Old Covenant Compared To The New Covenant

Author: Gary Amirault  

Published: Dec 6, 1998

Reading Time: 4 Minutes

Throughout the Church Age, there have been many religious institutions and groups that have advocated the keeping of certain Old Testament laws. The two most popular O.T. laws today are tithing and sabbath keeping. Some groups take the concept so far as to wear fringes on their underwear! We realize that there is nothing wrong with someone setting aside money or time to the Lord, but there is something wrong with using Old Testament laws as the basis for doing so. Christians are to rely on the Holy Spirit for our direction and not the Mosaic Law. The following table shows conclusively that the Mosaic Law has ended and is no longer in effect, and that the Law of the Spirit is the present manifestation of God’s direction for our lives.

Mosaic CovenantNew Covenant
Old covenant, 2 Cor. 3:14New covenant, 2 Cor. 3:6
First covenant, Heb. 8:7;9:1Second covenant, Heb. 8:7;10:1-9
Came by Moses, John 1:17Came by Christ, Heb. 8:6;9:15
Law of Moses, Acts 13:38-39Law of Christ, Gal. 6:2
Law of sin, Rom. 7:5-6Law of righteousness, Rom. 9:30-31
Law of the flesh, Rom. 7:5-6Law of the Spirit, Rom. 8:2
Not of faith, Gal. 3:2Law of faith, Rom. 3:27
Yoke of bondage, Gal. 5:1Law of liberty, James 1:25
Ended by Christ, Rom. 10:4Established by Christ, Heb. 8:6;10:9
Law of death, 2 Cor. 3:7Law of life, Gal. 3:11;6:8
Entangles, Gal. 5:1Makes free, John 8:32,36
A shadow, Col. 2:14-17The reality, Heb. 10:1-18
Fulfilled, Matt. 5:17-18Now in force, Heb. 8:6;10:9
Leaves imperfect, Heb. 7:19Makes perfect, Heb. 7:19
Glorious, 2 Cor. 3:7More glorious, 2 Cor. 3:8-10
Powerless to save, Heb. 9:9;10:4Saves to uttermost, Heb. 7:25
Many sacrifices, Heb. 9:12-13One sacrifice for sin, Heb. 10:12
Temporary priest, Heb. 7:23Eternal priest, Heb. 7:17
Remembers sins, Heb. 10:3Forgets sins, Heb. 8:12;10:17
Yearly atonement, Heb. 10:3Eternal atonement, Heb. 10:14
Priests have sin, Heb. 5:1-4Sinless priest, Heb. 7:26
Aaronic priesthood > Heb. 7:11Melchizedek priesthood, Heb. 5:5-10, 7:21
Out of Levi, Heb 7:11Out of Judah, Heb. 7:14
Animal sacrifices, Heb. 9:12Human sacrifice, Heb. 9:14-28
Earthly tabernacle, Heb. 9:2Heavenly tabernacle, Heb. 8:2
Imperfect mediator, Gal. 3:19Sinless mediator, 1 Tim. 2:5
No inheritance, Rom. 4:13Eternal inheritance, Heb. 9:15
Instituted upon animal blood, Heb. 9:16-22Instituted upon blood of Christ, Matt. 26-28
Law of works, Rom. 3:27Law of grace and faith, John 1:17
Works wrath, Rom. 4:15Saves from wrath, Rom. 5:9
Non-redeeming, Heb. 10:4Redeems, Gal. 3:13, Heb. 9:12-15
Non-pleasing, Ps. 40:6Pleasing to God, Heb 10:5-18
Abolishment predicted, Isa. 51:6Establishment predicted, Heb. 8:7
Circumcision, Exod. 12:48No circumcision, Rom. 4:9-12
Made to change, Heb. 7:12; Gal. 3:25Made eternal, Heb. 13:20
Faulty, Heb. 8:7Perfect, James 1:25
Weak, Heb. 7:18Strong, Heb. 7:25
Unprofitable, Heb. 7:18Profitable, Heb. 7:19,25
Natural program, Heb. 9:10-14Spiritual program, 2 Cor. 3:6,18
Daily program, Heb. 7:27Finished program, Heb. 10:10-18
Infirm high priests, Heb. 5:2;7:28Perfect high priest, Heb. 7:26
Made priests by law, Heb. 7:12,28Made priests by an oath, Heb. 7:21,28
No salvation, Heb. 10:2-4Eternal salvation, Heb. 5:9;10:10
Perfected nothing, Heb. 7:19Perfects believers, Heb. 7:19, 10:14
Earthly priests, Heb. 5:1-4Heavenly priest, Heb. 9:24, 10:12
Repeated inability, Heb. 10:11Glorious success, Heb. 10:10-18
Many offerings, Heb. 9:7One offering, Heb. 10:10-14
Good promises, Deut. 28:1-14Better promises, Heb. 8:6
A good covenant, Rom 7:12A better covenant, Heb. 7:22;8:6
Many high priests, Heb. 7:23One high priest, Heb. 7:24-28
Typical tabernacle, Heb. 9True tabernacle, Heb. 8:2;9:11
No mercy, Heb. 10:28Complete mercy, Heb. 8:12
Handmade things, Heb. 9:1-5, 24Not handmade, Heb. 9:23-24
An old way, Heb. 8:13New and living way, Heb. 10:19-20
Unavailing ministers, Heb. 7:18Able ministers, 2 Cor. 3:6
Carnal ministry, Heb. 9:9-10Spiritual ministry, 2 Cor. 3:6
Ministration of condemnation, 2 Cor. 3:9Ministration of righteousness, 2 Cor. 3:9
Glory covered, 2 Cor. 3:13Glory uncovered, 2 Cor. 3:18
Brings bondage, Gal. 4:24-25Brings liberty, 2 Cor. 3:17
Cannot justify, Gal. 2:16Does justify, Acts 13:38-39
Brings a curse, Gal. 3:10Redeems from the curse, Gal. 3:13
Live by works, Gal. 3:10Live by faith, Gal. 3:11
Cannot give life, Gal. 3:21Does give life, John 6:63-68
Exposes sin, Gal. 3:19Covers sin, Rom. 4:1-8
Under law, Rom. 6:14-15Under grace, Gal. 3:22-25
Done away, 2 Cor. 3:7-14Not done away, 2 Cor. 3:11
Abolished, 2 Cor. 3:13Continues glorious, 2 Cor. 3:11
Ministry of death, 2 Cor. 3:7Reconciliation ministry, 2 Cor. 5:18
For Israel only, Deut. 4:7-8;5:3For all men, Luke 22:20; Mark 14:24

Mixing the Old Covenant with the New is liking mixing the blood of bulls and goats with the blood of Christ. Foolish Christians, who has bewitched you?! (Gal. 3:1).

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