Bible Questions and Answers

When God brought Israel out of Egypt by the hand of Moses, he made a Covenant with them at Sinai.

This Covenant (known as the ‘Old Covenant’ or Testament) contained judicial laws concerning behaviour, diet, clothing, Sabbath observance and sacrificial offerings. It had ten commandments written with the finger of God upon two stone tablets.

Failure to observe any part of the Law constituted sin and excluded from the future Kingdom of God.

None except Jesus Christ could keep the Law and so all were condemned by the Law to death.

Israel failed to keep the Old Covenant and God promised a New Covenant.

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: 32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: 33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

The writer to the Hebrews refers to this:

Hebrews 8:8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:

The New Covenant replaces the Old in its entirety.

Hebrews 8:13 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.

Jesus Christ is the mediator of the New Covenant.

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

Hebrews 9:15 NKJV And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

Hebrews 12:24 NKJV to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

Jesus Christ, by his perfect obedience, fulfilled the Old Covenant and took it out of the way.

Paul explains:

Colossians 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

Those who believe the gospel and are baptised into Jesus Christ for the remission of past sins enter into a New Covenant.

In the New Covenant we are no longer under the Law of Moses.

Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

Romans 10:4  For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

Under the New Covenant we are commanded to obey the commandments of Jesus Christ, not the Law of Moses.

John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

Luke 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

The commandments of Jesus Christ are found in the New Testament. They reinforce nine of the ten commandments which are to do with morality.

The fourth commandment (Sabbath keeping) is a ceremonial or carnal commandment and not part of the New Covenant.

Hebrews 9:10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.

Those in Christ are not commanded to keep the Sabbath or any of the other Mosaic feast days.

Colossians 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

In the New Testament sin is described as ‘the works of the flesh’ and is contrasted with the fruit of the spirit (a life lived by Christ’s commandments).

Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Romans 13:7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. 8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another; for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Just one observation is required of those in Christ and that is to meet together often to share bread and wine in memory of Christ’s sacrifice.

Paul explains:

1 Corinthians 11:23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. 27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

No day is specified, only that it should be done ‘often’. The early believers found it convenient to meet on the first day of the week (Sunday) and this became a tradition.

May I suggest that you read Your Share in God's Promises:

https://www.thisisyourbible.com/library/show/181

I hope you find this helpful.

God bless,
Glenn