Lesson: THE USEFULNESS OF THE OLD COVENANT (TRADITION) SCRIPTURES EXCEPT IN CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE
MEMORY VERSE: 11Cor. 3:15
TEXT: 11 Tim. 3:14-17
Even to this day when Moses (Law of Moses) is read, a veil covers their hearts (NIV)
INTRODUCTION:
The first or Old Covenant (constitution) of God to His creation was active until a new and better one replaced it (See Heb. 7:18-19; 8:7-8). The beliefs and teachings of Christ (the covenant He mediates Matt. 26:27-28; Heb.9:15-22) which focus is on the blessings from the heavens before manifestation on earth cannot be combined with the provisions of the old covenant which focused on elemental (physical) blessings and worship rituals (cf. Eph. 1:3-4: Heb.8:13; 9:1, 8; 11Cor.4:17-18; 5:7). Just as the flesh disagrees with the spirit perpetually (Gal. 5:17), that is how Christ has taught about the Old and New Covenants (Mark 2:18-22).
The Old Covenant writings are useful in a number of ways. For instance, it brought all mankind into condemnation (since no one could keep it flawlessly) so that all may be humbled to receive God’s only solution to mankind which is Christ (cf. Rom. 11:32; 8:20-23).
OBJECTIVE: Let’s segment our lesson into its usefulness and its failure for more understanding.
PRESENTATION:
Step I: SOME USEFULNESS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES
(a) As a shadow of the reality in Christ, it speeds understanding of God’s loving and glorious will for us before even the foundation of the earth (cf. 11Tim. 3:14-17; Col. 2:16-19; Eph. 1:3-4, 8-10).
(b) It serves as a sketch showing God’s plan and execution of our salvation in Christ which was a mystery to first generation hearers (cf. Eph. 3:8-11; 1Pet. 1:10-12).
(c) God’s dealing with those who obeyed and/or disobeyed under the Old Covenant regime are moral lessons for us under Christ today (1Cor. 10:6, 11; Heb. 2:1-4; Ex.23:20-24).
(d) By it, we know what was just for our knowledge and what now is for our consumption. For instance, Moses, the bearer of the old system provided for evil recompense (See Lev. 24:19-20), whereas Jesus Christ, the Bearer of the present regime, has stopped under His Covenant arrangement (See Matt. 5:38-43).
Step II: THE AREA OF THE FIRST COVENANT’S
FAILURE FOR CHRIST’S CHURCH
– What The Church Doctrine Is Not About.
(a) It is not about law keeping but problem solving (cf. Matt.19:16-22).
(b) It is not about punishment but correction (cf. John 8:1-11).
(c) It is not about sacrifice but relief (mercy) (Matt. 12:1-8; Hosea 6:6).
(d) It is not about physical blessing but spiritual (cf. Eph.1:3-4; 11Cor. 4:17-18).
(e) It is not about physical quantity or quality of giving but the intentions (motives) and knowledge of the truth about God. (Hosea 6:6b).
(f) It is not about temporal solution but eternal endurance. (cf. 11 Pet.3:10-13).
(g) It is not about talk but power (authority) (cf. 1Cor. 4:18-19; Matt. 7:28-29; 6:7).
(h) It is not about the shadow but the real (cf. Col. 2:16-19).
(i) It is not about satisfying men but God (cf. Num. 30:2; Matt. 5:33-37).
CONCLUSION:
The Old Covenant, according to God’s foreknowledge, killed Jesus in His bid to save His race in the flesh (Israel) and by extension, the Gentiles (Greeks) (Rom. 1:16-17; John 10:16). If anything is for doctrine, it means it is for practice. If the Christians are living sacrifices, (cf. Rom. 12:1,2) it means, in context, a contrast to the dead animals’ sacrifices of the Old regime. Then, the provision for dead animals’ sacrifices of the Old Covenant must be different from that of the living sacrifices of this new regime under Christ. (See this change provided for in ‘7:11-14’). May God grant you understanding into what is written here now and always. Amen (11 Tim. 2:7).
EVALUATION:
1. Mention any three benefits under Jesus’ Covenant that are not achievable under Moses’ regime.
2. Mention two benefits under the First Covenant that are facilitators to understanding the message of salvation
in Christ.
3. What passage(s) of the Bible speaks clearly that the First Covenant has been replaced by a superior and better one?
4. “The New Covenant is about need-meeting as the Old Covenant was about fault-finding.” Why?
For more on the subject, Click here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
PRAYER: Thank God for the lesson and pray for grace of revelation for Christians, especially leaders, to know how to divide between what is for our knowledge in the past and what is for our consumption in the present to eternity in the Scripture. (cf. 2Tim.2:15)