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!
Mark Maulding, President and Founder
www.GraceLifeInternational.com All Content Copyright © 2014 Mark Maulding
