Two Covenants

There is a teaching within Christianity, that many who call themselves "Christian," believe.  And it is that we are under two covenants.  That the Old and New Covenants are in simultaneous operation.   I am writing this article to explain why that can't be.

First of all, let us understand what the Old Covenant established, and for who.

The Old Covenant was established for a particular people.  The people God chose out of all the world.  The people of Israel as established through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob ( surnamed Israel) and Moses.  The purpose of the Old Covenant was to establish the priesthood, the temple service, the sacrificial system, and a moral law, which were all to be used in Israel's service to God.  

So why isn't the Old Covenant in operation today?  It's not needed.  And, it takes away from the accomplishments of Christ, as if what Christ did is not enough.  The Old Covenant has been replaced, so to speak, by the New Covenant.  

The New Covenant establishes Christ as the high priest, and the people of the New Covenant a royal priesthood.  The book of Hebrews establishes that Christ is the High Priest of a better Covenant, and I Peter 2.9 establishes the people of the New Covenant as a royal priesthood.  So, you can see that a human high priest is no longer needed.

What about the temple service?  The temple where the temple service was carried out has been destroyed.  II Corinthians 6.16 establishes the people of the New Covenant to be the temple of the living God.  So, there is no need of a temple made of stone.  The people of the New Covenant are the living stones of the new temple.  

What needs to be said about the sacrificial system?  It should be well known among Christians that Christ is the supreme sacrifice.  The blood of bulls and goats is no longer needed.

And, finally, the moral law.  The Old Covenant Law establishes that the act of murder, or the act of adultery is wrong.  Christ reestablished the law that even thinking of wrongdoing is wrong.  If you hate your brother, you are guilty of murder.  If you lust for a woman, you are guilty of adultery.  Several times in Matthew 5 did Jesus say, "You have heard of old."  Then he said, "But, I tell you."  The moral law is now what the New Covenant says it is.  

At his death, Christ brought the New Covenant into power.  Hebrews 9.16-17.  And the book of Hebrews speaks very well about the Old Covenant being obsolete, and ready to vanish away.  And that was written over 1940 years ago.  Is the Old Covenant still in the process of vanishing away.  Consider the fact that the destruction of the temple ended the temple service, and anything connect with the temple service, including the priesthood, the temple service and the sacrificial system.  And Christ, you might say, updated the moral law.  

Through Christ, there are no more subjects to a physical kingdom known as Israel.  Only subjects to the kingdom of Christ which is a spiritual kingdom.  

According to John 3.3, if one is not born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Being born from above is a spiritual birth. So, unless you are born spiritually you cannot see the kingdom, because only those spiritually born can see a spiritual kingdom.

According to John 3.5, unless one is born of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God, because the kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom.

In John 18.36, Jesus said that His kingdom is not of this world.

Romans 14.17 states, "For the kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."

I Corinthians 15.50 states, "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption."

II Peter 2.11 tells us that the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is an everlasting kingdom.

These Scriptures tell us that the kingdom of God and Christ is an everlasting spiritual kingdom.  It is the only kingdom of God. The physical kingdom has been destroyed. So, the only kingdom God has is the everlasting spiritual kingdom.

We are not in a physical kingdom.  We are not under a physical covenant.

This came about because, according to Scripture, we have been bought at a price.

Acts 20.28: "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood."

I Corinthians 6.20: "For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s."

I Corinthians 7.26: "You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men."

We are members of a body that belongs to God that he purchased with His own blood.  He owns us. We belong to Him. We are His property. We have been bought at a price.   The sacrifice of Christ makes all the difference in regards to what Covenant we are under.  We are not under two covenants.  We are under the one and only covenant Christ established by shedding his blood.   To say that we are under two covenants suggests that maybe what Christ did wasn't enough.    I don't believe that.  I believe that what Christ did was amply enough to establish a new covenant, and to complete the old covenant.  

Christ said that he did not come to destroy the law, but to complete it.  And I believe his sacrifice on the stake of crucifixion did just that.  It completed the old covenant, and inaugurated the new.  

A covenant is like a contract, and eventhough I am not a legal expert, even I know that when company has a new contract with their workers, the old contract is null and void.  And so it is with a two covenants.  When the new was established, the old was made null and void.