The New Covenant

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Permalink Reply by Rita Cullimore on October 19, 2010 at 6:29am

4 Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
7 Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? 9 For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. 10 Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.
The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. Wheaton : Standard Bible Society, 2001, S. 2 Co 3:11

Ian,
I think the entire chapter 2 Cor 3 speaks of this very thing that you are asking.

Blessings as youu study the Word,
Rita

Permalink Reply by Rod Askew on October 19, 2010 at 8:33pm

Ian,

My question is did the New Covenant replace the old Covenant?

Yes it has - most definiately:

Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

New being in the hebrew a new, fresh thing. The rest of Jeremiah goes on to explain the newness and freshness of this which backs up the scripture that Rita has quoted above:

Jer 31:32-34 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

In His Love
Rod

Permalink Reply by Ian M Wilks on October 25, 2010 at 3:35pm

After conducting some research I now provide an answer to my question.

Based on a general, non-denominational, non-interpretive, reading of the text of Jeremiah 31:31-34, the following points are discernible:
The New Covenant is established by God himself.
The New Covenant is made with the "house of Israel" and the "house of Judah".
The New Covenant is not like the broken covenant made with Moses at Mount Sinai.
Unlike the broken covenant (Jer 11), the New Covenant is kept by its members.

Characteristics of the members of the New Covenant:
The law of God is written in their thinking and their affections.
The LORD, i.e. YHVH, will be their God, and they will be his people.
Every single member of the New Covenant "knows the LORD" in an intimate way.
The sins of the members of the New Covenant are forgiven by God, and will never be recalled.