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The Daily Word of Righteousness
Saved by Faith Alone?, #19
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: (Hebrews 8:10)
How the New Covenant Operates
Let us now examine how the new covenant of salvation operates, comparing it with the operation of salvation under the Law of Moses.
Salvation in terms of the Law of Moses. Under the Law of Moses the believer was to make every effort to obey the commandments of the Lord, particularly the commandments contained in the first five books of the Scriptures (the Torah ). When he sinned he was to offer the designated sacrifice, and make restitution if indicated.
If he obeyed the Scriptures he was promised long life and the blessing of God. Although there are references in the Old Testament to the resurrection of the dead and also to the new heaven and earth and the glorified Jerusalem, as a general rule the worshiper was not pointed to a joyous life in the next world as being the reward for keeping the Law.
The Israelite obeyed the set of rules. The blood of animals made an atonement for his sins. The reward was that God counted him as righteous and he was blessed in this world. Also, he had the hope of Divine favor when he died and of a resurrection that would bring him into the land of Israel.
This is what Paul meant by works—the works of the Law of Moses. There were the Ten Commandments, dietary observances, admonitions concerning physical relationships, and statutes governing crime, leprosy, the handling of money, and so forth.
Not one element of the Law of Moses is to be made a part of the Christian salvation. The Christian covenant is a new covenant. It is vastly superior to the old and is bound by no aspect of the old.
Salvation in terms of the new covenant. The Law of Moses and Christian grace have:
Different goals.
Different orientations
Totally different procedures
Different goals. The goal of the Law of Moses, as we have stated, was a righteous individual who was eligible to receive the present physical blessing of God plus a vaguely defined Divine favor in the next age.
The goal of Christian grace is that we be changed into the moral image of Christ and filled with the Presence of God and Christ through the Holy Spirit. The accomplishment of such image and union make possible all of the other objectives, roles, services, and positions of the Kingdom of God.
The goal of Christian grace is a person who is righteous as the Lord Jesus is righteous; holy as the Lord Jesus is holy.
The goal of Christian grace includes all of the rewards promised to the overcomers, the victorious saints.
To be continued.