8 6-13 (2)
Hebrews Series- Fellowship Baptist Church
Passage: Hebrews 8:6-13 (2)
Theme: The Superiority of Christ’s Priesthood – A better covenant
Proposition:
Introduction:
Christ is the mediator of a better covenant-His ministry as our High Priest has done away with the old covenant and established the new covenant.
A covenant is a contract
Some covenants between God and man were conditional, some were unconditional.
Both the old covenant and the new covenant were established with the nation of Israel, but each made provision for the entrance of gentiles.
Both covenants were established with the blood of a sacrifice.
Today, we will continue to compare the two covenants and see how the new is far superior to the old.
The Difference in Knowing God’s Truth – Conformity vs. Transformation - Deut. 6:1-9; Heb. 8:10
The difference is not found in the amount of truth or the level of expectation. There is a great deal of material related to both the Old Covenant and the New. Nor is there a difference in one’s commitment to learn God’s truth. He expects us to train our children, to expose them to His word, and to make the learning of His word a priority in our lives. The difference lies in the person doing the work of internalizing the word.
Knowledge of God’s Truth in the Old Covenant
It was man’s efforts to make God’s Word a part of the life. He was to keep it in his heart, to cause his children to understand it, and to prominently display it where it would confront him all day.
But there are problems with this and God knew what they were:
The Law can change no one. Its purpose was simply to expose the flawed nature of man. Each time a person sinned, this display of God’s word was a reminder of his failings. Romans 7:7ff; Gal. 3:23-24 (guardian=schoolmaster)
Man’s nature is to rebel against God’s truth. When he is told not to do something, it produces a greater desire to have it. Romans 7:7ff
Man is incapable of understanding God’s Word on his own. 1 Cor. 2:10-14
Knowledge of God’s Truth in the New Covenant
All of this has changed with the New Covenant. The purpose of the law has been fulfilled when a person comes to know Christ as Savior.
Sin has been exposed by the law.
A person’s inability to fix the problem himself is exposed by his repeated violations of the law.
The person turns to God for forgiveness based solely on His mercy and grace.
The blood of Christ is applied to the person’s sin, covering it and removing God’s wrath.
Additionally, a fundamental change has taken place in the person.
They die to the law, it no longer condemns.
They are given a new nature.
The Holy Spirit dwells in the person.
Able to understand spiritual things
He becomes the teacher, opening the eyes of the person to understand and know God’s revelation to mankind.
In OC God revealed Himself and truth through Prophets.
In NC God reveals Himself through His word.
This means we have the complete package of truth that God desires us to know, and we have the ability by the Holy Spirit to understand it for ourselves.
Lastly, God is the one doing the work of placing His truth in our lives.
Because a person is spiritually dead prior to salvation, God’s truth may reform a person if they have been taught to be disciplined, but it can affect no real change in the person.
In the NC, God actually places His “law,” the law of Christ, in the hearts of believers. He imprints them with His word.
We are not passive in this work but rather have a responsibility to learn what God has said. 1 Peter 2:1
This “imprinting” and further learning (study) transforms us into the image of God. Not only are we changed inside, but we are changed in our lifestyles.
1 Peter 1:18ff – Internally purified and born again by the word of God
1 Cor 3:2 – Externally - Living Letters of Christ
And it is here that we summarize the first difference between the Old and New Covenants:
Knowledge of truth under the OC was external, at best producing reform but bringing no fundamental change to the person.
Knowledge of truth under the NC is internal, a fundamental transformation of the person’s being, the ability to understand truth, and an outward expression of Christ’s image in daily life.
The result of this difference?
I will be their God and they will be My people.
God was merely a mascot to the majority of Israelites. Someone to get them out of their problems. Though God viewed them as technically His people, they never lived as though they saw themselves that way.
The NC people of God know that they are His children and understand Him as a real person who is powerful, holy, loving, and merciful. They trust Him and worship Him.
2. The Difference in Knowing God’s Person
3. The Difference in Knowing God’s Forgiveness
What is the place of the old covenant today?
Obsolete – it has been replaced by the new. It is no longer needed.
There have always been those who seek to prolong the existence of that which is replaced—nostalgia, security, or tradition. These are blenders, remodelers, renovators. They hear the word “new” and think “improved”
Early church – Judiazers – come to the new through the old, or the new requires the old.
Modern church – Legalists – those who insist on the law in order to earn merit with God.
There is a difference between “new” and “improved.”
New kitchen cabinets = new house
New season = new earth
New patch = new pants
New engine = new car
New house, car, earth, clothes means completely different-
Old is replaced
Old is gone
Old is obsolete
So it is with the law:
Sacrifices replaced by the sacrifice of Christ
Blood of animals replaced by the blood of Christ
Human High priest replaced by the Divine High Priest
Law of Moses replaced by the Law of Christ
Are you a blender or a renovator?
Do you believe that keeping the law makes you acceptable with God and violation of the law brings condemnation and punishment to the Christian?
Do you believe that God favors you more than another because of your works?
Do you obey because you fear punishment or because you love God?