The Differences Between The Old Covenant Of Law And New Covenant Of Grace
Under the old covenant of law...
• God demanded righteousness from man.
• God will visit your sins to the third and fourth generations(Exodus 20:5).
• The children of Israel were blessed only if they obeyed God’s commandments perfectly—inwardly and outwardly (Deuteronomy 28:13–14).
• The children of Israel were cursed if they did not obey God’s commandments perfectly (Deuteronomy 28:15–16, 18, 20).
• Depending on self-effort produces behavior modification without heart transformation.
• The blood sacrifices of animals covered the sins of the children of Israel for only one year, and the process had to be repeated every year (Hebrews 10:3).
• Obeying the law could not and did not give the children of Israel the power to stop sin in their lives. The law has no power to make anyone holy, just and good.
• The children of Israel were robbed of their confidence in the goodness of God because they were always looking at themselves to see how well or poorly they performed (i.e. self-conscious).
• The children of Israel could not have an intimate relationship with God because their unrighteousness put distance between them and God.
• The children of Israel could not enter the holy of holies (where the presence of God was). Only the high priest could, and that only once a year, on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:2, 14).
• The children of Israel were under the ministry of death (2 Corinthians 3:7).
Under the new covenant of grace...
• God imparts righteousness to man through the finished work of Jesus (Romans 4:5–7).
• God will by no means remember your sins (Hebrews 8:12; 10:17).
• Believers don’t have to depend on their self-efforts to receive God’s blessings, because Jesus fulfilled every one of the requirements of the law on their behalf (Colossians 2:14).
• Believers can enjoy God’s blessings and undeserved favor because Christ became a curse for them on the cross (Galatians 3:13).
• Beholding the loveliness of Jesus and His finished work brings about inner transformation, which produces good works that are motivated by God’s love (2 Corinthians 3:18).
• The blood of Jesus has removed the sins—past, present and future—of believers, completely and perfectly, once and for all (Hebrews 10:11–12).
• Sin has no dominion over believers (Romans 6:14), as the power of Jesus to overcome temptation kicks in when they are conscious that they are righteous in Christ apart from their works (Romans 4:6).
• Believers can have a tremendous sense of confidence and security in Christ because they are now looking to Jesus and not themselves (i.e. Christ-conscious).
• Believers can enjoy a close, intimate relationship with God as their Father because they are made righteous by faith in Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 5:7–9; Hebrews 10:10).
• Not only can believers enter God’s holy presence, they can also come boldly to His throne of grace to find mercy and grace in their time of need because of Jesus’ perfect atonement (Hebrews 4:16).
• Believers are under the ministry of Jesus’ abundant life (2 Corinthians 3:6; John 10:10).
Under the old covenant of law...
• God demanded righteousness from man.
• God will visit your sins to the third and fourth generations(Exodus 20:5).
• The children of Israel were blessed only if they obeyed God’s commandments perfectly—inwardly and outwardly (Deuteronomy 28:13–14).
• The children of Israel were cursed if they did not obey God’s commandments perfectly (Deuteronomy 28:15–16, 18, 20).
• Depending on self-effort produces behavior modification without heart transformation.
• The blood sacrifices of animals covered the sins of the children of Israel for only one year, and the process had to be repeated every year (Hebrews 10:3).
• Obeying the law could not and did not give the children of Israel the power to stop sin in their lives. The law has no power to make anyone holy, just and good.
• The children of Israel were robbed of their confidence in the goodness of God because they were always looking at themselves to see how well or poorly they performed (i.e. self-conscious).
• The children of Israel could not have an intimate relationship with God because their unrighteousness put distance between them and God.
• The children of Israel could not enter the holy of holies (where the presence of God was). Only the high priest could, and that only once a year, on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:2, 14).
• The children of Israel were under the ministry of death (2 Corinthians 3:7).
Under the new covenant of grace...
• God imparts righteousness to man through the finished work of Jesus (Romans 4:5–7).
• God will by no means remember your sins (Hebrews 8:12; 10:17).
• Believers don’t have to depend on their self-efforts to receive God’s blessings, because Jesus fulfilled every one of the requirements of the law on their behalf (Colossians 2:14).
• Believers can enjoy God’s blessings and undeserved favor because Christ became a curse for them on the cross (Galatians 3:13).
• Beholding the loveliness of Jesus and His finished work brings about inner transformation, which produces good works that are motivated by God’s love (2 Corinthians 3:18).
• The blood of Jesus has removed the sins—past, present and future—of believers, completely and perfectly, once and for all (Hebrews 10:11–12).
• Sin has no dominion over believers (Romans 6:14), as the power of Jesus to overcome temptation kicks in when they are conscious that they are righteous in Christ apart from their works (Romans 4:6).
• Believers can have a tremendous sense of confidence and security in Christ because they are now looking to Jesus and not themselves (i.e. Christ-conscious).
• Believers can enjoy a close, intimate relationship with God as their Father because they are made righteous by faith in Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 5:7–9; Hebrews 10:10).
• Not only can believers enter God’s holy presence, they can also come boldly to His throne of grace to find mercy and grace in their time of need because of Jesus’ perfect atonement (Hebrews 4:16).
• Believers are under the ministry of Jesus’ abundant life (2 Corinthians 3:6; John 10:10).
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