The New Covenant that Jesus Christ personified is easily expressed but profound in its implications.
The Revs. Landon Coleman and Bill Hutto say its essence is that Jesus died to expiate the sins of the world and was buried and resurrected to afford mankind the path to redemption.
“In the Bible, God is the one who makes covenants with human beings,” said the Rev. Coleman, pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church. “It is God’s faithfulness, omniscience and omnipotence that guarantees these covenants. Even when God’s people forgot the covenant promises of God, Psalm 106:21, God remembered his covenant promises to his people, Psalm 106:45.
“Most theologians would recognize several covenants within the Old Testament including the Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic and Davidic covenants. Additionally, many would recognize a covenant of works with Adam as well as the covenant of grace that was established among the members of the Trinity in eternity past.
“Within the Old Testament, there developed an idea that one day God would establish a New Covenant with his people. This hope is most clearly expressed in Jeremiah 31 and Ezekiel 36-37.”
Citing Luke 24:20, Coleman said Jesus altered the traditional Passover celebration on the night before he was crucified and he explained to the disciples that he was establishing the New Covenant in his blood.
“The book of Hebrews goes into great detail explaining how Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament Scriptures, promises, types, institutions and covenants,” he said. “Jesus is the greater Moses. Jesus provides a true Sabbath. Jesus is the Great High Priest. Jesus offered a true sacrifice for sins.
“Simply put in Hebrews 8:5, ‘Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better because it is enacted on better promises.’”
In Galatians 3:19 and 24 and Matthew 5:17, Coleman said, the Apostle Paul says the Old Covenant and the Law of God were given to the people to reveal their sins and show them their need for a savior.
“These were also established as guardians for God’s people until Christ came,” he said. “In the fullness of time, Jesus did not come to abolish the Old Testament law and prophets. Rather, he came to fulfill them.”
The Rev. Hutto, pastor of Sunset Heights Baptist Church, said the New Covenant “is centered around Christ’s death on the Cross and his burial and resurrection.
“There had been others who claimed to be Christ and died that way, but they didn’t rise again to be seen by over 500 witnesses,” Hutto said. “The big difference between Christianity and other religions is that their spiritual leaders’ graves are still filled with bones.
“If we accept that Christ died on the Cross for our sins and was resurrected, we get to go to Heaven rather the alternative, which is the lake of fire. The choice we’re making is what makes us the sons and daughters of God.”
Hutto said the old law “was just a shadow of Christ’s coming and fulfilling the old law by being the ultimate sacrifice.
“The old law still has its place,” he said. “It shows us what sin is, but Scripture says none of us can do what it takes to satisfy the old law.
“The sinless Christ broke none of the old laws, but he chose to die in our place as our Passover Lamb. That was his whole destiny.”
