The OLD COVENANT Is Not For Believers!
-It shows us the character of God (as does the new)
-It shows us our hopelessness under the law
-It shows us our need for a NEW and better COVENANT
Many people only talk about the old. Their sermons are all from the old. Their personal Facebook posts are all from the old. Their favorite verses are from the old. If you dare mention the new they are quick to retaliate and point you back to the old covenant brought in by a human – Moses, and ordained merely by angels, not God. It seems the new covenant being brought in by Jesus doesn’t excite them as much as the old.
I’m not saying the old covenant should be discarded, but rather we need to remember that the big deal is the new covenant. If you know Jesus then the old has served its purpose and you are 100% free. If you are under the old you are under a curse because cursed is anyone that doesn’t continue to do EVERYTHING written in the book of the law (see Gal 3:10). For believers, we have been set free from the old (Gal 3:13, Gal 5:1, Gal 3:24, Rom 10:4). The old still has a purpose, and it’s not to bury believers under guilt and condemnation, but rather it’s to point unbelievers to Jesus.
[Hebrew 8:13] When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first OBSOLETE. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to DISAPPEAR.
[Hebrews 7:18-19] For, on the one hand, there is a SETTING ASIDE of a former commandment because of its WEAKNESS and USELESSNESS (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a BETTER HOPE, through which we draw near to God.
Take Away – We are free in Christ to do whatever we want. The question isn’t ‘won’t that lead to more sin?’, but rather ‘what do you want to do with the freedom?’. The truth is God placed His spirit in us, and our desires are the same as His – and that’s why we ‘struggle’ with sin because it doesn’t work for us anymore and it goes AGAINST or new nature. Our new hearts. Our New Spirits.
Dump the old. Grab on to the new. It’s all you need.
Author: Mike Cynar
Mike Cynar was raised in a church setting where he frequently noticed that many attendees would eventually drift away. The church labeled these individuals as ‘back sliders’ or ‘fake Christians’ just looking for ‘fire insurance’. However, Mike realized the issue was rarely with these individuals but instead with the church’s message itself. The teachings heavily emphasized behavior improvement and one’s flaws, with only a fleeting mention of one’s identity in Christ. It felt as though every sermon was tailored to the church of Corinth, who as we know or committing sins that even unbelievers don’t partake in. This trend was noticeable not just in one denomination, but across Baptist, Catholic, Pentecostal, and many other churches. Upon understanding the true essence of the gospel – that our righteousness comes from Jesus’ actions, not our own – Mike was inspired to liberate believers from lifeless sermons and reconnect them with the genuine teachings of Jesus. He believes that one can nurture a vibrant and growing bond with Jesus, unhindered by rigid religious practices. And thus, “Jesus Without Religion” was born.
It turns out that it is grace that leads to repentance. And if our heart is to get others to walk in the Spirit and live a godly life, then the best approach is not a beat down sermon, but rather to remind other that it is only when we understand our true identity in Christ that we will live it out. Yes, it’s true, if you’re convinced that God thinks you’re a dirty sinner, you will ultimately continue a lifestyle that mirrors that view, but if you truly believe that even on your worst day, you are called holy, sanctified, justified, and will be presented blameless in the end, well, it turns out this is the secret to living out on the outside what has been worked in to the inside.
