For most of the first 10 years I was a pastor, I was a mixed up minister who mixed up a lot of Christians by preaching a mixture of the Old Covenant (OC) and New Covenant (NC). By doing this, I unwittingly watered down both the purpose of the (OC) and the power of the (NC).
It was my own preaching like this that eventually brought me to brokenness. That would be a great title for a book, wouldn’t it? “Pastor’s Own Preaching Breaks Him”! In that brokenness, God began to give me understanding about the liberating difference in the two Covenants. I didn’t know at the time that this was not only going to free me but many others in the years to come.
Let’s look at according to 2 Corinthians 3:5-11 and then check ourselves to which one we are telling people.
5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, 6 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. 7 But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came [c]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, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory. 10 For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.
The ministry of the (OC) is a ministry of death. The purpose of the (OC) or law is to show an unbeliever how sinful they are. They are sinful because their old nature is spiritually dead. See Romans 3:19-20; Romans 5:20; Galatians 5:23; Ephesians 2:1-3
The ministry of the (NC) is a ministry of the Spirit.The law cannot give life but the gift of the Holy Spirit causes a person to come alive spiritually under the (NC). Forgiveness is great but dead people need life! Galatians 3:21; Romans 8:2
The ministry of the (OC) is a ministry of condemnation. The ministry of the (OC) is to reveal to an unbeliever that because of their sins, they are condemned and therefore unacceptable to God. Romans 3:19-20; 5:20; Galatians 3:21
The ministry of the (NC) is a ministry of righteousness. The ministry of the (NC) reveals to Christians that they are 100% acceptable to God because they are the righteousness of God in Christ. Romans 5:1, 17, 19; 2 Corinthians 5:21
The ministry of the (OC) has come to an end. Once a person comes to faith in Christ, their relationship with the (OC), meaning the law, ends and is replaced by the (NC). Romans 7:1-7; Galatians 3:19, 25
The ministry of the (NC) is permanent. As Christians, our identity in Christ and Christ in us has permanently replaced the (OC). Ephesians 1:13-14; Hebrews 10:16-17
If you are discovering that you are like I once was, in that you mix together the two Covenants, let go of the Old Covenant unless you are talking to an unbeliever. It’s not for Christians! Embrace and live in the freedom of being a New Covenant person! Minister to people this awesome New Covenant which God has provided for us in Christ!
Believe it! It’s the Gospel!
Live Free In Christ,
Mark Maulding, President and Founder
www.GraceLifeInternational.com All Content Copyright © 2014 Mark Maulding
