Forgiveness in the New Covenant

God established four unconditional covenants with the nation of Israel (Rom. 9:4-5): (1) Abrahamic (Gen. 12:1-3; 13:16; 22:15-18; 26:4; 28:14; 35:11; Ex. 6:2-8). (2) Palestinian (Gn. 13:15; Ex. 6:4, 8; Num. 34:1-12; Dt. 30:1-9; Jer. 32:36-44; Ezek. 36:21-38). (3) Davidic (2 Sam. 7:8-17; Psa. 89:20-37) (4) New (Jer. 31:31-34; cf. Heb. 8:8-12; 10:15-17).

There are seven great features that are distinct in each of these unconditional covenants to Israel: (1) Israel will be a nation forever. (2) Israel will possess a significant portion of land forever. (3) Israel will have a King ruler over her forever. (4) Israel will have a throne from which Christ will ruler, forever. (5) Israel will have a kingdom forever.

The entire expectation of Old Testament Israel is involved with its earthly kingdom, the glory of Israel and the promised Messiah seated in Jerusalem as ruler of the nations.

Since the Lord Jesus Christ literally fulfilled prophecy during His First Advent, then He will certainly literally fulfill the prophecies related to the millennium at His Second Advent.

The New Covenant provided Israel with the forgiveness of sins (Jer. 31:31-34), which will be necessary for the future restoration of the nation of Israel during the Second Advent and subsequent millennial reign of Christ.

Jeremiah 31:31 “Behold, days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them, declares the LORD. 33 But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD, I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them," declares the LORD, ‘for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.’” (NASB95)

The New Covenant is unconditional meaning that it is based upon the faithfulness of God rather than the faithfulness of Israel (Jer. 31:31-37).

The New covenant is related to the regeneration and restoration of the nation during the Second Advent and subsequent millennial reign of Christ.

There were additional blessings added to the unconditional Abrahamic covenant.

Before Israel as the covenant nation of God could enjoy the blessings of the covenant, they were required to walk in obedience to the laws of God.

The obedience required was outlined for the nation in the Mosaic Law, which was given alongside the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 17:19) to define what God expected as a prerequisite for blessing.

The nation of Israel was unable to fulfill the perfect obedience the Law required.

The Mosaic Law cannot justify an individual before God (Rom. 3:20-28; Gal. 2:16).

It could not provide eternal salvation for men (Gal. 3:21-26).

The Mosaic Law could not provide the Holy Spirit (Gal. 3:3).

It could not solve the problems of the old sin nature (Rom. 8:2-3).

God characterized the nation of Israel as being stiff-necked (Jer. 17:23).

They were hardened and obstinate (Ezek. 3:7).

If the nation was to experience the blessings of the covenant they would need forgiveness for their sins, they would need to be regenerated (born-again), a new heart characterized by obedience, and empowerment from the Holy Spirit.

The New Covenant guarantees Israel these divine provisions.

During the millennial reign of Christ, regenerate (born-again) Old Testament Israel will be resurrected and will enjoy the millennial blessings that were promised to them (Ezek. 37:1-14).

This will be in fulfillment of the New Covenant to Israel made in Jeremiah 31:31-34.

Within the original Abrahamic covenant were promises concerning the following: (1) Land: Palestinian covenant developed the land promises to Israel. (2) Seed: Davidic covenant developed the seed promises to Israel. (3) Blessings: New covenant developed the blessing promises of the original Abrahamic covenant.

The prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel have a great deal to say about these blessings that will flow from the New Covenant, which they speak of often.

In spite of the disobedience of the nation, this covenant necessitates the continuation of the nation.

Even continued disobedience cannot remove Israel from her covenanted position (Jer. 31:34-35; Rom. 11).

Further the nation is promised a restoration to the land (Jer. 32:37; 33:11; Ezek. 11:17; 36:28-35; 37:21-22, 25).

The prophets speak of the rebuilding of Jerusalem (Jer. 31:38-40).

The temple will be rebuilt (Ezek. 37:27-28).

The blessings the nation of Israel will receive are based on the New covenant (Isa. 61:8-9; Hos. 2:18-20).

The greatest blessing in this covenant is that of being brought in close relationship with God (Jer. 30:22; 31:33; 32:38-41; Ezek. 11:20; 34:25-27; 37:27).

The New covenant with Israel was based upon the death of Jesus Christ on the cross (Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25).

The Lord Jesus Christ is the mediator of this New Covenant to Israel.

Hebrews 12:24a and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant. (NASB95)

These four unconditional covenants (Abrahamic, Palestinian, Davidic and New) are all related to Israel and not the church.

The nation of Israel was “directly given” the covenants according to Romans 9:1-5.

However, the church and regenerate Gentiles who live outside the church age participate in the blessings of these covenants since she is the bride of Jesus Christ, the king of Israel (See Galatians 3).

Ephesians 3:1-13 teaches that it was a mystery that the Gentiles through faith in Christ would become fellow heirs with Jewish believers, fellow members of the body of Christ and fellow partakers of the four unconditional covenants of promise to Israel.

“Mystery” is the noun musterion, which refers to doctrines that centered upon the Person of Christ and members of His body and were doctrines never revealed to Old Testament saints.

The mystery is not that the Gentiles would be saved since this was prophesied in the Old Testament (Isa. 11:10; 60:3).

Rather, the mystery concerning the Gentiles is that they would become fellow heirs with Jewish believers, fellow members with Jewish believers in the body of Christ and fellow partakers of the covenant promises to Israel.

The content of this mystery is three-fold: (1) The Gentile believers are fellow heirs with Jewish believers in the sense that they share in the spiritual riches God gave them because of His covenant with Abraham (Gal. 3:26-29). (2) Gentile believers in Christ are fellow members of the body of Christ with Jewish believers. There is one body, the body of Christ (Eph. 4:4), which has no racial distinctions (1 Cor. 12:13) and has the Lord Jesus Christ as its head (Eph. 5:23). Each individual member of the body of Christ shares in the ministry (Eph. 4:15-16). (3) Gentile believers in Christ are fellow partakers of the four unconditional covenants of promise to Israel.

Although, the four unconditional covenants of promise to Israel were specifically given to Israel (Rom. 9:1-6), the church will still and does benefit from them since they are in union with Christ who is the ruler of Israel.

Those Jews who have expressed faith alone in Christ alone enter into that New Covenant promise and agreement that provides the forgiveness of sins (cf. Jer. 31:34).

Those Gentiles who have trusted in Jesus Christ as Savior are engrafted into regenerate Jews according to Romans 11:17.

Consequently, these regenerate Gentiles benefit from the New Covenant promise stipulating the forgiveness of sins to those who trust in the Messiah.

The New Covenant to Israel is mentioned by our Lord in instituting the communion service in Luke 22:20 and by Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:25.

Although the church is not Israel, she still benefits from the promise of forgiveness of sins which is offered in the New Covenant.

As we noted, those Gentiles who have trusted in Jesus Christ as Savior are engrafted into regenerate Jews according to Romans 11:17.

Consequently, these regenerate Gentiles benefit from the New Covenant promise stipulating the forgiveness of sins to those who trust in the Messiah.

A Gentile benefits from the promise of the forgiveness of sins in the New Covenant when they exercise faith in Jesus Christ as Savior.

Paul’s teaching in Romans makes clear that both Jew and Gentile sinners can receive the forgiveness of their sins and the gift of righteousness when they exercise faith in Jesus Christ.

Salvation is of the Jews not only in the sense that the Savior Jesus Christ is a Jew but also the promise of salvation and the forgiveness of sins is rooted in the New Covenant promises to Israel.