20/11/16 Hebrews 8:7-13 “The
new covenant renders the old covenant obsolete”
Hebrews 8:7 – For if that first [covenant]
had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
That is, there would have been no
need for a better covenant if the first one had been capable of perfection.
However, the old covenant was totally incapable of perfection in itself; in
fact, it was imperfect to start with and just continue to go down and down
until this time when it was obvious that it was now dead in the water! It’s
only hope of perfection rested upon the better promises of the new covenant.
Hebrews 7:19 – For the law made
nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope [did]; by the
which we draw nigh unto God.
There was no hope in the old covenant;
only a better covenant could permit any hope at all! The only way possible to
get close to God was through the new covenant.
Hebrews 8:8 – For finding fault
with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the
house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
Jeremiah 31:31-34 – 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: 32 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: 33 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. 34 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.
While some may say that the fault
is somehow with the old covenant, it is clear that here the fault lay with the
people (Israel and Judah) with whom the covenant was made. The old covenant
(the law) was certainly faulty (see Vs 7) for if it hadn’t been faulty there
would have been no point in replacing it. But its fault was made evident by the
effect it had upon the people of the law, that is, Israel. God declared the law
to be insufficient for its required task in Jeremiah’s day, before Judah went
into captivity at Babylon. Thus, it wasn’t a case of God waiting until the law
failed before deciding that something would have to be done about it. In fact,
God knew about the deficiencies of the law before He gave it to Israel.
It was the condemnatory aspect of
the law that would be a tutor to bring the lost to Christ.
Galatians 3:21-25 – 21 [Is] the law then
against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given
which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. 22
But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by
faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. 23 But
before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which
should afterwards be revealed. 24 Wherefore the law was our
schoolmaster [to bring us] unto Christ, that we might be justified by
faith. 25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer
under a schoolmaster.
The law was never intended to
save; rather, it was to bring a sense of helplessness under sin such that the
sinner would throw himself upon the mercy of God. In Luke 18:9-14 we read about
the pharisee and the tax collector where the tax collector pleaded for God’s
mercy.
Luke 18:13-14 – 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so
much as [his] eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God
be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down
to his house justified [rather] than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
The law used properly could save,
but only through its dependence upon the new covenant, for religious abiding by
the old covenant law could only condemn.
So a new covenant (a new
legally-binding agreement) has to be made with God’s people such that they can
be perfected, something the old law could never do.
I will make – bring to an end; finalise; bring to fulfilment; bring to
an end. That is, I will bring about the final covenant with them, thus, I will
fulfil (or bring to fulfilment) a new covenant with the house of Israel.
Hebrews 8:9 – Not according to the
covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my
covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
See Jeremiah 31:32 above, with a
change in the last part – “although I was an husband to them” now becomes “and I
regarded them not”, quoting from the Septuagint (“and I disregarded
them”) rather than the Old Testament Hebrew.
And this new covenant has to be
different to the old covenant of the law handed down to them in the desert
(note “more excellent” = different by virtue of its excellence – Hebrews 8:6).
Thus, the new covenant should not after the same manner as the old covenant,
that is, not just a re-hash of the old but a new covenant in place of the old.
Expositor’s Greek says, “It was not to be a repetition of that which had failed.”
The problem with the old covenant
was that God’s people didn’t continue to abide by its requirements. Therefore,
as they chose to neglect the requirements of God’s law, He chose to neglect
them, to show a lack of care for them – poetic justice, it seems.
continued not – didn’t continue, hold fast, be true to, abide by.
regard …. not – be careless of; to neglect.
Hebrews 2:3a – How shall we escape, if
we neglect so great salvation;
Hebrews 8:10 – For this [is] the
covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and
write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to
me a people:
See Jeremiah 31:33 above.
I will make – to dispose of by will, make a testament; to make a
covenant, enter into a covenant, with one. Thus, this is the covenant
(testament) that God will covenant (as testator) with the house of Israel.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9 – 4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God [is] one Lord: 5
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with
all thy soul, and with all thy might. 6 And these words,
which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And
thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when
thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest
down, and when thou risest up. 8 And
thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets
between thine eyes. 9 And thou shalt write them upon the
posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
God will be their God and they will be His people – a
two-way relationship that God desires to have with His people. I note that it
would be impossible to have such a relationship if God’s people lacked any
free-will to choose in any way. Also, note that a covenant is an agreement
between two or more people. A covenant is a legal agreement between two or more
parties, an agreement by lease, deed, or other legal contract. That is, it’s a
promise that has been given some legal standing to ensure that it is carried
out. It assumes at least two parties to be involved in the legal proceedings.
Each party to the agreement is required by law to respond or carry out their
responsibilities as defined by that covenant. One point, however, must be
noted: God is the One who sets the conditions to which the other party must
agree!
Jeremiah 32:37-38 – 37 Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither
I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I
will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: 38
And they shall be my people, and I will be their God:
Ezekiel 37:26-28 – 26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it
shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply
them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. 27 My
tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be
my people. 28 And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do
sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.
2 Corinthians 6:16 – And what agreement
hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as
God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in [them]; and I will be
their God, and they shall be my people.
Hebrews 8:11 – And they shall not
teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord:
for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
See Jeremiah 31:34a above.
neighbour – a neighbour; a friend; fellow-citizen of Israel; according
to Christ, any other man irrespective of nation or religion with whom we live
or whom we chance to meet.
Luke 10:29; 36-37 – 29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And
who is my neighbour?
36 Which now of these three, thinkest
thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? 37 And
he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou
likewise.
brother – adelphos
(a brother; countryman; any fellow or man; fellow worker; fellow believer;
They shall have no further need to
have to teach their neighbour/fellow citizen, nor their
family/countryman/fellow believer, for all people will know all things already.
1 Corinthians 13:12 – For now we see
through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then
shall I know even as also I am known.
Hebrews 8:12 – For I will be
merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I
remember no more.
See Jeremiah 31:34b above.
merciful – propitious. Translated as “be it far” in Matthew 16:22.
God covenants to render His mercy
in place of their unrighteousness.
remember – to recall something; to remember a thing; to be mindful
of. It doesn’t appear to even suggest that God might be forgetful in any way;
instead it is a conscious decision by God to not be mindful of their sins ever
again.
Barnes says, “This is evidently spoken after the manner of men, and in
accordance with human apprehension. It cannot mean literally that God forgets
that men are sinners, but it means that he treats them as if this were
forgotten. Their sins are not charged upon them, and they are no more punished
than if they had passed entirely out of the recollection. God treats them with
just as much kindness, and regards them with as sincere affection, as if their
sins ceased wholly to be remembered, or, which is the same thing, as if they
had never sinned.”
Hebrews 8:13 – In that he saith, A new [covenant], he hath made the first old.
Now that which decayeth and waxeth
old [is] ready to vanish away.
By declaring the covenant to be
new, God has thus made the previous covenant old, that is, obsolete. The previous
covenant has reached (passed!) its use-by date and now needs to be repealed
(have its legal authority removed), declared obsolete, and put away. Note the
following:-
1 Corinthians 13:11 – When I was a child, I
spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought
as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
decayeth – to make ancient or old; to be worn out (by time and
use); to declare a thing to be old and so about to be abrogated, that is, repeal or
do away with (a law, right, or formal agreement).
wax old – to grow old; of things and institutions: to fail from
age, be obsolescent.
It is interesting that the word
for “decayeth” is translated “wax old” twice in the
New Testament.
The old covenant, administered by
the priesthood of Aaron, had become unworkable, had passed its use-by date, had
become obsolete, and needed to be made to vanish away.
Extra thoughts on Hebrews 8:9b – because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded
them not, saith the Lord.
There is a serious problem today
in the church. The church is under attack, not from without so much as from
within! The major reason for the ease of such attack is that people have grown
too complacent (perhaps I should have said “lazy”!) in their worship of God,
not caring as much as they should concerning His commandments. We are commanded
to rightly divide the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15) and by doing so, to test
(prove) all things, holding fast to that which is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
We have grown too lazy to be bothered to check all things, so that all too
often we just accept the word of our pastor (minister, Bible teacher, reference
book, etc) without obeying God’s command to test all
things according to the proper interpretation of the Bible (the word of truth).
When Paul taught in Berea, the Bereans were commended for their diligence in
searching the Scriptures to see if what Paul said were truly so – that is, they
tested (proved) all things. This did, however, greatly annoy the Thessalonians
who then decided to stir up trouble against those who faithfully preached the
word of God. Note that there are also many in the church who deliberately use
the above-mentioned laziness to promulgate their own heresies. As it is said,
everlasting freedom is the result of everlasting vigilance.
Acts 17:10-13 – 10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by
night unto Berea: who coming [thither] went into the synagogue of the
Jews. 11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in
that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the
scriptures daily, whether those things were so. 12 Therefore
many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men,
not a few. 13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge
that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and
stirred up the people.
There will always be those who
like things to stay the way they are, no matter whether it’s right of wrong,
simply because they don’t like to change what they have always believed, and
it’s easier to just accept what the pastor says. Moreover, there are others who
have a total disregard for the truth. When we are lazy and don’t test all
things, their plans can succeed. To them, truth is a stumbling block that has
to be avoided as much as possible! It reminds me of a saying of Winston
Churchill (of Stanley
Baldwin 1867–1947 British Conservative statesman; Prime Minister, 1923–4,
1924–9, 1935–7) – “He occasionally
stumbled over the truth, but hastily picked himself up and hurried on as if
nothing had happened.”
Churchill was fond of sayings: (Lady Astor to Churchill
"Winston, if you were my husband I would flavour your coffee with
poison" Churchill: "Madam, if I were your husband, I should drink
it" Or Bessie Braddock: Winston, you're
drunk. Churchill: Bessie, you're ugly. But tomorrow I shall be sober. (an exchange with the Labour MP Bessie Braddock)
Getting back to the point, though,
the Hebrews in today’s passage were being reminded of the Hebrews in the
desert, those who seemingly had more important things to do than to have to
waste time worrying about God’s covenant, the law. As a result, God showed them
neglect.
Hebrews 8:9b – because they
continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith
the Lord.
Note what we call “The Golden
Rule”: Luke 6:31 – And as ye would that
men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
And the way we treat God is
covered by the same rule, it seems: if we neglect Him, He’ll neglect us! (Note 2 Timothy 2:12b – if we deny [him], he also will deny us)
The church continues to be under
attack from heretics especially from within, noting that when good men don’t
test all things, doctrines of demons and cults thrive. False teachers thrive
when no-one tests the accuracy of their words. We have become too lazy to
protect ourselves from false doctrines and heresies. I note that calvinists,
taking advantage of laziness in the fundamentalist church, push their false
doctrines, when testing their words would reveal their errors. And you often
don’t know what you have until it’s gone!
Calvinists are often portrayed
(quite correctly, in fact) as arrogant and argumentative. They see themselves
as the only “good kid on the block”. Eg. Al Mohler – “If you’re a
theological minded, deeply convictional young evangelical, if you’re committed
to the gospel and want to see the nations rejoice in the name of Christ, if you
want to see gospel built and structured committed churches, your theology is
just going end up basically being Reformed, basically something like this new
Calvinism, or you’re going to have to invent some label for what is basically
going to be the same thing, there just are not options out there”
That is, looking at it another way,
he is saying that if you are not new calvinist, then you will not
be a theologically minded, deeply convictional young evangelical.
Calvinists make the assumption
that they are right, therefore non-calvinists are wrong, unless they agree with
calvinist theology, in which case they would no longer be non-calvinists, but
calvinists instead!
Note that all doctrine should rest
upon the foundation of the gospel. There is no relevant doctrine unless the
gospel is firstly applied effectively to a life. So how a person perceives the
gospel is critical to his/her understanding of the truth overall. The calvinist
teaches that there is no free-will choice in salvation, that God does all the
choosing, that Jesus doesn’t stand outside the door and knock requesting
permission to enter. Macarthur’s website says of Revelation 3:20: As Paul Washer once said, “If He wants to kick the door
down, He’ll kick it down.” http://www.gty.org/Resources/Print/Blog/B160120
Todd Friel declares that anyone who prays the sinner’s prayer is lost. “People who ask Jesus into their hearts are not saved and they will perish on the Day of Judgment.” https://defendingcontending.com/2009/07/21/ten-reasons-not-to-ask-jesus-into-your-heart-by-todd-friel/
So if your claim to being a Christian is that you once, in repentant faith, prayed to God to save you through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, then the calvinist has to reject your claim to be a Christian because it involved a free-will decision which calvinists just cannot permit!
Let’s go a bit further. If you claim to have believed in
Christ in order to be saved, calvinists will reject your salvation, for they claim
you must be saved before you can believe in Christ! To them, we do not believe in Christ in order to be
saved; we are saved in order that we may believe in Christ. The calvinist
gospel is diametrically opposed to the Biblical gospel. If they are right, then
the Bible is wrong, yet if the Bible is right, the calvinist is wrong. The fact
remains: both cannot be right!
To the calvinist,
non-calvinists have to be seen as probably unsaved, because they actually think
they could choose to be saved. Moreover, we non-calvinists attend a
non-calvinist church once we are saved. Calvin taught that there was no
salvation outside the mother church, that is, a church of calvinist teachings! It
was the church that gave you salvation (note – not the cross of Jesus!), and if
you were truly saved, you would attend a church with true (that is, calvinist!)
doctrine!
“But as it is now our purpose to
discourse of the visible Church, let us learn, from her single title of Mother,
how useful, nay, how necessary the knowledge of her is, since there is no other
means of entering into life unless she conceive us in the womb and give us
birth, unless she nourish us at her breasts, and, in short, keep us under her
charge and government, until, divested of mortal flesh, we become like the
angels (Mt. 22:30). For our weakness does not permit us to leave the school
until we have spent our whole lives as scholars. Moreover, beyond the pale of
the Church no forgiveness of sins, no salvation, can be hoped for ……..”
Calvin’s Institutes, Book IV, Ch. 1, Section 4.
Thus the calvinists see non-calvinists as most probably lost
sinners, in need of salvation, which they say can only be if God has chosen
them as one of the elect before the foundation of the world. To the calvinist,
the non-calvinist church is a mission-field to be evangelised, to take over for
the sake of the true mother church.
However, from a Scriptural point of view, if the non-calvinist is right, then the calvinist instead is the lost sinner; they are, instead, a mission-field to be evangelised. We should be preaching the gospel to calvinists as we should to JWs and Mormons etc. If calvinists know of no point of decision when they were saved, if they cannot recall a time when they came to the cross of Jesus in repentance by faith, then they are most likely still lost in their sins. We as the true church of Christ (that is, the ones who rightly divide the word of truth and preach the true gospel of reconciliation between God and man) must carry out the Great Commission to preach the gospel to all nations; this includes those around us who are lost; this, too, includes calvinists who have never chosen to accept Christ as Saviour! If they have never made a decision to be saved at the cross of Jesus, then they are still lost until they choose to repent in faith for their sins and trust in the salvation freely offered to them by God. We should not seek to prove them wrong – arguments won’t save them – but instead preach the gospel faithfully to them. It is the word of the gospel that triggers faith.
Romans 10:8-10; 13; 17 – 8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, [even] in thy
mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt
believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be
saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto
righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall
be saved.
17 So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by
the word of God.
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