Are Christians Under The New Covenant?

🔥The New Covenant in Focus:

The New Covenant, as revealed in scripture, is a divine promise specifically made with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. This covenant is distinct from the Mosaic Covenant, which was based on bilateral obligations that Israel failed to uphold. The New Covenant promises that God will write His laws on their hearts and minds, ensuring their faithfulness and holiness (Jeremiah 31:31-34). This covenant is characterized by God's unilateral action to transform and sustain Israel, ensuring they remain His people.

In contrast, the concept of a testament, as seen in the New Testament, refers to a will that comes into effect upon the death of the testator, Jesus Christ. This testament is not about obligations but about inheritance, where believers are made heirs through faith in Christ. This distinction highlights the role of grace, as the inheritance is secured not by human effort but by the promise of God fulfilled in Christ.

The significance of understanding these distinctions is profound. While the New Covenant pertains to Israel's future restoration, the New Testament reveals the mystery of Christ in believers, making them heirs of the promises through faith, not through the law or ethnic lineage.

đźš«Summary of Misconceptions:

â–ş Claim: Christians are under the New Covenant.

However, scripture teaches the opposite. The New Covenant is specifically for Israel, as outlined in (Jeremiah 31:31-34), and involves God writing His laws on their hearts. The church is not under this covenant but partakes in the benefits of the everlasting covenant through Christ.

â–ş Claim: The New Covenant applies to the church in the same way it does to Israel.

This view misunderstands the biblical principle that the New Covenant is for Israel's national restoration. The church, comprising both Jews and Gentiles, is not under the New Covenant but is a new creation in Christ, enjoying the inheritance through the New Testament.

⚖️What Scripture Actually Says:

Scripture reveals that the New Covenant is a promise made to Israel, ensuring their future faithfulness and holiness. This covenant replaces the Mosaic Covenant, which Israel could not keep. In contrast, the New Testament, established through Christ's death, is about inheritance and grace. Believers are heirs of the promises made to Abraham through faith in Christ, not through adherence to the law. This distinction is crucial for understanding the role of grace and the believer's identity in Christ.

đź’ˇCorrect Understanding from Scripture:

  1. Main Principle: The New Covenant is for Israel's restoration.
    • Supporting Scripture: (Jeremiah 31:31-34) "I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah... I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts."
    • Practical Application: Recognize that God's promises to Israel are distinct from the church's inheritance.
    • Connection to Other Doctrines: This highlights the distinction between Israel and the church.
  2. Main Principle: Believers are heirs through the New Testament.
    • Supporting Scripture: (Galatians 3:26-29) "For you are all children of God by faith in Christ Jesus... you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."
    • Practical Application: Embrace your identity as an heir in Christ, not through the law.
    • Connection to Other Doctrines: This underscores the doctrine of justification by faith.
  3. Main Principle: The New Covenant is not about bilateral obligations for the church.
    • Supporting Scripture: (Hebrews 8:6) "He is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises."
    • Practical Application: Rest in the finished work of Christ, who fulfills all covenant obligations.
    • Connection to Other Doctrines: This relates to the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice.
  4. Main Principle: The church is a new creation in Christ.
    • Supporting Scripture: (2 Corinthians 5:17) "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation."
    • Practical Application: Live out your new identity in Christ, free from the law's demands.
    • Connection to Other Doctrines: This ties into the doctrine of sanctification by grace.

🧠Implications/Damage of Misunderstanding:

Misunderstanding the New Covenant can lead to legalism, where believers mistakenly assume they must attain to the perfected spiritual life that is promised to Israel.

Confusing the church with Israel can result in theological errors, such as replacement theology, which undermines God's distinct plans for Israel and the church.

🩸True Grace/Application Brings You to Christ:

Understanding the New Testament as a testament of grace emphasizes that our inheritance is secured by Christ's death, not by our works. This leads us to rely fully on His grace.

Recognizing that we are heirs in Christ shifts our focus from striving to rest, knowing that our position in Christ is secure and eternal.

🛑Final Takeaways:

The New Covenant is specifically for Israel and involves God's promise to transform and sustain them. (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

The church is not under the New Covenant but is a new creation in Christ, enjoying the inheritance through the New Testament. (Galatians 3:26-29)

🌳Additional Biblical Insights:

The distinction between covenant and testament highlights the role of grace in the believer's life, emphasizing that our relationship with God is based on His promises fulfilled in Christ, not on our ability to keep the law. This understanding frees us to live in the liberty of the Spirit, as heirs of God's eternal promises.