The New Covenant

There's a well-known concept gaining ground in Christianity today regarding the new covenant. It is defined as replacement theology, and teaches that God has rejected the Jews/Israel and replaced them with the Gentiles via a new covenant. Christianity is "spiritual Israel". The old covenant, i.e. the Torah, is no longer valid. Those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their savior are now under grace. The Old Testament law has been nailed to the cross and we are no longer under it's authority. Many actually go so far as to practice and teach a license to sin, or disregard for the commandments of God given at Sinai. Is this what the bible teaches? Did Jesus really come to do away with the law and replace it with grace? What do the scriptures say with regard to this important subject?

First, the word "LAW" speaks of bondage to a modern Christian; something that imprisons us or burdens us with unreasonable demands. Actually, the English word LAW is translated from the Hebrew word TORAH, which means teaching or instruction. It was never meant to be a means to salvation, for Jews or Christians. The Torah was given to instruct us in the ways of God, to define the way of life. The Torah does three things; it instructs, it blesses obedience and curses disobedience. It does not save anyone. Salvation comes only though Jesus, whose Hebrew name means salvation.

Second, mercy is not a New Testament concept. God has always granted mercy to his people. In fact, the ark of the covenant that housed the tablets of stone containing the ten commandments, was covered with a mercy seat, signifying that Torah and grace were always meant to be joined.

The children of Israel were saved by grace from Egyptian bondage. They were saved by grace, through faith, when they applied the blood to their doorposts. Their faith in God's promise of redemption brought forth obedience, resulting in their freedom. It should also be noted that a mixed multitude also came out of Egypt with the Israelites.

The concept of grace is actually very prevalent in the Old Testament, appearing 39 times from Genesis to Malachi, and mercy appearing 212 times. King David wrote of God's mercy over 100 times in the Psalms alone.

So, how are the Covenant and mercy/grace connected. God wants his children to be blessed and knows that these blessings are the result of obedience to his instructions. Although Israel entered into covenant with God at Sinai and promised to follow him in obedience, they continually failed and incurred his wrath, resulting in ten of the tribes being removed from the promised land and dispersed among the nations. They eventually lost their culture and language, their very identity as they were merged among the Gentiles. The world lost sight of all except the tribe of Judah (Jews). They are spoken of today as the lost ten tribes of Israel. But, are they really lost to God? Has he put away Israel forever, replacing them with the New Testament "Church"? No! Even now he is extending Israel grace through his mercy. They may be scattered throughout all the earth and they may not know who they are, but they are as numerous as the stars of heaven and the sands of the sea, according to the Word of God spoken to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and they will once again return to their creator.Many already are. How do I know? Because of God's promise.

Jer 31:31-33 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: 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.