To completely understand the fundamentals of the old covenant vs new covenant, one must start by familiarizing himself or herself with the New Testament and the Old Testament, which are the 2 distinctly different portions of the Bible. Thirty-nine individual books, from Genesis to Malachi, make up the Old Testament. The New is comprised of a total of twenty-seven books, beginning with Matthew and finishing with the Revelation.
Many people believe that everything in both sections of the Bible applies to Christians today, and subsequently become confused, as the scriptures seem to contradict themselves. However, two distinct sets of rules are associated with each of the two sections of the Bible: one for those living before the crucifixion, and one set for those who were alive after Christ was crucified.
The crucifixion had not yet taken place when the Old Testament was written. For this reason, what Christians commonly refer to as "grace" did not yet exist. Instead, a blood sacrifice was necessary to atone for sin. The New Testament began at the time of Jesus' birth and his time on earth: when he died on the cross, a sacrifice for sins was no longer necessary, as that was the reason he died.
Hebrews, a New Testament Bible book, distinctly and clearly explains that the Christ established another covenant following his crucifixion, death, resurrection and ascent to heaven. In Hebrews chapter 7, God tells believers that the "old agreement", referring to the regulations adhered to by Christians prior to Jesus' death, had been nullified and the new covenant established. The latter is still in effect today, and it began with the resurrection of Christ.
Old Testament laws were very different from those outlined in the New Testament. For instance, as previously mentioned, a blood sacrifice in the form of an animal had to be offered to God as atonement for any sins one committed. The animal sacrificed was typically a lamb, symbolizing the "Lamb of God", who of course was Jesus Christ.
Another New Testament book called Galatians is devoted exclusively to exhorting individuals to embrace the gift of God's grace and forgiveness. They are directed to avoid trying to live under the former Old Testament laws.
In Romans, the seventh chapter, there are also references made to the former agreement vs. The current agreement. In contemporary English, it would probably read something like the following: "We can now rest in the grace of God, as we have been delivered from the penalties associated with the law, and therefore it is no longer necessary for us to atone for our own sins."
Numerous religious groups today fail to differentiate between the two main sections of the Bible: the Old Testament given by God to Moses and the Jews, as stated in Deuteronomy's 5th chapter, versus the New Testament contract, given to all of mankind directly from Christ, as outlined in Matthew, chapter eleven. Only when one understand that the gift of salvation negates the written law can he or she gain a thorough understanding of the fundamentals of the old covenant vs new covenant.
Many people believe that everything in both sections of the Bible applies to Christians today, and subsequently become confused, as the scriptures seem to contradict themselves. However, two distinct sets of rules are associated with each of the two sections of the Bible: one for those living before the crucifixion, and one set for those who were alive after Christ was crucified.
The crucifixion had not yet taken place when the Old Testament was written. For this reason, what Christians commonly refer to as "grace" did not yet exist. Instead, a blood sacrifice was necessary to atone for sin. The New Testament began at the time of Jesus' birth and his time on earth: when he died on the cross, a sacrifice for sins was no longer necessary, as that was the reason he died.
Hebrews, a New Testament Bible book, distinctly and clearly explains that the Christ established another covenant following his crucifixion, death, resurrection and ascent to heaven. In Hebrews chapter 7, God tells believers that the "old agreement", referring to the regulations adhered to by Christians prior to Jesus' death, had been nullified and the new covenant established. The latter is still in effect today, and it began with the resurrection of Christ.
Old Testament laws were very different from those outlined in the New Testament. For instance, as previously mentioned, a blood sacrifice in the form of an animal had to be offered to God as atonement for any sins one committed. The animal sacrificed was typically a lamb, symbolizing the "Lamb of God", who of course was Jesus Christ.
Another New Testament book called Galatians is devoted exclusively to exhorting individuals to embrace the gift of God's grace and forgiveness. They are directed to avoid trying to live under the former Old Testament laws.
In Romans, the seventh chapter, there are also references made to the former agreement vs. The current agreement. In contemporary English, it would probably read something like the following: "We can now rest in the grace of God, as we have been delivered from the penalties associated with the law, and therefore it is no longer necessary for us to atone for our own sins."
Numerous religious groups today fail to differentiate between the two main sections of the Bible: the Old Testament given by God to Moses and the Jews, as stated in Deuteronomy's 5th chapter, versus the New Testament contract, given to all of mankind directly from Christ, as outlined in Matthew, chapter eleven. Only when one understand that the gift of salvation negates the written law can he or she gain a thorough understanding of the fundamentals of the old covenant vs new covenant.
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