Sometimes it actually is stated that the commandments of the Lord and His Apostles are not to be obeyed. God's purpose in giving the commandments found in the New Testament was not that we would obey them but to demonstrate that we must come to Christ and receive the grace of forgiveness. Although this concept of the New Testament writings has been advanced for many years it utterly is without foundation in the New Testament.

The problem here is that the teachers are making justification by faith the only aspect of the Divine redemption. They are ignoring the all important works of sanctification and consecration. If forgiveness of sins and imputed righteousness are the only aspects of Divine grace, then the new covenant will never produce people in God's image. It is a tremendous misunderstanding of the program and objectives of Divine grace.

If this were true it would mean that the new covenant is inferior to the old, in that the old required godly behavior. God has admitted (it is assumed) there is nothing He can do to save people from their sins. He has decided to forgive them without attempting to change them. What an erroneous concept!

How does God's Word describe the new covenant?

First of all, let us point out the principal difference between the two covenants. Under the old covenant, sin was forgiven through the atonement made by the blood of animals. Under the new covenant, sin is forgiven through the atonement made by the blood of the righteous Jesus, and then removed from us as we fight against it with the power of the Holy Spirit working in terms of the authority of the blood of the cross.

The Mosaic covenant included forgiveness.

And he shall do with the bullock as he did with the bullock for a sin offering, so shall he do with this: and the priest shall make an atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them. (Leviticus 4:20)

The new covenant includes the forgiveness and the removal of the presence (power, compulsion, desire) of sin.

For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. (Hebrews 10:1)

For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. (Hebrews 10:4)

And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: (Hebrews 10:11)

"Make the comers thereunto perfect." "Should take away sins." "Can never take away sins."

It is clear from the Scripture that the old covenant made provision for the forgiveness of sin (Leviticus 4:20 above). The difference between the covenants has to do with the removal of the presence and consciousness of sin, with making the worshiper perfect in conscience and in behavior.

To be continued.