The Old Covenant, established by God through Abraham concerned his descendants–the 12 tribes of Israel. The covenant revolved around obedience to God’s Law which He condensed into Ten Commandments, wrote them in stone and protected them from those who would change them. In Jeremiah 31 He declared that a time would come when He would establish a New Covenant with Israel. In Joel 2:28 He prophesied that a time would come when He would pour out His Holy Spirit on all who would truly embrace Him. At that time He would write His Ten Commandment Law on the hearts of those who would vow to obey Him–at the moment of conversion. That time arrived on the Day of Pentecost 31 A.D. when He poured out His Spirit on some 120 faithful souls in an upper room in Jerusalem, thereby converting (not saving) them. Acts 2 describes this momentous event. In that instance the people spoke in unknown tongues. This happened in other instances in which people received God’s Spirit (Acts 10:46;19:6). As the Scriptures reveal, speaking in tongues does not always take place upon receiving the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is awarded when one is truly converted. It is through the Holy Spirit’s power abiding within that enables God’s true saints to obey the Law that has been written in their hearts (minds). Which brings up a lie that Satan has successfully deceived professing Christendom into believing–that the New Covenant did away with God’s Ten Commandment Law. This is the Law that defines sin and holiness (1 Jn. 3:4).
This is the same Law He promised to write on the hearts of the descendants of the ancient Israelites who, like some of their ancestors, would turn their lives over to Him (Jer. 31:31-33). In Hebrews 8:8-12 He confirmed that He had done exactly that, beginning on the Day of Pentecost in 31 A.D. Gentiles who became part of His family would also receive the Holy Spirit upon true conversion (Acts 10:443-46; 26:20). God used the apostles to bring the house of Israel and the house of Judah back together. Their “the ministry of reconciliation” entailed not only bringing the two groups back together, but also bringing them back to their heavenly Father. Together they have returned to their God as one body–the Body of Christ known Biblically as The Church of God. This church also includes Law-keeping Gentiles. This Law-centered body is rejected by the whole of professing Christendom whose god has deceived them into obeying his law which is known as “church doctrine”–a counterfeit (perverted–Gal. 1:6-9) version of God’s true Gospel. Read the Introduction of this website for a list of heathen “truths” (doctrines) that form the foundational principles of the counterfeit church–a two-headed religious monster known as Catholicism/Protestantism. Let us now delve into this duel-headed, multi-bodied, Satan-led body in order to determine its relationship with the Law of the Lord, and therefore with the Lord Himself.
Those who have spent any time in the false church have been taught that the Old Covenant (Testament) consisted of the Ten Commandment Law which God the Father administered with an iron fist. They have been told that the New Covenant, headed by sweet baby Jesus of manger fame, contains only grace and promises–no Law. It is argued that the Old Covenant was “nailed to the cross.” And since the Law was part of the Old Covenant, it had also been done away with upon Christ’s death. This teaching leads people to believe that the Law was harsh, cruel and enslaving, that the Old Covenant had a FAULT, and that the fault was the Ten Commandment Law itself. And in that God had given the Law, the FAULT WAS ACTUALLY HIS.
Later, realizing His error, He raised up Jesus Christ Who created a New Covenant which contained no Law, only grace and liberty to do as one pleased. Those whose religious “truths” were alike then joined together and formed a denomination based on their common “truths.” Declaring themselves to be God’s church, they then began to draw others into their religious web. Two great bodies and hundreds of mini-bodies eventually formed, each with its own god, messiah, doctrines, etc. Each group has created its own covenant with its god. Though this process has produced a myriad of “churches,” there is one doctrine they all share–the “fact” that the Old Covenant was done away with and plays no part in the New Covenant Church. The counterfeit church goes even further, declaring that to obey the Law proves that one has “fallen from grace” because one’s religion involves “works”–the dirtiest word found in the entire Bible. Consensus within Christendom holds that all that is needed to be saved is to have faith in Jesus, attend church, etc. In other words, to obey church doctrine. It is stressed repeatedly that the Ten Commandment Law has no place in “the church.” The identity of “the church” depends on which group the speaker “belongs to.” To expose this Satanic teaching let us turn to the passage upon which the “all-grace-no Law” groups hang their collective hat–Hebrews 8:7,8.
“For if that first covenant had been faultless, then there would be no need for a second covenant. For FINDING FAULT with ….” (vs 7a). This (“headline”) is where Law-rejecters stop reading. Enough reading; enough studying. “Eurika” (Heb.–“I’ve found it”). Nothing more needs to be known. THE OLD LAW-CENTERED COVENANT HAD A FAULT. DEATH TO THE OLD COVENANT AND THE LAW IT EMPHASIZED. LONG LIVE THE NEW COVENANT BASED ON GRACE, THE FREEDOM TO DETERMINE INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP TRUTH AND THE RIGHT TO DEFY GOD’S WORD (PRACTICE IDOLATRY) AND GET AWAY WITH IT. Recall that Adam and Eve were the first to enjoy that freedom–but only temporarily. Back to Hebrews 8:7 and 8a. Yes, the Old Covenant did have a FAULT–a MAJOR FAULT. But what was the fault? The church says the fault is with the Law itself, meaning the Giver of the Law–God the Father. But what does He say? Let us find out by completing verse 8. “For finding fault with THEM, He said, ‘Behold, the day will come when I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah (His church).'” Notice that the FAULT was not with the Law, but with “THEM.” Not “IT, but “THEM.” “THEM” referred to the house of Israel and the house of Judah–who refused to obey His Ten Commandment Law, thereby creating the need for a New Covenant (vs 9). A drastic change had to take place. But what course would that change take? L.J.
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