For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. (Ephesians 5:5)

For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. (II Peter 2:20)

Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. (I John 3:6)

The above passages were written to Christians, to the saints. What sense would they make if the new covenant were an eternal forgiveness of our sins, an amnesty that does not depend on nor is significantly affected by our conduct or our personal transformation into the image of Christ?

If the new covenant is an unconditional forgiveness of the sins of the believer, the bulk of the writings of the Apostles is irrelevant. The Books of Hebrews, I John, and Jude may just as well be discarded because they are exhortations and warnings concerning the sins found in the churches.

Also, the second and third chapters of the Book of Revelation would have little application to the Christian churches if the new covenant is an unconditional forgiveness of the sins of believing Gentiles.

Not only is it true that most of the writings of the Apostles do not reflect the current teaching, it also is a fact that the nature of the new covenant has been misconstrued.

Complete redemption from sin, the kind of redemption Christ brings to fallen man, must include three factors:

God's forgiveness of our sinful acts.

Deliverance from the compelling power of sin.

The healing of the effects of sin.

The old covenant included only the first part—God's forgiveness of our sinful acts.

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)

And he shall offer the second for a burnt offering, according to the manner: and the priest shall make an atonement for him for his sin which he hath sinned, and it shall be forgiven him. (Leviticus 5:10)

And the priest shall make an atonement for him before the Lord: and it shall be forgiven him for any thing of all that he hath done in trespassing therein. (Leviticus 6:7)

God was not pleased with the old covenant because it did not produce righteous people. God's goal in making a new covenant with the house of Israel is that God's elect, both Jews and Gentiles, may serve Him as one holy Body in true righteousness and holiness.

That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. (Luke 1:74,75)

"In holiness and righteousness."

To be continued.