6. The New Covenant

When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete.

This chapter will give a sweeping overview of the new covenant, determine how the New Testament defines the old covenant, and seek to find the proper relationship that exists between these two covenants. Several chapters later we will come back to this topic for further development.

The three main aspects of the old covenant were (1) the redemptive deliverance of Israel from Egypt, (2) the giving of the covenant at Sinai, and (3) the settlement of Israel in the land of Canaan.

When we come to the New Testament the dominant feature is the life, death and resurrection of Christ. Here we have a new saving activity and a new redemption that is greater than that experienced by Israel in the exodus. As the saving activity of the exodus served as the foundation for Israel’s law, service and worship, so for God’s new covenant people the saving activity of Christ serves as the foundation for their law, the motivation for their service and the theme of their worship. To the degree that the new saving activity is better than the old, to that same degree the new law is better than the old, the new motivation for service is better than the old motivation, and the new theme of worship is better than the old.

Christ, the basis of New Testament law

The redemption of Christ serves as the moral basis for New Testament law. While morality is clearly taught in the Old Testament, the New Testament writers seldom refer to Old Testament law as the reason for moral living, and when the law of the old covenant is mentioned in the epistles it is usually by way of illustration, rather than by way of command. In old covenant life, morality was seen as an obligation to numerous specific laws. In the new covenant, morality springs from a response to the living Christ. In 1 Corinthians 6 Paul admonishes Christians to stay away from prostitution and immorality. His reason for pure living is not based upon the laws of Sinai but upon the believer’s relationship with Christ.

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? May it never be! Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body (1 Cor. 6:15,19,20).

Paul could have referred to the old covenant laws that prohibited impure living, such as “You shall not commit adultery,” and to portions of the Sinaitic Covenant which interpreted this law to apply to situations similar to the problems Paul was dealing with in Corinth. There was plenty of material in the old covenant he could have used but he chose rather to use a better moral foundation: union with Christ.

In Philippians 2:1−4, Paul is seeking to guide the Christian believers to care for each other, to do nothing from selfishness or conceit. In the old covenant we find the reason to treat one another with loving care to be something like this:

He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing. So show your love for the alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt (Deut. 10:18, 19).

In the new covenant the focus of morality is no longer Sinai or the exodus from Egypt. The new covenant has a better focus.

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bondservant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Phil. 2:5−8).

We will come back to the topic of new covenant law for further development in Chapters 16 and 17; nevertheless in this introductory chapter it is important to understand that new covenant law has its moral foundation in the spotless righteousness of Christ.

Christ, the motivation for holy living

Under the new covenant the motivation for Christian living is centered in our love for Christ.

For the love of Christ controls us (2 Cor. 5:14). I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel (1 Cor. 9:16). If you love me, you will keep my commandments (Jn. 14:15).

In his great masterpiece on salvation, the book of Romans, Paul first builds a solid foundation for man’s acceptance by God based upon faith in the perfect, finished work of Christ. Then, and only then, does he admonish in holy living. His motivation for Christian living is based upon the work of Christ, not the laws of Sinai.

Knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. For the death He died, He died to sin, once for all; but the life that He lives He lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts…But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness (Rom. 6:9−12,18).

Justification by faith in Christ is a better motivation than deliverance from Egypt.

Overthrowing the strongholds of Satan

As Old Testament history records the covenant people overthrowing the Canaanites and settling themselves in the land of Canaan, so New Testament history records the acts of the apostles and the early Christians taking the “land” of the Gentile nations. In the old covenant God manifested His mighty works in overthrowing the walls of Jericho and driving out the inhabitants of the land of Canaan. In the new covenant we see Christians filled with the power of the Holy Spirit overthrowing the strongholds of Satan, casting out demons, healing the sick, raising the dead and setting the captives free.

Christ, the theme of new covenant worship

Through Him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing; for with such sacrifices God is pleased (Heb. 13:15,16).

When we come to understand that the One who died on the cross for our sins is KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS (Rev. 19:16), then we will join the millions who with a loud voice proclaim,

“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.” And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever” (Rev. 5:12−14).

When we understand and experience the new covenant gospel, when we realize that we who are sinners can stand without fault before the throne of God; when we experience the indwelling Christ, then we, too, will fall down and worship.

Christ, a better revelation

Just as the old, slow, cumbersome, hand-operated calculator has been antiquated by the new, fast, compact, electronic computer, so the old covenant has been antiquated by the new. It was the best for its time, but now, new, better things have come.

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son…and He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature (Heb. 1:1−3).

But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, how shall the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory. For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory on account of the glory that surpasses it. For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory (2 Cor. 3:7−11).

The flickering candle of truth which lighted the shadowy pathways of Old Testament history must give way to the unveiled glory of the Risen Son!

New Testament definitions of old covenant

Before we seek to discover what the New Testament teaches regarding the relationship that should exist between the old and new covenants, we must first determine what the New Testament defines as the old covenant. It is clear and definitive.

In our study of the old covenant we found that the Ten Commandments were the covenant. They were called the “tablets of the testimony” (Ex. 31:18), the “words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments” (Ex. 34:28), “the testimony” (Ex. 40:20), “the covenant of the Lord” (1 Ki. 8:8,9,21).

We also found that the other laws in the books of Exodus through Deuteronomy were called the “book of the covenant” (Ex. 24:7) or “the book of the law” (Deut. 31:26). We saw that these laws served as an interpretation or expansion of the Ten Commandments. Does the New Testament agree with our findings?

Now even the first covenant had regulations of divine worship and the earthly sanctuary. [The writer of Hebrews is now going to list things which were included in the “first covenant.”] For there was a tabernacle prepared, the outer one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the sacred bread; this is called the holy place. And behind the second veil, there was a tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies, having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron’s rod which budded, and the tables of the covenant (Heb. 9:1− 4).

The writer of Hebrews defines the “first covenant” as the Sinaitic Covenant and specifically mentions “the tables of the covenant” (the Ten Commandments).

In the following reference both aspects of the old covenant are mentioned.

You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts. And such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory…(2 Cor. 3:2−7).

In these verses Paul is contrasting the new covenant with the old and in so doing defines the old covenant exactly as we found in our study of the Old Testament. The old covenant was not only on “tablets of stone” but “written with ink”—a reference to the “book of the covenant.” Both are included in Paul’s definition of old covenant.

In the book of Galatians Paul specifically mentions that the old covenant comes from Mt. Sinai.

This contains an allegory; for these women are two covenants, one proceeding from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves (Gal. 4:24).

We see, then, that the New Testament confirms our conclusions regarding old covenant documents. The Sinaitic Covenant is called the “old” or the “first” covenant in the New Testament. The New Testament speaks of the “old” or “first” covenant as being “engraved on stone,” and calls it the “tablets of the covenant”; both are clear references to the Ten Commandments. The New Testament also includes “the book of the covenant” which was “written with ink,” in its definition of the old, or first, covenant.

Old and new covenant relationships

Now that we have confirmed what the New Testament means when it refers to the old, or first, covenant, we must next address the proper relationship that should exist between these two covenants. Their relationship is very important and often highly controversial. From New Testament times to the present day this subject has been vigorously debated. There were Judaizing Christians whom Paul confronted who said that unless a person kept all the laws of the old covenant, one could not be saved. Then, on the other extreme, there have been those like Marcion, a second-century Christian philosopher in Asia Minor, who felt the Christian church should not even include the Old Testament in its accepted canon of Scripture.

Some take a simplistic approach to the relationship that should exist between the new and old covenants: “I believe in the whole Bible. It doesn’t really matter whether God says it in the New Testament or in the Old Testament; if He says it, it’s good enough for me.” In practice, however, even those who feel this way must pick and choose among the old covenant laws. What Christian today is willing to stone a person to death for a violation of Sabbath law? What married Christian man is willing to take his brother’s wife and raise up children for a deceased brother while still married to his wife? Who is going to insist that Christians wear tassels on the four corners of their garments?¹ Yet all of these are old covenant laws (Ex. 31:14; Deut. 25:5−10; 22:12).

In practical Christian experience, we usually try to find a church where we feel “comfortable.” We like the way the pastor “explains the Bible,” or “teaches truth.” When this takes place, consciously or unconsciously, we are often led to accept the “system of truth” that is taught. The church will, by applying its theological framework, choose to accept, and perhaps even enforce, certain of the Old Testament laws, while choosing to ignore certain others. Thus the church system, whatever that system is, becomes the grid by which to filter out the Old Testament laws which “still apply,” while letting others fall into the hopper labeled, “not for today.” The problem here is that the “system of truth” is often taken for granted. The point I am making is that we, ourselves, ought to be conscious of what we are doing and seriously evaluate whether certain old covenant laws should be enforced and others discarded. We need to have clear, scriptural principles to guide us in our application of old covenant laws. Too often those who enforce old covenant laws do so on the basis of the old covenant statements themselves without letting the new covenant interpret, modify, or transform these laws with reference to Jesus Christ, the new covenant center.

Let us now carefully examine the New Testament evidence which compares and contrasts the old covenant with the new. In doing so our purpose is to discover principles of interpretation which will help us correctly understand which covenant is to have precedence and why.

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in may ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power (Heb. 1:1−3).

In the old covenant God did speak. He spoke to the fathers: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and others. His revelation to them was fragmentary: a few direct statements and a few other revelations in summary and shadowy form. For example, the statement, “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12:3), was not fully understood by the fathers. It would take hundreds, yes, thousands of years before the meaning of that succinct statement would be fully understood.

The prophets often were at a loss to know the full intent of their own visions. For example, in the following quotation we see the prophet Daniel wondering what his vision meant.

Then I, Daniel, was exhausted and sick for days. Then I got up again and carried on the king’s business; but I was astounded at the vision, and there was none to explain it…Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end time (Dan. 8:27;12:9).

The high point of God’s revelation in the Old Testament was the predictive event of Abraham offering the ram in the place of his beloved son, Isaac who carried the wood for the offering up Mt. Mariah in perfect obedience to his father. The giving of the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai is a close second. Yet even these two revelations of God fade into nothingness when compared with the revelation of the life of Jesus, who could say, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (Jn. 14:9).

The old covenant was given “to the fathers” “long ago,” for the time then present. The new is given “to us” “in these last days.” The old revelation of truth was incomplete, fragmentary: “God spoke.” In the new revelation God speaks with finality: “God has spoken.” Jesus is God’s final word. Why? Because “He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His [God’s] nature.”

Jesus: The better new covenant

When we studied the old covenant, we found that there were sacrifices only for unintentional sins. However, when we come to the new covenant we find better things.

Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses (Act. 13:38–39).

The above teaching gives insight into Jesus’ treatment of the woman caught in adultery and his words to the dying thief. Now the door of grace and mercy is wide!

The Jewish Christians, to whom the book of Hebrews was written, had been driven from their synagogues and the pageantry of the temple service. They were being persecuted; some had given up their lands and houses. Living the humble Christian life, meeting in homes for Christian services did not compare outwardly to the safe, comfortable “good old days” when they were still practicing Judaism. Some were tempted to go back to the easy life of Judaism. So the writer shows these suffering Christians that the reality of their new life in Christ far supersedes that possible within the framework of the old covenant. The book of Hebrews was written to help Jewish Christians move away from the old covenant as a source of truth and as a guideline for worship. It does this by showing how much better the new covenant is over the old. A quick survey of this book shows the relationship between these two covenants.

• Is a better revelation of truth (Heb. 1:1−3).
• Is better than the angels (Heb. 1:3−14).
• Is worthy of more glory than Moses (Heb. 3:13).
• Gives a better hope (Heb. 6:9−11).
• Has a better guarantee in Christ (Heb. 7:22).
• Has a more excellent ministry (Heb. 8:6).
• Has a better mediator in Christ (Heb. 8:6).
• Is enacted on better promises (Heb. 8:6).
• Cleansed with better sacrifices (Heb. 9:23).
• Promises a better country (Heb. 11:16).
• Promises a better resurrection (Heb. 11:35).
• Gives us something better (Heb. 11:40).
• Has a better mediator (Heb. 8:6; 12:24).
• Speaks with better blood (Heb. 12:24).

We must remember that the writer of Hebrews was writing to a people who loved the old covenant services. While his writing is to the point and at times very strong, he nevertheless couched his words so he would not offend his intended readers. Therefore, he chooses to use the often-repeated word “better” to describe the difference between the two covenants. However, when we turn to comparisons of the two covenants in documents which were written to Gentile audiences we find stronger language used.

Who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, how shall the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory. For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory on account of the glory that surpasses it. For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory (2 Cor. 3:6−11).

2 Corinthians 3:3−18

In the next few verses, Paul comes to more practical matters. What about reading the old covenant?

But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart. But whenever a man turns to the Lord, that veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit (2 Cor. 3:12−18).

What is Paul saying here? First, the people with the veil over their faces (in his case the Jews, or Judaizers) are those who accept the old covenant as it reads or read it through old covenant eyes. Paul is saying that to understand the old covenant correctly we must see it from the new covenant perspective. This is a very important principle of interpretation. The new covenant, which is a better and more nearly complete revelation of truth, must be allowed to interpret, modify or transform all old covenant statements in a Christ-centered way.

Second, if we continue to read the old covenant from any other perspective it will be as though we are looking through a veil and we could come to the wrong conclusions. This means that we should not accept any old covenant laws or practices on the basis of the old covenant statements themselves. Rather, we must ex- amine every old covenant law and statement from the new covenant perspective: Jesus Christ.

Applying this principle to the topic of the Sabbath means that as Christians we are not to go directly to old covenant laws and statements regarding Sabbath rest. Rather, we are to discover what the new covenant teaches about God’s rest and allow it to modify or transform all old covenant Sabbath law from a Christ-centered perspective.

Before we leave the discussion of Paul’s comparison of the two covenants, I would like to point out his frequent mention of the Holy Spirit in connection with the new covenant. We will deal more fully with this concept a few chapters later, but for now keep your eyes and hearts open for insights regarding the work of the Holy Spirit in the new covenant. The Holy Spirit is vitally important to a correct understanding and application of new covenant law!

We will next examine the way Jesus related to the ritual and moral laws of the old covenant to find a pattern which will help us better understand the Sabbath encounters of Jesus recorded in the Gospels.

Chapter Summary

1. The new covenant centers upon the life, death and resurrection of Christ.
2. The redemption from sin brought by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus serves as the moral foundation for new covenant law, the motivation for Christian living and the theme of Christian worship.
3. The new covenant calls the Sinaitic Covenant the “old covenant” or the “first covenant.”
4. The new covenant defines the old covenant as both the Ten Commandments and the other laws which made up the old covenant.
5. The new covenant is much better than the old in every way.
6. The new covenant has greater authority than the old covenant.
7. Unless the old covenant is interpreted by the new and read in a Christ-centered way, the reader will not understand it correctly.

Endnotes

1. Certain “Christian” groups are now insisting that this should be done!

• Author
• Recent Posts

Dale Ratzlaff

Dale Ratzlaff (1936–2024), is the founder of Life Assurance Ministries and Proclamation! Magazine. He served as a Seventh-day Adventist pastor for 13 years, seven at Monterey Bay Academy where he taught Bible. He and his wife Carolyn left the Adventist church in 1981 when he realized he could no longer teach the investigative judgment with a clear conscience. He has authored several books on Adventism that are available through his website, SabbathInChrist.com.

Latest posts by Dale Ratzlaff (see all)

• 6. The New Covenant - April 17, 2025
• The Christ Event and the Spirit of Prophecy - April 10, 2025
• 5. Shadows of Christ - April 10, 2025