Posted on 09/27/2016 11:57:08 AM PDT by metmom
“Whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; but whenever a man turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away” (2 Corinthians 3:15-16).
One of the most important truths the Holy Spirit unveils for us is the glory of the New Covenant.
The Old Testament contains many veiled statements, types, prophecies, and parables. The Israelites didn’t understand most of those things because the Old Testament didn’t have plainness of speech. Its glory was veiled and was even described as fading away (2 Cor. 3:13-14).
In contrast to the Old Covenant, the present New Covenant age is characterized by the clarity of all the key doctrinal and practical passages in the New Testament. This progress from the veiled glory of the previous era to the unveiled glory of the present era occurred when the Holy Spirit came in the Book of Acts. All that God wants us to know and do is clearly brought into focus now because of the teaching ministry of the indwelling Spirit.
The Spirit guides and enlightens New Covenant believers as they read and study God’s Word. Therefore, there is no longer any need, for example, to unscramble the pictures and prophecies regarding Christ. Thus Paul can say, “We use great plainness of speech” (2 Cor. 3:12, KJV). He goes on to say in verses 17-18, “Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”
Those verses describe the essence of the Christian life: becoming like Jesus Christ. The only way to do that is to know well the unveiled glory of the New Covenant and allow the Holy Spirit to change you more and more into the Savior’s image.
Suggestions for Prayer
As you go through this day, ask the Lord to remind you often of the glory, clarity, and freedom you have under the New Covenant. Pray that all your actions would reflect this truth.
For Further Study
Hebrews 8 begins a discussion and outline of the superiority of the New Covenant. Read this chapter, and record what it says are differences and improvements from the Old to the New Covenant. Who mediates the New Covenant?
Studying God’s Word ping
Great stuff!
Don’t tell Editor-surveyor this. He was arguing that there is no “new” covenant, and doing so pretty vehemently.
At first I thought he was joking. Honestly, I’m still not sure I wasn’t being trolled.
We are a New Covenant people! But some miss the full impact of this. Not only have our sins been removed “as far as the East is from the West”, and not only have we been given the Power of the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s eternal truths, but the “Second Adam” has fully restored us to the position before God once enjoyed by the first Adam before he sinned. We are now free to “walk in the garden in the cool of the evening with our Creator!”
Fully Restored!
Wow!!
No. Read his posting history.
Dead serious, sadly.
I’ve gotten in a lot of religious spars with guys that really come on strong as serious bible scholars only to find out that they are the real world equivalent of John Goodman in The Big Lebowski.
And when you actually look op the things they say are not really in the bible, THERE THEY ARE. I don’t get it. Especially with google and all the bible study sites, ridiculous claims are really easy to vet.
So why make them?
Deception would be my only guess.
One question for you. If God broke his covenant with the Jews because of their disbelief, what makes you think that he won’t break his ‘new’ covenant with you because of your disbelief? Didn’t he say in Romans 11:17 but if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, and 18: do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you.” Also, he said “So do not become proud, but fear. (21) For God if did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. I believe that Paul was telling us that we were grafted into the commonwealth. If you are being told that God breaks his covenants and lies, then you are being lied to.
I don’t think God is breaking His covenant in the least.
As a matter of fact, I don’t see anywhere where anyone was saying that God broke His covenant.
Setting Israel aside until the times of the Gentiles have been fulfilled is not breaking it.
We know that God has not abandoned His covenants because He reveals how He is going to finally fulfill them, in Daniel 9 and in Ezekiel and in Isaiah, etc.
Are you aware that the evidence of the New Covenant is the seal of the Holy Spirit?
As long as you remain in the current body, the life in your blood is inherited from Adam. Thus you have inherited a sin nature. It is natural to you to sin and be drawn by temptation. So, what we should ask is, 'How does the New Covenant make us different since we retain the life inherited from Adam?' Would you like the answer to that one?
Regarding the branches broken off, remember Aaron’s rod that budded, and Matt 3:9 ...
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