Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
In my copy of the Holy Bible, 944 pages are called "the Old Testament," and 285 pages are called "the New Testament." The word "testament" is the same as "covenant." So 77 percent of the Holy Bible is called "The Old Covenant" and 23 percent is called "the New Covenant." Why this difference?
Are these two "dispensations" in God's plan of saving the world? Many hold to that view. They understand that the New Covenant began with the crucifixion of the Son of God.
But does it make sense that God has been experimenting, that He tried for 4000 years the Old Covenant method and finally decided that it didn't work, and now He is trying a new method? If so, can we really trust Him that He knows what He's doing?
Instead, the Bible is clear that God has always had only one method of saving people. It's called "the everlasting gospel" or "the everlasting covenant" (Rev. 14:6; Heb. 13:20). God is infinitely wise; He has not been experimenting using the trial-and-error method. Ever since the Garden of Eden He has had only one plan of salvation--"by grace … through faith" (Eph. 2:8, 9). Christ is the "Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Rev. 13:8).
Then why the two covenants? They are not two methods of salvation; they are two understandings of God's people through the ages, two opposite perceptions of God's plan of salvation, not two "dispensations" that He has used as experiments.
The Old Covenant was a "faulty" understanding of His people at Mount Sinai--God was not to blame for it. He tried His best to get them to understand His glorious "New Covenant" as Abraham understood it and was "justified by faith." But no, they were perverse; they themselves chose the Old Covenant idea. It led them to "bondage" and to finally torture and crucify our Savior (cf. Gal. 4:24). A young person can easily understand it (please read Galatians 3 and 4.)
But what is “the New Covenant?”
It’s a message of “everlasting Good News” so clear, so unmixed with legalism, so heart-warming, so powerful in gripping human hearts, so motivating, that it is destined to “lighten the earth with glory” (Rev. 18:1-4).
It’s the message that Peter preached at Pentecost, renewed and proclaimed in a maturity of concept that will more than match the allurement of modern intellectualism. Parallel with what Daniel described as “knowledge shall be increased” in the last days, the New Covenant message will be an “increase” in the understanding of the gospel.
That doesn’t mean a “new gospel.” Rather, it’s a deeper understanding of “the everlasting gospel.” It builds upon the foundation laid by Paul and the 16th century Reformers; it denies no truth that the Lord has revealed to His people in past ages; it is simply truth that “is the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” People who are “just” rejoice in that increasing light (Pr. 4:18). All through history honest people have exchanged error for truth, ever since Abraham rejected moon worship for the worship of the one true God. Never since then have God’s people more desperately needed a clearer understanding, or hearts humble enough to accept it. Following Jesus is always a dynamic re-aligning yourself with new truth that God sends you.
The New Covenant is God’s promise fulfilled in Christ; it’s the Ten Commandments converted by the gospel into Ten Promises. The Old Covenant is the promise of the people to obey God’s law. The more clearly the truth of the New Covenant “shineth,” the more determined and subtle are Satan’s efforts to re-introduce the pious-sounding Old Covenant.
--Robert J. Wieland
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: November 12, 2002.
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