My wife and I were newly married, had no children and were on vacation at the beach. We were hungry so we drove a few hundred yards to the corner seafood restaurant. After being seated, we carefully looked over the menu, then realized with dismay there was not one entree we could consume. Why? We believed erroneously, that living a life which pleased the Lord as a Christian, meant following the dietary laws of the Old Covenant. We quickly left but were frustrated. No! We were mad, not at the restaurant, but at the burdensome restrictions we felt by living with an Old Covenant mindset. This was well before we understood the freedom we have under the New Covenant.
After almost 25 years of teaching the New Covenant, it is a confirmed reality. The majority of Christians today live with an Old Covenant mentality, though not to the extreme we once lived. Nonetheless, it is an Old Covenant mindset. Here is what that may look like.
We believe our forgiveness before God is temporary instead of eternal. That’s why we focus so much on our sins, that we develop an obsession with confession, rather than an obsession with the power of Jesus’ blood and His finished work. “In him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” Ephesians 1:7 NIV
We believe the key to living a successful Christian life is through trying harder to be more committed and disciplined, instead of relying on Christ in us 24/7 to live His life through us. “I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done.” Romans 15:18 NIV
We believe God blesses us only because we obey Him, rather than from just our being IN Christ. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” Ephesians 1:3 NIV Of course, it is a blessing to be free to live like who we are in Christ!
What about you? Do you live with an Old Covenant mentality, or are you living more and more in the exquisite freedom of the New Covenant?
Believe it! It’s the Gospel!
Live Free In Christ,
Mark Maulding, President and Founder
www.GraceLifeInternational.com
All Content Copyright © 2013 Mark Maulding
