Hello, I'd like to respond to the "32 differences between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant", post #211 above.
Here we go!
32 differences between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant
The 32 differences are;
1. The old covenant came by Moses while the new covenant came by Jesus Christ (John 1:17).
My response: The Torah of the Old Covenant passes into the New Covenant (Jer. 31:33; Heb. 8:10; Heb. 10:15-16), so Torah STILL applies to us.
2. The old covenant leads to death (kills) while the new covenant gives life (2 Cor 3:6)
My response: The old covenant leads to death, for those who do NOT obey in faith. The SAME is true in the New Covenant.
3. The old covenant was ended by Jesus Christ (Roman 10:4) while the new covenant was established by Jesus Christ (Heb 8:6)
My response: Wrong! The Greek term “telos” often does NOT mean “termination” or "ended" (e.g., see Rom. 6:21-22; 1 Ti. 1:5; Jas. 5:11; 1 Pe. 1:9; 1 Pe. 3:8; 1 Pe. 4:7; see also in LXX: Ps. 16:11; 38:6; 68:16; 74:10; etc.) We must use CONTEXT to determine whether “telos” in Rom. 10:4 means “termination” or not. AND, you provided nothing from the context of Rom. 10:4 which confirms that Rom. 10:4 means “termination” or "ended".
What DOES context tell us? Paul APPLIES faithful Torah-obedience to us by applying Dt. 30:14 to us in Rom. 10:8. Thus, faithful Torah-obedience IS the word of faith which Paul preached!
4. The old covenant enslaves (Gal 5:1)while the new covenant makes man free (gives freedom) (John 8:32. 36).
My response: The old covenant enslaves those WITHOUT FAITH. Those who reject the New Covenant are LIKEWISE enslaved by sin.
5. The old covenant leaves man imperfect while the new covenant leaves man perfect (Heb 7:19).
My response: Yes! But, the Old Covenant is not yet passed away, but is merely "ready" (Gr. "engoos") to pass away (Heb. 8:13). Thus, the Old Covenant had NOT yet passed away as of the New-Covenant-era time of the writing of the book of Hebrews. It follows that New AND Old Covenants function (and apply to us) SIMULTANEOUSLY.
6. The old covenant exposes sin (Gal 3:19) while the new covenant covers sin (Rom. 4:1-8)
My response: AND, the New Covenant required that we NOT sin (Rom. 6:15). AND, sin is violation of the Torah (Rom. 3:20; 7:7; 1 Jn. 3:4). Thus, the New Covenant LIKEWISE requires that we not sin in violation of Torah. Thus, we must STILL obey Torah!
7. The old covenant cannot give life (2 cor 3.7) while the new covenant gives life (Gal. 3:11, 6:8)
My response: The old covenant CAN give life (Dt. 30:19), if accompanied by faith (Dt. 6:10). And Paul applies Dt. 30 to us in Rom. 10. So, the Old Covenant cannot give life WITHOUT FAITH. Likewise, the New Covenant "faith" that is WITHOUT works of righteous obedience to Torah can not give life, but is dead (Jas. 2:17).
8. The old covenant was abolished while the new covenant is in force (Eph:2:15)
My response: Eph. 2:15 refers to the abolition of the MAN-MADE rule (Gr. "dogma") that separated Gentiles from non-Gentiles. This does NOT refer to abolition of Torah. Why? Because there is NOTHING in Torah that says that Gentiles must be excluded from participation in the Torah-laden covenants between YHVH and Isarel. "Dogma" does not refer to Torah. That's why Paul applies the commands of Torah to us in 1 Cor. 7:19..
9. The old covenant brings a curse (Gal. 3:10) while the new covenant redeems from curse (Gal. 3:13)
If the old covenant brings a curse, then it is STILL IN FORCE! So let's stop pretending it no longer applies. Furthermore, it only curses those WITHOUT FAITH. That's why David (a faithful Torah-obedient person) is not cursed. And remember, Torah passes into the New Covenant as well (Jer. 31:33; Heb. 8:10; Heb. 10:15-16), so Torah still applies.
10. In the old covenant, living is by works while in the new covenant living is by faith (Gal. 3:10-11).
My response: No! The Old Covenant NEVER commanded people to live by faithless works. Paul is critiquing the Galatians because they sought justification by law without faith (Gal. 5:4-5). That's NOT proof that Paul critiquing FAITHFUL Torah-obedience.
Righteousness has ALWAYS been by faith. Same for Abraham, David, and us. But that's no excuse to ignore our Christian moral obligation to grow in faithful obedience to the law of the covenants in which we participate.
11. The old covenant is a shadow (Col. 2:14-17) while the new covenant is the reality (Heb. 10:1-18)
If it IS (present tense), then it is PRESENTLY still functioning. AND, Heb. 10:15-16 (the very passage you just cited) confirms that Torah is written upon our hearts in the New Covenant, thereby confirming that we must STILL obey Torah in the New Covenant.
12. The old covenant is a covered glory while the new covenant is glory uncovered (2 Cor. 3:13)
My response: Sounds good. (whew! Finally we agree a bit!)
13. The old covenant had many high priests (Heb. 7:23) while the new covenant has only one high priest (Jesus Christ)
(Heb. 7:24-28)
My response: BUT, the Levitical/sacrificial Priesthood will AGAIN be restored, in fulfillment of many prophecies (e.g., Dt. 30:1-8; Zec. 14:16-21; Jer. 33:19-26; Eze. 40-47; Is. 66:21-22; Is. 2:3-4; Mic. 4:2-3, Mal. 3). Again, this confirms that the Torah of the Old Covenant is NOT abolished, even though the New Covenant has already been inaugurated.
14. The old covenant had earthly priest (Heb. 5:1-4) while the new covenant has heavenly priest (Heb. 9:24, 10:12)
My response: Ok...and both function simultaneously (Heb. 8:13).
15. The old covenant makes priest by law while the new covenant makes priests by oath (Heb 7:12,28)
My response: Ok...and both covenants function simultaneously (Heb. 8:13).
16. The old covenant had earthly tabernacle (Heb. 9:2) while the new covenant has heavenly tabernacle (Heb. 8:2)
My response: Ok...and both covenants function simultaneously (Heb. 8:13).
17. In The old covenant priesthood was in the lineage of Aaron (Aaron priest hood) while the new covenant priesthood is in the melchisedec lineage (melchisedec priesthood) (Heb 7:11,21)
My response: Ok...and both covenants function simultaneously (Heb. 8:13).
18. In the old covenant priests (high priest) were sinners (Heb. 5:1-4) while in the new covenant the priest has no sin (Jesus Christ) (Heb. 7:26)
My response: Ok...and both covenants function simultaneously (Heb. 8:13).
19. The old covenant was fulfilled (Mat. 5:17-18) while the new covenant is now in force (Heb. 8:6, 10:9)
My response: No! "Fulfilled" does NOT mean abolished! That's why Mt. 5:17 says the Prophets are NOT ABOLISHED, confirming the Torah-laden Torah-teaching prophets are STILL IN FORCE.
AND, Mt. 5:18 says Torah does not pass away before heaven/earth pass away. And, heaven and earth have not yet passed away! So, Torah is still in force.
AND, Mt. 5:19 says our Torah-teaching and Torah-obedience DETERMINES our position in the coming kingdom.
AND, Mt. 5:20 says our works of Torah-obedience righteousness must EXCEED that of the Pharisees (who, by the way, often invented man-made rules to AVOID obeying Torah. That's why Jesus critiqued them in Mk. 7 and Mt. 23).
20. In the old, the law was written in stone tablets while in the new covenant, the law is written in people hearts (Jeremiah 31:33)
My response: YES! And that which is written upon our heart should be OBEYED (Dt. 30:14) not ignored! That's WHY Paul applies the Torah-obedient Dt. 30:14 passage to us in Rom. 10:8! This IS the Torah-obedient word of faith which Paul preached.
21. In the old, the Ark of covenant was present as a sign of salvation while in the new covenant
salvation is by grace through faith
My response: Salvation was ALWAYS by grace through faith! Look at Moses. He perceived God's grace (Gr. "charis" in Ex. 33:13 LXX....the same exact "charis" found in the New Testament). And what was Moses' response? To seek to know God and His ways (Ex. 33:13). Where did God's ways come to be found written? The written law of Moses! (1 Ki. 2:3). Thus, the proper response to God's saving grace has ALWAYS been to seek to know God with growing and faithful obedience to His laws.
22. The old covenant demanded works (doing) while the new covenant only demands obedience
My response: That's the same thing! The Old Covenant requires obedience to law (Dt. 6:25). Jesus (who inaugurated the New Covenant for us) likewise applies Dt. 6 to us in Mt. 22:37. SAME THING.
Moreover, the New Covenant requires that we NOT sin (Rom. 6:25), and sin is Torah-disobedience (Rom. 3:20; 7:7; 1 Jn. 3:4); thus the New Covenant likewise requires that we NOT disobey Torah. Thus Torah still applies!
23. In the old, Moses and prophets were mediators while in the new covenant, Jesus Christ is the mediator
My response: Both covenants are simultaneously in force (Heb. 8:13).
24. The old covenant is a covenant of letter while the new covenant is a covenant of spirit
My response: The Torah IS spiritual (Rom. 7:14), and those who reject the letters (words) of the Torah-laden New Covenant will be spiritually dead (Heb. 6:4-6; Heb. 10:26-27). Thus, John says that we must DO (Gr. "poieo", 1 Jn. 3:7) works of righteousness in obedience to God's commands (1 Jn. 5:3). Where are God's commands found? The Torah of Moses! (1 Ki. 2:3).
25. The old covenant needed offering for sin while in the new covenant, Jesus is the perfect sin offering
My response: Yes!
26. The old covenant needed statues and ordinances while the new covenant only needs ones heart
My response: And what is written upon our heart? The statutes/ordinances/judgments of Torah! (Jer. 31:33; Heb. 8:10; Heb. 10:15-16; 1 Cor. 7:19; 1 Jn. 5:3; Mt. 22:37 applying Dt. 6 to us).
27. In the old covenant, the tabernacle was made with hands while in the new covenant the tabernacle is made without hands
My response: Good.
28. In the old covenant, remembrance of sin was done yearly while in the new covenant, forgiveness and washing away of sin was done once and for all
My response: Yes. But BOTH covenants function simultaneously (Heb. 8:13).
29. The old covenant remembers sin (Heb. 10:3) while the new covenant does not remember sin(Heb. 8:12, 10:17)
My response: But the TORAH of the Old Covenant passes directly into the New Covenant (Jer. 31:33).
30. The old covenant is a ministry of death while the new covenant is a ministry of life (2 Cor 3:6-7)
My response: The old covenant is a ministry of death only for those without faith. Are Moses and David suffering the death of the Old Covenant? Of course not! They FAITHFULLY obeyed Torah, as should we. That's why Moses and David are good examples to us of faith (Heb. 11).
31. The old covenant was written with ink while the new covenant is written with the spirit of God (2 Cor 3:3)
My response: And the Spirit is contrasted with the flesh (Rom. 8:4-7). The flesh can NOT obey God's Torah (Rom. 8:7). Thus, we who walk by the Spirit OBEY Torah.
32. The old covenant is for Israelites only (Det 4: 7-8) while the new covenant is for all men (Luke 22:20)
All glory to the author of the New Covenant, Jesus Christ.
My response: Gentiles are welcomed to be INCLUDED in Israel....and always have been.....(Dt. 29; Dt. 31; Is. 56; Eph. 2; Rom. 11).
And, EVERY New Covenant participant is an Israelite! (Jer. 31:33; Heb. 8:10).
And HOW should Israelites live? In faithful obedience to the TORAH of the many covenants (Eph. 2:12) in which they participate.
CONCLUSION: Can we all, now, see the many shortcomings of the post I've now critiqued?
I pray so....
blessings to you all...
BibleGuy