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The New Covenant Inaugurated for the Church Today

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The following is adapted from Bob Hoestra’s class Living By God’s Sufficiency, available free at the Blue Letter Bible Institute (www.blbi.org).

 Previous posts in this series:

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Though the full fruit of the new covenant still awaits Israel as a nation, today’s believer must rejoice to know that for him, that better covenant is already inaugurated for the church now.

But now [Christ] has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.
(Hebrews 8:6)

The old covenant had promised that if those under it acted righteously, they would live. The difficulty here is that no one of his own strength could possibly follow the law of that old covenant. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and the glorious standards of God (Romans 3:23). There are better promises in the new covenant. Essentially the new covenant says that now, because the believer lives with new life, he will able to walk righteously if he draws upon the all-sufficient resource of God’s grace.

But now [Christ] has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah—not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers.” In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
(Hebrews 8:6-9, 13)

The author of the book to the Hebrews is quoting Jeremiah 31 and applying it to New Testament believers—to Christians. He goes on to quote that passage thoroughly, demonstrating how the new covenant of grace causes the old covenant to show its inadequacy (its inadequacy being that it is obsolete and cannot produce what it demands of those under its terms). The new covenant as applied in Hebrews 8 is directed at the church of Jesus Christ.

Though the book of Hebrews was written to Hebrew believers that in no way means that it is not also helpful to Gentile believers. Addressed to Hebrew believers in the early church who were tempted to return to the law and ritual of the old covenant (the cult worship being more acceptable in Jewish society and therefore, incurring less persecution), the book makes claims broad enough to suit all of Christendom. In Christ there is no east or west; nor male or female; no Jew nor Gentile. All are become one in Christ Jesus. Therefore, that which is written to one is written to all. This is written to “the brethren,” meaning all brothers and sisters in the family of God.

But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin. Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh.
(Hebrews 10:15-20)

Which He consecrated for us could be translated, “which He inaugurated for us.” It could be rendered, “which He dedicated, initiated, instituted, set in place for us.” And note that this is written in the past tense. This is a deed accomplished already. He inaugurated for us already, this new and living way. It has already happened and is already available. This is the new covenant that we live in today—the new and living way.

That which is promised eventually to Israel is already inaugurated for the church now. Both cases are provided for by the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Though as a nation, Israel rejected Jesus, individuals of the nation still followed Him, and they were granted the right to be called children of God (cf. John 1).

And for all who now believe, we follow Jesus, the Messiah, the Mediator of the new and better covenant. This new covenant is instituted for us. The forgiveness of sins is ours in this new covenant. Intimacy of relationship with God is now available to us by this new and living way. And by this new arrangement with His people, God has freed their path that they might boldly approach the holiest place, the very throne of God.

Recall the old and dying way, the old covenant of law. The holy of holies stood next to unapproachable. One person on one day of the year entered in for everyone else. That was no great intimacy with God. All of this—the sacrifices, the temple, the ritual—all work to proclaim that God is holy and man is not. There must be the shedding of blood for the forgiveness of sins. In his natural state, man is unable to approach God for God is pure, holy, and undefiled while man it impure, corrupt, and iniquitous. The law teaches this without stammering.

Only one man would approach the dwelling of God on a single day each year, and he would approach with fear and awe, knowing his state and the state of all mankind. So perilous was his mission that a rope would be tied around the high priest’s ankle—if he died in the holy place, he would be drawn out by the rope for none other could enter that place. This speaks volumes to the need of man and foreshadows the provision of God. The new covenant has fulfilled this need to perfection. This is a new and living way. Every one of who believes, by day or by night, can boldly approach His holy throne.

The veil of separation between the holy place and every other place has been torn asunder. And it was not torn from bottom to top by man, but from top to bottom by God. There is, therefore, now no separation between the believer and his Lord. When the body of Christ was torn on the cross, the veil was torn in the temple. The door to the heavenlies is now opened by the blood of Jesus Christ. The believer is granted intimacy with God.

Comments

  2. Chris at BLB~

    Thank you for your thoughts, today. Indeed, “[Christ] has obtained a more excellent ministry.” The “inadequacy” of the old covenant is evident in so many ways, not the least of which we read about in Romans 8:3, which says, “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.” What a truly blessed gift we have in the indwelling Holy Spirit, our own private teacher to guide us into our Father’s truth, love, and holiness!

    You also make an excellent point that “Though the book of Hebrews was written to Hebrew believers that in no way means that it is not also helpful to Gentile believers.” As II Timothy 3:16 so clearly puts forth, believers are to look to ALL Scripture, and as Luke 4:4b also clearly states, believers are to live by “every word of God.” I just can’t imagine the absolute confusion and division that would be manifest in the body of Christ if we began applying God’s truths according to the books in which we find them. For example, if the book of Hebrews was written just for the Jews, then does that mean that the book of Romans only applies to people in Rome? Are we to ignore the two books that Paul wrote to the people in Corinth because we don’t live there? What about the books written to believers in Ephesus? Galatia? Thessalonica? The fact is that it is God’s whole counsel by which we are to walk.

    You have given many wonderful topics that each of us needs to use as points of study as we learn about and grow in the Lord. Thank you.

    God bless you!
    Your sister in Christ~
    Barbara

  3. Chris thank you for your blog…it is very encouraging to many and creates opportunity for deeper reflection and intimacy with the Lord. A side note..I did also teach this concept of the rope tied to the high priests ankle having heard it from many other pastor/teachers. I was personally challenged to give proof of such a claim and found out through a little digging that it cannot be backed up by any reliable, ancient historical information. Dr. W.E. Nunnally, a professor of Hebrew and early Judaism, has reported:

    “The rope on the high priest legend is just that: a legend. It has obscure beginnings in the Middle Ages and keeps getting repeated. It cannot be found anywhere in the Bible, the Apocrypha, the Dead Sea Scrolls, Josephus, the Pseudepigrapha, the Talmud, Mishna, or any other Jewish source. It just is not there.”
    A modern source…The Zohar has been quoted to contain such a rope but Rabbi Dr. Ari Z. Zivotofsky has written a lengthy article refuting the claim in the Jewish Action online @ Zohar.http://www.ou.org/index.php/jewish_action/article/57327/ refuting such claims.

    It is not my desire to be argumentative or to destroy any illustrations but I’m hope this information will equip you to be able do defend any information you disseminate. This was sent for your own edification and does not need to be applied to the comment board unless you see fit.

    • To be “perfect” as possible, to have gone through all the ritual cleansings and washings, and then to put a rope around the ankle of the High Priest would be equating “unbelief” to what was given by God as “safe passage”. I agree that this is myth.

  4. The greater message that you and I can now enter into the Holiest of places, into the very presence of Almighty God our Father is still true and of utmost importance for us to understand and believe.

  5. If the new covenant was being realized today, Christians would live perfect, sin-free lives: Ezekiel 36:27 “And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” and I John 3:9 “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.”

    Since we are not living in sinless perfection, we must trust God’s Word that the new covenant is still future and for Israel alone, not for us today. Jeremiah 31:31 “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:”

    To try to apply the new covenant to us today is to call God a liar in Jeremiah 31:31.

    • Eric~

      What you are suggesting with your understanding of the word “cause’ is that God is going to force people to walk in His statutes and keep His commandments, which is not biblically logical. We are free, moral agents to choose either to follow or not to follow God, whether saved or not. In addition, until we are with the Lord, no one will be living in “sinless perfection” so the word “cause” cannot mean what you think. In verse 26 God says, “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh,” and in verse 27a, He says, “And I will put my spirit within you.” It is this phrase by which we can understand what the word “cause” means. When the new covenant went into effect, the Holy Spirit was given to dwell inside the believer to enable, or “cause” that person to walk according to God’s statutes. He is the agent who makes it possible for us to actually live according to God’s law and to grow in holiness if we choose. We are in the new covenant as just these three verses testify:

      ~”But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises” (Heb. 8:6).

      ~”In that he saith, A new [covenant], he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old [is] ready to vanish away” (Heb. 8:13).

      ~”And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than [that of] Abel” (Heb. 12:24).

      You have again cited I John 3:9, which I explained to you in an earlier post. It doesn’t mean that we cannot sin because that would contradict I John 2:1; it means that we are no longer governed by sin.

      I don’t know where you are getting your biblical teaching, but I pray that God will lead you into a body in which you can learn and grow in the truth of His Word.

      Yours in Christ~
      Barbara

  6. I believe the story of the rope probably evolved from the scripture below. Of course it’s a bell and not a rope and it makes me wonder if this is really the origin of the quote “for whom the bell tolls”. Who knows. 🙂

    Exodus 28:31-
    Other Priestly Garments

    31 “You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue. 32 There shall be an opening for his head in the middle of it; it shall have a woven binding all around its opening, like the opening in a coat of mail, so that it does not tear. 33 And upon its hem you shall make pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet, all around its hem, and bells of gold between them all around: 34 a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe all around. 35 And it shall be upon Aaron when he ministers, and its sound will be heard when he goes into the holy place before the Lord and when he comes out, that he may not die.

  7. “Though the full fruit of the new covenant still awaits Israel as a nation, today’s believer must rejoice to know that for him, that better covenant is already inaugurated for the church now.”
    “—to Christians.”
    “the new covenant of grace”
    “The new covenant as applied in Hebrews 8 is directed at the church of Jesus Christ.”
    “(the cult worship-”
    “to suit all of Christendom.”
    “This is written to “the brethren,” meaning all brothers and sisters in the family of God.”
    “could be translated, “which He inaugurated for us.””
    “That which is promised eventually to Israel is already inaugurated for the church now.”
    “Though as a nation, Israel rejected Jesus,”
    “This new covenant is instituted for us.”
    “this new arrangement with His people,”

    Apart from these, I agree with what Bob H. had to say and that as believers we are all graphed in to the promises made to Israel and enjoy the benefits there of by GODS Grace. The Jer 31: 31-34 HNV New Covenant has specific terms and parties involved clearly spelled out with no ambiguity. Nothing like these verses is found in the Messianic Writings, (NT) all in the same place and with the same specificity. The “new covenant of grace for Christians apart from Israel” has to be analogized and interpreted into some doctrine that I have not found in scripture. I understand what is being implied, and know all the traditional verses that are used to support it, but it only comes from applying a verse analogy here and a verse interpretation there until the desired message is formulated. This is what cults do and is not how scripture should be read. It should be read as a whole with a good foundation of studying who, what, when, where, why and how.

    The quotes above promote Replacement Theology. Though Bob’s heart and motives were I’m sure sincere, I disagree with this theology. The entire book of Romans was written to dispel this as a false teaching that was being proliferated through out the nations and had to be stopped. Rome represented the world, nations, gentiles that have been governing to some extent or another the nation of Israel since the “Exile” and “Glory of the Lord” (Theophany-Messiah in OT) left the Temple in Eze 8-11 HNV and even to this day. That is until HE returns. What a glorious day that will be! Hebrews was written to Hebrews.

    Eric, I believe the New Covenant was put into force when Messiah pronounced “it is finished” and available to believers to the extent it can be in our mortal flesh and will be to some greater extent when Messiah returns and restores the Kingdom of Israel while seated on David’s throne from Jerusalem. To what extent or form that will take I do not know, but I pray to see you there.

    J.

    • Jerry~

      On the October 18 blog, I answered your question, “…with whom does the “New Covenant” rest with while Israel waits?” It is dated the 22nd. I’d really like you to address what I have written and explain why Scripture contradicts your theology.

      On this post, you’ve have selected comments from the commentary with which you disagree. I won’t go through all of them because one is sufficient to illustrate that your interpretation of Scripture is, again, faulty. The one I’ve chosen is that you disagree with the statement, “Though as a nation, Israel rejected Jesus.” You disagree that the nation of Israel rejected Jesus? What Bible are you reading, Jerry? Matthew 23:37-39 says, “O JERUSALEM, JERUSALEM, [thou] that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under [her] wings, and YE WOULD NOT! BEHOLD, YOUR HOUSE IS LEFT UNTO YOU DESOLATE. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed [is] he that cometh in the name of the Lord” (caps mine). It is very clear from these verses that the “house” rejected Jesus, and it is very clear that it is the house of Israel.

      If the nation of Israel didn’t reject Jesus, then what is Paul saying in Romans 10:1-3?: Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, HAVE NOT SUBMITTED THEMSELVES UNTO THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD” (caps mine). The last phrase means that Israel has rejected Christ.

      We also read in Acts 2:36, “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” The “ye” refers back to the phrase “all the house of Israel.” That “all of the house of Israel” is held responsible for Christ’s crucifixion is clearly rejection.

      There is something that I would appreciate your explaining. This is a Christian blog, and because you have done nothing but criticize Christianity because you think it is corrupted to the bone, what is your purpose in posting your comments, here? You have written that you are just putting out ideas for consideration, but if you are truly one of the very few followers of Jesus here, shouldn’t you do everything possible to bring exacting clarification to your posts to bring the rest of us into the truth that has, apparently, eluded the rest of us? Why wouldn’t you do everything possible to answer to the many objections that people have put forth so that we, too, may be in the truth and fellowship of God that He desires? In fact, according to you, we’re not even followers of Jesus, so why don’t you love us enough to put some solid examples, relevant Scripture, and logical explanations behind your rhetoric and accusations so that the rest of us won’t be spending eternity in hell? Can you do that Jerry, or don’t you love us enough for that?

      Barbara

  8. Jhn 8:23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. And Jhn 18:36

    Whole perspectives are necessary. Undoubtedly the New Testament does not violate the promise to the fathers. Israel will accept Messiah yet tragically only after suffering near obliteration. The unattended piece absent from human evaluation of redemption ignores what life will finally be like. Jesus and the apostles visit the temple without participating in the rites. Jesus chastises the Hebrew religious. Jesus announces the destruction of their temple and desolation until Israel proclaims, “blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord!” Israel is a chronology of events on earth while the New Testament church is as their Lord and “have not where to lay His head.”
    Mat 8:20, Luk 9:58

    The bride of Christ is not a place but is Spirit. Those who are in God, in Jesus will not have the bodies that we have now. To wonder after the law of the flesh discounts, despises the law of the Spirit of Life. The Old Testament was transcended by the blood of the Lamb. It is necessary to recognize the endings and deaths recorded for examples in the Old Testament. It is necessary to recognize that Jesus gave no heed or did no service to the flesh during His life. The actual church, the Bride of Christ is Spirit. The law is not ended but fulfilled in Spirit, in truth. Look to new heavens and a new Earth, evermore with the Lamb of God.

    Isa 65:17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
    Isa 66:22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
    2Pe 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.