Jesus was at work in our bodies? It would simply be impossible. Therefore religious people usually say, “Don’t look at me; look at Jesus!” When they are criticized, on account of their sin, they reply, “You mustn’t judge!” This is total deception; it leads people away from the gospel. It is an attempt to turn people away from following Jesus as His disciples—quite the opposite of the commission Jesus gave His disciples before His ascension: “and Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority I heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.’” Matthew 28:18-20.

Jesus’ disciples are those who are being conformed to His image, who partake of His life and thus are able to proclaim His virtues. They become partakers of the gospel, as Paul testifies of himself: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20.

As we can see, he could live this life because he was crucified with Christ. Obviously he was not thinking in terms of the cross of Calvary, but in terms of the cross that Jesus said His disciples would have to take up daily if they were to follow Him. This is the gospel—in contrast to the other gospel that was preached by the Jews who wanted to put the Galatians under the law and circumcise them. Through the cross Paul could also testify, “Always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.” 2 Corinthians 4:10.

Because Paul had become a partaker of the gospel of Jesus Christ, he could testify, “Brethren, join in following me, and mark those who so live as you have an example in us.” Philippians 3:17. This is just the opposite of what most religious people say. But the deception had already become so widespread in Paul’s time that he had to add this warning: “for many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.” Verses 18 and 19.

We know that they were not enemies of the cross of Calvary, but of that cross which was to have brought death to their flesh with its lusts and desires. They took comfort, I suppose in Jesus’ death on Calvary. No doubt, the so-called evangelists of that day did what they do nowadays: they speak in glowing terms about the sufferings of Jesus, and with great feeling and emotion about His crucifixion. This is far from what Paul preached: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” Galatians 2:20. Therefore they cannot say as Paul said, “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:9. These so-called evangelists understand nothing of the new covenant or the gospel.

In the first covenant everything revolved around outward things. The law was powerless to do anything about sin in the body. The law prescribed commandments and ordinances to keep the body as much as possible from the manifestations of sin that would come forth from the flesh. And when the Israelites obeyed these commandments and ordinances, God blessed them in an earthly way. Deuteronomy 28. But only the most godfearing among them managed to be blameless before the law. Paul testified that he was blameless, but he called that his own righteousness. That was only something external. He wanted to attain to the righteousness of God, which is by faith. But then death had to be active in his body, and for this he needed the power of Jesus’ resurrection. With this power the righteousness of God, which is by faith, became a reality in him through and through—with none of the hypocrisy that Jesus warned against so strongly. Philippians 3:6-10; Luke 12:1.