In response Niell offers these zingers of what's not new in the New Covenant:
- A people of God called the church.
- Internal religion (Heb. 8.10 cf. Deut 6.4-6)
- Divine initiative
- Vital, covenantal relationship with God (Lev. 26.12)
- Vital, personal knowledge of God. (Heb. 8.11)
- Grace, mercy and forgiveness (cf. Psalm 85, Ps 32, Ps 103)
We have in Christ
- the prophetic word now made sure
- a perfect, high priest
- a perfect, final, unrepeatable sacrifice
- a brother in the battle against sin
- the reality forecast in shadowy figures, types, and symbols
- no more bloody sacrifices
- no veil in the holy place
- a share in the fellowship offerings as a kingdom of priests
- and we will go on in eternity enjoying his fulness, transformed now from one degree of glory to another.
I'll leave you with a hymn to lead your heart to praise and wonder at Christ's fulfillment of both covenants!
Before the throne of God above
I have a strong a perfect plea
A great High Priest whose name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me
My name is graven on His hands
My name is written on His heart
I know that while in heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart
No tongue can bid me thence depart
When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free
For God the Just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me
To look on Him and pardon me
Behold Him there the Risen Lamb
My perfect spotless righteousness
The great unchangeable I Am
The King of glory and of grace
One with Himself I cannot die
My soul is purchased by His blood
My life is hid with Christ on high
With Christ my Savior and my God
With Christ my Savior and my God
2 comments:
Is this going to come out in your sermon?
It seems to be a similar train of thought from how I understood what you were going to do.
It seems that grace oriented people feel like they have to almost spit on the ground when they mention the law or the old covenant. Hebrews says the old covenant is inferior only because the fulfillment has come and has been enacted with better promises. Hopefully this can correct some of the abuse heaped on the old covenant, which is indeed part of the covenant of grace!!
And yes it will come through, hopefully loud and clear!
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