Covenants-- Futile Ways Part II

The Christian exiles Peter is writing to are at a very unique time in history. The Old Covenant just ended, and they are living in the New Covenant. In stark contrast to the Old Covenants (which only covered the Jews), the New Covenant now extends to the Gentiles as well as Jews. There is some confusion among the early church about whether the Old Covenant still applies to them or what parts they still need to follow. For example, the Judiasers went around teaching the Gentile Christians needed to add circumcision to the New Covenant. Paul has some harsh words for those trying to impose the Law of the Old Covenant onto the New Covenant.

By trying to return to part of the Mosaic Covenant the Judiasers were saying we need to still hold onto part of the Law to maintain righteousness. However, the law does not bring justification because we cannot keep the whole law (Ro 3:20, Gal 3:10-11). We are cursed if we do not obey its entirety (Deut 27:26). We did not keep the whole law and therefore do not qualify for the covenantal blessings but rather for the curses. It is futile to hold onto that which brings death when Jesus offers a New Covenant which brings life. The Law of the Mosaic Covenant revealed our sin which brought the covenantal curses. This means we need to be saved from the curses.

With covenants, there are blessings for following the covenant and curses for disobedience. When you fail, you have to take the curses with the blessings. Our faithlessness did not nullify God’s faithfulness (Ro 3:3, 2 Ti 2:13). God still upheld the covenant when we broke our end. Jesus took our place so we don’t have to suffer the curses. “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree’—so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith” (Gal 3:13-14). Jesus took the covenantal curses so we could have the covenantal blessings.

Covenants cannot be added to once they are ratified. The only way for a covenant to end is for someone to die. One way to understand this is with marriage. When a spouse dies, the remaining spouse is no longer married. When Jesus died, he fulfilled the Mosaic Covenant and ushered in a New Covenant. Instead of us dying to bring an end to the covenant, Jesus died. This is scandalous in the world of covenants! Kings did not die for a subject with whom they made an oath. What an intense and unfathomable love God showed us! Not only did He die to bring an end to the Old Covenant but He also created a New Covenant where we could be restored to Him eternally!